It’s important to call out the reality of making a decision like this. We often think big decisions come to us in profound, lightbulb moments, but that’s rarely the case.

It’s a build up of experiences, feelings and changes that lead to a decision. We might know it’s brewing, but it takes a while to fully form. So have compassion for yourself and know that this is a process.

You say you don’t see yourself here long-term, so does that mean you want to stay short term? If so, why? Is it is because of a nervousness of what comes next? A feeling of walking away? Or because you still find joy in it? Understand what’s keeping you there.

You say you’ve tried incorporating things into the business that have social impact; did you explain the core reason to your partner for wanting to do this? That your values have evolved and that it’s really important to you, or was it discussed without this full context? 

If your partner is aware of your value shifts, and how your values are different, is there a chance to directly address that? Not this bluntly but, ‘my values are X and yours are Y, how do you see us building those both into the business?’ And have an open conversation about it.

If that leads to ideas of how the business could evolve to meet your vales, get curious as what your future there could be. You don’t have to be fully in or fully out. Could you be part of the team but in a different capacity that supports your values? There’s loads of options on how partnership structures can change. 

Then looking at the long-term, think about how you could bring your values to life beyond this business. What does that look like? Putting energy into thinking about what could exist next can help give direction on what you want now.

And how can you help yourself figure out what you want? You sound clear on how your values have evolved, so what questions do you need to ask yourself to get the answers you’re looking for?

I understand that this can be a tricky path to navigate, so release the pressure to know all the answers now. Take some time to get curious, ask yourself questions, and allow yourself to take it step by step.