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The restless career changer
"I have lived in this city all my life. My family is
here. I am pretty satisfied, but lately I'm getting restless.
I want to move somewhere - anywhere. I was thinking of Seattle...:"
Whenever I give a talk, somebody asks this question. If we're
in Miami, people want to move to Seattle. If we're in Seattle,
Miami sounds pretty good - especially if we're in the rainy
season.
First, think about what you have now. Lisette said,"My
whole family is here. We have family meetings every two weeks.
They are very important to me."
Next, why are you restless? Is your career growing stale?
Do you need to meet new people?
A common response is, "I can't find anyone to date."
Over the years, I hasve found that, when people are ready
to commit to a partner, they seem to find just the right person,
whether they're in New York, San Francisco, or even Gainesville,
Florida.
But some people are ready to move. Sometimes people really
do become happier after they've moved. Your true home may
be a place you've never been.
You've probably heard this before, but ask yourself, "What
am I moving TO?" Do you want a bigger city with more
culture, more people, more diversity? Do you want to live
in a place where you can afford to buy a house? Do you want
a change of climate or a place near the water?
"Moving without a job" and "Choosing a destination"
are topics from my book,
Making the Big Move.
Once you've chosen a place, or identified what you want,
begin to visualize. Imagine yourself living there. See yourself
walking the streets and driving the freeways. Feel the sun
coming through the windows. Over time, your visualization
will change. Sometimes it will disappear altogether. Don't
try to hold on: you'll soon find a new goal.
And don't try to visualize a place you've never been. Visit
first. Visualize later.
No promises - but surprises happen. I began visualizing a
move to Philadelphia while I was living in Canada. I wasn't
sure how I'd get there or where I'd live or what I'd be doing.
I just imagined walking around Rittenhouse Square, living
in a great apartment with wide windowsills where the cats
could sun themselves while I worked on the computer.
The visualization came easily. Eventually I was offered a
job in the Philadelphia area and found an apartment I loved.
The cats did enjoy the windowsills (although they thought
the low-flying helicopters were pretty strange birds) and
I began writing my book there.
This article comes from my book Making
the Big Move.
| Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. is an author, career coach, and
speaker. She works with mid-career professionals who want to make a fast
move to career freedom. Visit her site http://www.movinglady.com
or call 505-534-4294. |
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