One of the most frustrating experiences for a career changer is knowing you want to make a change but not being sure what you want. You can end up feeling like you’re stuck in a room behind a locked door and you don’t have the key.

What can you do?

1. Take a break. This isn’t always easy to do but is often exactly what you need to break out of your rut. I know individuals who have gone to the movies, signed up for dance classes, taken up painting, and even trained for a marathon when they thought they “should” be working on their career change. In all cases, they found something they needed to take their career change to the next level.

2. Shake things up. You want to make a career change but you’re still doing everything else the same. Switch up your familiar routine to break the monotony and give yourself a fresh perspective. Take a different route to work, buy your morning coffee close to home rather than at the office, move your furniture around, get a new hairstyle, paint your walls, etc. Change one thing each day and see what new ideas flow your way.

3. Stop Worrying. Ok, I know…easier said than done! The reality is, anytime you spend worrying “if this change will ever happen”, “how you’ll make any money”, “if you really have a passion in the first place”, etc. you’re taking one step away from making your transition happen. Worrying about these things is a waste of time and can block any creative thoughts that might be germinating. If you were supposed to have the answers to these questions, you wouldn’t be in a position of changing careers in the first place! Refocus your attention and stop letting worries keep you from making progress.

Trust yourself. Trust the process. You were born knowing your passion and have simply forgotten what it is. Give yourself the time it takes to rediscover your calling.