It was when we got to the point of making the decision that she asked for more time to think things through.

I get that. Hiring a coach is a weighty decision.

And I was curious. Based on all the things we had discussed, she needed a coach so why the hesitation? I wondered if there was more info she needed to help make her decision.

She said no. She had all the info she needed.

The issue was she was already feeling so burnout being in a company that was toxic that she wanted to make sure she was ready and able to give all her energy to the process.

So, I asked her a magic question:

“Where are you feeling the burnout in your body?”

Her response, “Behind her eyes.”

Now it made sense to me.

I said, “This is your third eye chakra. This sits in front of your prefrontal cortex. This is where all your daily decisions are being made. “

No surprise she could not see how she could possible start making decisions about her next career moves.

She was already in decision overload.

I suggested she go home and set this decision aside.

Make as few decisions as possible. She did not need to push or force this decision.

Give her prefrontal cortex and her Third Eye Power center a rest.

Let her deeper brain, her Default Mode Network, step in instead. This is the part of the brain that creates clarity and insight when you’re not overthinking. It will tell her when it’s time to act.

But what if she said it was in her gut, her stomach, her heart, her throat or the top of her head?

That is your body giving you different information. It is not decision fatigue that is getting in the way. It is something different.

And your body aligned with the 7 chakras can help identify the roadblock to moving forward with a career move you know you want … if only you felt ready.

The 7 Chakras and the wisdom they want to share

Each of the seven chakras has its own unique meaning. Below, let’s take a look at each of the main energy centers and what they mean.

1. Root Chakra (Muladhara): The Root Chakra is located at the base of your spine. It is all about feeling stable and grounded. If you are experiencing lower back strain or pain, consider that you need to create more stability and safety through stronger boundaries with others. Are you saying yes at work when you really want to say no? Do you raise your hand because you think you should? Burnout lies at the end of loose boundaries. No is a complete sentence!
2. Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): The Sacral Chakra is located at the lower abdomen, just below the navel. This chakra is about your connection to your emotions, pleasure and creativity. If you are feeling distress in your lower abdomen, consider how you may be shutting down your expression. Are you able to be authentically you or do you edit yourself at work? Are you bending and fitting yourself into someone else’s mold? Perhaps the work culture is a mismatch for who you are and how you like to work? Could it be time for a change?
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): The Solar Plexus Chakra is located at the upper abdomen above the navel. This is the place where your personal power resides. If you have been feeling tightness or upset in your upper stomach, consider the ways you have been giving your power away. When you do this, you will feel exhausted. Self-doubt creeps in. You hold yourself back. Now is the time to choose to believe in yourself. The more confident you are the more powerful you feel and act. Confidence is part mindset and part just doing the thing. Where can you reclaim your power and make power moves instead?
4. Heart Chakra (Anahata): The Heart Chakra is located at the center of chest. Just like it sounds, it is all about self-love and loving others. If you have heartburn, if you have been feeling alone and out of alignment with yourself and others, then it is time to uplevel your self-care and your connection to others. It is not hard to do. Be kind to yourself and others. Be generous with yourself and others. Go out and meet people. We are not meant to go it alone. We are meant to be in community. Network. Join something. Engage. Have fun.
5. Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): The Throat Chakra is located at the throat. It represents your voice and how you express yourself to others. Are you remaining quiet when you have something you would like to say? Are you speaking out confidently or using softening words? Have you wanted to speak your truth but been holding back? Maybe you are indulging in gossip, overtalking or blurting instead of pausing and considering the audience and the circumstances. All of these will show up as a sore throat or a closed throat. Time to stand up and speak out!
6. Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): The Third Eye Chakra is located between the eyebrows, in front of your prefrontal cortex. The place where your analyzing, planning and decision making takes place. It is also the place where we can see into the spiritual realm and it allows our intuitive selves, inner wisdom, our subconscious, to take the lead. Like the coaching client who had tired eyes, now may be the time for you to give your hard-working prefrontal cortex a break. It does not have to carry all the load. What are you trying to figure out right now? Write it down then set it down. Go for a walk. Dance. Play some loud music and sing. Read a book. Call a friend. At some point you will notice the answers arise inside of you, that is when you grab your paper and capture what your Third Eye wants you to see and do what is suggested no matter how crazy.
7. Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): The Crown Chakra is located at the top of the head. It represents your connection with spirituality, your higher self, your higher consciousness. If you are experiencing headaches, dizziness, lack of focus or sensitivity to light you may want to consider what the Crown Chakra has to offer. The Crown Chakra is about your connection to higher wisdom and our higher purpose. Do you feel aligned with the work you are doing in the world? Have you been craving an opportunity to have a bigger impact and make a larger difference? That is what your headaches may be suggesting. Take time to step back and reevaluate what energizes you now. What matters most at this point in your life? Your Crown Chakra keeps you moving on the path to your highest evolution. Now is the time for reflection, reassessing and building a new vision for you and your career.

If you started this blog thinking, I am so confused. Breathe. Remember the woman on my call who felt it “behind her eyes.” That exhaustion wasn’t laziness or a lack of will; it was her Third Eye (and her prefrontal cortex) asking for a break.

Wherever you feel your career confusion … root, throat, gut, or crown … your body is giving you helpful information about what’s actually going on.

Here’s a simple practice to try today: notice where your body is feeling less than 100% and ask, “What are you trying to tell me?” Then connect it to its chakra and let its wisdom guide you:

• Root Chakra – Ground Yourself.
• Sacral Chakra – Express Yourself.
• Solar Plexus – Empower Yourself.
• Heart – Connect with Others.
• Throat – Speak up.
• Third Eye – See things clearly.
• Crown – Align your work with what matters.

Pause, notice, and let your next step emerge naturally.