You’ve probably read recent reports about how 26% of people are considering changing their jobs, post-Pandemic.  Whether or not this is accurate, leaving a job or career at any time is one of the riskiest moves we can make.

When I shifted out of Catholic parish ministry, I did so with a mixture of necessity, principle, and ignorance. Gone was a guaranteed income for life, full medical/dental benefits, housing, not having to commute to work, food security, and a pension (provided I remained in active ministry until age 75). 

My decision to leave took about seven years of reflection. I write more about this in my book, Life Interrupted, Taking Charge After Everything Has Changed.

After all, I entered the seminary right from college at the age of 22 and left a lifetime of 36 years later! What seriously got me thinking about leaving was child sex abuse crisis in Boston in 2002.

I couldn’t understand how ignorant church leaders were about the criminal activity perpetrated by their clergy that claimed hundreds of innocent victims in the Boston area alone. I wondered what kind of institution I had gotten myself into.

When I left, I naively didn’t realize how much the working world had changed since I was ordained in 1979. Neither did I realize how difficult it would be to get a good job, even with all my degrees, skills, and qualifications (albeit in the middle of the Great Recession).

I realized would have to live with insecurity for a while. What kept me going was something Paul Turek recently wrote: Success occurs when your dreams get bigger than your excuses.

What about your dreams? What emotions have been pushing you to leave? How have your hopes led you to shift gears? How have you thrived by taking the chance to be insecure?

I’d love to hear about your journey so far! Schedule a 45-minute meeting with me.

Read my Blogs: www.mpariselifecoach.com   Buy My Book!