Listen to Your Gut: How to Intuitively Navigate Your Career Change [PART 2]

Click here to read Part 1 of this post.

Journal Time

It’s no secret that I am the biggest advocate for writing everything down but this is vital when it comes to your gut feelings.

When that alarm goes off, write down:

• What was your reaction? (Whether you want to label it as negative or positive, try to hold your judgment.)
• What do you think caused this reaction?
• What are your initial thoughts about this reaction?

Keeping a log of the times when your “Spidey sense” went off will help you gain insights into how to move forward. Each small instance usually speaks to a bigger issue and may reveal an insightful root emotional cause that can point you in the right direction. 

When you keep a log or a journal of your gut feelings, you’ll be able to recognize patterns over time that can help you plan in the long-run. Think about it this way: when you’re super close to a painting, you can only see the small details. Step away, and suddenly you can see the big picture – you know what you’re looking at while understanding what small details make up the image as a whole.

“Managers used to say, ‘I have a gut feeling.’ Do you know what a gut feeling is for a professional manager? It’s a pattern that they recognize. But if your system can recognize that pattern, if it’s not just a couple of managers who know that pattern, then the system’s gut feeling can tell you which way to go. That’s really liberating.” – Safra A. Catz, CEO of Oracle

Money Matters

I know, I know, capitalism can be a real drag. And so many career advice books skip right over any talk of finances, class struggles, and capitalism. But capitalism and issues surrounding money drive much of our decision-making as women of color. Especially when we don’t have a trust fund or generational wealth to fall back on, or when we are the ones responsible for financially supporting multiple other family members and units. That’s why I never shy away from openly discussing the effects of capitalism in my coaching, speaking, and in Don’t Stay in Your Lane.

When thinking of making a career change, remember to check in with your current financial situation, account for your financial responsibilities and goals, and plan for how your career change will (realistically) impact your income. This may seem like something that goes without saying, but be sure to track the concrete numbers and resist the urge to catastrophize when it comes to how your career change will affect your income (if you find yourself doing that, get an outside opinion).

And once you get that divine push from your gut, start planning, saving, leaning into your abundance mindset – and you’ll be well on your way to intuitively navigating that career change!