Changing for better

Leonie Gordon is a work-life coach, an Eyes Wide Opened workshop facilitator anda former solicitor. She is helping people to ask themselves better questions during a work-life upheaval ahead of her intensive Get Unstuck two-day course in Aberdeen on Septe

Are you facing a big change in your working life? Maybe it has been forced on you through redundancy, or you’ve decided it’s time for a career rethink.

The chances are you’re apprehensive, uncertain or just stuck about where to start and what is realistic.

A great starting point is to ask yourself better questions about your workself, and how that person fits into your whole self and your life’s ambitions.

I meet many people who spend years not fulfilling or even exploring their quiet, long-held interests and curiosities.

Knowing who you are and what suits you, your strengths and ambitions need to come before thinking what type of job you want.

Creating a more meaningful work life begins with being more curious about yourself.

Start by considering how you express yourself. Whether we passionately support a sports team, build things, make things, grow things or style things, these are all expressions of who we are and how we’re known to others. If it’s a significant part of who you are, you’ll excel if you can use that quality at work.

Secondly, ask: what are my qualities? The power of your personality can land you a job. So it’s important to know and appreciate what makes you unique. Ask people who know you – their feedback might surprise you.

Next ask yourself what you love doing beyond obvious hobbies. We tend to list the things we enjoy as hobbies, interests or passions. Take it beyond these descriptions to get to other activities you really believe in and act upon. Could they translate into employable skills?

When you talk about a passion, you come alive. Taking time to identify these can offer invaluable insight into where you could excel at work.

Don’t shut off career change and new work options because you’ve predicted the outcome.

I’ve coached many “stuck” career-shifters after navigating three career changes of my own over 30 years.

I always thought it was my work role that defined me, but now I allow myself to define the work that I do. I’m a mother and creative entrepreneur, run my own coaching/ counselling business, A Curious Life, and work with career-shift experts Eyes Wide Opened. As a former solicitor, that’s not how I imagined my journey.

If you need to get unstuck from a career rut, or if you have a work-life upheaval on the way and need clarity on how to navigate it, feel free to get in touch and get curious about what and who is open to you – email leoniegordon@gmail.com

INSPIRATIONAL: Leonie Gordon, right, coaching with Susan Urquhart