Finding Your Stride: How Self-Compassion Fuels Career Transitions

I’m an avid runner.  Early mornings, I’m out there, pounding the pavement and starting my days off on the right foot. Running has taken me on many adventures and to many places, and the practice has brought me so much joy and growth.

But what happens when it’s taken away?

A few weeks ago, I suffered a calf strain, a fairly serious one. It took all I had to get back to the car and not strain it further. I tried all the remedies to make the pain go away: rest, ice, compression and elevation.

I had a long trail race—my first one—in a couple of weeks, and was looking forward to finishing it. None of the remedies, though, were working fast enough for me, and I sadly made to the call to skip the race.

Of course, I was feeling down about it. I was looking forward to jumping into that race, and trudging up and down the hills on a Saturday morning. But this was the most serious injury I’ve had in the 11 years I’ve been running. I’ve had a few turned ankles, and a skinned knee or two. Nothing like this, though.

Try a Little Tenderness

Rather than mope, and get angry at losing a key part of my life, I took the time to actually not do anything—running-wise. I stepped back—a key piece of the coaching puzzle—and told myself, I’m going to be ok. I’ll be back on the roads and in the park. I just have to allow myself to heal. To give myself some grace.

You may find yourself at the crossroads of a career transition, wondering what is next for you. Will it be seeking a promotion in your current work? Or will it be finally pulling the trigger on that dream business you’ve been thinking about for years?

How can you go a little more confidently down the road that speaks to the work that works for you, while giving yourself a little grace? Let’s take a look at three ways.

Reframe "What's Next" as "Who Am I Becoming?": Rather than forcing yourself to find the perfect job title right away, let’s focus on your own growth. You are a dynamic being. What are your interests, strengths, and values? Let’s explore those, and let’s discover what lights you up and brings you joy. This self-discovery can guide you towards a more fulfilling career path, with a bonus: the journey itself becomes part of the process.

Celebrate Small Wins, Not Just the Big One: Career transitions can feel like a running a marathon. And it can feel too easy to get discouraged by the future. Instead, let’s acknowledge the progress you are making. What new skills have you learned? Who have you reached out to who has been especially inspiring to you?  Let’s celebrate these smaller achievements. These—and many more—are the building  blocks of confidence and momentum for your journey.

Embrace Self-Compassion: A career change will be a journey of self-discovery, with many moments of doubt and uncertainty. This is the time to practice self-compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend facing a similar situation. Let’s trade in harsh self-criticism for understanding and encouragement. Grace is about giving yourself the space to learn and grow as you navigate your career transition.

I’m happy to report that after a few weeks of rest and giving myself a little grace, I’m back on track and running normally again. My mornings feel better now, as a key ritual of joy for me has returned.

Grace can be about giving yourself space, and giving yourself belief. I want you to have the belief that you can make the career transition you’ve been wanting to make. It’s a matter of figuring out how to make the transition work best for you. And giving yourself the grace to make the move.

What ways can you give yourself grace in a career transition? Let me know in the comments.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career and health coach, trained in habit change, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career and health journeys. I invite you to click on the link, and let’s talk about how I can support you.