What to do when your career looks good but feels bad...

So Your Career Looks Good on Paper—But Feels Bad. Let's Talk About Why This Is (And What to Do About It)

We all know someone (or are someone) who has a career that checks all the right boxes:

? Impressive title

? Great salary

? Solid benefits

? A LinkedIn profile that makes people say, “Wow, you’ve made it!”

But behind the scenes?

You’re exhausted, uninspired, and questioning everything.

If you’ve ever thought, I should be happy... so why am I so miserable?, you’re not alone.

In fact, a shocking 60% of employees report feeling emotionally detached at work, and 19% are miserable in their jobs.

What’s worse?

Women in high-achieving roles often feel trapped—believing they’ve worked too hard to walk away or fearing they won’t find something better.

? The money + benefits make it hard to leave.

? Leaving feels like failing (even though it’s actually freedom).

? You’ve convinced yourself “this is just how it is.”

If this sounds familiar, it’s time for a reality check.

Your job should not feel like a toxic relationship you can’t leave.

Red Flags: Signs You’re Stuck in a Career That No Longer Fits You

?? You have “Sunday Scaries” every single night.

You don’t just dread Monday—you start feeling anxious before the weekend is even over.

?? You feel drained and resentful at the end of the day.

Instead of feeling accomplished, you’re mentally exhausted, emotionally numb, or straight-up miserable.

?? Your body is telling you something is wrong.

Constant stress leads to insomnia, headaches, anxiety, and even burnout. If your job is affecting your health, it’s a major red flag.

?? You’re doing the “golden handcuffs” dance.

The pay, benefits, or prestige are keeping you stuck—even though you know this job is slowly crushing your soul.

?? You’re a top performer, but it doesn’t matter.

You give 110%, yet feel unseen, undervalued, or micromanaged. Nothing changes, no matter how hard you work.

?? You’ve lost sight of who you are.

You used to have dreams, hobbies, and energy. Now? Your job takes everything, and you have nothing left for yourself.

If three or more of these sound like you, it’s time to ask:

Do I actually love my career… or am I just scared to leave?

Why High-Achieving Women Stay Stuck in Jobs That Make Them Unhappy

?? You feel guilty for wanting more.

You tell yourself, “I should be grateful. Other people have it worse.” But gratitude shouldn’t be a leash that keeps you stuck.

?? You think leaving means failing.

After years of grinding, quitting feels like giving up. (Spoiler alert: It’s not. It’s setting yourself free. Because let's be real - if you find yourself here, isn't this already it's own form of failure?)

?? You don’t know what’s next.

The fear of the unknown keeps you frozen in place. What if I leave and regret it? What if I never find something better? What if the grass isn't really greener on the other side?

?? You’ve convinced yourself this is “just how it is.”

But a miserable career isn’t normal—it’s just what you’ve been conditioned to tolerate.

So, What Can You Do Right Now?

?? Step 1: Identify what’s actually wrong.

Is it your boss? The company culture? The work itself? Your salary? Getting clear on why you feel stuck is the first step toward making a change because we can't change what we don't see which is why creating awareness always comes first in your career development.

?? Step 2: Stop waiting for things to magically improve.

If you’ve been telling yourself, “Maybe next year will be better” for the past 3 years...it’s time to face the truth. Waiting only puts distance between you and your happiness. If you have felt stuck for 1 or more years in your career, the time to change is NOW.

?? Step 3: Give yourself permission to want more.

You’re allowed to desire a career that energizes you, values you, and makes you feel alive. I see so many women who are scared to admit they want more because it makes them feel greedy. They sell themselves this lie that "I should be happy with what I have." The bottom line is you are not wrong for wanting more for yourself. This is HEALTHY.

?? Step 4: Take one small action each day.

Whether it’s updating your resume, exploring new roles, or having an honest conversation with yourself—progress starts with a single step. So many women try to do too much all at once which freaks out our nervous system, fuels us with fear, confusion and overwhelm and then we end up stuck because we FEEL uncomfortable. Start small and allow the micro results to stack. This is where true progress begins.

Let’s Fix This Together: Join My Free Career Challenge!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’m hosting a free 3-day challenge (Feb 13-15) called Create a Career You Love—designed to help you fall back in love with your work or finally break free from a job that no longer serves you.

Each day, I’ll walk you through powerful exercises to help you:

?? Reignite your passion for your work

?? Get clear on whether it’s time to move on

?? Build a bold, confident career plan

Plus, I’ll be doing a ton of free coaching to help you navigate your next move—whether that’s a promotion, pivot, or walking away with confidence.

It’s 100% free, and even if you can’t make it live, I’ll send the replays straight to your inbox.

?? Join here: https://bit.ly/createacareeryoulovechallenge

And if you want to go deeper into this topic, you will LOVE my latest podcast episode where I am revealing:

?? The 3 fears that keep high-achieving stuck in jobs they hate

?? How to stop waiting for things to magically get better & start taking control

?? The first small step you can take today to shift your career in the right direction

Tap here to tune in: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-to-do-when-your-career-looks-good-but-feels-bad/id1662270665?i=1000690839338

?? Know someone who’s feeling stuck in their career? Share this podcast episode with them.

Let’s work together to help more women create careers they truly love ??