Leaving a job is often a stressful experience. Perhaps you’re no longer working because:
- You were let go and it was unexpected
- You were let go and you feared it was coming
- You did something wrong and were released
- You left because if you didn’t, you would have been let go
- You left because of a toxic element, even though you loved everything else about the job
- You left because too many others had left and it wasn’t the same
I’ve coached people coming out of all of these scenarios and more. In a recent coaching session, my client fell into the bucket of having left before being let go. She could see the writing on the wall and wanted everything to be on her terms.
In our session, on day four of unemployment, she asked me, “What do I do next?”
And I replied:
Clear your energy.
Get clear on your goal.
Activate your search.
Clearing Your Energy
When you leave under less-than-ideal circumstances, you carry unresolved energy, and this often impacts your confidence. You’re left replaying tapes in your head about what you could have done differently to create an alternate outcome (likely, there was nothing).
Organizations are animate and continue to grow and change, and it’s not always that we grow and change together.
Unprocessed emotions and energy become stuck in our systems and wreak havoc.
I fought and mourned this when my company, SpectraLink, got acquired and I lost my role. We had such a good thing going—an incredible organization of 600 in growth mode, with the majority of employees truly loving working together. As an HR leader, I knew almost everyone. Together, we had built a vibrant community.
Then one day, everything came crashing down.
When I wrote about grief and the layoff experience years later, I found myself crying over the loss of the role—even though it had been 20 years.
So, while you’re in this liminal space between roles, look into ways to release that stuck energy.
Get Writing
My favorite energy release is writing.
- Write down all the disappointments
- Write down everything that pisses you off about the situation
- Write down your fears and the stories you’re creating in your mind about what this situation means for your career and identity
Get everything swirling in your head out on paper or onto a screen. Talk it into your phone while on a walk.
Writing is the cheapest form of therapy—and one of the most effective.
When you feel like you’ve written it all out, consider sharing it with a friend to talk through and process together, someone who can lift you up and offer counterpoints to your sharp emotions. Then maybe shred it. If you’re feeling feisty, burn it.
When I got let go, I wrote a satirical short story called Prozac Salt Lick. It definitely helped me reclaim some of my power.
Seek Out Therapy
Find an aligned therapist, someone you feel comfortable sharing with and who makes you feel safe. Going to a therapist doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment to unpack everything from your past, and it doesn’t mean you’re weak or that you’ve failed.
You can use therapy situationally to work through specific issues.
Consider Energy Work
Everything discussed so far lives primarily in the mind, but there’s also our energetic field to consider. Negative energy can become stagnant in our bodies and keep us tethered to harmful or unresolved situations.
Likely, there are energetic cords that need to be cut to release you into where you want to grow next. These are exactly what they sound like, an energetic rope connecting you to a person or situation. I had my business Reiki’d to see what energy was attached that wasn’t serving its growth. Look into Reiki to get your chakras balanced and your energy cleared. Reiki can be done in person or remotely.
Get an Astrological Consult
Consider getting your chart read to understand the celestial weather influencing you and to gain awareness of the deeper lessons you’re working through in this lifetime.
Sharp work changes are often the universe nudging you toward growth.
Understanding the meaning behind why things are happening will help you be more intentional about planning where you’re going.
Establishing Clarity
When the energy feels as clear as it’s going to get and you’re ready for the next step, it’s time to focus on your goal.
The universe, and your network, respond to clarity.
Let’s figure out what type of job you’re looking for so you can build the treasure map to find it.
Write Your Dream Job Description
- What role do you fill in a company?
- What duties do you want to own?
- Who are your peers in this role, and what functions are they filling?
- What are the values of the company you want to work for?
- What problem are you solving for the company?
- What level of responsibility do you want to have?
Use AI to help you build your description if you’re feeling stuck. Talk to former coworkers to get a sense of market conditions.
Understand how you can provide value in a role while feeling valued.
Learn to Trust Your Intuition
I can’t tell you how many times people come to me uncertain of their path when it’s clear to me that they already know the answer and they’re just waiting for permission.
Drop into your body and notice how it responds when you envision yourself in a certain role or doing a specific task.
- Are you energized and excited?
- Are creative ideas forming?
- Or are you feeling constricted, collapsed, and stressed?
This is your intuition (your higher self) guiding you toward the right path. We all have this. It’s not that some people are more intuitive than others; some have simply developed trust and belief.
Start learning the signs of when your body is saying yes—and when it’s saying no.
Build a Vision Board
Get scrapbooking and call forth the themes of what you’re looking for, the feelings the job will evoke. If the role involves travel, include images of where you’d be working.
Creativity opens the door to intuition.
The creative act activates a different part of the brain, allowing new ideas to flow from an intuitive space.
Manifest what you desire by being clear in your ask.
Activate Your Search
Once you have clarity, it’s time to activate.
In addition to using job boards and applying for roles, it’s time to turn on your network. I’ve written about this in other blogs, so I’ll direct you there for guidance on getting your search moving:
- How to Fully Activate Your Network – Advice for the Sluggish Job Search
- 8 Easy Ways to Start Networking Today
Following the clearing–clarity–activate formula doesn’t magically make everything happen. Much of the job search still comes down to luck and timing. The universe will redirect you when you’re not on path, even when the path you’ve identified feels right. Not taking these steps can create unnecessary roadblocks.
Take the time to clear your energy. Clarify your direction. Then go forth and activate your search.
