This morning, I woke up and decided to take one of my favorite teacher's morning yoga classes. Aside from the physically demanding balances and Asanas, or poses, that make up the majority of the class, the beginning and the end are the true gems for me.

The lesson of today's class takes us beyond the physicality of the yoga mat and into ourselves and has, of course, made me think about what the elements are that make for a career that give us the true purpose and a sense that we are doing something that honors who we are, is flexible enough to handle our life's demands, our moods, and the inevitable ups and downs of our lives. All so that we can ultimately say that this job/career/vocation is the RIGHT FIT for us at this point in our lives.

You may be thinking similar thoughts. How is it that things that once worked so well for me just don't anymore? How is it that everything that I've built up around me now feels uncomfortable? It’s the same as in yoga practice when we think that we really know how to do downward dog or any other 'simple' pose and we start to bring awareness to our shoulder blades, our middle fingers or our necks -- are we holding on, are we spreading our fingers wide, do we feel the expansiveness across our back?

Many times, for me at least, the answers to these questions are no. I'm not doing what I should be doing, I'm doing what I think that this pose calls for. And so I find myself wanting to understand what downward dog is supposed to be, how it's supposed to feel and then checking in with myself and asking if I feel this way. If I don't, I'm able to adjust my body so that I reap the benefits of the pose. But if I hold on to what I am doing, even though from the outside it may look right, who am I really fooling? And why do I care?

Yoga for me has opened up a new realm of questioning - but not outward questioning, but rather inward questioning seeking to find the answer to what is right for me? What fits, what simply needs adjustment and what type of practice best suits me? One is not right or wrong universally but one is right or wrong for me, at this time with what I need.

Yoga can evolve, and so too can a career. What once felt right may not anymore, and that is neither good, nor bad. It just is. It may be time to explore something new, to dive in and take a class or to do some reading, research and interviewing others to gain a bit of an understanding of what may be in store.

The Great Resignation, this new ‘quiet quitting’ trend is reflecting the knowledge that we need to stay in the space of exploration - maybe for a little bit longer than feels comfortable to us. As human beings, we like to move forward, accomplish tasks, get stuff done. Exploring feels pointless. The very definition of the term exploring, one may not know what lies out there ahead but they have faith that they will be guided. When one sets out to find treasure, one maps a journey. Many things may be encountered along this journey and the treasure seeker knows this yet always has the treasure on the mind. Conversely, there are explorers like Ferdinand Magellan who embarked upon journeys not knowing what lies in store, but hopeful and faithful that the thing that awaits is waiting to be discovered - like new approaches, insights - and in the case of Magellan - brand new galaxies.

So how does all of this help us to make sense of where we are now? And how do we embark upon a journey of discovery for our entrepreneurial lives? It’s easy to trick ourselves into believing that we don’t have options. If we’re dissatisfied with an unfulfilling career and feel burned out, the tendency is to endure. It’s what society has instructed us to do - just grin and bear the pressure or suck it up. We are conditioned into believing that we should feel grateful for our jobs even when these very jobs are causing us undue amounts of stress.

Our jobs allow us to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. However, we must ask ourselves if the career we’re pursuing truly aligns with our deep passions, values, and desires. If the answer is no, there’s no doubt that we’re holding a one-way ticket to burnout. Research shows that we spiral out of control faster when we’re dissatisfied with what we’re doing. The same applies even if our salaries are high and the ‘money is good’ - because without satisfaction, no amount of money can feel that hollow void we feel inside..

It’s always been true, but now more than ever it’s high time to align our careers with our heart’s desires so we can experience a deeper sense of fulfillment. It’s no wonder why so many women have not returned to unfulfilling jobs they lost during the Great Resignation. We spend so much of our time at work. In fact, writer Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” It’s estimated that the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime - so we may as well be doing things that we love. And we all know that it’s impossible to serve others at our highest capacity when we feel tired, dejected, and miserable about our days.

For anyone in this situation, the first step we can take to change our lives is to take a breather. Pause, do some introspection and reflect on our lives. Let’s remind ourselves that life is not a race and we don’t have to fix our lives this instant. If we force ourselves to make things perfect, we will only add to our stress and overwhelm. Instead, why not begin with some much-needed soul-searching?

Being alone with our thoughts may seem uncomfortable or even scary, especially if your life is filled with distractions, social media scrolling, or the feeling that you’re somehow missing out on. On top of this, especially as women, we unconditionally give our time and attention to others, and in doing this we often neglect ourselves. Our needs, preferences, and aspirations take a back seat. Finding time to self-reflect may feel foreign when you first begin. Yoga offers a gentle way into self-reflection. By relaxing our shoulders, unclenching our jaws, rolling our head from side to side and focusing on our breathing. Do we have a good grasp of our authentic self? Are we attuned to our strengths and areas where we often struggle?

When we spend time with ourselves, we build awareness about what we genuinely like. It allows us to align our priorities based on the things we value. We are often surrounded by other people and bombarded by all kinds of information online, so the line between what we love and what others like could end up blurry. And the pressure of providing for our loved ones only adds to our confusion about ourselves! When we don’t have a clear grasp of who we are deep inside, that’s when we feel stuck, disgruntled, and unfulfilled. Why not explore the following ideas for soul-searching:

Practice Meditation: Spending time in quiet solitude is a vital component of soul-searching. This helps us clear any mental clutter, so we can organize our thoughts and make important decisions. This is crucial, especially when we’re at the crux of making a major life decision such as changing our jobs. Since something of this magnitude can affect how we live our lives, we cannot be flippant and act on impulse. The art of meditation helps us analyze where we are so we can make calculated decisions. Do we create a startup from that idea that’s been lingering at the back of our heads, find a full-time role with a company that aligns with our values, or turn that hobby into a full-time gig?

Pinpoint Specific Issues: Following meditation, create a list, or ask yourself powerful questions. What is it about our job that makes us unhappy? Do we dislike our boss or coworkers? Why is it that we don’t feel emotionally invested in our work? Is the compensation insufficient? Let’s list out all the things we wish to change without judgment. Digging deeper into how we truly feel about work can help us let go of our comfort zone and take the courage to move on. It could be shifting to a different position, starting a new online venture, or converting that side hustle into a full-pledge business. Don’t mistake this activity for being a negative Nancy or dwelling on the bad side. This allows us to build self-awareness so we can identify what we like and love.

Pen Down Thoughts: Journaling is a great self-introspection tool especially if we use journaling prompts. This is different from just making lists because we can express ourselves more in our entries. Journaling prompts often ask deep questions that motivate us to ponder deeply. As a result, there could be an emergence of new insight. The pointed questions could also help us figure out issues that may be under our radar. Examples of these are: What does your heart desire? Are you fearful of anything? If you can do anything without limits, what would it be?

Make Time for Grounding: Grounding or earthing means spending time with nature. It may be something as simple as planting something or simply taking your shoes off and feeling the earth beneath your feet. Going on a hike in nature is also an excellent idea. Studies show that grounding is beneficial because it relieves stress, decreases pain, improves sleep, and promotes clarity of mind. Staying unplugged and in tune with nature has a calming effect. It soothes our harried minds and helps us fight distractions. When we spend time in the great outdoors, we can observe our thoughts and feelings with more clarity. Taking a step away is often exactly what we need to make concrete plans about our career, our business and our family life balance.

Try a New Hobby: If we no longer feel happy with our career, but don’t have the option to leave or start a new business, taking up a new hobby is an excellent way to nurture the soul. When we try new things that spark joy, we feel alive. Hobbies allow us to communicate with our authentic selves. Doing something just for us helps our souls breathe. Maybe this is what we need to add meaning to our days. Feeling “blah” about work happens to the best of us. If we’re in the process of deciding if it’s time to move on from our current position, cultivating a passion can help us decipher if our feelings of dissatisfaction with work are temporary or rooted in something deeper.

Apart from these, it also helps to be part of a supportive community. Find one that speaks to you and dip your toe in. As founder and CEO of She Leads Media, I’ve created a community for women. You can join for free here. There’s also several other communities available offline and online - find the one that’s best for you at this stage of your life.

Please keep us posted on what you do to nurture your inner self, and I’ll keep sharing how some of my hobbies and practices have led to a path of happiness and satisfaction for me. Hopefully these stories will inspire you to find your own way inward so that you can bring your inner self into your everyday life.

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