subject: Navigating Your Way Through Career Change Challenges [print this page] When it comes to working on career goals, there are many so-called potholes in life that one can encounter. Some are easy, some are difficult, and there are even some that can be life altering. Many of these challenges, however, can be worked through and resolved.
Illness is one challenge that may present itself-not only your own but also your family members. If you have young children, you probably know that they can come down sick several times a year, as it takes time for children to build up their immune systems. Because of this, you may not be able to adhere to your plan as you normally would.
In situations where you have to tend to your child or another family member, there are still things you can do to keep you from getting completely off track. You can still review your mission statement and your goals. You can also rework your plans around the time needed to take care of your sick loved one. Although you may not be able to do everything you normally would have done when it comes to your daily to-do list, put some thought into what you "can" do during the situation. Every little bit of action, no matter how small, is better than none.
When it comes to your own illness, work into your plan a few sick days each month ahead of time. This can be very useful in relieving stress and guilt when you come down sick and need to take some time off to recover. As women who can be somewhat hard on ourselves, this tool can really help you mentally when it comes to giving yourself permission to put things on hold for a few days.
Another challenge you may face at one point or another are unexpected expenses. If part of your plan is to save a certain amount of money so that you can go to school, start your own business, or something else that involves a chunk of change, having to divert that money to something it is not intended for can be very frustrating. Just as you start to build up your savings, the car breaks down, the dishwasher stops working, or the dog has to pay a visit to the vet because it swallowed something it wasn't supposed to.
The best way I have found to deal with these types of expenses is to set aside a certain amount of money each month for them. Even if it's just $25 a month, it's more money than you would have if you set aside nothing. In six months, you would have $150. In a year, you would have $300. Because these types of expenses usually occur every so many months and not on a regular basis, by the time something unexpected happens, you may have the full amount to cover the expense. Even if you don't, the fact that you have something will help keep from dipping too far into your savings.
It could also be that while working on your new career plan, you unexpectedly lose your job. This can be very traumatic. No one likes to be the person on the receiving end of a downsizing program. Finding yourself in such a situation can really mess with your thought processes as well as your self-esteem. This could easily cause you to question your plans or even stop you dead in your tracks. Don't!
Instead, think of the bigger picture and keep your tongue and emotions in check. You want to be able to exit gracefully and to keep from burning any bridges. While you have to pay some attention to the things that have gone wrong, don't forget to focus on what is going right for you. This can boost your confidence and optimism when it comes to finding a new job and help you get back on track with achieving the goals you set for yourself.
There are many challenges that can present themselves while you are working on achieving your career goals. But you can't let them become an excuse for not following through with your plan. The road of broken dreams is littered with excuses. The key is to prepare as much as you can for these challenges ahead of time because there will always be challenges.
