Now What?® Coaching

from Laura Berman Fortgang

Now What Coaching

It’s Garbage Day

By on

garbage-can1It’s time to take out the trash, folks, even if the trash is YOU.  I know that sounds rude, but it’s a new year and I’m turning 51 this week and as my patience for nonsense wanes at an astounding daily rate, I am passing my sass on to you. 

 

This is not a “misery loves company” scenario. No.  It’s an I-don’t-care-what-you-think-of-me, but I do know what works slap down.  I want my sass to slap your _____(rhymes with sass) into action.  Maybe some ego mixed in there, but no harm is intended.

 

Do you want to gain clarity in your life? Do you want to figure out your next career steps? Do you want to feel commitment to a bigger vision of what’s possible for yourself?  Then, call it a trash day every day for the rest of this month and get on with it.

 

People underestimate the importance of a clear slate to strategizing new horizons.  We mistakenly think we can compensate for and overlook the physical clutter, emotional baggage, poor health, soured relationships and dysfunctional work or home scenarios.  We think we can carve out an escape route and all of that will fall away behind us and it’s just not true.  Problems will follow you even into a shinier new situation. Wading through the garbage is what gets us to a clear, new, unfettered path. 

 

I am not advocating for perfection and tidiness in all areas, but what I am asking for is a higher level of awareness.  Garbage drains you of energy, mental bandwidth, creativity, awareness of your intuition and peace.  Without those, you are just existing and not growing and probably feeling down and discouraged.

 

Michael is a high-level, well-paid executive who has lost his edge.  He doesn’t feel any passion for his work anymore although he did five or six years ago.  Relationships are strained at his job, he’s wearing out his friends with the same repetitive complaints and he doesn’t feel motivated to keep up with his exercise routine.  He hired me because he wants to make a decision about where to focus to find a new job opportunity.  Where we started was with the clutter.  Sustainable, good decisions aren’t made in the midst of chaos.  As he addressed the chaos, I could hear his confidence building.  Week by week, his conviction and vision of what he wanted for himself grew.  The ah-ha’s are already breaking through like the sun does after a rainy afternoon, and I know that definitive decisions and actions on the career move are immediately imminent.

 

Shouldn’t that be you?  It’s garbage day.  You know what to do.

THE ANSWER MAY BE ON THE PRAIRIE

By on

by Now What?® Coaching Founder, Laura Berman Fortgang

Speaking at a session of “Lives in Transition” a networking and support group north of New York City, I was inspired by the resourcefulness of the participants. Many had started businesses or were charging for services to make money knowing that waiting for their respective industries to get back to hiring was not the smartest strategy.

It’s time to tell you about my “Little House on the Prairie Theory”. You see, for about a dozen years, I have not been able to shake the occasional vision of the aerial view of the town where the famous TV series took place. A long camera shot centered on the white church/schoolhouse in a dirt clearing that included the general store, the doctor’s office and a few other sundry buildings and businesses.

It was only a few years ago that I began to understand why I was seeing this image in my mind’s eye. I interpret its meaning to be a symbol for how we are somewhat moving backwards in time in the evolution of work. It’s coming around full circle. As more and more people are forced to reinvent, there seems to be a homecoming to varied skills, talents, gifts and strengths that are leading people back to selling their wares and focusing on their skill set the way an artisan would.

Does this mean that the best option in the slow recovery is to be in your own business? Not necessarily, but it does mean thinking like an artist when it comes to finding what is marketable about you. It may not be the same skill set that you’ve been making the theme of your resume. It may very well be something you loved in the past or that you do as a hobby or that is the sweet spot about whatever you did for employment in the past.

The key is leveraging that thing to make money. It may not be the same money you were used to, but it will put you on the path to recovery and only time will tell what else.

Martin B. did all the right things lining up his life as a young man to complete school and qualify for a corporate employee’s life. Having done so well compared to his family, he questioned his sanity when a job layoff had him considering other options for his future other than landing another corporate job. He thought he was nuts when he was fantasizing about making a career out of his love for the great outdoors. As luck would have it, someone he knew was selling a small resort in a mountainous area near by. He was not ready to invest so heavily but he also could not ignore the depth of the calling in his heart.

As I’ve seen with many people before, coincidences like the one above can scare the bejeezus out of people. Granted, there are many real considerations to making such a huge leap, but I cannot discount the timing of admitting to something you would love to do and having a possible opportunity suddenly pop up.

Martin started making more trips into nature and accepting invitations to travel that would keep him outdoors. The time in open space did a lot for reaching greater clarity and gaining resolve. No definite changes have happened yet, but I predict it’s just a matter of time.

I see more and more people being willing to make big changes to their lifestyles to live life doing something that is meaningful to them. Even if that’s not you, follow the clues to your next steps set out by those things that are truly unique to you. They are not in your life for no good reason. The reason is huge. It’s up to you if it’s compelling enough to take action on it.

Me and my wagon— we’ll be out in the Prairie waiting for you. After all, my name isn’t Laura for no reason.

Now What? Q &A-Is it the right time to start the program?

By on

Today’s question is one that is often asked by our readers and is answered by Ginny Kravitz, Deputy Editor.                                                                                                                                        

Question:

How do I know if this is the right time for me to start the Now What?® program?

Answer:

Here are some examples of other people who considered the same question of when to start.  Perhaps you can relate to them:                       

Norah, a Benefits Manager in Seattle Washington, was eager to look at her career options and had given herself a deadline for deciding whether to stay on the same path or try something new.  She was happy to find the Now What?® program but wondered about being able to devote the time and energy it would require as she was also working on other goals:  delegating more at work, organizing her home and office, and reducing what she called a “state of clutter”.  Norah’s instinct told her that her hesitation had more to do with her habit of procrastinating as well as some jitters about anticipated changes that might result from this work.  She decided to go ahead and begin the program with my reassurance that she could give herself permission to adjust the pace if needed.  Norah was pleased to discover that the first trio of chapters in Now What?® are about moving through “blocks to clarity” and this supported her goal to reduce clutter.  Reaching the midpoint of the program, Norah had made significant discoveries about what makes her unique and what brings purpose and meaning to her work.  She is now looking forward to researching potential fields of interest however has decided to take a break before completing the second half of the program, so that she can focus exclusively on specific health issues that need to be addressed.  For Norah, this is the right decision at this time.

Mark, a software analyst, tells me that he’s had the Now What?® book for a few years and while he’s made some discoveries on his own, he is ready to go deeper by working with a coach.  Mark thinks he’s allowed the status quo for too long and now feels a sense of urgency to first identify and then make the changes that will bring him greater fulfillment in his career and allow him to spend more time with his family.

When Anita, an IT professional, first began the Now What?® program two years ago she had a dual strategy of: 1) finding a new job as soon as possible so that she could leave a stress-filled work environment and 2) doing the creative soul searching about where she might ultimately want to take her career.  Anita has since changed jobs and is working in a much better environment.  She is also pursuing a variety of interests outside work that are bringing her much enjoyment.  Anita comments that she only wishes she had started the Now What?® program sooner and advises others not to wait.

Only you can say when it’s the right time to invest your energy in making a change.  While it’s important to check your commitment level and be willing to make some time for the work, it is not necessary (or possible) to wait for all the ducks to be in a row.  The bottom line is that if you are drawn to this work, then pay attention to that inkling and take a step to find out more.  Pick up the book, take the quiz, talk to one of our coaches, or sign up for the The Now What?® Newsletter and come to the next community call hosted by Laura.  What is telling you that it’s the right time to move forward?