Finding Career Clarity Through Embracing Your Strengths: 3 Power Moves for Midlife Women
Alright, ladies… Picture this: It's a typical Tuesday morning team meeting. Jennifer, a brilliant executive with 25 years of experience, just presented a strategy that could transform her department. The room is buzzing with excitement – except for Jennifer. She's already downplaying her contribution, attributing it to "just building on everyone else's ideas."
I see this scene play out countless times in my career clarity coaching practice, and it ALWAYS makes me want to jump through the screen and give these amazing women a (gentle!) shake. Because here's the truth: finding career clarity isn't just about identifying what you want to do next – it's about truly seeing and embracing who you already are!
And this dance of diminishing our own light? It's blocking SO many midlife women from finding the career clarity they desperately seek. And in 2025, it's time for that to change.
Why We Hide Our Strengths
Let me paint you a picture I see all too often in my coaching practice. There's this incredibly talented woman – let's call her Sarah. She has thirty years of rich experience, consistently delivers exceptional results, and has this amazing ability to bring out the best in her team. But when asked about her strengths? She waves them off like they're no big deal.
"Oh, anyone could do what I do," she'll say. Or "I just got lucky with good teams." Or my personal favorite: "It's just what I'm supposed to do."
Sound familiar? I get it! As women, especially of our generation, we've been conditioned to be humble, to not "brag," to put others first. But here's what I want you to really hear: acknowledging your strengths isn't bragging – it's owningthe power of YOU which is absolutely necessary to finding career clarity.
Your 2025 Strength Revolution: 3 Power Moves
So how do we shift from strength-minimizing to strength-embracing? I've developed three power moves that have helped my clients achieve remarkable career clarity by embracing their natural gifts:
1. Gather Your Evidence
First, we're going to build what I like to call your "strength evidence file." Reach out to five people who know you well – colleagues, friends, family members – and ask them what they see as your natural gifts. But here's the twist: tell them you're doing some professional development work and need their honest insights. This takes the pressure off and often leads to amazingly detailed feedback.
The patterns you'll notice in their responses? Pure gold for your career clarity journey. Trust me, these people see brilliance in you that you might be too close to recognize.
2. Track Your Energy Flow
For the next two weeks, I want you to become an energy detective. Notice when time flies because you're so engaged in what you're doing. Pay attention to which tasks energize you versus drain you. Document when you feel most confident and capable.
This isn't just about job tasks – it's about uncovering the underlying patterns that point to your zone of genius. These patterns are crucial signposts on your path to career clarity.
3. Own Your Expertise Journal
Start a "wins" journal – and I mean today, not tomorrow, not next week. Document every compliment, every piece of positive feedback, every time someone comes to you for help. Include not just what happened, but how it made you feel.
This isn't about feeding your ego; it's about creating an undeniable record of your impact. When you're having a moment of doubt or seeking clarity about your next career move, this journal becomes your personal power source.
The Ripple Effect of Owning Your Strengths
Ladies, something magical happens when a woman starts owning her strengths. I've seen it countless times in my coaching practice – it creates this beautiful ripple effect. One woman steps into her power, and suddenly others feel permission to do the same.
Just last week, I was working with a client who finally embraced her natural gift for strategic thinking – something she'd always downplayed as "just being organized." The moment she owned this strength, you could literally see her posture change. Her energy shifted. And the career clarity she'd been seeking? It started flowing naturally because she was finally seeing herself clearly.
The Hidden Cost of Strength-Minimizing
Here's something we don't talk about enough: every time we minimize our strengths, we're not just doing ourselves a disservice – we're actually creating career confusion. Think about it: how can you gain clarity about your next career move if you're not even acknowledging your true capabilities?
I had a client recently – a brilliant operations manager with an uncanny ability to solve complex problems. For years, she'd brushed off this gift as "just common sense." But once she started owning this strength, her career clarity skyrocketed. She could suddenly see opportunities she'd been blind to before, simply because she wasn't acknowledging what made her unique.
Your Invitation to Career Clarity
As we move through 2025, I want to challenge every midlife woman reading this to stop hiding your strengths. Your experiences, your wisdom, your natural gifts – they're not just nice-to-have extras. They're essential pieces of who you are, and they're crucial guideposts on your journey to career clarity.
Remember this: clarity comes from action. Start with one power move today. Reach out to one person for feedback. Document one win. Notice one moment of flow. Take that first step toward owning your greatness.
Because here's what I know for sure: when you fully embrace your strengths, career clarity follows. The path forward becomes clearer, decisions become easier, and opportunities start aligning with your true nature.
You've got this, ladies. And I'm right here cheering you on!
With love and belief in your greatness,
Dawn LaRae
The Midlife Career Whisperer™
P.S. If you're ready to dive deeper into discovering and owning your strengths, I'd love to support you on your career clarity journey. Here are a couple of ways I can support you this month:
Register for our March Find Your Greatness virtual event for midlife women
Schedule a free discovery call to explore how coaching can help midlife women like you make 2025 your BEST year yet!
I’m Dawn LaRae, and I help mid-life professional women gain clarity and confidence in their next career chapter so they can experience passion and purpose in their work.
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