What If Every Month was the Holiday Season Month?

By on

People would be more compassionate
People would me more forgiving
People would be more thoughtful—giving and showing thanks
People would spend more time in wonder
People would invest in the power of magic and fairy dust
People would share extra hugs and laughter
People would think of those less fortunate
People would make connecting with others a priority
People would consider the transformative power of light in their lives literally and figuratively
—–The world would be kinder

What If Every Month was the Holiday Season Month?I recognize that the holiday season can also be lonely and sad for many people. Gaining 8 lbs. and shopping into debt might not be a wise monthly practice, either. At the same time, banning politics from family gatherings might be a good year-round pact!

In all seriousness, as busy as this time of year is, it provides a wonderful year end/ new year ritual. To be in a time and place that reflects centuries of traditions, feeling rooted in things that matter, IS available to us every month and every day if we remember to focus there.

That centered feeling where priorities are clear is what I want for you. I, the team at InterCoach, Inc. and the Authorized Facilitators at Now What?® Coaching, wish you all a joyous holiday season and a year of feeling focused and clear on what matters to you.

Happy Holidays and a Focused New Year!

When Google Doesn’t Hold Your Answers

By on

What Do You Want in Life If only we could just Google, “What should I do with my life?” and have the answers magically appear on our screen, laying out for us step by step the path to happiness … wouldn’t that be nice?

But, since that isn’t the way it works, here are some tips to get you going to answer this BIG question that so many people share.

7 Ways to Find the Answer to “What Should I Do With My Life?”

Take Control of Your Future

By on

5 Steps to Reinvent Yourself: Create the Future You VisualizeOften it’s when we’re hurting that we feel compelled to make a change, but we sometimes can’t imagine a way out.

Rather than letting your pain dictate your next steps or allowing life to happen TO you by chance, you can proactively get involved in charting and following a vision you’d like to create.

5 Steps to Reinvent Yourself: Create the Future You Visualize

PROCRASTINATION – The Killer of a Job Search or Career Exploration

By on

You think that life coaches don’t procrastinate? HA! Since I’ve put off writing this newsletter for three weeks, I figured there was no better topic this month than PRO-CRAS-TI-NA-TION.
I am a PRO: A pro-coach and a PRO procrastinator.

PROCRASTINATION—The Killer of a Job Search or Career ExplorationFor some, procrastination is a lifestyle. For others, it messes with their well-being and even screws up their relationships, job and life. I tend to go in spurts. I will have times of warrior-ass accomplishment and times of procrastination that can last a verrrrryyy long time. I’m a good prioritizer, BUT a lot of the time, I will use the ability to prioritize as a way to put more fun, easy and attainable tasks ahead of ones that will take longer to complete or not have an instant tangible result. Writing a newsletter has no instant, tangible result. Will you open the email? Read it? Give a hoot? Do anything about it? (OK you get the picture).

What can you do about procrastination? No app, scheduler or best friend is going to help you the way you are going to have to help yourself. I know “just do it” is trite, so I’ll put it another way. Anyone who has ever tried to write a blog post (try a friggin’ book!) or had to pay a bill when money is tight, or get a report in on time, knows that you eventually just have to force yourself to do it. Yes, FORCE yourself.

The ANTIDOTE to PROCRASTINATING = sheer FORCE!

Set a timer, promise yourself a reward, deprive yourself of something, make a deal with the devil—-whatever it is that will work for you—-there is not magic; there is only WILL.

Accountability helps. This is where a friend can come in and help to FORCE you or reward you with whatever it will take. It’s also the step that coaches provide as a built-in bonus when working with clients. And this coach has her own coach (actually a few—the diet coach, the speaking biz coach and an assistant who has twice a week calls with me that force me to meet deadlines).

If you are a member of the nation — the PROCRASTI-NATION — know that you are not alone, but also understand that you ALONE must DECIDE who is going to win.

Will you be triumphant? Let me know.

(Hey! Thanks for reading. Maybe it was worth FORCING myself to write today).

What Happens When Your Efforts Make No Difference?

By on

You fought as hard as you could. You jumped through every hoop. You kept your head in the game and your eye on the ball. AND you did not prevail!

Don't stop when you are tired sign yellow with stripes, road sign variation. Bright vivid sign with warning message.

WHAT??????!!

Four interviews over two weeks or seven callbacks over nine months; it doesn’t matter. Sometimes, you can do everything right and still not get what you want!

What do you do?

You grieve. For a bit. I suggest no more than three days. That’s my personal limit. After all, Jesus rose after three days, so it seems symbolically important too. (How’s that from a Jewish girl?)

AND THEN . . .

You pull yourself together and ask yourself: Do I want to quit, or do I want to allow this to make me work harder (and smarter)?

Depending on the answer, you act accordingly.

My daughter has chosen to follow in my musical theater footsteps, and it’s been a roller coaster of a ride. She worked professionally when she was a tween and came very, very close to several Broadway shows. She had HUGE “almosts.” Then, she became a teen — the kiss of death in professional theater. These are the “dead” years where you go back to your high school and community theaters and get more experience until you can come back as a pro after eighteen. (It’s less hassle to hire an 18-year-old who can play a younger teen, than hire a teen who comes with labor laws and schooling requirements).

We have been poised on that ledge of disappointment many, many times.
“Do you want to quit?”
“No,” she says.
“Then use this to build your determination to be the best you can be.”

The same goes for you.

Now, as a possible career transition seeker, not all circumstances roll like my daughter’s situation. Fighting ageism, changes in an industry, a gap in your resume and other issues don’t get resolved solely with determination and skill building. However, it does call for evolving determination, along with learning how to leverage your previous experience into something new and marketable.

That is where we come in. Please check out how to do this at Now What Coaching.