I resigned my job in October of last year. The reason I gave my employers was that I wanted to have time to focus on writing my book, which is true. But underlying that compelling choice was a yearning for something more.
When we were asked to work from home in March of 2020, I had mixed feelings. But I soon began to thrive. Becoming more productive and more contented than ever before. When we were forced to return to work in August of 2021, I was not ambivalent. I was discouraged. I did not wish to return.
I enjoyed working in solitude. Not having to close my door to the many interruptions that passed by and sometimes stopped to enter my office. Avoiding the 45-minute drive into work and 45-minute drive home in rush hour traffic. The nature of my work required that I make one trip a week into my office to drop off and pick up work product, materials, etc. I could handle that without angst.
At home I was free to use my breaks to walk our dogs, taking in the nature that surrounds our home. I thrived with the additional time to myself. And I became more productive in the home environment. I am an introvert-HSP so the occasional Zoom meeting with colleagues was all I needed to supply my need for human interaction outside of home.
I am not the only person who has decided to forsake the typical career life for something more tailored to my personal needs. The pandemic has spurred people, many of whom are Millennials or Gen Zers, to search for a more personally satisfying work experience.
So why is the Great Resignation an opportunity for HSPs to nurture their unique qualities?
We Seek Growth
We strive to be the best that we can be. The Great Resignation gives us an opportunity to explore those areas of ourselves that need attention. The parts of ourselves that are questioning what we are, what we believe, what we want to be. Within a global change like this, we have the impetus to find like-minded souls; people who support, encourage, and add to our knowledge, because they are going through the same process.
We Seek to Contribute Through Our Unique Qualities
We possess qualities that are rare (1 in 5 people or 20% of the population). Those qualities are vital to forward-thinking strategies for the future, intuiting present circumstances and how those circumstances should spark change, and mediating disputes, just to name a few. The Great Resignation is an apt time to make a change to a profession that is more suited to you and your unique qualities.
We Seek an Environment in Which We Can Nurture Ourselves
We need to work in an environment that is comfortable for us. That environment often does not look like the historical work setting. The Great Resignation affords us an opportunity to find the most wholesome backdrop to our purpose. As we seek to grow and contribute, we must take care of ourselves. This means finding the surroundings that allow us to prosper and evolve.
The workplace is in a state of transition. More and more employees are speaking out against an antiquated system by leaving their current positions. This transformation is your vehicle to awaken the previously denied parts of yourself that can flourish at this time of change.
Copyright 2022, Monica Nelson
