If the quarantine has thwarted your career plans, you are likely experiencing:
-confusion about direction and where to focus,
-uncertainty about how to earn money, and
-a sense of powerlessness to control your circumstances.
This week's blog is designed to help you boost optimism and create clarity on your career path during this time of quarantine. While you may not be able to predict what's ahead, you can answer 3 key questions that will prime you to create clarity and come out of quarantine more focused than when you started. They are:
1. What do I know I don't want to go back to?
2. What is my intention during this time?
3. What actions or spiritual practices will support me?
The clarity of letting go
Question 1: What do I know I don't want to go back to?
Often when you face change or disruption to the status quo, you notice what in your prior routine was not working. It may be that in the "new normal" you've created inside the quarantine, you've recognized previous habits or patterns that were not healthy for you. For example, if the quarantine for you means you are staying home with family, you likely added priorities to your day that include a greater balance of family time and focus on physical well-being. This may show you a prior pattern of neglect around family and health that you do not want to return to when the quarantine is over. Another example may be that you recognize now a weak spot in your professional pursuits - an important area that you had been ignoring - and you now see that once the quarantine is over you will not return to this pattern. As you commit to let go of these prior routines and habits that you see were not working, you clear the space for something new and better to emerge. That is the beginning of clarity.
The power of setting an intention
Question 2: What is my intention during this time?
When you don't yet see the clear direction of your path ahead, setting an intention is a great step. This involves using the power of your mind, your words, and your energy to begin shaping your inner experience in a positive way, which will also influence your outer world. An intention is distinct from a goal. A goal sets forth a clear outcome. Setting an intention instead allows you to set aim toward a desired experience. An intention duriing the quarantine might be something like: "Become laser focused on my mission and strategies." With this intention, you bring your mind and energy into positive thoughts and expectations in this direction. And as your mind and energy focus this way, the universe responds. You will notice resources start to show up. You get ideas. You might feel inspired to take action. This is all in response to the intention you set, and that intention is now paving the path to the clarity you claimed.
Inspired action and spiritual practice to support you
Question 3: What actions or spiritual practices will support me?
Your commitment to release and create from questions 1 and 2 have energetically started paving your path to clarity. You can add even more momentum by committing to spiritual practices and inspired actions that support you. If you've set the intention, for example, to become laser focused on your mission and direction - you can add a spiritual practice of daily visioning. (You can use my visioning practice on the Insight Timer App here titled: Visioning the Clarity of Your Path). If you decided you're letting go of your prior pattern of neglect around health, as another example, you might feel inspired to sign up for a daily online work-out class. Putting your commitments into motion through spiritual practices and inspired actions ensures your energy is moving more and more toward clarity each day, and that gives you a sense of power again.
You can take back control of your circumstances and put this blog into motion right now by getting out your journal and reflecting on these 3 questions in writing. If you can't do it right now, set some time in your schedule - and make space for the clarity you are craving!
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About the Author
Gina Marotta is a career coach and speaker teaching and inspiring people to unleash their genius. She is a former defense attorney for some of Chicago’s highest profile criminal cases, served as Managing Director for a national nonprofit catalyzing career advancement for women and girls, and has been featured in media outlets like: Thrive Global, The Huffington Post, and WGN Radio. She has also been named 50 Under 50 and among 100 Women Making a Difference.