Have you ever stayed in a job so long it felt like part of who you were?

August 2025 - By Lil 🤩

That was me. For years, I worked in the same sector. Education and schools were not just what I did, they felt like who I was. My career and my personality seemed intertwined.

The thought of leaving was unsettling. Who would I be without it? Would I lose part of myself? For a long time, those questions kept me in the same place, even when I felt ready for something different.

Then one day, I stopped trawling job boards and gave myself permission to pause. Instead of searching for vacancies, I searched for clarity. I asked myself three questions:

➡️How do I want my days to look and feel?
Reflect on the kind of work, people, and pace that leave you feeling energised at the end of the day.

➡️What sparks genuine interest and curiosity?
Think about the themes, values, or interests that keep you engaged and motivated.

➡️If I could meet my future self, what would they tell me about where I am right now?
Imagine the perspective they might have, and what they would want you to notice about this moment in your life.

The answers did not arrive neatly packaged. They were messy at first, scribbled at the back of my notebook while I drank my nth cup of coffee.

After avoiding the chaos for so long, I decided to sit with the mess and mull it over. I came back to it, had it on my whiteboard, jotted fleeting thoughts on post-its. I talked it through with my coach, and then something clicked.

That realisation did not give me a ready-made plan, but it gave me a direction. And that was enough to take the first step towards a career that felt like a better fit for the person I had become and wanted to be.

If you’d like to explore these questions for yourself, I’ve put them into a free “3 Questions to Find Clarity” worksheet you can download here: 👆🏻Yes please! Whether you like to type, write, or scribble, I’ve got you covered! 🤙🏻🏄🏻‍♀️Write On! PDF – type straight into it, or the👌🏻Bog Standard PDF – classic format, great for printing or using on digital devices.

It’s a simple starting point to help you pause, reflect, and see your next step more clearly.

And if you’d like to go deeper, this is exactly the kind of work I do with my coaching clients. Want to know more? Arrange a free discovery call or get in touch: 👆🏻 https://coachingpoint.co.uk/book-a-discovery-call