On this special episode, Meghan revisits some of the most listened-to moments from her first year in podcasting. In case you need a refresher or haven't got to these episodes yet, she talked about the power and promise that a Fucket-list holds in her episode titled “Putting the Shift in Bullshift.”

Meghan also talked about how Fucket-lists and Gap Years sound like a good idea, but the best one to take to move forward can be in the Bullshifting the 3 Biggest Blocks to Your Fulfillment episode.

Lastly, she discussed the different types of purpose in “Understanding “Big P” and “Little P” Purpose. So sit back and relax, tune in, and enjoy as Bullshift marks another milestone this year!

Our lives are full of crossroads. If you’ve listened to some of my earliest podcasts, you already know that we experience a life disruptor every 18 months, on average. Which is more often than some people visit the dentist.

But, when it comes to the mid-career worker, the darkness of these critical junctures is real. Workers ages 45-60 make up the bulk of the long-term unemployed in many countries, and they face growing barriers to finding good jobs.

Stop pursuing happiness.

How’s that for a pep talk?

But I’m actually serious. Ya gotta stop pursuing happiness. There’s a bigger game to play.

Instead of pursuing happiness, start unlocking your aliveness. Ask yourself, “What makes me come alive?” 

And stay tuned for upcoming episodes that travel through a series that will help you answer that question for yourself!

Nearly 1 in 2 respondents to a recent survey I issued said one of the barriers to pursuing their purpose was the belief that “I'm too old to make a change toward what I want.” Roughly 2 in 5 said, “No one will want to hire me at my age.”

Let me say here at the outset: just because you think these thoughts, it doesn’t mean they’re true.

I talk a lot about asking powerful questions because they’re so fundamental to our ability to create what--in the coaching world--we refer to as an upward spiral for our lives. And powerful questions are at the heart of bullshifting.

Yep--bullshift isn’t just a catchy name, though I do love it. There’s an intention behind it.

I’ve been focused a lot on professional fulfillment as of late, which is why we’re exploring how to Bullshift the 3 Biggest Blocks to Your Fulfillment. This information packs a powerful punch and will give you the tools you need to transform your mid-career slump into your mid-career jump!

When we’re honest with ourselves about the thought that we want to change our career, it can be an anxiety-inducing realization. 

For many of us, we assume this translates into some hard-to-stomach material changes: a big drop in salary, moving back home, not having much to offer in terms of professional achievements at social events, and having to start over again.

This agony can be powerful… even immobilizing.

But it doesn’t have to be. In episode 30 of Bullshift, I’m sharing 5 key insights or perspectives to help you pursue more fulfilling work.

Take a moment to fast forward to just beyond the end of your life.

In the case of this special service that you get to witness, even those who weren’t your biggest fan will be there and be invited to speak. Everyone is gathered to express, with a New Yorker-level of frankness, what impact your life had on theirs; what happened to them because of the legacy. of. you.

This summer’s an opportunity to reflect on how you want to show up...on the life you want to create for yourself--now and as the world continues to open up. And, okay, this is always true. It was true in the pandemic. It’s true in the purgatory we’re currently experiencing. And it’ll be true in the fall, as well, when highways once again grind to a halt in rush hour gridlock.

We’re exploring something that comes up alllll the time in my coaching sessions around purpose...and that I bet you’re considering for yourself...and that is, “How can you know what you really want?”

“I am someone who…” Ever catch yourself saying this? “I am someone who...loves animals...needs to have a coffee first thing...needs to have my desk completely clean before I work...loves to manage the details of an event...freaks out at the thought of public speaking…”

Do you do this consciously? Or do you use it as a way of explaining your behaviors?

In episode 27 of Bullshift, we explore why this way of thinking about personalities is a myth...and I share a more helpful way to think about personality.

Do you remember your very first job? Not your first career, your first job. I remember my very first job well, and I remember when I knew I needed to leave that job, too.

Fast forward to today, and the conversations I’m having with clients. One of the most common refrains is, “I know I need to leave, Meghan. But it just never feels like the right time.”

Can you relate to this predicament? If so, you’re in luck. In episode 26 of Bullshift, we’re diving into “How to Know When It’s Time to Leave a Job.”

So often, though, we’re living in search--trying to find our purpose. If you listened to episode 18, where I shout “Stop Trying to Find Your Purpose,” though, you might already know this is futile.

Here’s why: most of us have no idea what the point of our existence is, but we’re pretty sure we’re doing it wrong.

Enter: self-flagellation.

I’m no stranger to the concept of profession pivots, I’ve had a number of them in my life! These days, I spend hours each week coaching people through their own career-to-calling pivots where I help them identify how they define both fulfillment and success, what’s present and missing in their lives, and what possibilities exist for them to move forward in a more fulfilling way. 

When you reach this impasse--when you know you’re not happy where you are, yet you don’t quite know what to do next–-remember that you’re not alone. And even more important, know that this is a necessary part of your evolution and growth. This is true for your career and any other area of life. Because these experiences force us to eradicate our old models for understanding ourselves and our world.

You rushed to marry your college sweetheart. And now you’re rushing to divorce them.

And on the cycle goes. Which begs questions like: “Why do we make decisions that we come to regret in the future? And how can we future-proof our decisions? And, also, does Shannon Dougherty regret any of her 90210-era shenanigans?

We’re digging deep and diving in as we determine how to future-proof our decisions and prevent making present choices we will later regret.

People tend to see cancellation or call-outs as either wholly good — “Hey! There are new consequences for saying or doing bigoted or otherwise untenable things.” — or wholly bad “People can lose their reputations and in some cases their jobs, all because a person or a group has taken undue offense to a careless or out-of-context remark.”

I think we’re losing sight of something much bigger, more powerful, and more important: the power of self-regulation and calling in others. In episode 21, we’re exploring it all and paving a way forward to create the conditions for healing, growth, and positive social change.

How many women have come to feel like their work and home lives have blended during the COVID pandemic? You feel this? How many have left the workforce as a result? Are you among them?

To future-proof our workforces, companies need us women...but not with the usual ploys. We need a better experience… one that’s focused on our wellbeing, on how we want to feel as employees, and on a set of organizational commitments to address workplace disparities.

Yes, we all want to help others. Especially loved ones who’ve captured so much of our attention this past year. But when I say purpose is about growing and giving, I don’t mean to prioritize the needs of others above your own. 

Most of what we understand about purpose at work comes from Hollywood. And, sure--stories are a powerful way to learn. Everybody loves a Hero’s Journey. But the stories of screen and stage romanticize the role of purpose in our lives at large...and especially at work. And look: I’m a die-hard fan of any Nancy Meyers film--always featuring a dynamic heroine with a cool career and beautiful home. But, with all due respect to Nancy, these types of stories create myths about purpose that actually make it harder for us to focus on what matters.

You’re a mid-career professional. You’ve established a streak of skills and experience tailored to the current industry you’re in and it can be scary to pivot the career direction into a new path. If you’re feeling stuck in your current job and you’re looking for a more fulfilling career, it can be difficult to make a career change.

When it comes to making a career change in midlife, having the right type of forward momentum isn’t always easy...especially if you’ve had the cushion of a corporate career...or tenure in a job...or you’ve been a stay at home parent who’s busy running a household for several years. Fear not, dear friends. The solution is here!