TaraHave you ever had that feeling deep in your gut that something is just not right?
I used to have that feeling all. the. time. For a while there I thought I must have been sick; what other reason would I have to feel this crappy?
My anxiety was at an all-time high and manifesting itself into physical ailments: headaches, nausea, fatigue, and a constant feeling of dread.
I was at my wit’s end. After a lot of contemplation, self-assessment and discussion with loved ones, I finally realized what was the issue: I was completely and utterly unhappy with my job and how that job was affecting my everyday life.
I know what you might be thinking: a job can’t be that bad. It might sound dramatic or over the top, but let me be clear: feeling stuck in a job or career path can affect EVERY aspect of your life in serious ways.
Those feelings of hopelessness, regret, bitterness, resentment…they start leaking into other areas of you life.
Pretty soon you find yourself having a negative attitude about everything, treating your loved ones poorly, treating YOURSELF poorly…the list goes on.
The empowerment comes when you make the decision to change. To make moves to start bettering yourself and your situation.
To realizing that life is FAR too short to be stuck in a job you hate.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Are you in the same boat but aren’t quite sure if it’s time to start thinking about making a change?
Check out these four signs I had when it was time to quit my job and start working for myself.
1) You feel sick to your stomach every Sunday night (or every night, for that matter).
Ugh. My stomach is starting to hurt again just thinking about this weekly occurrence. Every week dragged on for what felt like years, and every weekend went by way too fast. Every Sunday night–and even some Sunday afternoons–I would start absolutely dreading going back to work the next morning.
That’s a horrible cycle to go through every single week. It takes a toll and before you know it, you’re getting that feeling in the pit of your stomach every night before work. And that’s not a good place to be.
When a job, or any situation, starts to take a toll on your physical and mental health, it’s time to move on.
2) You notice you’re not acting like your normal self…and so do others.
This one is a little tougher because you might not realize anything is different until things are really different. It all depends on your situation. But like I mentioned above, I noticed I was feeling like crud a lot and having a lot of anxiety for what I thought was no good reason. I knew something was up, but I assumed it something like a never-ending flu or something more serious…it never crossed my mind that the reason could be a job.
If you find yourself confused about the way you’re reacting to things or you’re saying things you wouldn’t normally say, it might be because there’s an area of your life you’re unhappy with. And that area could very well be your current job.
It’s also telling when the people closest to you notice something is up. Whether that’s a parent, sibling, partner, coworker, whatever, if they notice something different about you and express concern, that might be a sign for you as well.
3) You have a negative attitude about your job.
It’s totally normal to have negative thoughts about your job now and then. We are human, after all ?It’s not normal, however, to feel negativity toward any and everything.
Things like:
You don’t want to do your job.
Nothing about your job sounds fun or satisfying or fulfilling anymore.
You have no motivation, drive, or desire to get anything done.
You’re totally fine with doing a mediocre or subpar job when you’d normally put in 110%.
You just don’t CARE.
That blanket negativity eats away at you. If you find you can’t muster up any positivity toward your current job, that’s a good sign you might need a change.
4) You constantly find yourself dreaming of something more.
If you sit at work daydreaming about being anywhere but at your desk, that’s a pretty dang good sign something is not right. That’s not to say that every single minute of our workdays should be sunshine and rainbows. But when you find yourself unable to concentrate on your work and instead picture yourself elsewhere, chances are that where you’re currently at isn’t where you want to be.
For me, all I could dream about was being my own boss, working from home with no more 45-minute train commute, no one dictating how much I made or the hours I worked, and not having to wear dress pants ever again. ?
That’s when I knew I had to start taking action to make a change.
So what do you think? Are you experiencing one or more of these signs? If so, it might be time to start thinking about a change.
(But hold up first: I’m not telling you to waltz in and quit your job tomorrow. There are ways to go about quitting your job thoughtfully and strategically…and those are for another post.
Use these signs simply as a gauge on where you stand in your current job. After you let it marinate for a bit and start planning your next move, then you can start thinking about ditching the job. Sound good?)
Okay, now here’s the best part about all of this. You ready?
You and you alone have the capability to change your situation.
Very few things in life are permanent. It’s 100% possible to take your current circumstances and stand them on their heads.
Only you can make the decision and take the action.
It’s all about empowerment, baby. We have the power and control to make changes in our lives.
Recognize the problem, make a plan of action, and then execute.
You. Got. This.
