Eight years ago, I sat in the big fancy office of my corporate job, miserable, listening to my sister on the other end of the phone saying: “Just quit. I don’t know why you stay there. You’re not happy – you need to quit.”
My response was what you might expect: “I can’t JUST QUIT. I have bills to pay.”
Perhaps you can relate?
Giving up something familiar, no matter how bad it is, to step into uncertainty will leave many of us clinging to an unsatisfying job (or worse). I was in that exact situation about eight years ago. I knew I needed to leave my job, but it wasn’t an easy decision. Eventually, I took my sister’s advice and quit. Despite my uncertainty of how it would happen, the bills still got paid. Perhaps I would have taken her advice sooner if I had more faith in myself and respected myself enough to not remain in the toxic environment of that job.
“Giving up something familiar, no matter how bad it is, to step into uncertainty will leave many of us clinging to an unsatisfying job (or worse).”
I see this situation frequently: remaining in toxic situations or dissatisfying jobs because there are bills to pay or because you’re afraid of the uncertainty that comes with leaving a high-paying “secure” job. If you’re feeling dread and dissatisfaction about going to work, if you long to do something new or try something different, you, like me eight years ago, might need to “just quit.” Below are the reasons why.
Your job is making you physically and emotionally sick.
Being in a dissatisfying job creates added stress in your life, which weakens the immune system. If you’re experiencing lots of job stress, you might also be experiencing more illness: colds, flu, viruses, etc. Being in a job situation where you’re unhappy also impacts your sleep schedule and that too can cause more physical illness. Stress and dissatisfaction with your work also impact your emotions. If you’re not happy or feel dread or discomfort about something you need to do every day, you’re likely to feel more irritable, frustrated, anxious, resentful, angry, or sad. These emotions can and will impact all areas of your life. They can also make you physically sick. If you’re sick more than normal, unable to get good sleep and feel well, physically or emotionally, it could be because of that job…
You don’t like what you’re doing.
There is no reason why you should have to do something you don’t like every day of your life – none. I assure you that you can find something you like doing (maybe even LOVE doing) that can provide you with income. But first you have to stop doing what you don’t like…
You don’t like the people you work for and with.
There’s also no reason why you should spend your precious time and energy around people who aren’t aligned with your values or aligned with you. I promise that you can work with and for people you adore. But first you have to stop working with people you don’t like…
Your job feels “soul-sucking.”
I used to say my corporate job was sucking my soul. Unfortunately, I also hear this description from many of my clients. They say they need to get out of their “soul-sucking” job. This is a different feeling for each of us, but if you’ve experienced it or are in the throes of it, you know exactly what I mean. It’s as if the life is being drained from you as you spend time at work. This is no way to live. There is nothing worth doing that drains your life force energy from you. Nothing.
You’ve changed.
Sometimes we take a job because it was the first thing that came along when we graduated college many years ago and now the job no longer fits. Or, perhaps you loved the job when you took it, but you’re older and wiser now and it no longer fits with what you want to do or how you want to live. Change is a normal part of life. Reassessing who you are and what you want to do now provides you with the opportunity to find a job that aligns with the person you are today. But, first you need to decide to leave the job that is no longer a fit.
You deserve more.
You deserve to do something you love and enjoy every day. You deserve to be happy and excited about your work. Why would you stay someplace where you’re unhappy? Like me eight years ago, your response might be “I have bills to pay” or “I have a family to support”. There are plenty of jobs that you could actually love and enjoy, which could pay your bills and support your family. Why not look for that kind of work? You deserve it.
You can have more.
Not only do you deserve more but you can also have more. You can have a job and a career you love, one that pays all the bills and then some. To experience this, you must believe in yourself enough and respect yourself enough to let go of the work situation that’s making you unhappy. You must be willing step into uncertainty and let go of what is no longer right for you. It is in this space of uncertainty that anything is possible. When you step into that space you open yourself up to finding work you love. And trust me, dread, dissatisfaction, feeling stuck and unhappy are most definitely not part of that equation. You can have more and you can create and find meaningful fulfilling work. But first, you need to quit your job.
Want to feel better about your work and your life? Check out Andria’s complimentary guide on the top ways to feel good- mind, body, and spirit. (Plus a list of resources to support you!) Access the guide here.