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The impact gratitude can have on a career change.
- pauseandempower
- Dec 1, 2025
- 6 min read
If any of you follow me on Insta or Facebook, you might have spotted my post last Friday. I shared that I’ve started a gratitude diary — and I was feeling super grateful. I’d just walked into the BBC studios on Oxford Street for a small filming segment on the Morning Live Show about menopause and creatine (yes, that trending nootropic!) — a highlight in itself. That evening I was due to present at the Bedford Women’s Circle on Women’s Rights in the Workplace. And this week, my Wellbeing Media Podcast on the same topic is scheduled to go live. I was full of thanks for the women in my life who helped make all that possible (you know who you are, Anita and Anne!). At that moment, I felt energised, empowered — overflowing with gratitude. And so I decided to start a Gratitude Journal: each day, I noted three areas of my life I was grateful for, to see whether such a simple habit might make a difference.
The weekend after wasn’t quite as headline-grabbing — the entries were more about family, home and my pooch. But that’s the point: in a gratitude diary, the things don’t need to be big or dramatic; they only need to matter. Then I wondered: could that same feeling of being grateful also make a difference on a career change journey? I did a little digging. Here’s what I found.
Why gratitude isn’t just fluff — it can reshape your career mindset.
Adopting a grateful mindset does more than warm the heart: it alters how you view your career, your relationships at work — and even the opportunities that might lie ahead.
According to one article, gratitude can “profoundly affect your professional life.” The Vision Companies+1 Practising gratitude helps you shift your focus away from stresses — looming deadlines, demanding clients or chaos — and instead zero in on the good stuff: supportive colleagues, a role that challenges you, a chance to learn something new. The Vision Companies That shift alone can improve job satisfaction and long-term engagement.
Gratitude can also become a psychological anchor when you’re navigating change — especially useful during a career transition. According to another practitioner blog, when you’re seeking a new role or promotion, gratitude keeps you grounded: you stay aware of how far you’ve come, while still remaining open to progress. nextlevelcareer.co+1
In short, gratitude helps you (re)frame your career path less as “I must escape this” and more as “I’m building on what already serves me, and I deserve growth.”
5 Ways Gratitude Can Propel a Career Change — Especially for Senior Professional Women.
Based on research and career-focused guides, here are five concrete ways gratitude can be a game-changer when you’re reinventing your career.
1. It fosters resilience and emotional strength
Whether you’re facing rejections, uncertainty or pressure, a gratitude mindset helps you bounce back. Expressing gratitude for past wins, supportive mentors or even small daily comforts acts as a buffer against negativity. One career-change guide warns: gratitude doesn’t mean settling, or ignoring injustice — but it does build mental strength to persist without bitterness. nextlevelcareer.co+2nextlevelcareer.co+2
When you value what you already have, setbacks don’t feel like personal failures — they become stepping stones.
2. It improves your sense of job satisfaction — and thus clarity of what you want next.
Being mindful of what you appreciate in your career (be that learning opportunities, a supportive colleague or autonomy) can increase job satisfaction. The Vision Companies+1
For someone rethinking their career path — like many women navigating menopause, transitions or changes in priorities — this clarity is golden. It helps you distinguish what’s worth retaining from what’s worth leaving.
3. It strengthens workplace relationships and professional reputation.
Expressing gratitude — whether privately or publicly — helps build goodwill. When others feel appreciated, they’re more likely to support, mentor or refer you. The Vision Companies+2nextlevelcareer.co+2 For professionals pivoting careers later in life, maintaining and nurturing relationships is one of the most strategic (yet undervalued) assets.
4. It nurtures a growth mindset — making you more open to change, even when it’s scary.
When gratitude helps you view challenges not as threats but as opportunities to grow, you naturally become more open to change. One guide argues that gratitude doesn’t undermine ambition — it complements it with realism. nextlevelcareer.co+1
Rather than approaching a career change with fear, you move forward with grounded optimism.
5. It reduces stress and boosts well-being — which helps you think clearly and stay motivated.
Switching careers — especially later in life — is emotionally and mentally taxing. Gratitude practices (journals, reflections, thank-you’s) have been shown to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Atlassian+1
Less stress means more clarity, better decisions, and the stamina to persist through the inevitable bumps in the road.
How to Bring Gratitude Into Your Career-Change Journey — The Gratitude Toolbox.
If you’re thinking “Yes — I need that!”, here are a few practical ways to weave gratitude into your career journey:
Keep a Gratitude Journal: Just like I did — jot down three things each day (or week!) you’re grateful for in your professional life, even if small. It might be a kind word from a colleague, a useful learning experience, or that cup of tea you had while planning your next move. This simple act helps you notice what’s working right now. Atlassian+1
Reflect on Past Wins and Challenges: When you reflect on how far you’ve come (vs where you started), gratitude can highlight your progress — and fuel your confidence to keep going.
Express Gratitude to Your Network: A heartfelt “thank you” to a former colleague, mentor, or friend can maintain and deepen relationships that might open future doors.
Use Gratitude to Frame Career Decisions: When evaluating whether to take a new role or pivot, ask yourself what you’re truly grateful for — and whether the new path honours those values.
Balance Gratitude with Ambition: Remember: gratitude doesn’t mean complacency. You can be thankful for where you are and still pursue growth. As one guide puts it, you’re not “settling” — you’re “grounded.” nextlevelcareer.co+1
Why This Works — The Psychology Behind Gratitude + Career Confidence.
The benefits above are not just platitudes. Gratitude is backed by solid research as a key component in what experts call “positive psychology.” Journaling or simply reflecting on good things activates neurobiological pathways linked to optimism, resilience, and emotional well-being. Greater Good+2Wikipedia+2
Moreover, gratitude reshapes our internal narrative — it shifts focus from “I lack this” or “I’m behind” to “Here’s what I have, what I value, and where I’m capable of going.” This mental reset is especially powerful when navigating big shifts like career change.
A Note for Senior Professional Women — Why Gratitude Might Be Especially Powerful for You.
Given your wealth of experience, your resilience built over time, possibly a juggling act between work, life, maybe caring responsibilities — a gratitude practice can be a gentle yet powerful compass.
It helps you recognise and value all your skills — not just the visible achievements, but also your emotional intelligence, life wisdom, adaptability.
It supports you through transitions with dignity and self-compassion, rather than guilt or fear.
It enables you to make career choices not just based on ambition, but on what genuinely matters to you now — purpose, balance, fulfilment.
In other words: gratitude can help you pivot not out of desperation, but from a place of clarity, strength and self-respect.
In Conclusion
My little gratitude diary experiment started as a way to honour the good in my life — my network, my home, my passions. But it quickly became clear: gratitude isn’t just a wellness add-on. It’s a mindset, a tool, a compass. For anyone contemplating a career change — especially seasoned, experienced professionals — practising gratitude can soften the turbulence, sharpen your perspective, and propel you forward with grounded confidence.
If you’re embarking on a new career journey, or simply reconsidering your path — maybe give that gratitude journal a go. Notice the small things. Celebrate the big leaps. And see where the journey takes you.
If you are ready to make a change, dm me for a free 30 minute discovery call, to see if coaching (and the coach) is the right fit for you.
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