How to Navigate 5 Major Career and Life Changes

 

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At times, life can feel like one giant obstacle course with very unclear directions. The good news is that no matter what you're going through, there are coping strategies to help you get past it. Here are strategies to help you tackle five common life changes.

Making a Career Change

Changing careers can be a positive change, but it can also be a stressful one. Work takes up a large chunk of your life, so if you are unhappy with what you’re doing, change it. Whether you choose to pivot and pursue a new line of work or start your own business, choose something about which you feel confident and excited.

To set yourself up for success, do your due diligence before diving into a career change or a new business. WiserU offers career consulting, which can help you make an informed decision about your career trajectory. If you choose entrepreneurship, research the four most common business structures before choosing one. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so don’t choose arbitrarily. Then, determine what funding (if any) you will require, and pinpoint an audience to sell to.

Apart from business-specific needs, be sure to set aside personal time. While it's tempting to knock out a long to-do list by working long hours, knowing when to dial back and take time for yourself is essential for long-term success.

Purchasing a Home

Buying a home is a huge step toward ensuring a stable future. Owning a home allows you to build equity and even wealth.

To achieve homeownership, start preparing early. Check your credit score to understand where you will stand with potential lenders. If your score is too low, work toward building your credit and save money for closing costs and a down payment first. 

Speaking with a lender will give a realistic picture of what you can afford, given your income, credit score, and available interest rates. Then, it's time to contact a real estate agent and start perusing listings. Once your purchase is complete, look into features that will bring value to your home, like granite countertops and a finished backyard. Then, slowly invest in building your home’s value by adding some of these features.

Rebuilding Your Life Post-Divorce

Even if divorce is the healthiest decision for all involved, it can still be a challenging experience. Separating finances, splitting households, and particularly sharing custody of children can disrupt life in uncomfortable ways.

First, the American Psychological Association recommends working through intense feelings to present a calm front. Consider mediation or therapy for you and your ex-spouse, especially if you have children together. Enjoying self-care activities outside of parenting or work responsibilities can help recover your sense of self and offer an outlet for any frustrations. Find something you enjoy, whether it’s boxing or painting, or gardening, and devote intentional time to it. If you take up gardening, Home Garden Hero is a great resource for finding plants suitable for your area and your horticultural expertise.

Moving past divorce can take time, but it's a personal journey that is different for everyone; be patient with yourself in this phase of life!

Slowing the Pace with Growing Kids

Parenting is an ever-changing challenge and one that involves no shortage of emotions for both parents and kids. Whether your children are toddlers, teenagers, or somewhere in between, parenting through the ages can be exceedingly difficult.

Acknowledging that parenting — at any stage — is taxing is the first step toward overcoming this challenge. To address this stress, Parenting Science recommends that you focus on the positive and seek support when you need it. And remember to be patient with yourself, as well as with your children. It is as difficult to parent children as it is to be one.

Finding Peace After Losing a Loved One

Though grief looks different for everyone, the need to grieve a loss in order to heal is universal. You will likely pass through the five stages of grief over time, or you may experience a different path as you work through various emotions tied to your loss.

If possible, speak to friends or family to work through your emotions. Consider seeking counseling and resources through a local grief foundation to help you cope.

Give yourself time and permission to truly grieve, whatever that may look like for you. Remember that there's a wide range of normal in how people respond to loss, and it can take time to feel better.

In Conclusion

Some life changes, such as starting a business or buying a home, are more enjoyable than others. Yet even bigger, not-so-happy life challenges are navigable. With the right mindset and, in many cases, external support, you can get to a healthy, thriving place.

WiserU empowers businesses, conferences, colleges, and job seekers to excel! 

Questions? We’d love to hear from you! -- Kathy

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WiserU, the publisher of the WiserUTips.com blog, provides LinkedIn and career training and services for individuals and organizations. Visit WiserU.com for details.

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