Thursday, April 23, 2015
More than half of my coaching clients come to me because they are unhappy in their current work situation and need a change. They feel stuck and dissatisfied where they are and don’t know what to do next. Most are fearful of simply “quitting” because, well, that can be scary. Giving up something familiar, no matter how bad it is, to step into uncertainty can leave most of us clinging to an unsatisfying job. I was in that exact situation about seven years ago. I knew I needed to leave my job and can vividly recall a conversation with my sister, who said, “Just quit. I don’t know why you stay there. You’re not happy – you need to quit.” My response was what you might expect: “I can’t JUST QUIT. I have bills to pay.”
Eventually, I took my sister’s advice and I quit. Not surprisingly, the bills still got paid. Perhaps I would have taken her advice sooner if I had a bit more faith in myself and if I respected myself enough to not remain in a toxic situation. I see this situation so frequently: remaining in toxic or dissatisfying jobs because there are bills to pay or because you’re afraid of the uncertainty that comes with quitting a job. If you’re feeling dread and dissatisfaction about going to work every day, if you long to do something new or try something different, you, like me seven years ago, might need to “just quit” your current job. Below are seven reasons why:
Your Job Is Making You Physically Sick
Being in a dissatisfying job situation can create more stress in your life. Stress weakens the immune system and if you’re experiencing lots of job stress, you might also be experiencing more illness: colds, flu, viruses, etc. Being in a job situation where you’re unhappy also impacts your sleep schedule and that too can cause more physical illness. If you’re sick more than normal or unable to get good sleep and feel rested or physically well, you might need to quit your job.
Your Job Is Making You Emotionally Sick
Stress and dissatisfaction with your work also impact your emotions. If you’re not happy or feel any sense of dread or discomfort about something you need to do every day, you’re likely to feel more irritable, frustrated, anxious, resentful, angry or sad. These emotions can and will impact all areas of your life. They can also make you sick – both emotionally and physically. If you consistently experience these negative emotions in relation to your job, you might need to quit.
You Don’t Like What You’re Doing
There is no reason why you should have to do something you don’t like every day of your life – none. I assure you that you can find something you like doing (maybe even LOVE doing) that can provide you with income. But first you have to stop doing what you don’t like and quit your current job.
You Don’t Like The People You Work For and With
There’s also no reason why you should spend your precious time and energy around people who aren’t aligned with your values or aligned with you. I assure you that you can work with and for people you adore. But first you have to stop working with people you don’t like…
You’ve Changed
Sometimes we take a job because it was the first thing that came along when we graduated college many years ago and now the job no longer fits. Or, perhaps you loved the job when you took it but you’re older and wiser now and the job no longer works for you. Change is a normal part of life. Reassessing who you are and what you want to do now provides you with the opportunity to find a job that aligns with the person you are today. But, yes, first you need to decide it’s time to leave the job that is no longer a fit.
You Deserve More
You deserve to do something you love and enjoy every day. You deserve to be happy and excited about your work. Why would you stay someplace where you’re unhappy? Like me seven years ago, your response might be “I have bills to pay” or “I have a family to support”. There are plenty of jobs and plenty of work that you could actually love and enjoy which could pay your bills and support your family. Why not look for that kind of work? You deserve it.
You Can Have More
Not only do you deserve more but you can also have more. You can have a job and a career you love, one that pays all the bills and then some. In order to experience this, you must believe in yourself enough and respect yourself enough to let go of the work situation that’s making you unhappy. You must be willing step into uncertainty and quit your unsatisfying; because once you do that, you open yourself up to all the wonderful things that doing work you love will provide. And trust me, dread, dissatisfaction, feeling stuck and unhappy are most definitely not part of that equation.
