How To Empower Your Career Post-Divorce: 3 Questions To Ask

Part of the rebuilding process that many women go through after their divorce often includes changing careers. Whether that means returning to the workforce after being away while you focused on raising your children, or shifting into a role that better suits your current needs as a single parent, this is a time for you to evaluate if your career is really what you want to be doing at this point in your life. To help you figure out if your career is actually right for the “new you”, try asking yourself the following three questions:

Does your career align with your values?: If you’re considering a career move, this should always be your starting point. Many women with young children end up going into jobs they’re not passionate about or jobs that don’t properly align with their values, because they need to prioritize their role as a caregiver. So now that your role in your family is shifting due to your divorce, it’s time to make sure that your career is actually in alignment with what you believe in.

Does your career allow you to feel connection and community with positive, healthy, aspirational individuals?: On a day-to-day basis, how does your career make you feel, in terms of community and connection with others? Our careers are meant to be places in our lives where we can grow and thrive — if you’re feeling stagnant or like you’re moving backwards, maybe this is your sign that it’s time to reclaim your value. When looking for new opportunities, think about what skills you have that make you a “value-add” to the workforce, as well as what sorts of teams, cultures, and environments you love to work in.

Do you feel excited to go to work — at least most of the time?: Of course, we all get a case of the Mondays from time to time, but do you truly enjoy going to work most of the time? How is your overall mood, in relation to your work? If you’re frequently feeling overtired, anxious, or stressed, think about if your job might be the reason for that.

It can feel scary to invite more change into your life right now, but try thinking of your divorce as an opportunity to audit your life to help ensure every aspect is filling you to your full potential. Your life isn’t the same as it was before your divorce, and if you want to move from just surviving to actually thriving, it might be time to make yourself comfortable with a career change, too.