When is the right time to take action?
Is there ever a right time?
How do we know?
Taking action in our lives can be as simple as changing a lightbulb in our home that is burned out, or it can be as big as changing roles in our career.
Years ago I was in a role/team/organization that I thought was a good match for me. I had been working there for quite some time. One night I had trouble sleeping and I woke up at 4am. This was unusual for me; I had always been a good sleeper. A couple days went by and it happened again…4am(ish) wake up. Then, it started to occur more often. Multiple times a week I was waking up between 3am – 4am, and I couldn’t sleep. It took me about three months to realize that it was my career that was unsettling. The role/team/organization that I thought was a good match for me did not align with my values and priorities. Why did it take me three months to realize this?
- Was I overly optimistic?
- Was I trying to push through to “fix” the situation?
- When did this change occur and why didn’t I notice it?
Well…the change had happened and my body was trying to notify me, “Hey, this career is not for you.” but I was ignoring it. I tuned it out, equated it to something else, and simply didn’t listen to the very obvious signs my body was sending to me. Has this happened to you?
Lesson learned: it takes internal quiet and slowing down to listen to our bodies — the messages that are being communicated and the action we must take.
Taking action can be the right thing to do, but external circumstances and relationships can make it hard.
I served on a Board and my term was up for renewal. I was torn on whether I wanted to commit to the second term. My head was telling me one thing, ‘This is great professional experience.’ and my heart was telling me another thing, ‘Your passions are elsewhere.’ When I shared my decision with the Board, they were disappointed and I’ll admit their reaction stung a bit. However, I heard my dear friend + emotional wellness expert, Courtney Misener’s, voice in my heart, “My ‘no’ might make you sad or mad, but it doesn’t make me bad.” Renewing for a second term would have been a disservice to the Board and myself. Why does a ‘no’ have to be hard sometimes?
- Why was my head and heart communicating two different things to me?
- What other ‘no’ reactions have I been avoiding?
Lesson learned: our minds and hearts can be in conflict with one another. It takes an intentional pause to listen to both.
We all need to take action at some point in our lives. It moves us forward, helps us grow, and creates new opportunities. At times taking action is self-led, and I believe other times action is taken for us — by external forces and our higher power.
Five(+) years ago, I was craving spiritual growth and support. I didn’t grow up in church or with any particular religion, so I was doing some casual exploring on my own. However, it was quite lonely and I believed it would be helpful to invite others in. I was dreaming of a space and place where friends could chat about faith in a friendly setting. I reached out to a friend that referred me to other friends that may be interested and voila(!) – we had a group. Every year we scoot away from our daily lives for a whole weekend to grow in faith and spirituality, and spend time together as friends. It has been a positive and transformative experience every year.
Lesson learned: sometimes it takes a single first step to put the greatest plan in motion.
“Over time, people regret what they didn’t do more than what they did do. Regrets of inaction are far more common than regrets of action.” – Daniel H. Pink, The Power of Regret –
No sugarcoating here, taking action can be hard. Use these tips:
- Start small. Ask yourself, ‘What’s one small step I can take to make progress toward my desired outcome?’
- Seek an Accountabili-Buddy. People want to help their friends + family reach their goals. Enlist support from a trusted individual and be specific about your accountability ask.
- Celebrate your progress. Always! Get back on track when needed. Always!
- Hire a Coach. At The Restoration Project we specialize in serving and supporting individuals on their journey to live and lead with intention. Learn more about Individual Growth options and contact us to schedule a free Discovery Chat.
Helpful Resources:
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud
- The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink
Written by: Sarah Watson, Creator of Calm at The Restoration Project
