Change your career? In midlife? One catalyst of midlife crisis is a life not truly aligned with your present shifting values. You no longer find fulfillment in the same things you did when you were younger because your values may have shifted and this disconnection contributes to a sense of midlife crisis. In midlife you may begin to feel bored with your job and start to think about making a career change. You may also notice yourself feeling irritable, frustrated and even depressed in your current job. These negative feelings may be a result of thinking about what you have given up by pursuing your current career. You may start remembering the dreams you have left behind. So now what do you do? Should you change careers? Two Exercises to Help you with your Decision:

1.   The following five questions are based on a model created by Linda and Sandra Perosa. Ask your self these questions:What would it mean for me if I did not make a change?Are there serious risks if I do change?Am I being realistic to hope to find a better solution?Is there adequate time to search and implement a change?Take some time to consider the above questions and write your answers in a journal. It may help you to get your thoughts down on paper so you can thoroughly address each issue.2.   The following is another exercise* I use with my life coaching clients that you may find helpful. On a scale of 1-10 rate yourself for each of the following. 10 being the strongest and 1 being the weakest:How willing you are to do what you need to do to make this career change. How strong is your belief in your ability to plan the steps necessary to make this change? Do you feel you have control over making this change? Are there people in your life who will support this change? Is your decision to change careers your own decision?After you have assigned a rating pick one of these areas to address and see if you can do something over the next week to raise the score ½ point. So if you rated number three a 5 is there something you can do this week to make it a 5.5? How can you increase your control over this change?The Enemy – The Negative Chatterer If you decide to take steps toward creating a new career you will notice the old familiar voice of the negative chatterer trying to stop you. The negative chatterer may come from within or without. The external negative chatterer may be a family member or friend who has always been afraid of change and has tried to hold you back in the past. Find someone who supports your decision. The internal negative chatterer is also an old familiar friend who rears his ugly head every time you try to move forward. You may fear failure or commitment. It is also possible for old negative feelings from childhood to rear up and to try to stop you by telling you that you are not good enough or smart enough to make this change. Speak back to those negative thoughts and think back to a time when you broke through the barriers and succeeded.Let me know how you are doing!References: *Heppner, Mary (1998). The Career Transitions Inventory: Measuring Internal Resources in Adulthood. Journal of Career Assessment Vol. 6 Number 2Perosa, L & Perosa, M. (1997). Assessments for Use with Mid-Career Changers. Journal of Career Assessment Vol. 5, Number 2.copyright 2008 Donna Deming All Rights Reserved

Are you struggling in your current job? Have you looked for career change advice in all the traditional places – career counselors, business magazines, trade journals and are still stuck in a job you hate? Below is an easy process to get you moving forward.
How Unhappy are You on a Scale of 1-10?
Most people need to encounter significant dissatisfaction and pain in order to step outside of their comfort zone and make changes. What is your level of satisfaction? On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “I can barely get out of bed in the morning” and 10 being “I would do this work for free”, what is your level of satisfaction with your current work situation?
Do I Hate the Work Itself?
If you are doing your right work, you will get energy from your work. Helping people break free from the corporate world gives me energy. I get off our Fearless Action Group calls with more energy than when I started the call. I know I have found my right work.
To choose work that is aligned with your true nature and calling, you must know who you are. This includes an honest evaluation of your skills and aptitude. What work do you perform naturally and effortlessly? Also, you must know what you value and what your life purpose is.
If your work is in alignment with your natural abilities, values, and purpose but you are still not happy, then you need to look at your work environment.
Do I Hate the Corporate World?
Many of my clients are unhappy in their current jobs because they don’t fit into the corporate world. Every company has a unique corporate culture. You may enjoy your work and find it gives you lots of energy, but you are not thriving in your current company.
I help my clients to diagnose their company culture and determine whether or not they fit into this culture. Corporate culture is a powerful and invisible force. The more that you understand how culture influences you and those around you, the better you will be at making informed decisions about your career.
Are you better suited to work on your own or to build a company with an un-corporate culture?
If your current level of dissatisfaction is high and you hate the work you do, then start paying attention to what you enjoy doing. Don’t think, “I could never make money doing this.” You’ll be surprised to learn what is possible with the right intentions. If you love your work but hate the corporate world, then put together a plan to build your own business.
Solid Career Change Advice
The best career change advice that you can get will show you how to look inside for your own answers. You know what your perfect career is, you just need to discover the answer inside of you. Skills assessments, resume writing, interview coaching, and the like will not lead you down a path to happiness. Changing careers takes courage, inspiration, and a solid plan. Life is too short to waste it doing work you hate.