How to Find Your Way When You’re Lost at Work: Christie Mims

What do you do when you’ve lost your way at work? (And desperately need a new plan for the future!)

A lot of times, our work is … fine.  Things are going well enough that we don’t look too deeply or ask too many questions of ourselves, and shamefully leave the tv channel set to The Real Housewives.

Sure, we’d like to be more energized, maybe less annoyed by our co-workers, and more money would be nice too, and maybe less of that nagging feeling that you should be doing something better. Or more interesting. Or just…more.

You wake up one morning and find out that somehow you have just lost your way.    You’ve got a vague dissatisfaction that things could be or should be better.  That feeling drives you to roll back over, close your eyes, and wish that a magic fairy would save you from the day (and maybe upgrade your shoe collection?).

Have you ever felt that way?

If so, you are sooooo not alone.  It happens to everyone at some point, but most people just keep on doing what they are doing, hoping magic/chance/luck/fairy dust will come their way and make something new happen.

YOU, however, are not most people.  You are ready to roll up your sleeves and actually make a change! (You are awesome!)

So, given that, here are three things to think about to help you find your way back again:

1. What about your work makes you happy right now? (Be specific)

2. In a year from now, what specifically would make you even happier (be honest and brave here – don’t just go for the more money route)

3. What do you need to do to make this happen for yourself?

Voilà – you have started to make a plan!  This is the first method of attack to letting go of that lost feeling and really figuring out what your next step should be.

You may be thinking: “All well and good, but now I have to go DO that. How?”

The first step is having the confidence that you can and will.  Confidence is not always that easy to come by, and often times we stay feeling “meh” about work because it is the safe thing to do.  That thing that keeps us feeling comfortable and relaxed watching bad TV on the couch (hey hey Real Housewives!).

Well, comfortable and relaxed doesn’t help you get your mojo back.  Have no fear though – it’s time to take yourself in hand and expand your comfort zone.

The first way to do this to start small, by taking a new road to work or trying a new restaurant.  Then, get bigger – have coffee with someone you admire or want to get to know better, try a new skill or an experience that scares/thrills you (roller coaster? Rock climbing? Public speaking?), and do something that makes you pause for a moment and think: “Ummm, was this really such a good idea?” (Yes. YES! It is!)

When you get out of your comfort zone and survive the experience, you feel better.  You you feel more confident in your skills and abilities, and it’s not only easier to figure out where you want to go, you are so much more likely to do it.  Now, go out and try – I know you can do this!

Christie Mims is the Radical Fairy Godmother to the Woman Trapped in Her Suit and is here to wave fairy dust on you and get you unstuck in your career. Sign up for her free job UNstuck kit here! And, if you really want to get out of your comfort zone and have a career adventure – then join her this summer in Costa Rica!