Ever feel like you’re on a train that’s going full speed ahead on a track laid down by someone else? Sometimes, the only way to know if you’re headed in the right direction is to hop off and look around.
In April, I decided to swap New Jersey for the landscapes of Asia, which became the backdrop for a profound realization about my work-life alignment. I want to share the backstory of this realization and the 5 signs that can help you determine whether your work and personal desires are truly aligned.
The Lightbulb Moment that I Didn’t Have Work-life Alignment
Before leaving for Asia, I had to set up a Mother’s Day campaign for Angela Atelier, my boutique photography studio in Perth Amboy, NJ. I learned from mentors that Mother’s Day is a crucial marketing timeline for any photographer’s business, so it was part of my marketing plan. Therefore, keeping things going while I was in Asia was a priority. I set up email and social media promotions and planned my calendar for my return. It was a lot of work, but I made sure the campaign could launch while I was traveling without missing any marketing steps. And, of course, I checked in on the campaigns and made adjustments while traveling.
Can you see it now? While knee-deep in the hustle of launching The Gal Project’s travel section, I was keeping things up and running in my core business at the studio. Something clicked. Without knowing it, I had reproduced the same cyclical setup in my business that I left behind in corporate. It was one of those lightbulb moments! Instead of the freedom and creativity I aimed for, I was running circles around standard marketing calendars.
I also realized that my work life now mirrored my corporate life then. Traveling meant added work and stress to ensure things didn’t fall through the cracks, making traveling something that had to revolve around well away from critical marketing periods, or it would just be too burdensome.
It was the same shit at corporate when my time off revolved around the financial calendars. One year, I had to wait months for the okay to travel for my tenth marriage anniversary, which fell during a financial crunch. I should not have married in January, I guess. The point is that I created another joy-less hamster wheel instead of a business aligned with my passion for travel.
Today, I find freedom in knowing I will never run another Mother’s Day campaign or a Black Friday sale, even though my mentors taught me these were critical to my bottom line. To be clear, I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I have authenticity, and that’s enough now.
This is not just about changing locations or projects; it’s about aligning my actions with my true intentions and values. This realization has inspired a shift in how I approach my business and reinvigorates Angela Atelier’s core mission—to empower women to see and pursue their unique paths without falling into familiar traps.
Here are 5 signs you don’t have work-life alignment:
1. Joyless Grind: If waking up for work feels more like a burden than excitement, it’s a signal. Your career should energize, not drain you. This isn’t just about bad days—we all have those—but a consistent dread that creeps in on Sunday nights.
2. Values Mismatch: The mismatch can be unsettling when your values don’t align with your work. Maybe integrity and transparency are your top values, but your work environment rewards the opposite. A misalignment here can manifest as ongoing discomfort or dissatisfaction.
3. No Room for Growth: Feeling stifled? If there’s no room to grow or learn, it might mean that your path is too limiting compared to your ambitions. Expansion and challenge are key components of fulfilling work.
4. Physical Tolls: Our bodies often tell us what our minds try to ignore. Persistent stress symptoms like headaches, sleep disturbances, or a weakened immune system can be indicators that your current work situation is out of balance with what your body and mind need.
5. The ‘What If’ Game: Take heed if you constantly consider other career paths or entrepreneurial endeavors. These aren’t just daydreams; they might be clues from your subconscious nudging you towards a path more true to your core desires.
While in Asia, I realized that stepping away can be a powerful method of gaining clarity. Don’t be afraid to pause and assess—alignment with your core desires is critical to professional success and personal fulfillment. Let’s discover the alignment between what we do and why we do it. How can we break free from the “same old” and create lives filled with purpose and passion?
I am eager to hear your thoughts and stories as we explore this theme together. Embrace your journey, and let’s navigate the path to true alignment together!
Comments are closed