Feeling Stuck in Your Career?
If you think about it, your time at work might be taking up the majority of your waking hours. When you’re feeling stuck in your career, or are unhappy and frustrated at your job, it can sometimes feel as if your whole life is in a holding pattern. If this resonates with you, something needs to change! Whether you’ve been at your job for a few months or a few years, it is important to take time to assess your satisfaction at work. Paying attention to both your short-term and long-term career goals can help you find your path towards fulfillment in this important aspect of your livelihood. Furthermore, if you notice the rhythms and routines of your daily life are beginning to suffer as a result of being unhappy at work, then making a change in your work life sooner rather than later may be necessary. A question to ask yourself is what “work” means to you. There is no right or wrong answer, but we all have different expectations and values when it comes to our jobs and careers, and the lifestyle we want to have. Considering these values will help you set foot on the right career track. Some topics I often explore with my clients when navigating career issues include areas related to one’s skill set, education and experience, expectations for income, stability and security, passion/interest and meaning, and risk and reward. Figuring out these areas can help shed light on what may need tweaking in order to get on the right path. If you are unsure about staying in your current job, or if you are considering switching careers altogether, embrace this experience and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Making changes to the status quo can be daunting, but after a period of thought and self-reflection, the process will become easier if you create the time, space, and opportunity to invest in this exploration. Our lives are in constant motion, and it is a given that we may need to re-assess what matters to us in our careers from time-to-time. If you’re feeling stuck in your career, you have the power to make some changes! Remember: nothing is set in stone! Tools such as active self-reflection, trial and error methods, and trying out new ideas are great ways to begin figuring out what resonates for you in your professional...
Read MoreBallet Dancer: Two tips beyond the tips of your toes
If you are a ballet dancer, or if you’ve ever studied ballet, you know the feeling that comes over you when you’re up “en pointe,” and you feel as if the sky’s the limit. The energy swooshes up inside of you, and you’re pulled up, elevated, as poised as can be. You’re almost frozen in time … breaking free of earth’s gravity and ascending to greater heights. Whether you’re executing an endlessly lengthened, glorious arabesque, or you’ve managed to stay up on your toes long enough to perform a series of pirouettes and fouettes, that sensation of height, energy, and control is like no other. And of course, balance is one of the key elements that helped get you there! I see a lot of parallels between life and dance, probably because of my own history as a ballet dancer. I’ve learned that just as balance is crucial in dance, it is also vitally important in life. Every day is a balancing act! How do we achieve balance? In my work as a psychotherapist, when I’m in session with dancers, musicians, actors, and other types of artists, a theme regularly emerges: artists often struggle as they work tirelessly to perfect the artistic integrity of their craft. It is very easy to get caught up in that one piece, that one performance, and focus can significantly narrow to achieve a masterful outcome. This type of dedication, discipline, and concentration is required. It is a given, and necessary for artists. But what about the rest of your life? Balance is key. Balance is what can actually help you to excel artistically. Here are two tips that may help you achieve balance in other areas of your life, beyond the tips of your toes: 1. Pay attention to your relationships Be sure to maintain contact with your loved ones. It can be very easy to become isolated when you’re so hard at work on your artistic ventures. Try your best to maintain contact with at least one close friend or family member in your social support network on a daily basis, if possible, to prevent increased isolation and to combat potential depressive symptoms. I know, I know … schedules and rehearsing can all get a bit overwhelming, and it feels like there is no time for anything else. But with constant developments in social media and other forms of communications technology, there’s really no excuse to not be connected: our loved ones are closer to us than ever before, often just a click or tap away. Stay in touch with the outside world! 2. Increase your self-care efforts Burnout as a result of stress is common, and so is exhaustion. Don’t let it wipe you out! Instead, take control. Be sure to replenish yourself by getting enough sleep, and by eating healthy, balanced meals. Relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises can also help you to secure your equilibrium. If you’re experiencing physical pain, don’t let it go unchecked. We’re human, and injuries happen. Sometimes, we’re prone to rationalizing to ourselves instead of listening to our bodies, because we want to keep going out of fear that our role will be given away, or that another opportunity won’t arise for us in the future. Please don’t succumb to this thinking! It’s much better to figure out what is going on with your body than to push through and possibly do additional harm. Injuries are among the most common pitfalls in a dancer’s life, so please be sure to get any unusual aches and pains looked at closely by a doctor. Prevention is...
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