 Your career won’t be saved by a job posting, a boss, or a recruiter.
It will be saved by your decision to take back control. Control over how you conduct your search. Control of what you say yes to next. Control of your investment in yourself. Control of the story you’re telling about who you are and what’s possible for you. Are you ready to take back your control? Elena worked for a school district. She had what everyone called a “good job”. Great benefits. A stable paycheck. And she was phenomenal at what she did, so much so that her boss leaned on her constantly to put out fires, solve problems, and quietly carry the load. Every year like clockwork, the same soul-crushing cycles would return. Back-to-school registration. Grading season. Schedule creation. Elena would work ten-hour days, come home to put her kids to bed, and then… Turn the computer back on. She worked until 1 or 2 a.m. just to make sure students had schedules by the first day of school. Because “If I don’t do it, who will?” She told herself: “It’s just temporary.” “They need me.” “I’m making a difference.” And she was. But at what cost? Her health was deteriorating. Her spirit was fading. And still, this single mother didn’t believe she could leave. “I can’t leave the county job,” she told me. “I’m lucky to have it.” It wasn’t until Elena recognized the abuse had gone on long enough and gave herself permission to imagine something less punishing that everything began to shift. Her bold step began with talking to HR and other people in different departments. And then, a door opened and she was able to transfer within the county, to a department that valued her gifts without abusing them. Now? No late nights. No chaos cycles. And for the first time in years, Elena feels like she has her life back. It’s Not a Solo Journey, But It Starts with You You don’t have to do all of the work alone. You just have to decide you’re worth the work, and that work starts NOW. Once you claim that power back, something magical happens. You can tag in the mentors who see your potential You can seek out the coaches who help you build a roadmap You can find the community who cheers you on when you doubt yourself You can access tools that uncover your strengths, passions, and opportunities You can learn to position yourself for the career you actually want, not the one you settled for That’s what The Bold Pivot Plan is built to do. It’s a self-paced career transformation course that helps you go from lost or stuck to focused and sought-after. Because no, no one is coming to save you. But the second you decide to save yourself, the support you need starts showing up. Learn more about participating in the Bold Pivot Plan summer accelerator here: https://www.mariadastur.com/boldpivot1 #CareerPivot #CareerTransformation #ReinventYourCareer #MidlifeCareerChange #SecondActCareer #CareerByDesign #CareerGrowth #SummerReset #SummerPivot #SummerOfYou #BoldSummerMove #DesignYourLife #OwnYourJourney #Coach #Mindset #WomenInTransition
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 It’s not just a tough week. It is more than just needing a vacation. This is burnout, the kind that seeps into your soul. The kind that makes you unsure of how to climb out of the spiral. The kind that makes you feel alone on an island.
This burnout has pushed you into a career pivot, or it might be the career pivot that has caused the burnout ! You want to find your next dream job, but with all of the things weighing on you, how can you make that happen? There are real-life responsibilities to juggle...the bills don’t stop, health insurance is non-negotiable, and for many, there’s a desire to contribute to your family in a new way, especially after a long stretch of caregiving. Maybe you’ve suddenly become the sole income earner. When it all falls on you, every decision feels heavier. Here’s what I want you to know. Reinvention doesn’t mean you are starting completely over. It means starting from where you are, with everything you’ve already built. Repackaging, not replacing. I work with people in the midst of major career shifts, people who are walking away from roles that no longer fit, rediscovering their identity post-caregiving, or building something brand new after being underemployed or overlooked. So where do you even begin? When you’re burnt out, lost, or simply craving something new, the idea of reinventing your career can feel impossible. You already have a rich collection of experiences, skills, and strengths. Let’s build on the foundation of what you already know, love, and do well, and build a bridge to what is next. Inventory Your AssetsStart with your Spark Zone, the sweet spot between what you’re great at and what lights you up. One way to do that? Download my 5 Steps to Monetize Your Brilliance workbook and use the Spark Worksheet. It’s designed to help you identify the intersection of your superpowers (the skills that pay the bills) and your passions (the things that energize you and give you purpose). Next, revisit your kudos file. This might live in your inbox, your LinkedIn recommendations, old performance reviews, or even that sticky note you saved from a client or colleague. These pieces of positive feedback are gold, they reveal how others experience you at your best. Ask yourself: What compliments have stuck with me? What kinds of things do people thank me for? What do I consistently get pulled into because “you’re so good at this”? Have you considered reaching out to your community for a fresh perspective? People around us often see us in a very different way than we see ourselves. Reach out to former colleagues, managers, friends, or clients and ask: What do you see as my greatest strengths? What kind of problems do I help solve? What’s something I do exceptionally well that I might not even notice? What kind of role or environment could you see me thriving in? Reflect on Your Lived Experience Now, zoom out. Think about the moments that have shaped your career and your life. What were you doing when you felt most energized and alive? What challenges do you find yourself solving over and over again? What parts of your previous roles brought you joy or made you feel like your fullest self? Those moments hold clues about what you want more of, and what you’re ready to leave behind. Consider Your Network. Your next opportunity may come from the most unexpected corner of your world. It might be someone in your book club, a fellow volunteer, a parent you met on the sidelines of a soccer game, or a neighbor who knows someone hiring. Take inventory of the people in your world: Who opens doors for others? Who’s always doing interesting things that catch your eye? Who’s a few steps ahead of you in the kind of career you’re dreaming about? Who’s a super-connector that seems to know everyone? Who was there with you, or benefited, when you were in your zone of genius? Reach out. Reconnect. Have real conversations. Because conversations lead to clarity. They spark new visions. And they help you start writing a new narrative for your future. Let’s Be Honest. This Is Brutally Hard. You’re not going to figure this out in one day. And that’s not because you’re doing it wrong, it’s because reinvention is messy, emotional, and deeply personal. Burnout, identity shifts, financial pressure, uncertainty on top of everything else that mid-life throws at ya…it is a lot! You just need the right tools…and the right support. Download the 5 Steps to Monetize Your Brilliance Workbook to start turning your lived experience into a career vision that aligns with who you are now so that you can use that newly discovered spark to illuminate the path as you redefine what work is to you. And if you want someone to help you process it in real time, book a complementary Career Exploration Call with me. We’ll talk through what’s next and start shaping a path that feels possible. #CareerPivot #BurnoutRecovery #CareerChange #MonetizeYourBrilliance #LifeByDesign #MidlifeCareer #Reinvention #CareerCoach  You got what you wanted… so why does it feel like everything is unraveling?
You did it. You made the leap, new title, new role, new business. You post the news, and the likes roll in. “You’re amazing!” they say. But then, a few weeks later, you wake up and think, why do I feel so off? Wasn’t this supposed to feel better than this? You are exhausted. Dread Creeps in…quiet, unexpected, and unsettling. What is happening here? What happened to the confident joyful moments!? The Dread After the Dream “I wanted this… but now I just feel like I’m drowning.” “I am not sure I want this…” “Shouldn’t I be crushing it already?” “I can’t do anything right” Christine made the brave bold move to leave corporate and launch her own consultancy. She found her way to me after 6 months. “I am watching my savings dwindling down and down. Some mornings I just stare at my laptop wondering what exactly I should be doing. I didn’t think it was going to be this hard…” Why You’re Feeling This Way When I work with clients, it is not uncommon for us to continue our work AFTER the big pivot. WHY? Because this is often when the impostor syndrome, fear of failure, financial anxiety, overwhelm and regret really start to set in. This fatigue and emotional strain is a normal part of doing big things. Our body and our brain crave routine, and a big career pivot, well is anything but routine. Our brain is going to fight to go back to the status quo. The reality of the uncertain road ahead can be a lot to tackle all alone. Here is what I want you to remember when you are paralyzed with self-doubt. 👉 Give yourself a grace period – Allow yourself a few weeks/months of decompression and adjustment before demanding clarity or results. Build a structure to take good care of your body and soul. Eat well, get good sleep, find ways to decompress and move your body regularly. 👉 Be aware of the stories you're telling yourself – When doubt creeps in, notice the internal narrative. Are you assuming you're failing, or that you should “have it all figured out” by now? Check the facts. If you’re in a new role, have you even asked your boss what success looks like in the first 90 days? Clarity can silence unnecessary self-criticism. 👉 Reconnect to your “why” – Revisit what made you take the leap in the first place. Journaling or vision boards help reignite purpose and get some dopamine flowing. 👉 Celebrate micro-wins – You are learning and growing in so many directions. Focus on small progress instead of perfection. Each action forward is momentum. 👉 Talk to others who’ve done it – Whether at work, or in your entrepreneurial community, surround yourself with fellow career pivoters who can offer support and insights to navigate the journey ahead. You’re Not Alone—Let’s Map Out Your Next 90 Days Christine didn’t stay stuck in the dip. Together, we reset her expectations, celebrated micro-wins that proved she was on the right path, and anchored her “why” with a visual reminder in her workspace. With the support of Positive Intelligence training and a community of like-minded mentors, she built the mental resilience to navigate uncertainty with more confidence and clarity. Her pivot didn’t just survive, it started to thrive. If you’re feeling the swirl of “what now?” after a big move, you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong. Let’s map out your next 90 days with calm, clarity, and confidence. Book a complimentary call with me and leave with a plan for impact, income, and inner peace. https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session #CareerPivot #NewJobStruggles #EntrepreneurLife #MidlifeCareerChange #ResilienceAtWork #PositiveIntelligence #ImpostorSyndrome #PortfolioCareer #WomenInTransition #BuildAThrivingCareer #LifeByDesign #CareerGrowth #MindsetMatters #FromFearToFreedom |
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