SB

Life and work during these COVID times has been hard. And many of us have been struggling. 

 

I thought I’d share a Taoist story of an old farmer which has brought me great comfort during these times.

 

Bear with me this story is related to your career and how you can approach your fears around making a change. 

 

So the story begins….with an old farmer.

 

This old farmer had worked his crops for many years and one day his horse ran away into the hills. 

 

His neighbours heard of the news and expressed their sympathy “such bad news” they said. 

 

“Maybe” the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned bringing with it a herd of wild horses. 

 

“How wonderful, you’re so lucky” the neighbours said. 

 

“Maybe” said the farmer.

 

The next day the farmer’s son was trying to ride one of the untamed horses and fell and broke his leg. 

 

His neighbours heard of the news and expressed their sympathy “such bad news” they said. 

“Maybe” answered the farmer.

 

Whilst the son was healing, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. They conscripted every able-bodied man in the village. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. 

 

“How wonderful, you’re so lucky” the neighbours said. 

 

“Maybe” answered the farmer.

 

The moral of the story?

 

Life is like a movie that is yet to play out it’s full story. 

 

What seems like a misfortune in one moment, can turn out to be a blessing the next. 

 

We don’t know unless we have the benefit of hindsight. 

 

If you’re feeling scared or fearful of the unknown, remember these wise words from Simon Sinek:

 

“Our struggles are the short-term steps we must take on our way to long-term success”

 

Instead of being scared of the unknown and giving up when we are in times of struggle, remember that these moments are the steps that are needed to move forward towards success. 

 

Women who are struggling in their careers often tell me that their biggest challenge that’s holding them back from pursuing something they really love,  is the fear of the unknown and the fear of things not working out. 

 

What if….instead of being scared and cutting the scene short we embraced the journey and saw our struggles as the necessary stepping stones to pursuing our most aligned career path and purpose?

 

Let’s dive in.

How to embrace times of struggle and still keep going after your Soul Aligned Career. 

Instead of freaking out when you’re going through a challenging time. Here are 2 essential questions you can ask yourself:

 

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#1: What can I learn from this?

 

When I was working in my last corporate job I drove myself to burnout. 

 

My people pleasing nature meant that I didn’t know how to set up proper boundaries and prioritise my own needs and requirements to do my best work.  

 

Lesson learned: How to say “no” and prioritise my own needs and desires. This lesson KEEPS showing up for me years later. 

 

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#2: What can I do that’s within my control?

 

Many of us get stressed about things that are beyond our control. We can’t control other people’s behaviour, what will happen in the economy or whether we win the lottery. 

 

But what we can do is do what is within our control to set ourselves up for the best outcome possible. Rather than stressing about things that are outside of your control, take control of your own sphere of influence and do what you can with what you have. 

 

Chances are you’ll create circumstances and situations that work in your favour. 

 

We all face challenges and struggles, that’s the beauty of living life. 

 

The question is “How will you handle these struggles?”

 

Will you ride through them by asking yourself the two questions above, letting the whole movie play out?

 

Or will you get scared and cut the scene short?

 

The choice is yours. 

Before you go…

 

I’d love to hear from you and know:

 

What your #1 takeaway is from this article?

 

Please share in the comments below. 

 

With love,

Siobhan

xoxo