There is no changing the fact that being in the middle of a professional shift that you didn’t design doesn’t feel great. Especially if you are in the process of being passed over for a promotion, laid off, or worse, fired! And although you feel terrible, there is a way to transform your new situation and find the nugget of gold.
The first step is to change your inner dialogue. Instead of beating yourself up or questioning your worth, take a moment to ask yourself if you want to be in control or if you want to remain a victim of circumstance. As a victim, you are not in control; things are happening to you and not by you. If you take control of your narrative, you will start looking for potential opportunities that didn’t exist in your past situation. Although you cannot change the professional shift you are experiencing, you can change how you perceive and respond to the event.
Controlling your inner narrative and dialogue starts with creating a new definition of your situation. You are no longer experiencing a defeating setback; you now have the space to find something new, better, or different. I suggest writing down what you want your new inner dialogue to be and reading it out loud over and over. Some might say it’s simply creating an affirmation; I say it’s taking control of that pesky inner voice and showing it who’s boss! You can tamp down negative thoughts and tell your brain how to view the situation and respond. Declare that you are now free to make more money, find a better place to work, or start your own business. Plant the seed of your new vision in your brain, and you will begin to feel the energy of potential as a result of your professional shift.
With that inner voice tamed, you are ready to begin the search and discovery phase. Here, you use your positive energy to start the exploration that will guide your next steps. Read books, talk to folks that are doing what you are interested in doing, listen to podcasts, etc. The goal is to pinpoint what you are interested in (even if it’s similar to what you have done in the past). This educational phase will reinforce your personal message and provide the focus you will need to move forward. So, while your internal dialogue provides hope, your actions are what will help get closer to your new reality.
Although there are no guarantees in life and there are many things that are truly out of your control, the one thing you can control is how you define and respond to a situation. You can either let it tear you down, or you can turn it into your superpower for something new. The good news is that you get to decide!
02/27/2020
Catherine Valyi, Co-founder Women With Dynamic Purpose