THE GOLDEN KOOI
I like to share with you my personal story of how I ended up in my golden cage and how I learned to fly again after this.
How did I get into my burnout?
Due to a change in my values, without taking this into account professionally, I found myself more than 15 years ago into burnout. After my burnout, I consciously chose to take a step back professionally. Stability and predictability were important to me at that time. Therefore, I chose a job that I thought was 'okay' in terms of content and where I could use the skills I had become good at. With what I really liked to do and my self-development I was not concerned. I felt safe and comfortable in my job. And in that moment, that was exactly what I needed.
But silently years passed. After all, why would I give up a job with numerous benefits for something unknown?
- I was good at my job;
- I was paid well;
- It was close to home;
- I had nice colleagues;
- I had nice working hours that left me with plenty of free time.
I had already suffered burnout once and why would I risk giving up those certainties?
Is this it now?
Gradually, however, something began to gnaw more and more inside me: a feeling of dissatisfaction that I couldn't really explain. I felt more and more alienated from myself. I regularly asked myself, "Is this it now?" and "Surely more must be possible?" For some time I simply ignored these feelings. Until they were screaming for my attention, so to speak. I could no longer ignore them. Something had to happen lest I become unhappy or fall into a bore-out.
By the way, did you know that this is a trap many fall into after burnout? After burnout, the enthusiastic and driven person starts to put on the brakes and shun their talents. Keeping this calm often evolves into boredom or bore-out, when too little attention is paid to the talents.
TIP: Pay attention to your feelings
Don't ignore your feelings. Examine what they are coming to tell you. Don't give all your attention to your mind, which will undoubtedly give you all sorts of arguments and reasons to stay in your current situation and do nothing.
How did I learn to fly again?
Career counseling gave me the insights I needed to deal with this dissatisfied feeling. For years I was only focused on what I can do well. I was not working on what I like to do and want to develop further to be able to use professionally as well.
During the orientation phase of my career counselingI saw in black and white that in recent years I had become particularly good and had given attention to those skills that do not give me energy. But my real talents, what I like to do and what I am good at, were given less and less attention.
My long-standing dream, which I have had since young adulthood, of guiding others individually from a private practice toward strengthening their resilience, resurfaced. And stronger than ever before.
Together with my career coach, I worked out a personal development plan. Because obviously it wouldn't happen by itself. I invested in training.
By the way, did you know that when training is recommended in the personal development plan (PDP) during career counseling, you are entitled to training vouchers with which you can pay for part of that training?
I myself initially chose to combine the security of my fixed salary in my familiar job and environment with the freedom and development opportunities of a secondary occupation. At least that was the plan ... But not everything is going as planned.
When my employer decided a year later to restructure and I would have to step into a new role in a new environment anyway, it felt like my golden cage was now really being opened. It was now only up to me to dare to fly out.
After this, I decided to go completely for my dream and make an entire career switch. Is it scary? Yes indeed, the feeling of uncertainty does overwhelm me at times. But I no longer let my fear define (and limit) my life. I have renewed energy and enthusiasm. It feels good to be able to be myself completely, to be able to find my values in my work, to do what I like to do and what I am good at, and also to experience the feeling of growth every day.
It is wonderful to fly. How long has it been since you've used your wings?