“I have no big thing to coach on but came because I wanted to see friendly faces.”

The thing is, by simply showing up, she was not only giving herself a boost of connection, but she also brought the energy of presence to her career.

I talk about the idea that our careers and job searches require us to pay attention to them but not in the way you might be thinking.

You might think that you are showing up because:

• You go to work and do your job.
• You fire up the laptop and apply to jobs every day as required.
• You update your résumé or LinkedIn profile now and then to stay ready.
• You attend the meetings, complete the tasks, and check the boxes.
• You reach out to a new connection here and there. Keep that network warm, right?

All of these things count … they keep the wheels turning. But this kind of showing up can feel mechanical. You are mailing it in. You are in maintenance mode. Your presence isn’t really present.

When I talk about showing up for your career, I mean showing up for your career like you would show up for a young child you are responsible for that needs attention and care.

Like a young child, your career needs your presence. Your energy and attention beyond just the basics of food, clothing and a place to stay.

It wants you to engage with it. Ask it questions about what it needs right now? How is it feeling? What fun things might it want to explore today? What friends would it want to hang out with?

It wants to see your friendly face!

When you treat your career like a young child, you notice a difference. You don’t just go through the motions. You pay attention. You ask yourself:

• What would make me feel more alive in my work right now?
• Where am I craving support or encouragement?
• Who are the friendly faces that remind me I don’t have to do this alone?

The truth is, your career will wither if it only gets the bare minimum. Just like a child, it thrives when you offer presence, playfulness, and genuine curiosity.

So, the next time you catch yourself “mailing it in,” pause. Ask your career what it needs today in order to feel your presence and full attention.

And remember. Showing up for your career doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, like my client, it’s as simple as coming to a Career Alchemy Session to see a few friendly faces😊.