A lot has happened since you started your career break – you've grown your family, you’ve learned more about yourself, your interests may have changed, and your family needs and schedule may require a different work arrangement than you had in the past. 

According to an analysis from Pew Research, “Some 53% of employed U.S. adults who quit their job in 2021 changed their occupation or field of work at some point last year.”  That’s a significant number of people changing their career focus, and you can too!  Don’t feel stuck returning to a job that’s not a fit for you anymore - here's one of our favorite reflection activities to help you discover your new direction.

A powerful model for exploring work that you love is called Ikigai.  It’s a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being”.  We love this model as a starting point if you’re exploring how your interests, passions, and skills fit into the current world of work.  Let’s dive in!

Activity Overview

This may be something that you start and come back to – especially as a busy mom.  If you can, try to set aside five 10-minute windows where you can work through this diagram. 

We’ve broken down reflections for each 10-minute window to guide your process below.

1) For each of the 4 sections below, spend 10 minutes reflecting and listing as many things as you can.

--- What you are GOOD AT ---

Consider what skills, strengths, talents, and gifts you have.  Think about what you been recognized for in the past – what compliments do you receive from family, friends, coworkers, supervisors, etc.? If you’re comfortable, make a list of a few people to reach out to and ask them what strengths they see in you!

--- What you LOVE ---

What activities make you feel the most alive?  If you could spend a day doing anything you wanted, what would you be doing?  What things have you enjoyed doing since you were a kid?  Oftentimes, our true passions emerge when we are kids and we lose sight of them as we get older so thinking back to the things you enjoyed when you were younger can be really helpful!

--- What the WORLD NEEDS ---

From your perspective, how could the world be a better place for your kids?  What topics make you feel angry, frustrated, excited, and/or inspired?  If you could volunteer for any cause, which one would you choose?

--- What you can be PAID FOR ---

Which careers or jobs are you curious about?  Try not to limit yourself by what you currently have the skills to do – instead, think broadly about jobs that you are interested in (even if you aren’t qualified).  Which industries are unique to the area where you live that provide more job opportunities near your home?

2) When you’ve filled in each section (all 4 of the outer circles), look at where there is synergy and similarities between the sections. 

3) As you work through this exercise, pay special attention to any thoughts or feelings that come up for you.  Are there beliefs around what you’re able to do? Capable of? Maybe areas where you’re limiting yourself?  Are there things that come up where you feel excitement or joy?  Pay attention – our feelings often guide us toward what our heart and soul are calling us to.

Now that you’ve spent the time brainstorming, walk away from your responses and come back with fresh eyes.  Consider how all of your responses align.  Where is there synergy?  What questions do you have that you need to seek out answers for?  Have you identified a new career area of interest?  Who could you reach out to in that area to learn more?  What skills do you want to start developing to set yourself up for success in your new area of interest?

We hope that this activity has been a fun, life-giving opportunity to focus on you in a world where you may not have a chance to do that often.  If you have questions as you walk through this activity, we’d love to hear from you!  Please share a comment below and we’ll get back to you.