Blog Archives
Do What You Love… Creating Your Future
We are all familiar with the concept of “do what you love and the money will follow.” But I’d like to expand that to “do what you love and everything good will follow.” What do I mean by that? Simply, that if you follow your heart and intuition regarding career choices, not only will that area blossom but you will notice magical things happening in every aspect of your life.
And how do you make the right choices, from the heart, if you’re not used to exercising your intuition? By starting here:
Follow my 7-10 rule- When considering options, quickly (without thinking too much about it) ask yourself, “on a scale of 1-10, how do I feel about this in my heart?” Anything lower than a 7 (10 being the high end of the satisfaction scale) is not worth your time.
Don’t let your compass stray too far- Everyone has an internal compass- their internal “true north”- which easily lets you know what choices are right for you. Follow your compass. Don’t spend too much time and energy on things that pull you away from that “true north.”
Merge the personal and professional- Our culture is geared towards people having a “professional life” and a “personal life” and “never the twain shall meet.” But, by combining those two areas of your life, or, at the minimum, incorporating some everyday things you love to do as part of your work, you will be happier. You lessen the disconnect between the parts of your life and create greater balance. Do you love Sudoku (problem solving?), travel (adventure and discovering new things?), scrap booking (utilizing creativity?)…use those related interests as touchstones when you are job seeking. Make sure that some aspect of these things you enjoy are included in the positions.
Hand in hand with the above tips, consider engaging the Creator archetype on this journey to discover your true (especially occupational) happiness. The role of the Creator archetype is to support you in creating something new, especially fostering the gifts of creativity, imagination, and vision. Spend some time contemplating how your Creator archetype has or has not been engaged in your professional life. Is there something inside of you that longs for expression?
When I was preparing to write this article, some past posts by my fellow Sanctuary members again reminded me what fantastic resources are available if you need help and guidance on this journey to discovering what will really make you happy. Once discovered, you will truly be on the road to fulfillment and success!
By Cathy Posner, Career and Transition Coach, Transition Consulting and Coaching
www.transitionconsultingandcoaching.com
Let the YOU Shine Through
Ideally, your resume reflects the person you are and the work you want to do. Everything you do and present during a job search- cover letter, resume, online presence, interview- should support that intention. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But so often I see clients who come to me with a resume that reflects the person that they think they should be to fit a certain job description or position. Trying to fit someone else’s ideal- or what we think is someone else’s ideal- will rarely bring us happiness.
The concept of creating a cohesive, authentic “brand” for you allows me to present two more of my guiding principles- my “isms”- here. They are:
Risk is rewarded. I see it happen over and over again. If you make a commitment to honor who you are and seek something that supports that, you will likely be rewarded by the Universe. And one of the most difficult things you can do is put yourself out there in a way you think is contrary to what other want to see. Be brave and bold; be true to yourself. Magical things will happen. Try it; you’ll be surprised.
Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should do it. We all have certain skills at which we excel. Some we enjoy; some, not so much. Repeatedly, I work with clients who think they need to include on their resume every task they’ve ever done at each job, some of which they never want to do again. Here is your permission to leave those off and focus on best representing the tasks from your work history that you most enjoyed doing and want to be part of your new career.
So, follow your heart… your gut… your instincts, whatever you want to call it. Listen and you will hear and understand what will bring you the greatest happiness, day in and day out, in your professional life. And make sure those tasks, skills, and interests are represented in your job search. Follow this guideline and great things will come your way!
By Cathy Posner
Transition Consulting and Coaching, Crossroads Coaching, and Sanctuary at the Crossroads
www.transitionconsultingndcoaching.com
Let me help you see the possibilities!
Reclaiming Security in a Time of Uncertainty
In this age of uncertainty regarding job continuity, life can be very unsettling. The pundits say the recession is winding down but for many people, it doesn’t feel that way. If you are feeling like things are spinning out of control on the job/career front- especially if you are out of work- here are some tips to consider:
Quality over quantity – It might feel productive to pump out resumes to as many job postings as possible, but I strongly advocate you try to focus your efforts on the things that really appeal to you. I advise incorporating a 7-10 policy. Only apply to jobs that strike you within a 7-10 range on the 1-10 scale (1 being something you couldn’t imagine doing; 10 being the best possible thing you can think of) when you do a heart check, gut check, intuition check, whatever you want to call it. Why? Because you put out better energy and effort toward possibilities that are of a high level of interest to you. And do you really want to work somewhere that appeals to you on a 4 or 5 level? You might be searching again soon if you make that choice.
Get out there and do something else – Volunteering is a great way to try out other career options and get your foot in the door at a new place of employment. You can acquire new skills. And it keeps you busy.
Rethink your hard and fast rules – If you are out of work, consider other possibilities, things that you might not have considered before. Do you have other marketable skills (for example- bookkeeping, proofreading, flower design, event planning, etc.) that you’ve never tried to make income producing? Try it. Nothing ventured; nothing gained. And it won’t be forever… unless you want it to be. There are three kinds of jobs: the just-because job; the just-for-now job (that will possibly be your bridge to your dream job); and the dream job. So don’t despair you won’t be stuck in something less desirable forever. Consider it a steppingstone.
It’s your journey. And no one else’s. Ultimately, each of us is responsible for the choices we make and our own happiness. Many people will try to influence you, thinking they might know what is best for you. Only you know. Only you can choose your path. If you are feeling despair, hang in there. Something good is coming your way.
Presented by Cathy Posner, Career Coach and Transition Consultant
Owner of Transition Consulting and Coaching and provider with Crossroads Coaching
cathy@transitionconsultingandcoaching.com 216.337.2106
www.transitionconsultingandcoaching.com
Let me help you see the possibilities…
Knowledge is Power…And Relieves Stress
Money- wondering if you have enough, managing it, wondering about your financial future- can be very stressful! Besides the perception that managing your finances is no fun (think of the bad rap budgets get), there are many emotional issues tied to how money flows in and out of your life. But understanding your cash flow and knowing where your money is and how to manage it is very empowering. It doesn’t need to be complicated and if you take charge of your finances you will feel better. So, the theme of my message today is KNOWLEDGE IS POWER when it comes to your money.
Here are a few tips to help get you on the road to a healthy and less stressful financial future:
Create a budget to track your income and expenses. It can be very simple; start with your primary living expenses (rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, etc.) and work from most necessary to least necessary, creating a category for all your expense areas including those things you only pay for several times per year (examples include car repairs and car insurance).
Use a small notebook to track all of your cash expenses. Often, we purchase things during the day- a cup of coffee, an afternoon snack- and forget to include it in our budget. Those small expenses can add up so be sure to include them in your budget.
Once your budget is on paper, begin to look at ways you can manipulate it to achieve a goal. Do you want to pay off your debt more quickly? Do you want to create a dream fund to take a special trip or make a special purchase? Do you want to contribute more to your retirement savings? This is where the fun begins! Think of it as a big puzzle where you are moving the pieces around and trying to make them fit together into a better “picture”—a picture that reflects the life you want to be living.
Envision your dream. Create a Dreamscape (contact me at email below for a copy of this activity) to give image to your dream life. What will it look like? What will it include? How does money play a role in that dream? Be specific as to how much you will want and where it will come from (better paying job, modified lifestyle, etc.).
If you are feeling completely stuck, enlist help. If you feel like family history or a “bad” financial past is holding you back from moving to a healthier financial future, engage in some activities that will help your re-frame those negative beliefs. I often encourage clients to read The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman, which offers invaluable step-by-step advice to overcoming unhealthy and self-defeating behavior patterns concerning money. There are also a number of holistically minded financial planners out there. Additionally, I offer several programs that provide money coaching assistance and support. Please visit Transition Consulting and Coaching, for more information.
Engage in these first steps and you will be on your way to a less stressful, happier financial future. Remember- knowledge is power… especially when it comes to your money. Only by knowing where you are now will you be able create the foundation for where you want to be in the future.
Cathy Posner offers career and small business coaching services. Visit her website to learn more, http://www.transitionconsultingandcoaching.com. She can be reached by email at Cathy@TransitionConsultingandCoaching.com.
Being Prepared for a Career Transition
Being Prepared for A Career Transition
Nothing can be quite as overwhelming (or exciting) as when you are looking for a new job. If you are under a time constraint, that pressure can be monumental. And trying to create or update your resume when you are in a time pinch rarely results in something that will highlight your skills to your best advantage. One way to decrease some of that pressure- and to really shine for a potential employer- is to always have a current resume. You can do that by:
1) Adding current information- contact information, new responsibilities at your current job, and involvement in new professional or community organizations etc.- every six to eight months.
If you do not have an extensive work history, make a list of the various roles in your life (mother, caretaker of elderly parents, church volunteer, etc.) and the associated skills and responsibilities (maintaining schedule of five family members, liaison between nursing home staff and insurance companies, instructor or coordinator of religious education classes, etc.) You can then create a resume that is centered around your skills rather than your employment history.
For more information, contact Cathy Posner or consider attending her two-part class on Career Transition: Do the Work You Love through the Highland Schools Community Education classes. Call Cathy at 216-337-2106 for more information or to register.
