When You Feel the Nudge: Career Growth as a Path to Personal Alignment

By Michelle Calahan – Life Coach, Empowerment Specialist, and Personal Growth Advocate 

There comes a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes disruptive—when the work you’ve been doing no longer feels aligned. 

Maybe you’re feeling stuck, restless, or questioning if this is really what you want to do for the next five or ten years. Maybe you've been successful on paper, but inside, something's missing. Or maybe you’ve hit a wall that says: It’s time to grow. 

If any of that resonates, you’re not behind. You’re evolving. 

And career growth isn’t just about climbing a ladder—it’s about reconnecting with what matters most to you. 

Growth Begins with Permission 

Before we make any change, we often need to give ourselves permission: 

• To want something different. 

• To outgrow what once fit. 

• To listen to the quiet nudge that says, “There’s more for you.” 

Sometimes that nudge will whisper. Other times, it will roar. Either way, it’s not here to shame you—it’s here to guide you back to yourself. 

Personal and Professional Growth Go Hand-in-Hand 

You’re not just building a career. You’re building a life. 

The truth is, our professional choices often reflect our inner growth. As you expand your self-awareness, clarify your values, and rewrite old narratives, your work will shift too. 

Here are some powerful questions to reflect on as you grow: 

• What energizes me, and what drains me? (This reveals where alignment lives.) 

• Where am I playing small to stay comfortable or keep others comfortable? (Growth asks for courage.) 

• What kind of life do I want my work to support? (Let work serve your life, not the other way around.)