The Power of YOU
The Self-Confidence Challenge
You make a difference in the world. It’s easy to forget that when self-doubt is around us everyday, challenging us to confidently walk in our path. Self-doubt casts seeds of worry and second-guessing across all of our decisions. Self-doubt in daily life is hard enough but it can be a paralysis to a job search. Believing in the power of YOU can silence your interpretations and allow you to be open to the choices that lie ahead of you along your path.
Focus on Positivity
Residing in the snug nest of gainful employment (steady paychecks, benefits, a regular commute) allows the illusion of sure-footedness and confidence as we go about our day. When that security is rattled, whether through free choice or unexpected layoff, our belief in who we are and how we contribute is reshaped. Staying focused on how you impact the world around you and taking note of why YOU are important, not just to a job but to life around you, is critical to staying positive and motivated to what lies next along your path. When your confidence is rattled, surround yourself with the knowledge of who you are outside the safety-net of your job:
Build Lists. Keep a note on your phone, on a whiteboard in your home office, or tucked away in a drawer you open daily reminding yourself of your worth. Who counts on you? Who do you help every day? What brings you joy? Make a list and it doesn’t matter if are two things or a dozen. Writing down the people, pets, community groups, or strangers that you help or impact allows you to see your worth beyond employment.
Frame it Up. A motivating quote, a copy of an image that makes you smile, or a photograph…so many images live digitally on our phones. It’s easy (and inexpensive) to quickly print up a picture and slip it into a frame to visually remind yourself of a moment or sentiment that lifts you outside of your search. Sitting at your desk feeling stuck can feel a little less restrictive when there’s someone you love smiling at you.
Use Time to Self Discover. Unexpected free time during the day can feel daunting. Sitting hunched over your laptop and scrolling the never ending posts on LinkedIn easily eats up hours of your day. Take time to step away from the endless cache of job posts to work on self-improvement by simply listening to a podcast or book you’ve been curious to check out. Self-growth and spiritual building is important to your overall health. Cash in a free Audible you’ve been wanting to check out and fill your brain with information that doesn’t involve job searching.
Get Physical. A break–whether by choice or not–is a great time to focus on the state of your physical health and make a positive change. Healthy outlets don’t have to include expense work-out classes. From cashing in coupons for free yoga classes you stashed in your office from when your 9-5 was keeping you tied up to downloading workouts on YouTube–which are awesome!–there are many inexpensive ways to make a big difference in your health. The strength you build will help you be fully ready–physically and mentally–for your Next Step.
Break Free from the Timeline. When you’ve become accustomed to meeting quarterly goals and managing your time in 15-minute increments it’s uncomfortable to have swaths of unaccounted time or to expect that your Next Step will arrive exactly on the month and day you expected. Disbanding from your presumed plan will allow you the freedom to have faith and focus on your path. You are where you should be and the right opportunity will unfold for you.
Trust Your Journey
Most important, trust in your journey. Follow your plan and stick with it. Every conversation, job interview, and application leads to our next step. You will end up in the role and position that is meant for you.
School is back in session and my “summer sabbatical” is over. As the calendar turns and the days sneakily get shorter, I am curious about what my next step holds. However, it’s now up to me to follow my schedule and trust my own strength and new entrepreneurial path. Yes, there are shaky moments but those are mostly shadowed by the bliss of making solo decisions and helping people and organizations reach their goals in such positive, impactful ways. When self-doubt starts to tug, I remind myself that I trust myself. Because trusting yourself and the power of YOU is the best decision you can make. Let’s encourage each other to have a bit more faith in what we bring to this world…both inside an organization and out.
