Overcoming Fear and Embracing the Unknowns When Making Major Career and Life Changes S4E70

Have you ever wondered, "What if I don’t like it?" or "What if it doesn’t work out?" when thinking about making a major life or career change?

In this episode, I dive into the challenges and rewards of making life and career changes. Drawing from my personal experiences sailing the East Coast with my husband, I explore the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and how change can bring clarity and appreciation for what you have. Whether you're considering a major career shift or simply feeling stuck, this episode is all about taking the leap, trusting the process, and finding peace in knowing you can always return.

Key Points/Topics Covered:

• Facing the fear of "What if I don't like it?" when considering major life changes
• How my sailing journey helped me appreciate where I started
• The significance of stepping out and trying something new, even if it doesn't work out
• Lessons learned from moving back after a year of exploration
• Why you should explore new opportunities and how it can change your perspective
• Practical advice for those contemplating career changes and life transitions

Inspiring Quotes:

• "You’re not going to know unless you try. And if it doesn’t work out, you can always go back."
• "When you make these changes, you will get very clear on what you do want and what you don’t want."
• "I don’t want you to stay stuck in a career that’s not fulfilling you. Just go explore. Go try something new."

Reflective Questions:

• What life or career changes have you been considering but feel scared to try?
• What small steps can you take today to explore new opportunities?
• How can you gain clarity by experiencing something new, even if it’s temporary?

Join me next week for more episodes of Discovering Your Calling, where I’ll share exciting insights on making major life changes without the risk. Don’t miss out on upcoming content that will guide you through career transitions step-by-step.

Thanks for tuning in! I'm off to relax on the beach, but before I go, I encourage you to reflect on your own journey and take a bold step forward. You’ll never know unless you try!

Transcript

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Speaker 1
When I talk to friends or clients

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about making major career or life changes, sometimes their biggest fear or fears is what if I don't like it? Or what if it doesn't work out?

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And my answer has always kind of been, but now I can truly, honestly say with full,

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you know,

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clarity is

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you're not going to know unless you try.

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And if it doesn't work out, you can always go back.

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Speaker 1
Stay tuned for my story.

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Speaker 1
So as I'm recording this, it might sound a little different because I'm sitting here on my iPhone overlooking the great Saucon Lake and,

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so picturesque. Picturesque. I don't know if that's the right word.

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Overlooking

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the Adirondack foothills, the colors of the trees are slightly changing.

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There's clouds, you know, blue sky, clouds above. It's absolutely stunning.

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It's super peaceful.

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And, you know, it just reminds me of where we started when it comes to sailing. This is where my husband and I really fell in love with sailing.

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But it's also where

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I kind of felt stuck. You know, we we sit on this lake. I don't even know, like, well, over ten years we had three different boats here, a 19ft sailboat and then we moved into a 26ft sailboat

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and then a 31ft sailboat.

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And, you know, there just came a day after sailing every little corner of this lake and every cove and every restaurant. It was like, I feel stuck here. And I was starting to resent it, honestly.

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And I just needed a change. And I kept saying to myself or to myself, my husband, my friends, like, there's so much water in the world, why are we on this lake?

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And that caused us to go explore. And, you know, if you followed me at all, you know, we bought a last year. We bought a 42ft sailboat.

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We moved on that boat last August, and we took off sailing down the East coast. And we had a great trip. There is trials, there is tribulation, there are weather delays. Oh, you know,

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engine problems, like you name it, we experienced it.

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But you know what? We tried it

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and

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we have stories to tell.

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And we got to see so much of the East Coast by boat.

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But we also realized that living and traveling on a boat wasn't for us. Like we tried it, but it wasn't for us. And there are things that we would have done differently. Looking back.

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But you know what? We don't have any regrets. And now as we sit here, we're up visiting for a week in New York.

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My husband and I are sitting, having coffee, looking out over the lake, and we're like, oh my gosh, this is beautiful. This is so peaceful. We miss this place

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and we appreciate this lake and the mountains, everything so much more.

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Because even after we quit boating, we lived in an ocean town. And I love the ocean and I. I just said to my husband, I feel like we should all go stand on an ocean beach just to realize how small and insignificant we really are. At least once a year

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and realize our life, our world problems are not that big.

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You know, it's such

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awe inspiring to me to stand on a beach overlooking the ocean.

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But

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I also get nervous when our grandkids are there on the beach swimming. It's like, oh my gosh, are they going to get pulled into the riptide? And you know, as a wave going to knock me over if I try to stand in the water and there's, you know, of course, sharks and all the things that come with being in the ocean.

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Where is the lake? Yeah, there's you have to be cautious, of course, but there's just so much peace here.

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And our experience, it's because we went out and had

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that experience this past year that gives us a new appreciation. We look at things from a different point of view. Now,

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and I'm sharing all this because

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if you've been sitting stuck in a career that is no longer fulfilling you, and you're looking out the window thinking, what else is out there for me?

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What else could I do? What else do I want to do? Or maybe there's just something in your life you're saying that about. I want to encourage you to just go do it.

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Because here's the thing.

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You can always go back. You can always go back to what you have.

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So you will see things differently. You will get very clear on what you do, what and what you don't want.

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When you make these changes

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and,

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you know, here's the thing. If you're not happy, go try something else. Go explore other options, see what feels right,

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see what doesn't feel right. And sometimes that's easier than getting clarity on what you do want.

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And if something doesn't work out for you, just go back to what you were doing, or at least something very close to it.

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But you know what? If you don't do it, you will always have regrets. You will always feel a little resentful. If we hadn't gone up and explored this. I think I would have been done with the lake and just done something totally different. And I wouldn't appreciate it today. There would always be this little bit of a resentment if we stayed here and didn't try it,

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but now I can look at it with fresh eyes.

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And my friend, I don't want you to stay stuck in a career that's not fulfilling you. I don't want you to have regrets, frustration, envy, resentment, all those things. So just go explore. Go try something new and no

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have that sense of peace and security that if it doesn't work out,

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just go back. Go back to what you were doing.

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And I promise you, if that happens,

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you're going to go back a changed person. You're going to feel differently about it, and you'll know exactly what you want and what you don't want.

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So have some peace

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in knowing that. Just go back.

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We're actually making a big move. We've decided we're moving back to New York after doing our year two years of exploring.

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Speaker 1
It's time to come back up here. But we see things differently.

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Speaker 1
So, my friend, what is it that you've been wanting to do? What is the career change? What is the life change that you've been scared

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to step out and try? Just go do it.

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And if it is a career change. I've been saying this for the last few weeks.

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Speaker 1
Don't miss the next few episodes of the Discovering Your Calling podcast. I have something super exciting to help you make that major change and an easy, almost risk free way. All right, my friend. Have a peaceful, wonderful day.

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Speaker 1
I got to get back to relaxing on the beach.