Last Tuesday, the Wall Street Journa ran an article about John Putnam, a corporate attorney turned cheese maker. The events that led to his decision were not earth shattering. He had not been laid off, his industry was thriving. On the outside he had every reason to continue his legal career. However, his transition was based on something much simpler – his inner voice.
Getting in touch with your inner voice or gut feelings can be confusing? For Mr. Putnam his inner voice nudged him while he was conducting a deposition in New York “Everyone there was very senior and making serious bucks. That’s when I looked around and [realized] I didn’t want to spend the best part of my life getting to where they are.”
Strong emotions can be a a signal that your personal goals need to change. This was the case with a teacher who I coached about a year ago. She was so unhappy with her job that she would wake up in a state of anxiety in the middle of the night.
As we started to examine her strengths, experience, and values she discovered a significant discrepancy between her responsibilities and what she enjoyed doing. The intention of finding joy in her work allowed her to collaborate with her new boss to balance her strengths with the needs of the organizaiton.
Over the past year I have met a lot of people whom, after losing a job, found themselves confused about where they fit in professionally. If you are one of these people, your confusion may be your inner voice’s way of expressing your need for a change.
Over the years I have found the people who trust their instincts, intuition or inner voice to be some of the happiest and most positive people I know. If you ever followed a hunch and had it work out, you probably understand how great it feels to be in sync with your inner voice, the universe, or whatever you attribute it to.
The willingness to trust yourself is key to living the life you want and deserve. If something does not work out as planned, try viewing it as a learning experience and move on.
The simple meditation will help you to get in touch with your inner voice:
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight. You may place your hands on your belly or in your lap. Now close your eyes and take a deep breath. Feel the rise and fall of your breath against your fingers. Next, relax your scull, your brow, your eyes, your facial muscles. Release your jaw and gently moisten your lips.
Move down to your throat, let it relax, release all tension from your shoulders. Notice how good this process of letting go feels. Relax your chest, your belly, your thighs, the muscles of your calves, your ankles and feet.
Next picture yourself someplace very beastuful and relaxing like a Caribbean island, forest, mountain top. It does matter, this is your place. It is where you go to relax. Do not worry if an image comes to mind. It is okay to feel it, think it, or just have a sense of someplace enjoyable.
You might want some shelter at your special place. It can be a lean to, tent, large crevice or whatever pleases you. Picture a golden shimmer illuminating your special place. Take in the view.As you become more relaxed you might want to ask your inner self a question about your career. Some things you might want to ask are:
- What would I like to be paid to do?
- What is my next career move?
- What am I most passionate about?
- What can I do that would be rewarding to the universe as well as my self?
- What is my purpose or passion in life?
If the answer doesn’t come immediately, that’s okay. The question has been asked and shall be answered in due time. Take a look around as you get ready to leave your special place. Know that you can visit it anytime you need to.
Become aware of your breathing and gently rub the tips of your fingers. Wiggle your toes. Feel the energy come back into your body and slowly open your eyes. You have taken the first step to your new and fulfilling career.
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