As children, the question of what you want to be when you grow up seems so clear. My 6-year-old self answered, “Obviously I want to be a professional surfer and live off the land.” In reality I have never surfed, and Discovery Channel’s Shark Week continues to diminish that dream every August. If what we all really want to be when we grow up is happy and fulfilled by our professions, it’s possible then that we have been asking the wrong question all along. Maybe the real questions to consider are “Who do I want to be,” and “What environment do I thrive in as a person?”
“Who do I want to be” covers two areas: Where am I right now as a person and what changes should I make to be the person that I want to be? Before getting laid off last fall, I was in an extremely stressful and negative position. The stress and negativity was seeping into every area of my life both personal and professional. I began looking into other job opportunities, but eventually I was laid off and forced to make a change. It truly was a blessing.
The following actions helped me change my situation:
What environment do I thrive in as a person: When I was laid off I started thinking about the culture and kind of company I saw myself being happy in. Ask yourself these questions:
Author: Elyse Lopez
Image from: weknowmemes.com