Skip to content
  • Start Here
  • Courses
  • Quizzes
  • Contact
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Courses
  • custom-logo
  • Quizzes
  • Contact
  • About
How I Got Unstuck By Leaving My Job
Happiness

How I Got Unstuck By Leaving My Job

December 17, 2016December 11, 2018 Editor Comments Off on How I Got Unstuck By Leaving My Job

I needed to get unstuck. A few years ago I was the head of a small but busy university department. Today, I work for myself. At first, the transition was financially costly, but it was planned well in advance so there were no surprises. I can’t say I went through a midlife crisis so much as sensing there were other things I wanted to do, at a time and in a way I wanted to do them.  The thought took hold, developed, and the rest as they say, is history.

In making this life change I follow a long line of people who have done exactly the same thing. Why do we do it? Are we running away from something, or simply looking for something better? Something more fulfilling that will also make us feel happier? The issues are probably difficult to untangle. But there are things that trap us and hold us back from taking risks.

Lifestyle and Possessions 

How much time do we spend acquiring stuff? It’s natural to want things in order to make life secure and comfortable but there comes a point where we can strive too hard. The psychologist Oliver James points to the fact that chasing material goods can make high achievers prone to depression. Indeed in one study involving 15 countries it was found that people who place high value on possessions, fame and social or physical appearance are more at risk of depression.

Shifters

It takes a really hard knock before some people seriously question their lives. Psychologist, Steve Taylor, refers to such people as “shifters”. It’s not until these folk hit the bottom that they experience a kind of internal eruption that tips the balance in favor a new life of calmness, happiness and sense of wellbeing. What Taylor calls “suffering-induced transformations” require the courage to let go of all those attachments that we’ve spent a great deal of our lives acquiring. Such desires, powers, jobs or roles have no particular substance but they prevent us from becoming unstuck.

The stress that usually accompanies these attachments first builds then ultimately begins to implode in wave of anxiety, panic and depression. For such people letting remains a choice but an effortful one because it will leave the person exposed and vulnerable. After all, if we choose to define ourselves by what we do, then what do we become when these things are removed? But, once made, the mental health benefits quickly start to stack up.

It’s All About Choice

Most people get along just fine with their work. They may not always like it, they may not have the urge to become unstuck, but they do alright, and that’s fine. Others are unhappy and may complain they have no choice but to do what they do. I disagree with this, and so does our PositivityGuides writer Joleene, who wrote How Choices can Make your Life Better.

My own life change is an example of a planned and measured outcome. This contrasts with the previous example of how things can go out of control but where it may just be possible to step back from the edge of the precipice. Not everyone recognizes the need to change and not everyone is able, or feels able to change, when they would like to. Sometimes a compromise can be reached, the results of which lift mood. 

See also:

Be more daring, there’s nothing to lose
Unwrapping the magic of acceptance
Am I depressed? Test yourself

Post navigation

How Choices Can Make Your Life Better
Why It’s Okay To Have More Than One Passion

Search the site

Categories

  • Body Positivity
  • Happiness
  • Health & Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Motivation
  • Relationships
  • Self-Confidence
  • Self-Improvement
  • Success

Our Courses

Understanding bipolar disorder
Making moments
Control: the art of self-discipline
How to eliminate self-doubt
Practicing patience
Building more positivity
21 steps to a whole new you
Success fundamentals
Emotional intelligence
Fears, worry and stress
Living life to the fullest
Couch potato to fit and healthy
Supercharge your brain

Quizzes

Are you a people pleaser?
Am I control freak?
Body Language quiz
Happiness quiz
Optimism quiz
Have you got a playful mindset?
How well do you handle stress?
Life balance
Test your positive thinking
Check your assertiveness
Self-Esteem Quiz
Test your mindset
Test your empathy
Find your animal personality
Am I depressed?
Am I confident?
Will my relationship last?
Are you body positive?
Are you too angry?

Free AudioBooks!

Disclaimer

This site is for your information and entertainment. It contains a variety of views, opinions, statements and comments. We do not vouch for the reliability or accuracy of such information. Where legal, medical or professional issues are concerned we strongly recommend you seek advice from appropriately qualified personnel.
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contributed Content
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Quotes
  • Quizzes
© 2021 |