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I’ve decided to resign, to quit, to call it a day. It’s a big decision and it may come as a surprise to some of you but it’s a timely one.   You see, it’s actually good business practice to figuratively or literally quit your job at the same time each year.  Schedule it in, pop it into google calendar with a big flashing reminder that shouts “RESIGN TODAY”.  For me, it’s an annual event and it coincides with the festive season so while others are unwrapping pressies, I’m unwrapping the finer details of my new career. The call to quit should prompt you to spend time – perhaps a full dedicated day or several focused installments over a week – asking yourself, “What do I want to do…now?”  

Resigning from your job every year opens up a priceless opportunity that is now legitimised and finite for reflection and review:

“If I had to start my career again tomorrow – what would I do?  What have I loved about my work this year?  What have I not enjoyed? What have I outgrown?  What new directions do I want to grow in? How does my current work meet the needs, values, desires of this ‘new me’?

 As humans, we are not static, we don’t stay in the same place psychologically, financially, socially etc. and certainly the global events of 2016 inform us that our world is not static.  Yet when we’re in the thick of our career…especially one we have worked hard to build, we often force ourselves into an artificial stasis of sorts, too frightened or confronted by the notion of ‘throwing away all that we’ve built’, to move, to question and choose differently.  Especially in small business, the pressure to keep plodding the same footpath is strong, it’s ingrained as the traditional business model, one of perseverance and consistency but is there a better way?

Resigning each year is essential to staying in choice, inviting and inspiring creativity and the outcome of this process is not predictable. You may find when you quit and clear the slate, reflecting on what you most want to do moving forward, that your prior 12 months comes very close to the mark…you might choose to immediately reapply before someone else snaffles up your dream job!  For most of us, however, there is at least some re-sculpting required, if not a complete rejig and reconfiguration!

Put it in the calendar, formalise the process, dedicate the time, write it down, invite discussion with your loved ones, your sounding boards, schedule time with your mentors… and let me know if you’ve decided to reapply for the same job or if there’s a ‘new you’ hungry for change and I’ll keep you posted about me 😉

Rachel would like to wish you a very merry festive time filled with the seriously important stuff: love, laughter, relaxing & reflection. She’s looking forward to catching you again in 2017 for more of the best integrative nutrition education.