by Sunny Simon
Jamie arrived at my office looking like she’d forgotten to sleep the night before. Observing the dark circles beneath her soft brown eyes signaled me she was dealing with a stressful situation. Jamie shared her dilemma. She had arrived at a crossroad and was struggling with which path to take.
My client had a decision to make regarding her career life. Typically any career path tends to spill into your non-work life. Since this scenario involved a relocation, Jamie had more to consider than a straight-forward promotion.
She needed a process that would result in a clear confident choice. When I inquired what was the number one reason keeping her awake at night, Jamie admitted it was fear of the unknown. I nodded my head in understanding. Whenever we consider stepping out of that cushy comfort zone we live in, our inner gremlins, who dwell in the status-quo, start calling out foul.
It helped Jamie to understand fear is a natural part of the process. If only we could be as comfortable with change as a hermit crab. This nocturnal crustacean lives in a shell until he outgrows it. Whether it’s with ease, or trepidation, Mr. Hermit ventures out of the confining space to scurry along the ocean floor in search of a larger new home. He repeats this process throughout his life. Jamie admitted if a small crab could depart from his comfort zone and deal with the temporary uneasiness of changing conditions, she could too.
Before we can make a decision, we must have all the facts at hand. As we sorted through Jamie’s relocation package, she made a list of three areas requiring clarification.
Things looked a bit brighter to her as we discussed the short and long-term impacts of forging ahead with the promotion. Jamie assigned a value rating to each benefit. By the time she circled back to doing nothing but remaining in place, I could see a change in her body language she was beginning to relax.
As our session ended, Jamie agreed to gather any missing information . My final caution was “sleep on it,” which is my go to remedy for just about everything. Back-burnering an issue for 24 hours helps clear our minds. Studies prove sleep organizes our memories, processes information and aids in decision-making.
Try enlisting those simple techniques to help you make an informed decision next time you’re standing at a crossroad. It could be a small leap or a large one, but whatever you decide, do it with confidence. Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com
