Many of us dream of spring cleaning our career. But often we become too comfortable with the status quo. Of course there are the few, the brave, who forge ahead. Career transitions however are not always easy, even if you’re moving on to something you’ve always wanted to do. If you’ve recently made a career change or are planning a transition, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Experiencing Some Anxiety is Normal.
Change is certainly exciting. But it can also be challenging and cause feelings of doubt. Once the excitement of landing a job in your new career has worn off, you may find yourself awake a night wondering if you’re really up for the challenge of learning new skills. While you may be shocked that you’re feeling this way, know that it’s totally normal to have a certain amount of anxiety or doubt about the unknown. Trust that you’ve made a well-planned decision. You evaluated your strengths as well a your career aspirations and did what might have seemed impossible when you first dreamed up the idea of tackling a career transition. Remember that all your success in your previous career wasn’t achieved in a day, but after lots of learning and doing.
2. You May Mourn Your Old Job.
Leaving something stable behind, even something you’re ready to walk away from, is never easy. We are creatures of habit and they can be very hard to let go of. You presumably spent a lot of time in your previous industry, job or company. Often our identity is wrapped into what we do for work and during a career transition that feeling of a secure identity can be challenged. Know that feelings of sadness may arise, but it doesn’t mean you’ve made a mistake. It’s just part of the process.
3. It’s OK if it’s Not for You.
Hopefully you love your career transition. But if you don’t, there’s no reason to beat yourself up over your decision or feel that you can’t go back to your old career. If you didn’t go for it and make the change, you’d probably regret never having given it a shot. In fact, you may have a new found passion for your old career as a result. Let’s call this a win-win. You followed your desires, made calculated decisions and have a renewed passion for what you already know you’re good at. Nothing needs to be permanent unless you want it to be. You’re a rock star for being brave enough to make a change, and even more of one for being able to admit it’s not the change you wanted.
