You Built Your Career for Decades, and Now You Want Out?

One of the common fears that people experience is the fear of change. Change can be very distressing, even when positive. Adjusting to new situations and adapting to new circumstances, both positive and negative, can be anxiety-inducing. Often, it can cause people to give up on making a change altogether.

Recently, due to rapid and difficult worldwide changes as a result of the pandemic and political situations in many countries, people have become even more resistant to making changes in their own lives with the hope that they could hold onto, and preserve, at least something as a constant and keep something under control.

Fear of change in the workplace or career

As a result of the pandemic, many workplaces have changed. Work was transferred to remote or hybrid models, while others returned (or never stopped) to work in person, and workers found it difficult to adjust from one to another, back and forth, multiple times.

However, even more problematic were the deeply rooted changes in the work environments, expectations and overall systems that left professionals feeling displeased and stating that, “this is not what they’ve signed up for.”

At that realization, many wanted to change their careers, but fear of change after being in the field for decades, in some cases, financial concerns, and uncertainty that was inevitable, prevented many from taking that leap.

In this day and age, we spend most wake hours at work. If we’re unhappy in our positions, that feeling bleeds into other areas of our lives as well. We are stressed, frustrated, and resentful, and spend time focusing on dreading the next day rather than enjoying the time with our families and friends and engaging in hobbies.

How do we cope with this change?

Of course, consequentially, those areas begin to suffer as well. The question is, how can we cope with this? How can we overcome the fear of change and create an environment suitable for moving forward in our lives? One of the key components for that would be your mindset. The way in which you perceive change is half of the solution towards the creation of that change.

Firstly, address your mindset in such a way that you’d identify reasons for the desired change – why is it so important to you? What are the benefits, what are the challenges, what is the end goal?

Identify fears, hopes, and the support system; who can be there for you along the way? Outline the steps so you still remain in control: plan for financial security, perhaps find a “layover” job regardless of whether it is something that is desired, but make sure that it is something that is not stressful, and identify steps towards achieving your new career.

Do you need any additional training, and how do you get there? Do you need a whole new degree? Research schools. Do you need to start interviewing? Wonderful, you can already start on that and perhaps, secure a job before you even quit the current one.

Options are plentiful; you just need to identify your goal and action steps clearly. If you need additional resources, obtain them first, ask for guidance, and meet with somebody in the field who has had a similar path to yours; perhaps they could encourage you and give you some tips on how to do this painlessly.

All in all, as long as you feel in control, you believe in the fact that you can do it, and most importantly, understand that you shouldn’t stay in the situation that is making you unhappy and is negatively impacting your life, you will make the right choice.

Live your Life Anxiety Free

A word from Celenic Earth Publications: Psychotherapist Suzana Sjenicic does more than just help others in her daily life and career. She also guides others online and in her book we’ve published, Anxiety Free. Make sure you grab a copy of her book to learn how to deal with the stresses of everyday life.