During lockdown, did spending more time engaging in your favorite activities rekindle old interests or uncover brand-new ones? Or has your employment insecurity caused you to second-guess your future plans? Regardless, the epidemic has caused many of us to reevaluate our goals, methods of employment, and leisure activities.
According to Grace Marshall, a coach and the author of Struggle: The Surprising Truth, Beauty, And Opportunity Hidden In Life’s Sh*ttier Experiences, “The human potential to rise up from life’s shittier moments is tremendous.” Life can be quite difficult at times, yet opportunity frequently arises from difficulty, as we have seen.
A new generation of adult learners emerged from lockdown full of energy and enthusiasm after pursuing their hobbies and engaging their brains in a fresh way, whether it was learning a language, brushing up on their computer skills, or producing vegetables. A combination of people looking to upskill to meet the demands of a demanding and changing work environment and those looking to use their free time in a more constructive way, rather than binge-watching yet another Netflix series, led to a 300 percent increase in searches for online courses in the spring of 2020.
Sixteen percent of women are contemplating a total job shift, according to a recent poll by the professional women’s network Allbright, while fifty percent of 1,000 women surveyed said they had started a new pastime in the previous year.
According to author and coach Joanne Mallon, individuals are becoming more courageous and asking more profound questions. Life is too short to be miserable, it is said. People are willing to make significant adjustments to ensure that their employment has significance, according to her. In her book Find Your Why, she describes a sensation of floating through life, and she argues that this is a mindset in which individuals may become trapped when they lack purpose, don’t know what their mission is, or don’t know how to find it. The “why” that motivates us is purpose.
Mallon advises asking yourself questions and keeping an eye out for recurring patterns in your responses. For further information, check the section below titled “Learning for enjoyment.” You may also get suggestions on what you could be good at by asking others who are close to you where they believe your talents lie.
Coach Helen McMillan, a purpose expert, continues, “It may be agonizing, but having people you trust tell you how they view you is eye-opening.”
After some introspection, you may decide that little adjustments will make you feel more content in the now and optimistic about the future rather than a major shift. Mallon exclaims, “You don’t have to quit your job and join the circus!” It can involve enrolling in a training program at work or taking an evening class. You may also consider taking the next steps to improve and increase your engagement in a hobby that you currently make time for. Gaining more skill at something you like doing can spark bigger change down the road or it could just mean you enjoy your activity more without feeling any performance pressure. Whether it’s riding a bike or baking a cake, Mallon advises retiring to something you feel naturally excellent at when your confidence needs repairing.
Being a novice once more is a must for beginning any form of learning as an adult, which you may find freeing, exhilarating, and sometimes frightening. Marshall cautions about the phase of learning where it ceases being fresh and might start to feel more difficult: “Let yourself be interested and open to learning, without judgment.” It’s acceptable to feel uneasy and find anything difficult, she explains. If you anticipate the sticky center, it won’t come as a complete surprise. But if you do end up deciding something isn’t for you, it’s okay; not everything will work out. She asserts that while acquiring skills for a goal is excellent, learning for fun is as advantageous.
There is one question Marshall asks her customers to help them see the light if they want to attempt something new but are still considering what that may be: What would you do with an additional hour in the day if it appeared overnight? Now inquire as to the costs and advantages of doing more of it. Simply being aware of it will encourage frequent visits when you have free time, she asserts.
The activities you decided to do when you had more time to do anything you wanted, Mallon believes, might provide insight into the prior 18 months. “Consider what you did during lockdown and what these actions reveal about your principles. The more certain you are about your convictions, the simpler it will be to uphold them.”
Open your mind to so much more
Adult learning has been linked to improved mental health, fewer GP visits, and increased wellbeing, according to a research from the Department for Education. Additionally, several studies have shown that having a sense of purpose extends life and improves health. As we continue in our careers, we are undoubtedly going to want to change careers and will need to refresh our skills along the road. According to coach Helen McMillan, “the majority of us won’t retire at 60,” thus we must adopt the perspective of prolonged working lives. We cannot assume that a career path we may have chosen to pursue in our late teens would keep us employed for the next 50 or 60 years.
You are more employable if you have a passion for knowledge. Active learning was rated by the largest companies worldwide as the second most desired talent in the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs” poll.
Learn for pleasure
Ask yourself the following questions to help you discover where your passions lie:
* When have you felt both powerful and at peace?
* What would you be doing if you knew you couldn’t fail?
* If you didn’t have to do a job for money, what would you do?
* Was there a work or college project that particularly absorbed you?
* What was it about the project that captivated you?
* What did you want to be when you grew up?
* What do you think other people come to you for?
* Write down five things you are good at in your life today
It worked for me
Helen McMillan felt uninspired and lifeless when she considered returning to teaching after delivering her third child. In theory, I had the ideal work for a family, but when I looked ahead, the tight structure of my position made me feel flat and confined. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life as a teacher, but I had no idea what to do or how to alter things,’ she adds.
Helen eventually sought the advice of a career counselor. She admits, “I was first afraid and astonished at how difficult I found admitting that I didn’t know what I wanted to pursue.” Helen went through a career transition process with her coach, looking at choices that matched her interests, until she made the decision that she wanted to become a certified coach. “I really enjoy how it blends the abilities I have from teaching with a therapeutic foundation.” Although it wasn’t always simple and there were times when I wasn’t sure whether I had made the correct decision, I enjoyed learning new things and interacting with individuals from other backgrounds.
Helen operates her own company advising businesses and people now, feeling in charge and content.