Ep. 32 EmpowerHer Career Chronicles: Navigating Workplace Challenges and Unlocking Your Professional Passion with Strategic Tips for Thoughtful Decision-Making

Hello, Boss Chica and My Fellow Listener! Get ready to unchain the shackles holding you back in your career. Promise us your precious time, and we assure you an enlightening journey towards aligning your passion with your profession. We've got strategies to help you explore, communicate, and integrate your passions into your current job, making it rewarding and fulfilling. Passion is the new currency, ladies; we're here to help you Level Up!

Are you stuck in a job that doesn't ignite your passion? Fear not! We've got tips, advice, and strategies to help you journey down the road less traveled - one that leads to a career you're passionate about. We discuss everything from setting timeframes for career decisions, networking, seeking professional advice, and balancing job satisfaction and compensation. It's all about making informed decisions, not impulsive ones. We want to empower you to embrace your passions, interests, and long-term goals and align them with your career path.

Let's look toward the future with excitement, Boss Chica! The Smilie Empowerment community is poised for growth, and we want you to be a part of this transformative journey. Remember, personal growth is the cornerstone of a fulfilling career. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals, work on yourself, and let's dismantle the barriers between passion and profession together. Grab your earbuds your favorite hot beverage, and let's get started on this journey of self-discovery and empowerment!

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

Workplace Challenges and Discovering Professional Passion

Speaker 1 0:05

Hola Boschica . Welcome to the Smiley Empowerment Podcast . This is where we celebrate the strength , resilience and determination of Latina women and all women who are constantly on the go , pushing through challenges and achieving their goals . I like to call these women Boschica , like me . If you're a busy woman ready to be uplifted , inspired , empowered to take charge of your healing journey and be a Boschica , you've come to the right place . We can all agree , life can be hectic and overwhelming , but anything is possible with the right mindset , attitude , tools and support . Let me introduce myself . My name is Smiley Filomenos Rodriguez and I am a Latina Life Empowerment coach and a social worker .

Speaker 1 0:53

I started this podcast because I know what feeling alone and overwhelmed with past wounds and challenges feel like . I want to help you with self-discovery , self-love and self-empowerment so you can grow and thrive . Do you sometimes feel alone ? De siente sola ? Well , you're not alone . No está sola . You have me , your coach , smiley . In each episode , I'll share personal stories of resilience , healing tips , practical advice , strategies for managing your time and priorities for improving your relationship with yourself and others , and insights on cultivating a positive and fulfilling joyful life . So grab your earbuds and tea or coffee , take a deep breath and get ready to be inspired and encouraged . Let's begin this journey together and empower each other to become the best versions of our lives . Let's get started . You got this .

Speaker 2 2:08

Hello me , boss Chica and my fellow listeners , welcome back . Welcome back to the Smiley Empowerment Podcast . I am so excited that you are here . We are heading into the new year . At the time that I am recording this , we are so close to ending 2023 and heading into 2024 , very hopeful , and if you're listening to this at the time that it's already 2024 , whether you're in the beginning of the year , in the middle or towards the end , there's always hope , right ?

Speaker 2 2:41

And I want to talk about something very important and I'm going to first start by asking you are you struggling with challenges at work ? Do you want to discover your professional passion ? Right ? What are you struggling with at work ? You may be a very passionate person , have many ideas , but yet you don't feel that in the workplace you're being supported with your professional journey . Right , with maybe some of the passions that you have . You have to see if you are still in alignment with your employer , right ? Are you still in alignment with your workplace ?

Speaker 2 3:19

And I've heard many , many individuals and clients that are sometimes really having a hard time navigating workplace challenges right and actually tapping into their professional passion , and they discover like , wow , what can I do differently ? They discover that they are stuck , they may have a feeling of burnout . You may be experiencing burnout . You may be experiencing that you have reached a plateau in your career . That's why I want to really work with you with this episode for you to better situate yourself in your current job .

Speaker 2 3:56

Now a disclaimer I am not telling you what to do . I am giving suggestions and advice . I am not replacing any advice from a mental health professional like your therapist or your counselor that you may be engaging in right . I am simply sharing with you some tips that can help you to navigate through the workplace challenges . I've personally have navigated through many workplace challenges . I've been working since the age of 18 and I am 51 , and I am a social worker with a lot of years of experience in the mental health field and in managing my own challenges at the workplace throughout my years right . So , as a life coach , as a social worker and as an individual that has worked for so many years in different agencies , I believe that I can offer you and my clients some level of expertise . I would like to unpack with you 10 tips that can help you navigate through the challenges that you may be facing in your workplace right and that they are going to help you to make an informed decision , a decision that only you can make for you and your family , right ? So these are just suggestions and tips that can really help you to unleash that success that you've been looking for , to help you overcome the challenges and help you to explore your professional journey .

Speaker 2 5:23

And where do you want to be ? Where do you want to situate yourself ? Let's get right to it , okay ? So in tip number one , it's very clear I want you to notice how your passion may not be aligned anymore with your current role . So determine if it's temporary or is this a situation that is fundamentally misaligned . This will help guide your next steps . So I want you to determine if it's a temporary situation that you're in or if this situation is fundamentally misaligned , because this will help guide you in your next steps . All right , so when you check off step number one , which is a tip that I have for you , then I want you to look at step number two . This tip is very important .

Speaker 2 6:10

In tip number two , I want you to communicate with your supervisor , schedule a time that you can meet with your supervisor and you can discuss , right , how you can integrate your passion into your work . I want you to , at that time , explain how this alignment can benefit both you and the company . That's why it's important to really first self-reflect so you can be prepared when you go into that meeting to explain very thoroughly how this new alignment that you are envisioning can benefit both you and the company . Now you can inquire opportunities that align with your passion right , and that is asking your supervisor are there any other positions that can align with my passions ? And then you can really express what those passions are right , because certain roles or projects even may better match your interests . So you may find different roles or projects that allow you to contribute in ways that match your interests and your passion . So you can get very creative and speak with your supervisor about any possibility in you joining different projects right that really align with your interest . That conversation can be very instrumental and beneficial both for you and the company .

Speaker 2 7:32

Okay , you may be saying , okay , so what about my professional development right Within the agency ? And we all know that in many agencies you may have a supervisor that does supervision with you and they are really looking out for your professional development . However , it's so important that you take control of that and you advocate for yourself , because your employer , your top management , may not be thinking always about your professional development at the front line , but you have to do that for yourself , okay . So in tip number three , this strategy that can help you is discuss potential professional development opportunities with your HR department , because HR has all the listings of existing , possibly , vacancies . Possibly can sit with you and your manager right To discuss other opportunities for your professional development , and that can include some mentorship programs . Possibly in your agency . There might be training sessions that you can partake right and workshops that align with your passions . Now , every agency and employer it's different and their HR department can vary right From agency to agencies of what they offer as an agency . But if you don't ask right and have those conversations , you won't be able to know . And further down , I have some other tips that we'll talk about . Even if you have to exit right Before you make that decision , I encourage you to talk with your supervisor and talk with your HR department , because there might be some good matches for projects or mentorship programs or trainings that can really help you with being aligned with your passions . If that makes sense , okay . Now this may be available in your agency or workplace and that is strategy number four Seek flexibility within your role .

Speaker 2 9:33

Right . There might be some possibilities right To approach your existing role in a way that it can be flexible . Right . The one possible approach to balancing your passion pursuits with your current job responsibility is to propose a trial period or a flexible arrangement . So you can propose this to your manager , maybe , if you speak to a HR person . Right , and this can involve you negotiating with your employer . Right To dictate a certain portion of your work week , or maybe your month , to pursuing your passion while still fulfilling your core job duties . Now let me give you an example of this to help you visualize this for yourself . And remember this may not be possible in the role that you have at your current place of work . However , some of you may have an opportunity that the role could be flexible right , so , for example , you might work part-time , or you may decide and ask if there could be a reduction in your workload during a trial period not permanently right , and this will allow you more time to explore your interests and your passions . Right . Another option might be to arrange a job share or a temporary leave of absence , which would give you more time to pursue your passion outside of the workplace . So , whatever approach you take , it's important to have a clear plan in place that outlines your goals and your objectives , as well as your expectations of how you will balance your work and passion pursuits . This way , you can ensure that you are meeting your responsibilities at the workplace while also making progress towards your personal goals .

Speaker 2 11:19

Now , in these steps one through four , right , I really have pointed out to you that number one you have to self-reflect and communicate with your supervisor . Right Follows that step two , which follows step one Everything is so important with your supervisor and really having those professional development conversations that can include HR . Right , the HR department can really be very helpful in you having these discussions with your employer . Right , and the roles being flexible for everyone . It may not be an option , okay , so I don't want you to stay stuck . If you find that in your role , you're like , listen , I tried that and it wasn't successful . My role is so important and it has no room for flexibility , then we can discuss other matters . Right , we can discuss other options , because there's always options , no matter what your situation is in your workplace . Right , you always have options . They may not be the options that you are so excited about , but I want you to really reflect on some of the options that can lead to your ultimate vision , that can lead to your ultimate alignment with your passion and your desires that you have for your professional development , right . So you may not be able to check off all the steps for success right At the moment .

Speaker 2 12:45

In the current role that you're in , however , you have the ability to think through different options and to try them out . They may not always be successful from jump right From the beginning . You may need to try something with your employer for a short time and then realize , scratch , that this is something that actually it just turns out that I am the interest that I thought I had . As I'm doing it for a trial period , I just discovered that it's really not aligned with my passion , as I thought it would be right . Taking a temporary leave of absence , as I mentioned before , can be something that you can arrange with your employer and it's okay , right . But then again you might be in a position where you cannot take a temporary leave of absence right , because maybe you really have taken that earlier to take care of a loved one and right now your position requires you to be at the job and you cannot , at this moment , take a temporary leave of absence . I'm pointing those things out because there's no quick fix . These are options that I am presenting to you as some tips to try to help you to really look at your current role in your job and ask yourself if this current role that you're in is it aligned with your passions . It's a great question to really reflect for yourself . Okay , now we're halfway through with the tips that I have for you today , but I want you to really hone in on what are you feeling , even as I am unpacking these strategies for you . What's coming up for you and how are you feeling about

Strategies for Pursuing Passion in Career

Speaker 2 14:20

it ?

Speaker 2 14:20

I've worked with clients that , as I actually work with them on analyzing their passions right , their goals , they start getting antsy . They start getting anxious . I've had clients that feel extremely stuck . They feel like they cannot move forward . Some clients have felt they're so overwhelmed with their current work right and in their current role that they're not able to visualize their true passions . Right , you may be in a job that no longer is aligned with your passion , but you're so engrossed in it , you are so dedicated and loyal that you don't have the time or the energy or the motivation to start dreaming again about other goals that you have that maybe you've put to the side , and your passions you've put to the side . So , while it might have served you for a time being , whether it's a few years , whether it's a few months , you might find yourself now at a crossroads where you're like I don't think this position that I'm in is aligned with my passion , and I am going to share with you that there's hope . You don't have to wait to the beginning of the year January . You could be at the beginning of the year , in the middle , a quarter into the year , towards the end of the year , whenever you decide to make a choice , that's going to help you to be more aligned with your passion at that moment . That's your moment Now , for everyone is different , right , you may be in a situation that you're like listen , I cannot move from jobs till another year too , because there's a lot going on in my family right now .

Speaker 2 15:53

I have other priorities with my son or daughter going to college . This is not the time to make that move in a career , or even jumping from career choice to entrepreneurship . So you have to really look at what is your situation . However , I encourage you to have a better understanding of what your passions are and your goals , right , and how important is it for you . If it's not now , then when ? Right , instead of just saying oh , I don't know , really put some timeframes . It could be a year out , it could be six months , right , but you need to make decisions in order to move and get to the next level . You really cannot get to the next level by staying where you're at and not challenging yourself to think about and explore other opportunities . However , you have to see when that is a good fit for you and your lifestyle and your families and your priorities .

Speaker 2 16:50

Okay , now let's go back to the tips . We're up to tip number five , right , and this one can really help you build a business case . Right , develop a business case that outlines how integrating your passion into your work can enhance your performance . So in tip number five , you can build a business case so you can present it right To your employer , to HR , and that entails of you . Develop a business case that outlines how integrating your passion into your work can enhance your performance and contribute positively to the team or company . Okay , so develop a business case for integrating your personal passion with work for enhanced performance and better team contribution . So presenting a well-reason argument can be persuasive , right In how you can enhance your performance and contribute positively to the team and their company , right .

Speaker 2 17:50

So in tip number six , I want you to really consider some external opportunities . Now , this is where I want you to get very creative , right , because if internal options are exhausted in your place of work , I want you to really consider then going outside of that . Right , I want you to consider seeking opportunities externally . Look for roles in other companies or industries that align with your passions and long-term career goals . So that is so important because , once again , I want you to explore the companies and the industries that better align with your passion and your career goals . That is extremely important because that is what's going to make you feel fulfilled and happy in your career choices . Okay , and remember , you are at the head of that . You are in control of your passions and your goals . Okay , we're getting close to the end of the tips . We have a few more left .

Speaker 2 18:53

So , in tip number seven , it's so important to network and seek advice I can emphasize this enough when navigating similar situations right that you may be experiencing , seek advice from professionals , from people that have done the work and they have successfully obtained their status right , where you see them moving towards the areas that you would like to grow in . So seek advice from professionals who have integrated their passions into their careers . As seek the help of mentors right . And industry contacts . You may have people that are directors or up in management in other industries that you might be interested in . Contact them right . Evaluate long-term goals .

Speaker 2 19:46

It's also very important as you go into tip number eight , which is leveraging your transferable skills right . This is so important and I put it together with also evaluating long-term goals because your current employer right . You have to see do they align with your long-term career goals , especially if passion is a non-negotiable for you right . So you want to make sure that you are really looking into those long-term goals and , at the same time , as I explained now in tip number eight , leveraging your transferable skills right . So if you want to seek a new job , go for it , right . But it's important to identify what skills you have that you can transfer that right and put them in your resume and discuss them during a job interview , right . So when you're seeking that new job , you really have to be very clear that you have identified transferable skills that you have gained in your current role and highlight them in your resume , right , and really unpack them during a job interview that you can really leverage when you're seeking a new job , okay , now it's so important to really look into how do you feel about your current job , right , and it's about your job satisfaction and compensation , right .

Speaker 2 21:09

So in strategy number nine , I want you to really think about balanced job satisfaction and compensation , because weighing job satisfaction against compensation is important and many of us think about well , I'm very satisfied in my job . However , I'm not being compensated , but I'm okay with that . But it's so important for you to examine , right and look at your job satisfaction against your compensation , okay , because pursuing your passion may require a trade-off , so finding balance is crucial for your overall well-being and feeling satisfied . Weighing the importance of a job satisfaction versus compensation is so crucial to your overall well-being , right ? So , as you're pursuing your passion , it may involve some trade-offs , right , you may have great satisfaction , but the compensation is not that great . Then you may be in another season of your life where you're like you know what I really need this compensation , because with the compensation , I am going to be pouring into this side hustle that I have or this business venture that I have . So I need to put in some money and invest in myself to really look at this new job or in the current job that you're in , you're really going to be negotiating for better compensation , right , and that's so important for you to be very clear what does it take to be satisfied in your job and very clear on what is the compensation that you need while you're pursuing your passion , you may require some trade-offs at the beginning because you're trying to find some balance to the overall well-being which is you , your mental health . How do you feel when you go to work ? How do you feel when you're working on your projects ? What is the type of culture in the agency that you're in ? Is it aligned with what you aspire and what you have for the future ? Is there room for growth ? Have you reached the plateau right ? But all of that comes down to balancing your job satisfaction and the compensation . So I really want you to look at that very closely , okay .

Speaker 2 23:23

Lastly , I want you to consider entrepreneurship . This I left for the end . It's strategy number 10 or tip number 10 . Have you ever thought of turning your passion into a business . Have you ever thought of starting your own company or freelancing ? Right ? That can all give you the freedom and flexibility that you've been craving for

Career Challenges, Informed Decisions

Speaker 2 23:44

.

Speaker 2 23:44

However , it's so important to remember that career decisions are personal and there's no one size fits all , so it's so crucial for you to evaluate your unique circumstances , your priorities , your aspirations , your family dynamic . What are the family goals as well , because , as you have your own personal goals right , you may be part of a larger group in your family where you're like wait , I have to really consider with my partner , with my roommate , with my children , right ? Maybe you have a young adult in college and maybe you want to think about okay , is this the time that mom can take this leap of faith and really go into a new business venture ? Is this the time ? Is the family in a place where we can do this and maybe we can make this sacrifice together ? But let's think about that .

Speaker 2 24:33

So , with all of these tips that I've shared , it's really to position you into being successful , whether that is staying in your current job and looking at possible opportunities for new projects to get involved that they align with your passion and interest . It may be speaking to HR to see if there's any possibility for you to take a leave of absence in a short term to do more exploration of what you want to do and maybe reset yourself right . Or it could simply be that you are really ready to take an entrepreneurship decision right , to follow your dreams and open up that business right ? That's why I'm so big on you really taking time to explore what is it that you want out of life . Where do you see yourself ? Right , because if you only look at your now , right , in your current job situation or career situation , or even business , you may be a business owner that really feels that you want to do a whole new line of business . So this also works for you . Right these tips ? Because if you're your own boss , you can also think about what do you want to do ? Where's your satisfaction ? Where do you want to head ? Right ? Do you want to drop your current business altogether and do something else ?

Speaker 2 25:56

I really want to speak to folks that are in an agency or a career where they are feeling dissatisfied . If you are currently feeling constantly dissatisfied , if you are feeling that the agency you work for , the company you work for , it's no longer aligned with your vision , with your passion , with what you're interested in . There's nothing wrong with that . I don't want you to think that if you've been contemplating leaving the job or if you've been contemplating asking for a raise that you well deserve , I don't want you to be so fearful . And if you are , it's okay , because fear is natural . It's a natural human response right To the unknown , to getting rejected . Then what right ? But I want you to know that there's hope . I want you to know that there are many people like you , including myself , where we are really looking and examining our job satisfaction and throughout your years of life , you're going to explore and be in situations where you don't feel satisfied , but you tend to give it your best for a long time . For some people that have been that , they're in their job for 20 years , 10 years . For others it may be one or two years and they're like you know what . This is not aligned anymore with my passion .

Speaker 2 27:17

You may have started in a job with a certain set of passions and interests and you change through the years or through the months you want to do something different . There's nothing wrong with that . That is normal . What I do believe is that when you are for a long time in a position that no longer aligns with you , where there's no growth , that tends to seep into your core and you may start feeling bitter , resentful , right . You may start feeling your energy is lower . You may start feeling not enthusiastic , you might start seeing things more in a gloomy way because you're no longer excited and feeling thrilled about going to the place of work to execute your tasks with enjoyment because you're so excited , and you may be feeling the opposite . You used to feel excited . You no longer feel that way , or you may be with an employer that their vision has changed and it doesn't align with what you are interested and passionate about . So with these 10 tips , I think that you can really start moving the needle in your life .

Speaker 2 28:30

However , if you are currently in therapy or in counseling or in some type of mentorship program , I encourage you to speak to that person that's mentoring you , or speak to your supervisor , or speak to HR , the HR department , as well as with your partner or trusted friend . Start brainstorming and thinking about where do you see yourself ? What are you envision that you want to do ? It could be a whole career change for you and that's exciting , but it also can create a lot of anxiety and a lot of fear because you don't know what to expect . That's why , when you speak to mentors that have done it before you , then that can bring you a little bit of ease .

Speaker 2 29:14

When you speak to mentors or coaches or people in the industry that you want to go into or further your your education right , you may need to acquire some new skills , right . So it's important to really assess where you are at and what's your skills . What do you need to do for that new role that you want to inquire about ? Right . And if you're seeking work , getting into the workplace a new workplace could be scary , but do the research right . You really have to identify your transferable skills , but as well as looking at what you may need to learn new . So if you don't want to change jobs right away , maybe what you want to do in your spare time is to enhance some of your skills . So when later on whether it's the next year or in six months you're exiting that job that you're in now , you are better equipped and better prepared , right .

Speaker 2 30:10

And if you're looking and considering entrepreneurship , do some work there in exploring what type of business you would like to do , and you really can turn your passion into a business . You just have to do the research . Maybe you need a business coach , right ? Maybe you need to look at more videos in the industry that you want to go into , but you can achieve everything you set yourself to do . It may look different for different people and at different times because , like I said , you may be in a position right now that you cannot leave your job right , and that's okay . But that doesn't mean you can't prepare and set a time when you can do that . And if you love your job right , because this episode is about you navigating right when you're having some challenges in your job , but you may be having challenges and at the same time , you still love the company you're working for . You really don't want to leave . You just want to climb the ladder of success within that company that you really admire and want to work in and that there are possibilities there , then good for you .

Speaker 2 31:14

Speak to HR , speak to your managers right , have the conversation of like hey , I'm ready for the next step . Hey , I saw that you're looking for a program director , or I saw you looking for a person to do trainings , and actually that's a skill that I have . Can I work with you in me taking on a project within the agency to train other folks while I also do my core task . So having the conversation is so important , okay , so I hope that these tips help you . I hope that if you are in a place you are noticing you want change in your career path , these steps can really start guiding you to make the right choice for yourself , to make an informed decision . Not a decision that I've made for you , not a decision that someone else is saying this is what you must do . No , a decision that it's informed . You do the homework right . You really take care of yourself , of your mental health . Really look into where do you want to go and if you're struggling a lot in the current workplace , who can you speak to within that agency and present your struggle , whether it's directly with your manager , right , or supervisor , or if you want to include a char in the conversation , do something . And if you have reached I will conclude with this If you have tried all of that , you say , oh , smiley , everything you shared with me today through the years I've done that Nothing's really working .

Speaker 2 32:44

Then it's up to you to say , okay , I need to put an end to this and move forward in another venture , really move forward in another agency . It's time for me to move on , then , because when you have done all your best , you've tried everything . Maybe you've already had the conversation with your supervisor . Maybe you did try another position temporarily in the agency and you kind of didn't like it . Then you really have to look at that . Maybe it's not within that agency that your future lies right , and it could be with another agency that you admire , that you would like , and you might go and test it and then find , six months down the line , that's not where you feel most fulfilled and that's not where your passion is , and that's when you may be thinking , hey , I really want to take my passion and turn it into a business and find ways to do that . There's always a way to do what you desire .

Speaker 2 33:37

The problem many times is that we get so afraid that we do not move forward , and if that has been you , I want you to know that you can move forward . You can move forward , but you have to decide to do that , and not everything is going to happen overnight . Not everything is going to turn out great at the beginning . You have to do some trial and error . You have to take some risks , right , always measuring what the risk is for you and that impact . If it doesn't go well , what's the impact that it's going to have on you and what's the impact that it's going to have on your family ? Right , If they depend on you for certain monetary contributions or even just depend on you with your time , because some new jobs may take more time right Of your time . So you need to see with your family where you're at .

Speaker 2 34:29

If you're single and you're like everything relies just on me , then you got to look at what does that mean ? Right , leaving that job or getting a second job ? Right , because maybe the goal is , within a year or two , to launch a business . So you need to fuel into that project and you need more compensation . And maybe where you're at they're not going to give you more compensation , but yet you have some time to get a part time and do both , or scratch the first job altogether and seek a better job that compensates better . Maybe it's not even in the area of interest , but it does give you more of a compensation and maybe you want to do it for a year or two till you kind of save up for that business . So I'm just giving you different scenarios . Ultimately , you have the choice . You are the one in charge of your life and you can make a difference for yourself in the choices that you make for your career or your entrepreneurship . So I hope that this helped you .

Speaker 2 35:29

If you ever want to work with me on tackling some of these topics that we're talking about , especially in career changes , in leadership , in building your skills , if you want to work with me in the show notes I link there where you can find me and you can speak with me and see if we're a good fit and we can

Excitement for Growth and Reflection

Speaker 2 35:48

work together .

Speaker 2 35:48

As me being your coach , I am so excited for what is coming new for you as well as for me , because I also have to apply a lot of these teachings that I tell you to myself and I'm excited about where 2024 is going to be for me and Smiley Empowerment . It's quite a journey . Thank you for being part of my journey . Thank you for listening and taking time to really reflect on your own journey while we're working together through podcast episodes , that you are really giving time to work on yourself , and there's nothing better than you taking time to build yourself up and to find other people that are doing the same . Okay , so till next time , make sure that you're taking care of yourself and of each other , and I'll catch you in the next one , pesitos .