When You Know It’s Time for a Change

"I don't know what I want, but I know this isn't it."

Young anxious woman character looking stressed and nervous with hands on mouth biting nails.

I overheard a woman in her twenties say these words recently. She was fed up with the corporate America rat race, sad and not satisfied with her job.

"Sometimes I think that if I have to spend another minute in that cubicle, I'll lose it," she said to me, her eyes large with worry, as if she feared that I would judge her. I merely smiled and said, "I totally understand what you're saying."

So many of us have that nagging feeling when something is off—when a relationship is no longer fulfilling, when our morning routines no longer delight, or when our work starts depleting us more than it's revitalizing us. So what holds us back?

It's not as complicated as we complicate it. Fear of the unknown is more than likely what holds us back.

We start to think: I don't even know what a new career would be for me. I'm still figuring out what my true passion is. Or ‘What if I end things with my partner and regret it?’ ‘What if I never do find anyone to love me again?’ Even something as mundane as ‘If I miss the weekend plans, will I miss out and be alone?’

Fear puts questions into our heads that make us slow down. And I'm not suggesting these questions aren't significant—they are. It's a good thing to think. But sometimes we analyze our fears so much that we don't remind ourselves to ask ourselves another question, a better question:

What if things really do turn out better than I thought?

What if that career change leads to something incredible? What if letting go of a relationship that isn't working for you makes space for a deeper, more fulfilling love? What if passing up that night out enables you to rest, recover, and feel better than you have in weeks?

It's easy to stay in places that are "fine." But fine isn't happy. Fine isn't inspired, isn't passionate, or isn't alive. And at some point, we have to ask ourselves this question: Am I just going through the motions, or am I actually living?

Envision waking up to be excited about the work that you do—maybe it's a new vocation, an artistic pursuit that you finally plunged into, or a company you built from the ground up. Envision being energized rather than drained at day's end.

Envision a relationship that is deeply rooted—one in which you feel seen, appreciated, and genuinely in love. Where laughter, support, and a flame that never burns out exist.

Imagine a life where your choices align with what truly brings you joy and fulfillment—where you feel at peace knowing you took the leap rather than losing time wondering, What if?

That version of life is just as possible as the one where you stay stuck.

The question is—what path will you take?

The choice is yours.