tapes, Carolyn Myss says that anger can be a sign of claiming
your power. I agree.
When you feel lost and confused, it is easy to give your power to
anyone who appears on your doorstep -- a coach, a counselor, even
a good friend or relative. People in transition, who are seeking
direction, are especially vulnerable to anyone who offers help.
The US government has developed programs to protect
newly-bereaved citizens who are vulnerable to claims from funeral
services.
Sometimes I meet people who have been laid off or otherwise
terminated. They have been sitting on the couch for a long time,
trying to decide what to do. They have undertaken introspective
life reviews. They may have begun a frantic search for a new
career, sending out batches of resumes. Perhaps they called half
a dozen friends to commiserate about the evils of the workplace.
After six months or a year, they get a new sense of purpose. They
visit a career center, call a couch or check out the services of
the Small Business Administration.
Inevitably, when you get off the couch and start moving, you need
to learn a new way to walk. Maybe you were a champion networker
when you were vice president of Mega-Mega, and now you are a job
seeker or a start-up entrepreneur. Maybe you wrote
award-winning ads, and now you are faced with selling yourself
through a resume.
Starting over is much harder than starting out. Author Martha
Beck says that career transition is like going back to
kindergarten. You feel that everybody knows more than you and
you really want to go back to the way things were before.
And one day you wake up and realize, "Wait a minute! I know more
than I realized!"
You may be angry with those who steered you in the wrong
direction -- or with yourself for not paying attention.
You may be angry with someone who says, "You can't do that!" when
you know perfectly well you can.
I am not suggesting you lash out at those who offended you,
although I think you can ask for reparation if you can
demonstrate real harm. I am not suggesting you make decisions
while you are angry.
But if you have let your intuition lie dormant or you have
responded passively to events around you, anger is a sign that
you are getting your power back. You are turning on the juice.
Your intuition is beginning to overpower the wet blankets, the
poison darts, and the well-meaning-but-misguided mentors.
Some clients are surprised when they feel angry. Some believe
that only happiness can signal that a transition is going well.
Sadness, depression and grief can be danger signals. They can
paralyze.
Recognize, welcome and manage your anger. You are almost
certainly ready to take action and experience your own power once
again.
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Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career
coach who works with mid-career, midlife professionals
making a move to career freedom.
Visit http://www.movinglady.com
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Phone: 505-534-4294 Email: mailto:cathy@...
--
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Author, Career Coach, Speaker
*The Fast Track to Career Freedom*
http://www.movinglady.com
505-534-4294 mailto:cathy@...
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