Perspective
There are so many thought pieces out in the ether. What I find is quite a number come across as ‘fact’ or ‘the way it is’. I often think about the context. What has brought me to a place where I have an opinion, what someone else has experienced that has also had the same effect. Whatever I bring to you, comes from a place of learning. Through experience, observation, and research. It’s a mix of thought, opinion, research and hopefully adds perspective.
I had to take Mister, our dog, to the vet on the weekend. He is fine 😊 I was chatting with our vet, who is studying a law degree part-time. She was telling me how hard it is (she is a partner in her vet practice, is married with 4 children) to balance everything. Yet, she has an insight from studying something that is totally different to science and medicine. She said her legal studies have really taught her to consider situations and things from another person’s perspective. To stop her old habits. She said she used to be the kind of person who knew how everything was and had fixed opinions.
It got me thinking about perspective and context. How important it is to metaphorically ‘take a breath’ and listen before jumping in with opinion. I felt all the better from chatting with her during Mister’s consultation and felt that I got something from the appointment personally.
Do you find yourself slotting into familiar patterns and wondering why things aren’t changing?
What is standing out about the beginning of 2023?
I was reading an article in The Conversation recently about how the Great Resignation didn’t come to Australia in the same way it did the USA. Recognising that in the USA a swathe of great resignations were in the hospitality industry rather than across all industries. I haven’t looked at the statistics myself, yet anecdotally have heard from Heads of HR with various companies that some workplaces have indeed experienced a very significant amount of turnover. What I’m noticing, and have heard is that Australia has experienced a sense of burnout, which is the result of what I would call an extended period of stress. The result of concerns about our safety – not just from health, but also in our professional lives too. Am I going to be OK? Will I keep my job? Will I be able to keep my home? Am I going to get sick? Will I die? Where will the threat come from?
Add to that the geopolitical tensions we hear about every day and it’s no wonder we are feeling burnt-out or fatigued.
There are many reports of elevated levels of mental health issues, and organisations have pulled together Wellbeing programs hoping to help with stress and burnout. Our resilience has been tested.
This has manifested here at The Salary Coach in a huge number of new clients, who are emerging from the extended period of pressure. People who have questions about their future, their current situation and how to be in control of changing their lives in a way that they have some control over.
The pattern I’m seeing is that people at all stages of their professional lives have questions and both women and men have the same questions.
The questions people are asking are…
- My boss is being difficult, how do I put them in their place?
- My friend is getting a better deal elsewhere, I want what they’ve got. Help me please!
- How do I set myself up for a successful future?
- My passion is to … I’m ready to plan for it. Will you help me?
- I have no idea what I want, I do know though I don’t want what I have.
- How long is too long in a job, or a company? Help me with my path.
- There have been a lot of redundancies, how do I protect myself?
Right now, there are a lot more people are asking these kinds of questions, importantly are wanting to make big changes to their lives and seeking help to do so.
How you can start your pathway to where you want to be
Begin with one simple, yet big question –
what do I want for myself?
As you ask yourself this question, make note of what you enjoy the most about your career and life. Notice the…
- moments that you have been most proud of.
- moments that you’ve learnt a lot, and what that meant to you.
- moments that didn’t go so well, and why.
- people you admire the most and why.
There will be a through-line in this. That is a message, story that comes out of your responses to these questions.
You can of course also enrol in our Planning your career online program, but that’s not what this message is about. This message is about taking the time to check-in with yourself and see if you want to change anything.
