What matters most in your career right now?

A simple question but not always simple to answer.

 I’m not sure if it’s just me but I’m noticing a shift as we move into the second half of 2025.

> People are simplifying, recalibrating, rethinking their work.

> Friends leaving long-term jobs.

> Colleagues stepping away from businesses they built.

> Family selling up & chasing the sun instead of the grey, rainy commute.

> Clients exploring career paths they never thought possible.

It feels like more than coincidence. Almost like a collective shift, a need to strip back the noise and reconnect with what truly matters. And when it comes to our work, this feels especially important.

Because career isn’t just about “what you do” on paper. It’s about alignment—making sure your energy, values, and choices are moving in the same direction. Without that, it’s easy to feel stuck, drained, or quietly restless, even when everything looks “successful” on the outside.

Why alignment matters

When your work-life is aligned with what matters most to you:
> You feel clearer and lighter.
> Confidence grows (because you’re not constantly second-guessing).
> Decisions become simpler.
> There’s more energy for both work and life.

 And when it’s not?
> Self-doubt creeps in.
> Overthinking takes over.
> You stay in “safe but stuck” mode.

Reflection prompts

Take a pause this week and ask yourself:

> What feels most important to me in my career at this stage of life?

> Where am I making choices from obligation or habit, rather than alignment?

> How does my calendar (and my energy) reflect my priorities—or contradict them?

> If I lived and worked just 1% more in alignment today, what would shift?

Sometimes it’s not about tearing everything down, but about gentle course correction. Small shifts, repeated often, create momentum.

Action-inspired prompts

Once you’ve reflected, here are some ways to bring it into action:

- Look at your calendar this week. Where could you carve out even one hour to focus on what matters most?

- Notice your energy. Which tasks feel draining, and which give you life? What does that tell you?

- Start a “career clarity journal.” Write down the moments when you feel most aligned at work and the ones that spark frustration. Patterns will emerge.

- Share your reflections. A conversation with a trusted friend, mentor, or coach can help you untangle the noise and hear your own truth more clearly.

An invitation

Career clarity doesn’t come from having all the answers right now. It comes from staying curious, making space for reflection, and taking one step at a time toward what feels true for you.

So, this week, ask yourself the simple but powerful question:

> What matters most in my career right now?

And let your next step flow from that.

Sarah x