Stages of Change

The countdown has started to the end of my current job. It’s a liberating and yet scary ride. I haven't quite gotten a hold of the idea that in a week or so, I will not work here --the workplace that I loathe though have some fond memories --and would be somewhere else instead. Big steps are always scary. Is feeling scared a normal, typical reaction to change? From all my trainings, and readings the answer would be a big, fat, YES! I'm getting out of this never-ending cycle of being complacent. I've been training the stages of change for what, three years now and yet, I am here? I can actually see myself in each stage for each year. For the first oh, let's say three years, I have managed to convince myself that there is a lot of learning to be made here, that my boss is actually nice but strict, and that she is looking after my best interest (professional growth). Little did I know it was a ruse. A ploy to keep me here. When in fact, I just want to leave. Ok, so for that time of working here, I say I was in the pre-contemplation stage. Where I do not even recognize that there is a problem.

As I reach the three-year mark, I'm beginning to feel the toll of the constant berating. My reaction? I started looking for a job. Granted, it was half hearted. In this part of my work cycle, I moved into the contemplation stage. In this stage, I recognize there is a problem and yet I am ambivalent to move on. (Stupid Me!).

Fast-forward two more years to where I am currently in. In just 4 months, I have moved from Determination (thinking of strategies of what to do next) to Action. I actually have quit. I almost relapsed mind you when my boss wanted me to stay on as a part-time employee. I would have taken her offer but the reason I was leaving in the first place was to just call it quits.

So, I have gone through the cycle and in less than two weeks, I will be out of it. I'm hoping that I will not find myself inside another one of these awful job cycles that I would have to go through another 5 years to get out of it. I'm thinking if I ever do find myself in another awful job, I have enough sense that I would know when to get out. Pray that I will anyway.