I fell into this trap. For years, my identity was so intertwined with my work that I genuinely believed I was living. In reality, I was giving myself completely away — to my work, my team, my projects, my organisation. I gave up my happiness, my health, and time with my family... and I did it willingly. Nobody forced my hand. I handed it over, piece by piece, because it felt like what a good professional was supposed to do. That's when my "workquake" happened.

Normal. What even is that? Honestly, the word sounds a little boring to me. A little vanilla. Somewhat pedestrian. Like beige carpet or plain rice cakes — perfectly fine, completely forgettable. And yet so many of us spend enormous energy trying to fit in, tone ourselves down, and smooth off the edges that make us genuinely interesting. We worry about saying the wrong thing, having an unpopular opinion, or standing out in a way that might make someone uncomfortable.

How many times are you going to let January slip by before you actually do something about that career change you've been thinking about? I've navigated two major career changes myself. Both terrifying. Both absolutely worth it. The second took nearly a decade—a slow, uncomfortable pivot from 25 years in Product Strategy and Innovation into career coaching. The first happened faster, leaving behind my chosen under graduate focus for a career in Technology.