Three Ways to Increase Career Fulfillment Right Now

Even if you already love your career and are fulfilled, this post is for you. Read to the end!

How many people do you know who just love their career? They’re fired up, loving their work, making an impact, making bank, have a balanced and flexible schedule, and are living their dreeeeeeeeammmm. Some people are there, many are not. Some people think it’s not even possible and that “creating your dream life and career” is something you see “other people” doing and writing about on Instagram. But you, I know you believe it, because you’re here.

Whether you’re currently living the dream career or are looking to get there soon, I’ve got three simple ways for you to increase your career fulfillment right now. 

Have extreme gratitude.

If you’re already loving your career and are super grateful for it, fantastic. Continue on the gratitude train. 

Not quite there... I KNOW there are aspects of your work that you can find gratitude for. It could be gratitude for flexible hours, even if you don’t love the actual work. Gratitude for a short commute so you’re home in time for dinner each night. Gratitude for the solitude of a long commute where you can listen to podcasts while you drive or read on the train. Gratitude for your office being near your favorite coffee shop so you can grab a matcha each morning. 

If you’re having trouble finding what to be grateful for, I’ve got a simple one for you - your job is paying you money. Even if it’s not as much as you’d like, you are in fact getting paid to work. Have gratitude for that money.

Why gratitude? We all know there are boat loads of research demonstrating the positive effects of gratitude. It cannot hurt you! It will only put you in a better mental space, raise your energy and, wait for it, put you in a higher vibe to manifest work you actually want. You CANNOT manifest your dream career (or anything!) from a place of yucky feels and being salty about your current situation. For you to move out of where you are or create more work that lights you up, you must operate from a space of genuine gratitude. 

Consider the skills you’re learning

Reflect on the skills and connections you’re gaining. Whether you’re looking to pivot or not, those areas of growth will stick with you. Think you’re learning nothing? There’s literally no way. At the very least, you’re learning about yourself and what you do and don’t want to be doing with your time. All of these moments are valuable. You are in this current role or state of your business for a reason. It may not be clear to you now, but at some point you’ll look back and realize the why.

An example from my life, when I left the counseling world for a stint, it could have seemed as though the hours, dollars, and emotional investment of a master’s degree were, well, a waste. Same with when I closed my wedding planning business - years of networking, money invested in branding and training, time away from my family. All of that could have been seen as pointless once I closed. But really, both of those moves led me to this career as a coach. I made lasting friendships. I learned about marketing and personal branding, I enhanced my organizational and project management skills, and that just scratches the surface. I learned so much through my education and as an entrepreneur that informs my career today. None of it was a waste, far from it.

Consider what you’re learning and who you’re meeting in this phase of your business, career and life. It will always carry with you and will show up in beautiful ways down the line.

Focus on the parts of you that have nothing to do with your career.

One of the best ways to increase career fulfillment is to detach from your work. This also goes for those of you who already love the heck out of your career. Increase fulfillment in your LIFE and it will flow into your career or business. You are not your career. What I want for you is to be so full and happy as a person, that if your career or business went away tomorrow, you would be more than fine. You would still be your beautiful soul with purpose and connection. 

Live beyond your career. Have conversations and thoughts and weeks that have nothing to do with “what you do” and have everything to do with just being who you are. 

Connect with yourself. Be with friends. Hold your kids. Walk barefoot outside. Touch your partner. Just be. Make space for all of this and you’ll increase fulfillment in, well, everything. Even your career.