Denver Career Counseling
Betsy Hedberg, M.A.
720-339-4744

Adventure steps for the new year (or any time)

If you’re going through a major career transition or experiencing significant stress on-the-job, it’s common to feel stuck in a day-to-day existence without a strong sense of longer-range plans. In this context, new year’s resolutions can feel irrelevant, except for making general resolutions to “improve your life” or “get it together this year.”

Rather than making traditional new year’s resolutions, what about making some very specific, concrete plans that you can follow through with in the near-term and that don’t require you to make a mental commitment for the entire year? I recommend thinking of three to five activities that can get you out of your routine, out of the box, temporarily. What has the potential to expand your life, even just a little? What can you do to push yourself past your perceived limitations?

This is a helpful thing to do even if you’re not experiencing career- or job-related stress, but it’s particularly helpful for people who feel stuck in a rut. I like to make such a list periodically to ensure I don’t find myself in a rut. My current list includes visiting the Butterfly Pavilion and letting Rosie the tarantula (and maybe a scorpion) walk across my hands; cooking an Indian meal after shopping for ingredients at a Southeast Denver shop I’ve heard about; and seeing some new artists perform at Swallow Hill folk music center.

Whatever your level of adventure, see if you can think of three to five adventuresome (for you) activities you can do within the next two or three months. They may be with your partner or kids, with a friend, or on your own…use your imagination, and make them fun (you can also make a “to do” list of household tasks, but that’s a different list). And commit! Once you’ve made your list, post it where you’ll see it each day, and get out your calendar to make concrete plans.

Facing the chaos and emotional challenges of career transition and job stress requires that you pay attention to your own needs. Expanding your horizons bit-by-bit can be very inspiring and motivating. See if you can start with a few of your own “adventure steps.”