I thought I found my purpose, but now the spark is gone… what next?
Wait!
Don't quit just yet! 😅
Don’t force yourself to power through it and suffer either!
Let's figure out what’s happening, and what it’ll take to bring joy back into your work.
Maybe you just need a break...
We can burn out even from the most meaningful work if we do it day in and day out! Humans need variety!
Taking a couple of weeks off to clear your mind and fill your tank with new experiences, inspiration, activities, socializing, and, of course, rest may be all you need.
...But what if you come back from the break and are still not thrilled to get back to work?
Maybe you need a small shift or adjustment in how you do what you do.
Are there certain tasks that bore you or drain your energy? Can you eliminate or delegate them?
Do you need to modify your daily schedule? E.g., more “me time” in the mornings while shifting work to later in the day, longer breaks, more structure, less structure and more fluidity, batching similar tasks so every day has a theme, etc.
Can you get rid of the least favorite services that you provide and double-down on the ones you enjoy?
...But what if even after making adjustments you're still "not feeling it"?
Is there any resentment towards what you do?
Maybe you're giving your all to the work, but the work is not taking a good care of you.
Are you not paid enough for the time, effort, and magic that you put into your work? Or not valued enough?
Perhaps it's time to look at boundaries and the balance between what you give and what you get.
Are you strict enough with the time you give to others?
Is what you charge fair to you?
Can your work scale so you're not just exchanging time for money?
*Rant alert! 😉 There are many professions/services/activities that don’t scale by definition — because their value is based on them being 1-on-1 (personal attention given to a unique individual or case). I’m personally against artificially turning those into 1-to-many, where yes — you get paid more, but people in the group end up receiving very little value. I think it’s more ethical to add a service or product (or side hustle) that naturally scales.
...But what if that's not the issue either?
* * *
If you feel that "the energy has left" your business/work/whatever you’ve been doing up till now…
If you feel like there's something else you're supposed to be doing…
Then maybe it's time for a more drastic change.
Perhaps you've got a new divine assignment.
Or, most commonly, it's time for you to move on to the next iteration or tier of your purpose.
For those of us already doing meaningful work, often it's about moving further into our soul gifts. Embodying their essence in the purest way.
Notice what lights you up now. Are you drawn to writing, creative expression, movement, nurturing, or some other type of activity?
Sometimes this can echo your earliest childhood inclinations, because as children we’re naturally in tune with our soul and our purpose. (What did you want to be when you grew up? 😉 In my case, I was always drawing and writing stories in the form of cartoons/comics.)
This can, but doesn't necessarily mean you have to start from scratch in a brand new field. This can be exciting but daunting and logistically/financially challenging for many of us.
A drastic change can be accomplished by significantly shifting your role within your current field. E.g., a practitioner of intuitive/healing modalities can become a full-time teacher of those modalities, or write about what they’ve learned, or create intuitive art, or help other practitioners with business or technology, or whatever matches their soul gifts.
Even if you know in your heart of hearts that the previous chapter is over and you’re meant to be doing something else, it may not be immediately clear what that new path is...
There can be a confusing time of uncertainty and searching, and that's okay!
Be patient and gentle with yourself until you figure out what is that thing that lights your inner fire, supercharges your energy , and makes you more excited about life when you do it or even think about it. I think that signs from our body and energy are more reliable than what our logical minds come up with and rationalize.
I hope this reinvention brings so much joy into your purpose-driven work. It has to! 😉
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