Want to redesign your life?
If you could wipe the slate clean and redesign your life, what things would you change?
I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and my journey here so far has made me who I am.
But there are some decisions I made that, looking back with what I now know, I would have made differently.
For example: University. I studied Speech and Language Therapy - an amazing profession, but as it turned out, not a good fit for me.
The course was four years long and really intense. I remember getting up at 6am on days I had placement to travel across South Yorkshire to get to placement. It wasn't the typical university experience, let’s put it that way!
I look back, and wish I'd chosen a subject based on what I enjoy. I often wish I'd studied Sociology instead. I loved it at A level, but didn't study it at University because I was so worried about what job I would get after I graduated.
Of all the jobs I've had since University, none of them were given to me because of my Speech Therapy degree, some of them required I was educated to degree level - but they didn't specify the subject.
This is true of loads people I know, it seems education is something so many wish they had taken more seriously at the time or wish they had explored other subjects before making their choice.
If I was re-designing my life, I would keep a lot of things the same:
I would still marry Adam.
I would still have T.
I would still want to live in Sheffield.
I would still choose to retrain as a life and career coach and set up my own business.
They say hindsight is 20:20 - it's easy to look back and say what you wish you'd done when you know how it works out. But it can be more difficult to make a decision in the moment.
Here's the secret to making decisions you're less likely to regret:
Know your values and priorities
What things are the most important to you in life? Use these things as decision making tools.
To give you an example, let’s say quality time with your family is linked to your core values and priorities. If you were offered a job with a big salary and lots of travel all over the country, meaning lots of time away from your family, would you take the job?
If you're using your values and priorities as decision making tools, chances are you wouldn't.
Know what you want your future to look like
What things do you hope will happen in the next 10 years? Use your plans as decision making tools.
Do you want to own your own house? Do you want a career change? Do you want to set up your own business? Do you want to start or grow a family?
Use these plans as decision making tools. For every decision you make, consider the impact of that decision on the things you want to happen. Going back to the example of taking a job with lots of travel and big salary - would taking the job move you closer to, or away from your plans for the future?
Get rid of the pressure of things you feel you should do
When you think back on your life, what decisions did you make because you thought you 'should' do those things. To be honest, I went to University because I felt I should, not particularly because I wanted to. All my friends were going, my parents went and it just felt like it was expected of me. Everyone else was doing it - so off I went!
Often we make decisions based on other people's values, priorities and future plans.
It's worth taking the time to figure out the things important to YOU - it will make decisions in the future much easier.
We're coming to a defining moment in your life now, as Covid restrictions in the UK start to ease
There's decisions to be made and there's more change coming as we enter into a ‘new normal’.
We have spent the past year-ish trying to readjust to life in lockdown, and now we’re faced with having the readjust our life again.
It can feel overwhelming.
I've heard from a lot of people who've said they're happy restrictions are easing but are also feeling anxious about what the changes mean for them.
There's also a lot of uncertainty that comes with new restrictions, decisions about vaccinations and how careful you want to be and whether others will respect your wishes.
It’s understandable you might be feeling uneasy about what this ‘new normal’ might look like.
Take some time to consider what you want your ‘new normal’ to look like
The forced global pause has given a lot of people time to consider what they really want their life to look like. More and more, I’m hearing from people who’s priorities have changed, and who are wanting to make some big changes to their life.
If you’ve realised your life doesn’t line up with your values and priorities. If you’ve recognised that maybe your job is based on a career path you felt you ‘should’ follow. If you know you want to make a change, but the idea terrifies you and you don’t know where to start - I have some free resources to help you get clear on what you want the next season of your life to look like.
Get unstuck and make a decision on what direction you want to head in.
The End Career Paralysis mini course has been designed to help you reflect on your current situation, recognise what’s important to you, and make some plans to move towards a life and career that work for you.
If you know that something in your life needs to change, but you’re struggling to know where to begin, I’d encourage you to access the End Career Paralysis mini course today. I know it can really help you.
If you'd like more inspiration and support as you navigate a career change, follow me on Instagram.
