An abundance of published articles and upcoming events referring to "The Great Resignation" have been hitting my inbox over the last few months, which prompted my blog this morning. Some may question whether it is actually The Great Reshuffle. Either way, in 2021 millions of workers voluntarily gave up their jobs to do... something else. And they're leaving in record numbers.
How can leaders protect their teams from it?
How can employers protect their employees from it?
How can we protect ourselves from it?
Just a few of the questions I'm seeing in emails and social media posts this week alone, all with a negative undercurrent. Yet this movement fills me with feelings of empowerment and joy. People are taking control of their destiny and I'm getting a sense that positive change has arrived. I'm keen to know where they're going and what they're going to do, what adventures they're dreaming of and what plans they are making. Of course, some may be taking early retirement, switching industry (possibly not through choice) or simply moving to a competitor for an overdue pay-rise. But a percentage, however small, are waking up to new beginnings after re-evaluating their priorities.
So why the doom and gloom, is it really as scary as they're making out? If we need to be "protected" from it, does that mean it's going to hurt us in some way? Hmm, could this be another MSM narrative telling us what and how to think? Surely we can we make our own minds up about what poses a risk?
Is "The Great Resignation" another distraction?
I look around this changing world and see the influences and effects of The Great Reset by Klaus Schwab and the UN's Agenda 2030, committed to by the s-elected leaders in governments all across the world. Whatever you read into this agenda, it is happening and we are in it, sitting ducks, guinea pigs, whether we voted for it or not. As people wake up to this new reality, it's not surprising they're considering a different future for themselves and their families. Could this be a new wave of "The Great Awakening"? And what exciting times to be living in, the opportunity to reinvent our careers, our health and even, for some, our spirituality.
If you can't do great things, do small things in great ways.
Laura Dodsworth (A State of Fear, by Laura Dodsworth - Sunday Times Best Seller) says that fear is the most powerful emotion. It can disrupt our critical thinking, generate cognitive distortions, compromise the immune system, cause disease and other serious health issues. With our sleep, diet, and mental wellbeing under stress, we can experience unhelpful levels of anxiety and even depression. Without healthy coping mechanisms, over longer periods this could become a disorder. It's no surprise that cases of Anxiety Disorders have increased since the start of the Covid19 pandemic and waiting lists for mental health support are unacceptable. Is it time we took matters into our own hands?
What do I want to be when I grow up? Am I in the right job? Is this it?!
So when we ask ourselves (usually annually, around this time) those inevitable mid-career questions - already experiencing heightened levels of anxiety and uncertainty about our health, security, future for our children, etc. - then it's no wonder that more and more people are leaving their well paid yet highly stressful jobs, seeking a quieter life. A less well off and more simple life, perhaps, though that may be a price worth paying.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony - Mahatma Gandhi
As the narrative continues to beam out of our televisions, newspapers and radios, perhaps now is the time to switch off, go outside, and reconnect with nature. Being outdoors and away from the constant news feed allows us to pause, reflect and rethink our lives in creative ways. Through coaching we've learnt that we have the answers inside each of us, the solutions to our own problems, when we silence the ego and really listen to our thoughts. Disconnecting from technology can give us a clear head and open mind, the perfect balance for good decision making. Perhaps only then we can visualise a new path to take, without distractions and external influences, trusting our natural instincts to tell us what's good for us, or what we should protect ourselves against.
Beautiful souls are creating a new world for themselves, their families and their communities. Priorities are changing.
So my advice to anyone considering a career change, however great or small, is to consciously detox from technology for longer periods of time, an afternoon/day/weekend perhaps, to give you a chance to reconnect with your authentic self and listen to your inner voice. They don't call our gut the second brain for nothing. Of course, think things through carefully, talk to your loved ones, make a plan, then go for it!
The Corporate Mind by Ann Camargo