Moving through adversity to create a career or business that you love

Hi! I'm Bec Sands, and I help you pivot to a career or business you love.

Most, if not all, of career pivots come from a place of adversity.

The reason is that if we didn’t have a situation that was challenging, we wouldn’t be as motivated to move or change it because let’s face it – we’d prefer to stay in our comfort zones.

I had so many challenging moments in my career before I stepped into my business and yes – I did have to get out of my comfort zone and challenge many of my existing beliefs.

However, getting out of my comfort zone and pursuing my own business was the biggest game changer for me and the best thing I’ve ever done.

The challenges that I have faced have helped me grow so much as a person.

The fact is, there’s no such thing as ‘security’ that comes from someone, or something, outside of yourself.

YOU have to create your own security.

You can’t control what happens to a business that you work for.

You can’t control what happens in your own business.

The only thing that CAN control is your own actions.

Your own beliefs.

The way you show up, despite what’s happening around you.

The steps you take, even if they are the tiniest movements forward.

It’s safe to say that most of us are going through some level of adversity right now amidst the global pandemic.

Absolutely on different levels.

Adversity around health, finances, relationships, mental health, career… The list goes on.

If you need support, PLEASE go and get it.

However, if you know that you’re okay but you’d love some guidance and coaching to move forward, continue listening.

Here are my four tips to moving through adversity to create a career or business that you love.

1. Identify your WHY.

   Here, I want you to take out a pen and a piece of paper and write down WHY you want to do something that you enjoy every day. Sometimes, and I’ve been here myself, we become so accustomed to struggle that it becomes our safety zone.

   I know, it sounds strange, but struggle can BECOME our zone of comfort. This is when we become so used to feeling a way that’s not aligned to us that it becomes our new normal. Perhaps we’ve developed ways of coping with this new normal – like eating lots of sugar or whatever it may be – that it feels comfortable and changing would mean we have to give up this thing that provides immediate gratification.

   So, in order to get out of struggle town, ask yourself WHY you want to create a career or business that you wake up looking forward to every day. Something that enables your unique strengths to shine. Here’s my why in a brief nutshell:

   • Because I want the freedom to work with the people I want to work with, on the projects I want to work on.

   • So that I can support others to create businesses or careers they love, and ultimately help them to change their lives.

   • To build an abundant income so that I can support my family and help my clients do the same.

   • To fulfil my potential so that I don’t look back on my life and wonder, ‘what if?’

   • So that I can feel creatively fulfilled.

   Now, it’s your turn. What are some of YOUR reasons why you would like to identify and create a business or career that you love?

2. Be where you’re at.

   Unfortunately, you can’t force or will your way through adversity or avoid it altogether. You have to absorb it, take it in, acknowledge and respect it.

   Respect the impact that it’s having on you and how it makes you feel. Be present with the feelings. Then, gently, kindly, move forward anyway.

   For more on this, I love this TedX talk by Dr Joan Rosenberg on Emotional Mastery: The Gifted Wisdom of Unpleasant Feelings.

3. Get to know what brings you joy, and follow it.

   Before you even CONSIDER your next career pivot or starting a business, it’s so important to get to know what it is that you enjoy doing.

   There’s no point starting something up “just for the money” because when the tough times come, whether it’s a career or a business, you’ll want to pack it in.

   If you know your reasons ‘why’ and you have a solid understanding of your strengths and what you want to do, you’ll be able to move forward with much more confidence.

   The best place to start here is to ask yourself what brings you joy, and start to do more of that. It will bring you into alignment with feeling good and get you used to it again – rather than constantly feeling those challenging feelings we were talking about before.

   Even if you can’t do what brings you joy in your career or business just yet, you can start to bring a joyful hobby into your life. The key is to start bringing in joy – wherever you can.

4. Find support.

   Whether that’s a mentor, a coach, a friend, or just start reading books and listening to podcasts that will start to take you in the direction you want to go in – rather than back towards the direction that you don’t.

   I find that when you set the intention to move forward, the right teachers, books and resources will literally come into your path or fall off the shelves.

   Ask yourself: where do you want to be in one week, month, year’s time? Now is the time to get started in the right direction.