Ana left a role that didn’t align with her values. What came next wasn’t immediately clear, and that’s what this story is actually about: how she moved from stuck to confident, and what changed along the way.

The Starting Point: Too Many Ideas, Not Enough Direction

Ana came into the Career Clarity Accelerator after quitting a job that had been draining her. She wasn’t sure what to do next.

“I had three main ideas in my head: go back to GIS work, pursue certifications, or become a teacher. I felt overwhelmed.”

When she took Kori’s quiz, one question stopped her: “Do you have a lot of ideas swimming in your head and not sure what to take action on?” Ana saw herself in that question and booked a call. (If that question lands for you too, this post breaks down exactly what that feeling actually means.)

Making Space for Exploration (and Guilt)

Leaving a job can come with guilt. Ana felt it too.

“I had real fears about being unemployed for a while. I kept imagining worst-case scenarios.”

With a flexible structure and coaching support, she gave herself room to slow down and explore, not just career ideas, but how to handle the emotions tied to a major life change.

“Everything I was feeling was valid. But eventually I realized, if I’m going to worry, I might as well worry while I’m going after my goals.”

Working With the Inner Critic Instead of Against It

Like a lot of early-career professionals, Ana’s inner critic was holding her back. She’d hesitate to speak up, reach out, or share her goals with other people.

“My inner critic used to say, ‘Don’t bother people,’ or ‘Just stay quiet.’ I’d go to events and hide in the back.”

Through coaching, Ana learned to work with that voice instead of letting it lead.

Key Milestones and Tangible Wins

Over six months, Ana achieved more than she expected. Her top three wins:

1. Passing her Engineer-in-Training exam. “When I got the news I passed, I thought, okay, I can’t go back now. I can do this. I need to keep the momentum going.”

2. Gaining confidence and clarity through networking. Ana attended a key industry conference where she made real connections and found a sense of belonging. “After the conference, I felt this shift: confidence, excitement, and direction. I finally saw a future in environmental engineering that felt right.”

3. Building a six to twelve month career plan. “Before, I was winging it. Now I have structure: a six-month plan, goals I’m working toward, and clarity about what comes next.”

Unexpected Joy: Creative Expression as Clarity

Ana’s progress wasn’t only professional. She also rediscovered creativity along the way.

“Toward the end of the program, I found myself wanting to sketch landscapes. One day I went to Trinity Park in Fort Worth and sketched the view. I didn’t expect it to become something I loved.”

She also experimented with origami, using creativity to process emotions and build calm.

“Sketching became a way to manage anxiety and feel present. It helped me stay grounded while navigating career decisions.”

What’s Next: Volunteering, Exploring, Gaining Experience

Ana committed to a six-month AmeriCorps City Year program, giving her a way to explore an interest in teaching, give back to her community, and keep networking in the environmental field.

“This lets me explore whether teaching is right for me, while also living in a new state and continuing to grow professionally.”

She also started actively weighing whether to enter the workforce or return to school.

Fast Forward Two Years

After completing her AmeriCorps service, Ana returned to grad school at the Colorado School of Mines and landed an internship at the company she’d always wanted to work for.

“Life is still a wild ride, but things are finally coming together. I’ve weathered the storm, and now I’m finishing up my first semester of grad school. Looking back, I’ve come so much further than I ever imagined.”

Common Questions

Is it normal to feel guilty after quitting a job with no plan?
Yes. Ana described real fear and worst-case-scenario thinking after leaving her role. That guilt didn’t mean she’d made the wrong choice, it was part of adjusting to a genuinely big change, and it faded as she built structure and momentum.

How do you get past an inner critic that stops you from networking?
Ana’s approach was to work with that voice instead of obeying it. Small, repeated actions, reaching out to alumni, showing up at conferences, built evidence that people responded well, which is what eventually quieted the critic more than willpower alone.

What if you have too many career ideas and can’t pick one?
That was Ana’s exact starting point: three separate directions and no way to choose between them. Getting clear didn’t mean instantly knowing the answer, it meant building a structured plan to test and narrow the options over time.

Ready to Let Go of the Guilt and Move Forward?

Ana’s story is a reminder that clarity comes from action, and that you don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’re leaving a job, starting over, or just feeling directionless, there’s a path forward.

Book a free Career Alignment Audit™ to explore whether coaching is right for you, and take the first step toward your next chapter.

Watch Ana’s full interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x3MWjxzEok