Seize the opportunity, follow your passion and reap the rewards
If you’re thinking of switching careers, you’re not alone. According to a report released by Workopolis Canada, 51 per cent of people only stay in any one role for a period of under two years.
When asked why, the most common reasons were:
- discovering a new field they were passionate about,
- becoming bored/disillusioned with their original work; and,
- setbacks, such as lack of advancement and/or cutbacks.
If you’re finding yourself in any of those categories, seize the opportunity and choose a second career that brings out the best in you. Figure out what career would be a good fit for your skills, your interests and your schedule. Consider what you do in your spare time — do you have a hobby that can be turned into a business or other interests that could translate to a new career?
Still stuck? Here are three ideas to reflect upon as you embark on this exciting journey:
Your calling can come from a difficult experience. Have you faced a challenge recently? Being the solution to that challenge will make your work feel meaningful and leave you fulfilled. What better way to wake up on a workday feeling like a hero with an issue to work against and a villain to defeat.
It takes courage to take the leap. What if I fail? What if I’m not good enough? What if the ground opens up and swallows me whole? We all have moments of self-doubt, so don’t get caught spending years analyzing every detail of your potential second career and never pull the trigger. When intuition tells you that you’re onto something, have the courage to follow it!!
Have people already been nudging you to a new focus? Has anyone ever told you that you’re really good at something? Perhaps it’s cooking, painting or listening? Don’t ignore the wisdom in these comments — they can be the golden key that opens the door to the new you.
In a recent interview with the Northern Institute of Massage Therapy (NIMT) Alumna, Janet, we asked how she found herself in her second career, massage therapy. For her, becoming a mobile massage therapist involved a journey through the three points outlined above.
“My own experience and first-hand work with special needs individuals and athletes gave me a deeper understanding of how challenging mobility could be for many — a roadblock for getting to and from a massage appointment that would otherwise do wonders for rehabilitation. I wanted to change that,??? said Janet.
Perhaps, like Janet, you’ve been told you have a natural gift of caring and massage therapy is a second career options for you to seriously consider. With career stability, high demand, and a healthy work environment, massage therapy has as much to offer as a career path as it does in health benefits for clients.
Starting a second career is an exciting and nerve-racking experience, but with a little reflection and planning, you’ll be reaping the rewards in no time.
For more information on becoming a massage therapist, visit the NIMT — Alberta’s top massage school — today!
