Decide that you are going to approve of whatever you do. If you do something you have to approve of you doing it. From now on instead of asking yourself "should I do this?" Ask yourself- "Do I approve of me doing this?" Whatever you do make sure it is OK with you.

Communicate your truth harmlessly Fundamental to your happiness is being truthful about who you are, what you want, how you feel and every aspect of your life. What is important to recognize is that we have to develop ability to say what we want to say without blaming, shaming or making anybody else wrong. When you are concerned with being right or placing blame, you are making someone else wrong and that creates distance rather than intimacy in your relationships.

Take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings and communicate in a way that makes other people feel that they to can speak their truth. This way all your relationships will be more authentic and therefore fulfilling.

Ask for what you want Do not wait for people to make you sweet offers, do not fall into trap of assuming people should know what you want. Ask for what you want every time you want something and you will get more of what you want more of time.

Release judgement You deserve to live life you want to live. That and fulfilling relationships is what brings true happiness. Allow other people ability to live life they choose without your judgement and criticism. You can only control your life, putting your attention on how other people ought to live their lives will cause you nothing but disappointment and frustration.

Don’t worry about what other people think One way to stop judging others is to stop thinking about what other people think of you. Trying to live up to other people’s expectations is hard, never ending work. This is your life. You are only one who has to approve of how you live it.

Happiness is less elusive than you might think. It is also contagious. One way to be happy is to be with happy people. Share this information with your happy friends and you can all support each other in enjoying long-term happiness.

Talk to Headhunters Headhunters are a great resource for more than just jobs. They know competitive salaries, hiring trends of industries they serve, what new job titles are being created and which are becoming obsolete. The more headhunters you talk to, more current information you will have to help you make an informed decision.

Conduct Informational Interviews If you know what you want to do, talk to those who are already doing it. Ask them about "blood and guts" of their career activities, not just glamour and perks.

Get to Class Take classes to assess your skills and interests; brush up on everything from Spanish to computer programming. There are many educational resources out there that can increase your chances of being successful.

Get Your Financial House in Order Get clear on your short- and long-term financial goals, take stock of your living expenses, and eliminate your debt. If you are insecure about your finances, you may choose a new professional course too quickly or stay where you are too long because you need money. Make your decision based on merits of position or opportunity, not because your coffers are low.

Tell Your Loved Ones How They Can Support You Let your partner, friends and children know what support looks like—taking care of dinner, allowing you time at computer, picking you up from class. Support would not involve asking you if you should reconsider, suggesting you beg your boss for your job back or wondering out loud if you should forget this silly nonsense.

Be Realistic What else is going on in your life? Will other priorities take most of your energy—like a newborn baby, a rebellious teenager, a new marriage, an aging parent, or a health challenge? A career transition will be very demanding initially. It will require personal sacrifice.

Expect Success What we believe is what we experience. If you expect it will be impossible for you to make a career move this late in your career, you will prove yourself right. If you believe your skill set is valuable anywhere, you will prove yourself right. Believe in yourself and your ability to be successful. It is unlikely you will take action if you think your efforts will be wasted. Expect success.

Beth Orton, singer-songwriter, said, "In life, there are no regrets—only lessons we have not learned yet." Making a career shift has many lessons to offer you. If things do not work out immediately, know you can always add a mid-course correction later. Incorporate some of these ideas to support yourself in creating a professional life that you find challenging, invigorating and richly rewarding. You have power to create it—and you deserve it.