Achieving women like us don’t sit still. Our lives have been mostly to our design, meeting our goals, and wearing all the “hats” – successfully.
But now something has changed. We become discontented and questioning the things that we were always confident in. Something isn’t quite “right” inside us and we begin to also see our loss of passion for our businesses.
The overwhelm that results in this combination of questioning, general exhaustion, and loss of inspiration can leave you feeling stuck, and just going through the motions as you either wait for something to suddenly make sense and snap into place, or for an ah-ha moment of clarity. In the meantime, you begin to see business slipping and have no drive much about it. It’s an ugly and frightening cycle.
After going through a similar scenario myself, I’ve come to learn that it’s not a mid-life crisis (though sometimes it can feel like a crisis). This scenario is redefined by Marcia Reynolds PsyD, as our “mid-life quest for identity”. This answers to the many questions I had. Was burnout involved too? I believe it was part of the ugly mixture I found myself in.
Experiencing this mid-life shift as bold achieving women is particularly frustrating because we are not willing to surrender to this, but we are ready to explore and figure out what’s next. We want to know who we have become, how to make sense of these changes and design a life 2.0 and get on with it. The problem is we aren’t sure how or what to do!
In my quest for direction, I made some changes (some were rather radical). Some changes were successful, some not so much. It was from these experiences that I work with Moxie women facing these same shifts and changes too.
We begin with the exploration of “why”. We dig down to find the source of what the triggers are that began this shift within and what is being affected, then identify changes that can be made. In his book Book Yourself Solid, Michael Port says “..many business problems are simply personal problems in disguise.” I found this to be true.
If you are finding yourself in this same scenario, there are four questions you can ask yourself to determine your what’s next so you will no longer feel stuck, nor prematurely abandon your life’s work for the sake of finding what can satisfy the need to change.
Are you bored? Reignite!
Do you truly love what you are doing in your business or career or is it just what you’ve always done? Liking what you do and being driven to do what you do are two different things. If you were told you couldn’t do it anymore would you just move on or would you feel as if you were losing a part of yourself?
If you know that what you are doing is your calling, don’t bail.
Your personal shift could be a minor one right now. You may have been content for a while now causing a level of boredom.
What can you do differently to reignite your passion and inspiration? Revisit why you started the business or went into that career path, what excited you? Sometimes simply freshening up your wardrobe and hairstyle or learning something completely new. When you reignite the passion within yourself, your business will reignite as well. Maybe it’s time for a freshen up some things in your business too – maybe a new logo or tagline.
The case for Reinvention.
Are you feeling as if you are losing ground or becoming a little irrelevant? The world is changing so fast it can be hard to keep up, especially as we age. It’s not about inspiration as much as identity and direction. Again, because we are our businesses, personal reinvention often will bring the reinvention of our businesses too, it’s a renewed reflection of our new identity.
Consider your beliefs and values. While values usually remain the same, our beliefs change. What beliefs no longer serve you that may be holding you back?
Take a close look at your lifestyle and business. Eliminating what no longer works or serves as a hinderance will make room for new. Reinvention from the inside out will not only offer you a clear, exciting vision for what’s next, it can reveal new possibilities for your business too.
When to Pivot.
Sometimes there comes a deeper calling and need for change when our best attempts to reignite or reinvent have not satisfied what we need.
There are times when a pivot is the answer. Pivoting in a new direction is like creating a new identity, a sort of do-over. A pivot is about starting again, but while it’s exciting, it’s scary at the same time. As a woman with Moxie, you will experience a new level of drive, ambition and inspiration. You will see possibilities in this new calling.
Deciding to pivot will have you acknowledging your accomplishments, excited to learn, a closer look at what shows up repeatedly in your life, and what lights you up. Your new direction may be a hidden calling from what you have always done before, a sort of repurposing.
Pivoting in a new direction requires your personal rediscovery, relying on your Moxie strength, resilience, and patience. But by listening carefully to your heart you can accomplish your goal and find yourself as well.
My Story
In my journey of over 25 years in business as a photographer, I have reignited, reinvented in various ways both in my life and my business. My pivot in 2016 was the moment my heart proclaimed that I needed to become a coach. My drive came from the connections and transformations I experience as a photographer, they are the root of my passion and inspiration. The pivot led me here, providing transformations for women like you. There will be times of reigniting and reinventing in my coaching business, and more recently, I’ve experienced a reinvention AND reignition within my photography business. Now my new inspiration brings my passions for both coaching and photography more in alignment with who I have grown to be and the beliefs of my mid-life season.
What makes sense for you to try? Reignite, Reinvent or Pivot? Post below and let us know.
If you are wondering what’s next, I’d love to chat with you. Schedule your Moxie discovery call with me at www.TheMoxieLady.com today.