We Love a red flag. They’ve become memes, group chat confessions, and reality TV commentary. Red flags in Dating, red flags in friendships, even red flags in how our kids act when they’re overtired.
Mid-life is full of responsibility & Wisdom. Mid-life is Stress & knowing. Mid-life is adulting & permission slips.
But what about the green flags? The full body, fully expressed, fully experiences hell yes signals that you’re in alignment. The whispers and screams and knowing that you should “ stay here, you’re on the right path.”
Green flags in a work environment don’t necessarily mean quitting and starting over. I actually rarely recommend resigning.
Green flags look like:
A culture that keeps your cortisol levels steady instead of spiking them. (Yes, these places exist!)
Boundaries that are honored, not tested. (Normal reply times, being treated like an adult)
Space for both your “to-do” energy (masculine) and your “to-be” energy (feminine). (using our feminine ability to organize, lead, communicate and manage people and projects is a huge bonus when leveraged!)
Leaders who model empathy instead of exhaustion. (Like the time by colleague just broke up with her boyfriend and moved out that morning, taking her aside rather than having that pointless meeting.)
Projects that leave you energized, not depleted. (designing part or all of your work, lbh there are parts we all don’t love, fills your heart and pockets with gold)
Green flags in mid-life feel like:
Your body unclenching without you realizing it.
Laughing easily with people who actually see you.
A pace that lets you have moments to create, problem solve and adjust a plan, not just hustle and repeat the same mistakes
Being able to take a vacation or day off without guilt.
Our society loves to throw out red flags, things that aren’t working or pushing blame.
What I do know is using values, your vision and your skills with priorities can lead to finding aligned work. That green flag might be at your current job or with your current clients.
Sometimes it speaking about what you want and need. Do you know what that is?
I didn’t for a long time but I certainly complained about what wasn’t work. The subculture of my division of the bank was unhealthy I just didn’t realize it was not pervasive across the board.
Taking time to find out what I could do, wanted to do allowed me to make a pathway to leave. That took five years. Along the way I found red, yellow and green flags getting me to my path today.
Green flags are the compass of an aligned life. They don’t shout for attention like a victim, but they point you toward joy, Health, and flow.
✨ Question for you: What are the green flags you’re noticing in your own work and life right now?
