Even though the world is open for business, you might still be suffering as you emerge. The pandemic may have left you torn between working at home or being in the social network of an office. Or, like so many, you are dealing with anxiety and depression you can’t seem to shake. Maybe your career has not returned, and you are seeking a new direction. No matter your situation, I’d like to offer some foundational direction to keep you motivated and focused as you heal and grow into the next chapter:

Number One: Understand that Careers Naturally Cycle

The first step is to recognize that you are at a crossroad, off your familiar path, and challenged to find the way forward. Shake hands with your anxiety and step into a period of introspection.

Number Two: Take an Accountable Perspective

Taking an accountable perspective is difficult to do when you have, in fact, been the victim of circumstances. Your first instinct might be to blame others or make excuses, not wanting to accept your reality. This “victim trap” stifles your creativity, limits your resourcefulness, and eventually poisons everyone around you.

Number Three: Operate From Your Career-Related Values

Your values are your superpower, but you may not be paying enough attention to them. Under pressure, your values may be ignored as you are busy putting out fires. Again, this is perfectly natural but it saps your strength and undermines your ability to lead your organization.

Number Four: Utilize Your Enjoyable Skills

If your day is virtually filled with demands that bring you little or no joy, you are on the road to burnout. Your level of energy is key to your ability to deliver excellence. So, step back and notice the aspects of your daily activities that light you up, and that you look forward to. Find ways to expand your involvement in enjoyable skills activities. Delegate or minimize skills you do not enjoy.

Number Five: Find Your Voice

Your ability to be successful in your life, and in your career, hinges on your authentic expression of who you are. Your voice (meaning your confident, congruent self) informs what you say, how you say it, and the impact it has on others. Under stress, you might lose access to your voice, delivering faltering or even misleading messages.

While all these tips are especially important in times of tumultuous change, they also apply to your career development throughout the course of your life. Embrace the days and months ahead as an opportunity to emerge into a level of growth and achievement you can be proud of.