Getting Unstuck

It can sneak up on you and happen when you least expect it. Yes, you’re stuck. In all aspects of your life, you find yourself stuck at times. You’ve been looking for a new job, but not making any progress. In a job, in a poor performance, or with a difficult boss. Or maybe you’re wondering if you’re in the right career at all. These are all situations I love to help people with. There are many qualified people to help you through the more sticky life situations, but when it comes to career situations, it calls for someone who can relate, having been in most of these situations, but also someone who has made a career out of helping other people love their career.

I’ve written often about my own career challenges; how I transitioned from accounting to project management to leadership development and ultimately starting my own coaching business. Yes, it takes work, but the path to discovering what’s right for you and learning where you can be truly happy is worth everything it takes to get there.

I remember one particularly difficult time. I had returned to school to earn my bachelor degree in Accounting, landed a job at Microsoft for a few years and relished every challenge that came my way. After leaving Microsoft to move East for a software project management job, I ultimately found myself as an Accounting Manager and hating it. At first, I couldn’t understand why. I had enjoyed school and been at the top of my class. So why wasn’t I enjoying this career I had worked so hard to build? With a lot of introspection along with research, I learned that my personality is just not suited for detail-oriented isolated work. My previous accounting jobs had involved consulting, travel and lots of interpersonal work. I ultimately discovered the field of organizational development and pursued my masters degree. What a difference! Since my first job in this new career, I almost feel I haven’t ‘worked’ a single day. I truly love what I do, whether it’s developing new training for managers or delivering training on teamwork. As I’ve transitioned to coaching, I relish the opportunity to help others navigate through their own career transitions.

I truly believe there are a few different career choices we can make where we are truly happy. My commitment now is to help you make your own discovery. Getting unstuck takes work, sometimes more than others, but having someone who’s been there before help you through will get your there sooner, and very likely to the best possible place for you. When I need help with situations, I do just that. I seek out my coach and work with her through the issue. Very often in life, we can’t see through the weeds on our own. We need another perspective, an impartial voice. So if you’re stuck, no matter what the situation, seek out the right professional to work with so you can shine again!

Thanks to my brother-in-law Jan S Peterson for the fabulous photo here of a little blue heron taking flight.