We’re getting ready for our midyear check-in inside Career Alchemy Academy.

As I’ve been thinking about the next six months, I’ve been asking myself some different questions. Less about what I am doing and more about who I am.

One question keeps floating to the surface:

What would happen if I stopped looking outside of myself for answers and started looking inside?

For most of my life, I’ve been surrounded by support. Since my first therapist appointment, the one my mom arranged after a heartbreak that left me unable to get out of bed, I’ve sought out people, communities, books, coaches, mentors, and teachers to help me grow.

And I’m grateful for every one of them.

I love my life. I love the risks I’ve taken, the mistakes I’ve made, the people I’ve met, and the support I’ve received along the way.

But lately I’ve been curious about something.

What if I sat with my own questions a little longer before asking someone else?

What if, instead of immediately reaching for a book, a coach, ChatGPT, or a podcast, I got quiet first?

What if I asked myself:

• What am I feeling right now?

• What kind of support could I give myself?

• What do I already know?

This feels slightly dangerous to admit as a coach.

I believe deeply in coaching. I know the power of having someone help you see what you can’t see on your own.

But I also believe there’s a Divine Line connecting us to something wiser … a deeper self, a greater consciousness, whatever language feels right to you. And sometimes I wonder if we’ve become so accustomed to seeking answers outside of ourselves that we’ve forgotten how to listen to our inner voice.

Maybe that’s why I’ve been so drawn lately to the idea of a silent retreat.

I haven’t done one yet, but the idea keeps showing up. (Message me If you’ve gone on a silent retreat, I’d love to hear what you thought).

The more I think about it, the more I realize this isn’t about becoming independent of support. It’s about building another muscle.

I’ve spent years using the muscles of asking for help, being in community, and learning from others.

Now I want to strengthen the muscle of self-trust and really use my inner guidance system to lead my outer actions.

And I wonder if that’s true for some of you, too.

Especially when it comes to your career.

Following Your Career Inner Voice

Before you ask everyone else what you should do next, what if you sat quietly with the question yourself?

What if the path to your next step begins by getting still enough to hear what’s already resting within you?

Because what I do know is you know so much already!

3 Ways to Building Your Connection to Your Inner Voice.

1. Find a new starting point. This is a hard one for me because I love instant gratification. I have a question; I go to my phone for the answer. Time to change that. Before AI, books, or asking a coach or friend, ask yourself, “what do I already know about this subject?” Start by putting your wisdom at the center of all decisions.

2. Wait 24 hours before seeking outside advice. When a question comes up, wait for a bit. Give your inner voice some time to respond before listening to someone else’s.

3. Create more silence. A walk without a podcast. A few minutes without the phone. A mini-silent retreat over the weekend! Build silence back into your life.

Let’s see where this experiment takes you.

For me, it might crash and burn my coaching business.

Or it might make me a wiser coach and better human.