Career Change Clarity Coaching
Get clear on what YOU want. Start creating change.
Are you at the point in your job/career where you just can't do it anymore and something needs to change?
Like maybe a whole career change?
But…
You have no idea what you want to do instead of what you’re doing now?
There’s a lot of stress, confusion and 'I don’t knows' and you generally just feel totally stuck.
If you’re thinking “Yes, yes, this is me!” you’re in the right place.
Hi! I’m Sara. I’m a career change expert.
I can help you gain clarity on what you want to do to change your current work to a career that brings you the fulfillment you’re looking for.
I’ll help you uncover what work would be a great fit for you so you can feel in alignment with what you do and get to enjoy your life!
I’ve been right where you are now and deeply understand the internal challenges you’re facing. You may feel that no one in your world quite understands you, but I promise you, I do.
My coaching is focused on getting you the clarity you’re searching for and the confidence to make the changes you want.
My clients come from a wide variety of careers - law, high finance, management consulting, marketing/communications, engineering, F500 companies, significant institutions and more. And they’re from all over the world so no matter where you live, I can help.
My clients are taking control of their life, waking up to their true desires and finding the courage to take action. So can you. And I can support you.
Does some of this sound like you?
○ You’ve been in the working world for a little while now and this is just not what you thought it would be. You worked really hard, got the degrees, jumped the hoops and landed the job(s) you thought you wanted, what you were told you wanted, and it’s not anything remotely like the happy ending you expected.
○ You’re conflicted, frustrated, disappointed, and asking, “Is this all there is? I worked so hard to get here, but it’s not what I thought it would be and not what I want.” You’re wondering how to get from where you are to a life you enjoy. All you know is this job may look great on paper, but feels terrible to you.
○ You’ve bottled up your unhappiness for as long as you can. Now you’re rapidly burning out, stressed out, overwhelmed, and exhausted.
○ You feel stuck and are having a hard time getting your head wrapped around making a change. When you think of the things you could do - the jobs you could move into from where you are now - none of them honestly sound good to you or any better than what you’re doing.
○ You’ve maybe tried to make changes before - changed jobs and/or got another degree - each time thinking it would help, but it hasn’t really.
○ You feel like you haven’t a clue what kind of work you would enjoy. It actually kind of feels like a totally foreign idea to like your work and maybe you’re skeptical it’s even possible. Or maybe you have some vague idea of what you would like but are unsure about it all. It feels distant and you don’t know if it’s what you really want or how to do it.
○ You’re looking around at your peers/co-workers/others and feel alone in this, like you’re the only one who’s unhappy. Or the only one so unhappy you’re considering getting out. There’s a lot of fear, shame, confusion, anxiety and beating yourself up.
○ You’re overwhelmed and confused by all the career guidance info out there. It’s actually keeping you from making any changes, because you can’t figure what the heck you’re supposed to be doing.
○ When you google, all the career help you see out there is about resumes and applications and you already know how to do all that stuff. You’re looking for someone who gets you and can help you with career direction. Maybe you didn’t even know someone like me existed (and it’s true - I’m pretty rare in what I do).
Whoa, pretty accurate right? I told you. I get it.
Imagine how good it would feel to go from feeling stuck, overwhelmed, exhausted and dreading your work to feeling interested, aligned, inspired and enjoying how you spend your days!
So, here’s the deal:
To have a career you love you have to do something you enjoy, something that’s a good fit for who you are. But…
the problem is likely that right now you really don’t know yourself and so don’t really know what you like.
Why? Because, to put it frankly, for many of my clients, IT NEVER MATTERED. All that’s ever mattered is you fitting into the box that will get you the label “success.”
Who you actually are, what you like, dislike, your wants, desires and preferences have been made a distant secondary concern. And it’s not your fault, it’s just what you - and many of us - have been taught to do.
My clients are highly educated, intelligent, good at networking, polishing their resume and themselves up and opening all the doors. Very adept chameleons. That's what's got them into the great-on-paper jobs they have now. Which is kinda the problem…
The conversation that needs to be had is not how to open the door, but what door do you want to open? And now you’re realizing you don't want a job that requires you to be a chameleon at all.
What are your true colors? Who are you? That's a challenging question to answer. But THE question to focus on.
This is what I will help you with.
It’s time to value you and your happiness over all the noise. That’s the only way you’ll get to experience the life that you really want ❤
Here’s what my coaching can do for you:
○ I will walk with you step-by-step as you uncover clarity on what you want to do next. No more being stuck!
○ Help that is tailored to you. This is all about you and custom tailored to you and your unique situation. I’m walking you through a process, but I don't have a cookie-cutter program I'm just putting you through. Every person has different needs and I’ll meet you right where you're at. I see you
○ We’ll discuss what a transition/process of change could look like for you. And you’ll be able to discuss all the emotions you may be experiencing even thinking about doing something different. Change can feel disorienting, groundless, terrifying, and more…let’s talk about this
○ You’ll learn powerful tools that can bring you some immediate relief from the stress, fears, and anxiety so you can step off the roller coaster you’re on now and access peace (or at least understand what’s happening inside)
○ When we speak I'll listen to exactly what you're saying and use laser-focused questions, discussion and highly effective tools to help you to step into awareness of all that’s going on in your mind and clear the way for your authentic self and desires to come through. When we do work and live in a way that is most authentic to us we thrive. That’s what I want for you
○ You’ll also get to lay out all your fears, take a good look at them and learn how you can move through them. Wouldn’t it be great to get a handle on some of those fears you carry around all day?
○ You’ll know this next thing will give you actual enjoyment because we’ll have unpacked all that has led you astray - the thinking that led you into this current job (and those before). No repeating a cycle of moving from job to job or working hard to get into a line of work that’s actually not for you
○ You’ll get the kind of career help you’re looking for and truly need - the tools to help you find and honor what will actually bring you enjoyment and fulfillment.
○ Together we’ll unlock your real motivation - your desires! - so you can feel genuinely excited about work again (or maybe the first time ever!)
○ You’ll begin to play with new visions for your future and explore different paths forward, with the goal of ultimately landing on one that feels right for you. In doing so, you’ll be taking control of your happiness. You’ll finally be doing something to change your situation!
○ I'll be the objective, non-judgmental person to help you take a 10,000ft view on your life, and help you get clarity on who you are and what you truly want to spend your time doing
○ You’ll get to talk to someone who “gets it” - who’s been in your shoes. You don’t have to do this alone. And you can stop looking to all the conflicting advice or trying to overhaul your life by forcing yourself to read a new self-help book every weekend! That’s so exhausting
What do you truly want?
The answers about what’s going to bring you fulfillment and happiness are not “out there” in some strategy you read in a book, or in following what others are doing or what you think you “should” do.
☞It’s in deeply listening to you and doing what you want ☜
But, what do you want???
Tricky stuff, right?…It takes digging deep to get clarity.
This is about finding what’s really true for you. Which means we’re going to flip a lot of what we’ve been told - and have had a lifetime of conditioning to believe - on its head.
You’ve played out that thinking and ways of being and are discovering it’s not creating what you want.
We need fresh approaches. Ones that are actually in service of our freedom and fulfillment.
What if…
You don’t have to justify your existence to others. You don’t need to create a narrative for others to explain or justify your choice to change your work other than your desires shifted (or perhaps you finally tuned into them for the first time). You want to change. It’s that simple.
You’re not flakey or wrong to change course, it makes you an evolving human. How is it possible for you to know if you will want to do something forever? It’s not. And so now as you’re looking to make a change, it makes no sense to be searching for the thing you will do forever. That’s so much pressure. Instead, just locate what is alive in you to do now. Embrace your fluidity and aliveness. Stop trying to find your "calling" and just locate what you're being called to do right now.
You don’t need to find your purpose. There’s so much talk about finding your purpose in your work. Consider that your purpose is simply to be here experiencing life. Your purpose for existing is not a job, a company you start or even in how you can be of service to others. Your reason for existing is not for something outside of yourself. Do what you enjoy and if it helps others, fine, but that’s not why you’re here; the enjoyment is. Follow that. You can drop the whole concept of purpose if it feels stressful and heavy.
Your life is for you to enjoy. With everything you do, ask yourself, what’s in this for me? I’m not talking about narcissism, I’m talking about consciousness around whether the choices you’re making are providing you with the experience of life you want to have. Everything you do in life is for you. It’s all for you. Sadly, we’ve been conditioned to approach living, especially our work as if it’s all a performance. We ignore what’s true to us, how we really feel, our needs and desires and go into performance mode. But...
Fulfillment is not found in a performative life. Fulfillment is not in box-checking, chameleoning into an acceptable form, earning approval, hitting the marks, getting the gold stars - however you want to think of your self-abandonment. And many of us have done this so much that at this point all of life feels like a performance and we’ve lost or have no idea who we really are underneath it all.
Find what’s really true. What do you really really want to be experiencing here? Building your life from inauthenticity is building your life on precarious ground. You’re building a house of cards and it's going to fall. Maybe you’re experiencing this now. It feels terrible, but by leveling the ground you have the opportunity to build anew from your truth and get to experience a much happier existence. One where you get to be you. Isn’t that what you really want?
You are “good enough” exactly as you are. Right now reading these words. You have nothing to prove. And this is not because of anything you have done - your worth is not something you earn through achievement and accolades. It is your birthright. I know the world doesn't feel like it reflects that back to you, but how do you want to live? And what’s really true to you? Do you believe anything can make one person more valuable as a human than another?
If it’s heavy, effortful or depleting put it down. There is no virtue in “hard work” and “pushing through.” The only place it gets us is in an unsustainable life and the “arrival” can be crushingly disappointing as we realize the rewards are mostly illusionary or, in the very least, not making us feel as we hoped they would. There is no happiness, rest, or fulfillment on the other side of depletion.
Locate intrinsic enjoyment. Find pleasure derived from the very act of doing something - not from mental stories of what you think it shows about you that you’re doing this thing or a story about what you’re building, or the recognition, approval and worth you think you’ll get when you get “there.” That’s not real enjoyment. There’s nothing in that for you, dear one. Enjoying your days means doing something that is directly pleasureable to do. Enjoy the journey because that’s all there actually is.
You are the source of love. Approve of yourself, love yourself. You are the source of love you are looking for. Otherwise, we’re beholden to others dictating our life and we’ll cave to their instruction. We’ll do a lot for love, including suffer some miserable situations. The good news is that’s entirely unnecessary if you choose to give yourself the unconditional love you seek.
Hold identity lightly. You are not your labels, you are not what you do or achieve. Our job/career makes up so much of our identity, but see that who you really are is that which is deeper, unchanged by a change in title or profession. As many teachers will say, ultimately, not only are you not your labels, your thoughts, or your struggles, you are that which is aware of all this; you are pure awareness itself. You are energy coming into form in this body. Being “you” really means honoring the natural excitements, attractions, curiosities, enjoyments that are arising.
The truth is found in your body. To create a life that feels good, we have to access your body. Feeling good is, well, a feeling and not something that comes from your mind. Your body holds the wisdom. But it also holds your pain, so we need to learn how to be discerning. Most of our life has been hijacked by pain, fear etc. driving us and dictating our choices and taking us off course of a feel good life. Awareness is how we unhook ourselves, find what’s true and reclaim our life.
The unfolding of your desires deserves nurturing and space. Unearthing your desires and embarking on change at this level is not something you can put a timeline to. This is not a work project. You’re not in charge. You can’t rush your growth and healing. Your transformation is an unfolding and with mysterious yet perfect timing. This may initially seem scary, but look closer and find the relief in letting go.
If these pointers resonate, feel refreshing or relieving, that’s exactly what we’re going for.
Truth feels like an exhale.
This is about coming into awareness of all that’s taking you off course of what’s actually fulfilling for you and dropping all the beliefs and theories that aren’t serving you. Put it all down. What’s left? What's left is what's actually true. It will feel true, and it will feel good in your body, like an exhale, easeful. That’s what we follow here.
Possibilities for days with more ease, connection, joy, love, health and wealth of all kinds are waiting for you on this last unexplored path - the path you don’t know anything about except that it honors your true self and your truth.
Scary? Yes. Exciting, rewarding and worth it? Yes.
“From our initial conversation, I knew I was in good hands…
Sara created a space where I could let down my guard, breathe, be vulnerable and be honest with myself. Not only was there no judgment, or need to explain myself (like I had felt when approaching the subject with friends and family), I felt safe, encouraged and fully supported to talk openly. After only a few conversations my list of potential new professions had been cut by 80%, I felt relieved and lighter and that I was finally getting more clarity around my work and my authentic desires. Sara not only held space for me, she listened closely and talked through my ideas with me- something I had desperately needed for so long. As our conversations progressed I became more clear on what I wanted, my list has just one profession and I am inspired about my path forwards.”
— S.M.M. New York City, USA
You'll Love This If...
You're ready to do some deep work. *This is NOT your average career coaching - this is super powerful and liberating stuff!*
You're willing to deep dive with me to get to the root of what's really going on - unearth and examine the core limiting beliefs and patterns that are creating your experience of life. Yes, we're focusing on your career, but what's going on there is a symptom of some deeper things at play.
You're open to learning how to work with your body to access your true desires - finding work that feels good means we have to tap into the wisdom of our body.
You're tired of being stuck thinking and feeling the same way all the time and are ready to learn and apply powerful tools for real change - tools to be able to free yourself from the grip of fear, unworthiness, despair, overwhelm, etc. And tools for healing the things that have held you back from the experience of life you want.
You're ready to dig in and claim your freedom. A life that feels so much better is waiting for you, but you have to really want it!
“Sara was able to help me slow down, be still, and find my own inner compass…
Sara does more than just give career advice, she really connects with her clients and encourages them to integrate their inner self with their outer actions. Before finding Sara, I was having a crisis of character and identity that had thrown everything I had known about myself and my future into chaos. Sara was able to help me slow down, be still, and find my own inner compass that helped set me on a truer, more beautiful path for myself - not only with respect to my career, but how I approach all of my decisions. What I was able to get out of six sessions with Sara was more helpful than years of therapy in terms of finding self-love, acceptance, and confidence to live my life for me. She truly has a gift for gently guiding those who are lost while still holding space for their confusion and grief during uncertain times.”
~ S.T. Seattle, USA
So, How Does This All Work?
❤ It's you and me. One on one. Digging deep. Finding clarity. ❤
We’ll speak on the phone for 60-minute sessions.
How often will we speak? Some speak with me weekly, every two weeks or longer in between. We’ll discuss what’s right for you.
How long will this take?
I know you’re scared and want to have all this figured out. But unearthing your genuine desires and what you want is a process and you will have to learn to surrender to it. So, that means I can’t tell you how many coaching sessions you will need or how long your journey working with me will be.
All of my clients are going through the same process of self-discovery and career change, but the timeline and the specific way it looks for each person is wildly different. How is it possible for everyone to make a huge life transition on the same timeline? It's not. Your specific inner struggles are different than others. Your life situation is different than others. Your desires are different than others. You are different than others.
Some of my clients move quickly, they get clarity on their next steps and start taking them within a few months. For others it can take much longer. But that's not because they're not "doing it right." It's because they're doing what's right for them. Going at the pace they need to go - for their life and for their heart. Our coaching sessions together and the work they are doing to explore next steps are paced at the timing that's right for them. There's no pressure from me and I’d encourage you to be gentle with yourself.
Think of our sessions as authentic, honest, organic conversations with a compassionate friend who you can be yourself around. The person you can tell how you really feel about work.
I’ll take you from confusion and overwhelm to clarity on what you want. Work shouldn’t feel like this. It can feel more like play.
Ready For Change?
Initial Investment:
I recommend you *start* with an initial package of 6 sessions. This will introduce you to the tools and have you begin applying them at a beginner level.
Your initial package of 6 sessions is $1, 495 USD - that’s Six 60-minute one-on-one personal coaching sessions.
Many stay working with me past the initial 6 sessions and dig in for the long term as we totally transform your approach to work, finding more ease and fulfillment and clarity on a very deep level. Once you start you’ll see how much leveling up there is available and how fun it can be to play in your freedom!
We can continue our work together for as long as you find our sessions supportive. This is an exploration and unfolding of your desires. It deserves - you deserve - nurturing, space and investment.
Want in? Here’s what to do first:
Click the link below to book a free 30 minute consultation with me
Let’s connect for a call to get to know each other, discuss any concerns or questions you may have about coaching. And you can get a sense of what it’s like to talk to me before deciding to work together.
No pressure sales here. Our call is just you and me talking heart-to-heart about how we can work together. And at the end of the day I want what you want, which is for you to listen to you and do what feels best for you. That’s part of what I help my clients do when it comes to their career.
Want to read more of what clients say about working with me?
Click here (In short: this coaching really works!)
Worries and FAQs
What if I'm afraid to open up about all this stuff?
If you work with me please know I'm a very non-judgmental person to share your inner thoughts with. If you check out the rest of this website or have followed me for a while you know I'm a pretty open book about my own past career struggles and have nothing but understanding and compassion for you.
There's absolutely no judgment. And no shame. You haven't done anything wrong to get where you are and be feeling stuck and unhappy. There's no "you should have known better." In fact, you've likely been doing everything exactly by the book, diligently following every instruction from teachers, parents, our culture, and society in general. You've been hypervigilant at hitting the marks and being "successful." And on paper maybe you are, but it's just not how you thought it would be. Let's discuss this honestly, openly and with compassion.
Is this a "program"?
Not really. I'm walking you through a process, but it's customized to you. That's the point of one-on-one help! I'll guide our sessions, but you also get to bring up what's on your mind and going on for you as we move along. This is YOUR space to focus on you and what you need help with.
Will there be homework?
Yes. I'll suggest tools or exercises for you as appropriate. And of course, when it comes time for you to start taking some steps in the world to expore a new path I suppose you could call that homework too:)
How long will this take?
All of my clients are going through the same process of self-discovery and career change, but the timeline and the specific way it looks for each person is wildly different. How is it possible for everyone to make a huge life transition on the same timeline? It's not. Your specific inner struggles are different than others. Your life situation is different than others. Your desires are different than others. You are different than others.
Some of my clients move quickly, they get clarity on their next steps and start taking them within a few months. For others it can take much longer. But that's not because they're not "doing it right." It's because they're doing what's right for them. Going at the pace they need to go - for their life and for their heart. Our coaching sessions together and the work they are doing to explore next steps are paced at the timing that's right for them. There's no pressure here.
What if I'm not sure if I'm ready to make a career change just now?
That's fine. You can use our time to get clarity on what it is that you want to do next when the timing is right for you. No part of my coaching requires you to quit your job or make any changes sooner than you feel is right. We're just getting the clarity on what you want your new career to be. And we can discuss how you could make a transition in a way that feels good.
I live in (fill in the blank). Can we still work together?
Yup. All sessions are done remotely. Over the phone for North America and via WhatsApp or Skype (audio) for international calls. I've worked with people all across the world.
