Are you unhappy when you come home from work? If you are, try to understand why you feel the way you do after a day of work. Do you feel passionate about your work? Do you think you could be happier doing something else? Are you making enough money? If you are not passionate about what you are doing in your current profession, it can often mean it is time to start exploring other options.

　　Dream Big

　　Too often people do not let themselves dream. They do not want to be unrealistic. What would make you happy? If you have been tied down by the same job for a while you realize how important a change can be for a person. Allow yourself to explore all options and interests. Perhaps you want a job in a similar field, or maybe you want to change professions completely. It is okay to stay in the same job field, but it is also completely natural to want to explore new opportunities. What would you like to spend the next few years doing? Maybe you have a particular hobby you enjoy doing, and perhaps you would like to do something related to that.

　　Expenses

　　If you decide a new job is what you need it is a good time to start looking at how you spend your money on a daily basis. Figure out what your needs are, and what you can live without. Making a life change is not easy, and when you are not financially prepared it can be even harder. Create a budget. And STICK TO IT! If you are going to quit your job, you need to have enough money to survive while you are looking for a new one. Figure out exactly how much money you need to get by each month.

　　Explore Your Options

　　There are a million opportunities out there for people. Whether you have a college degree or not, there is a variety of things to do with your life. You can explore positions in the professional world that you think you are qualified for, but you should also look into fields you are interested in learning more about. Often companies have entry level positions where you do not need much experience to begin. These are a great option for people that are in a transitional phase. There are also opportunities to be found locally around your home. Ask yourself, “would you rather serve coffee in a local cafe to people who are happy reading their books or work for an angry boss? Those might not be your two options, but my point is to say that exploring something we were not necessarily interested in before can be very rewarding.

　　Apply

　　Once you have explored all your options it is time to start applying. Apply anywhere you think would be a good opportunity for you. If a job interests you in any way, whether it be financially just because it looks fun, you should apply. The economy is rough these days, and finding a new job is incredibly difficult, so don’t limit the places to which you apply.

　　Dump the Old Job

　　Sometimes working in a negative environment is similar to being in a bad relationship. It just brings you down, and it closes you off to healthy alternatives. There are always jobs out there where you could make more money, and the longer you stay in your job the longer you close yourself off to those better financial opportunities. Once you have found a way to at least make enough money to get by whether it is at a local shop or even a professional entry job, get out of your bad situation. Remaining in a toxic environment can take a toll on you mentally and physically. Take action, and get out!

　　Explore Your Passion

　　Remember no matter where you go after you move on from your old job, it is important to explore your passion. We all have something that gets us excited and makes us feel invigorated. It is of the utmost importance to feed that passion. If you cannot make money pursuing your passion, see if you can volunteer somehow. Do whatever you can to get a foot in the door, and you’ll be one step closer to pursuing your dreams.