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who is a person at 70: creating the ideal life

July 27, 2017 by

So as I approach turning 70, I’m somewhat of a mess. You see my mother had a massive stroke on her 70th birthday and was paralyzed in a wheelchair for ten plus years. Her life changed on a dime and my father’s too. For he became her caregiver.

As a result I began to appreciate my ability to walk, something I had taken for granted. And also having two arms that functioned. I started walking every day and being mindful of accessibility, which was seriously lacking back then. My mother had her mind, but not her body. I wondered which was worse to lose.

When my father died, my mother moved into a nursing home. She chose not to move into my home in Virginia, even though I constructed accommodations. As the only child I became an executive caretaker while the “home” did the heavy lifting. Her life became very limited.

But am I my mother at 70? Is it ok to carve out a different path? I no longer walk daily and my diet is far from perfect. But my stress level has improved since retiring as a psychotherapist. I have my own part-time coaching business that brings me great satisfaction. I have a loving husband who takes good care of me and we are designing a great life.

One uncertain part for me is that my husband is 86 and it’s unknown how long we will have together. He is healthier than I and takes care of himself, but you never know these things. We all have an expiration date. Uncertainty is the norm. The life I had before is gone and the one I have now will not last forever. Change is the rule. And for a control freak like me, I don’t like to acknowledge that.

But here I am, thinking about my 70th birthday. I want to make it different than my mother’s, so I’ve planned a trip in Polynesia on a boat. Could I have gone any further or exotic? Yet that is what I enjoy, new sights, new cultures, water. This is a long term dream and I’m making it come true.

I actually have had a few dreams that came true. Always wanted to see Machu Picchu and did that for my retirement present. Always wanted to help the less fortunate and that’s been most of my career. I wanted to have biological and adopted children and did that. I wanted to see Washington DC and I’ve lived here for 40+ years. I wanted to study, live and work abroad and I’ve done that. I wanted to see the world and I’m progressing on that. I wanted to use my Spanish language skills and I do that. I wanted to give back and I do that. I wanted to winter in hot spots and I’m doing that. I wanted to live by the water and I’m renting that. I wanted to continuously learn and I do that.

So what does it mean to be 70? I can still do whatever I want. There are few restrictions. My feet and knees hurt, but I can hike for miles. I can put more effort into losing weight, eating healthy and being more active. I can make room for that. My mind is active.

Being 70, healthy and financially stable means I can design my next chapters. I can work as I want. I can coach, love my family, write a book, become an artist, create some projects. There are new interests driving me to explore.

While I’m living my ideal life, some things are missing. I have regrets and sadness regarding some loved ones. They struggle more than I’d hope. My learning is to love them where they are and work at adjusting my worries and expectations. I can’t control anyone but myself.

So I will stop comparing and be grateful for what I have. That’s it, be grateful for the joy and meaning that color my life. I have family and friends, health, a purpose and can create more. Anything is possible.

“God’s not done with me yet”
Jesse Jackson

I will continue to learn, grow and improve. I will be courageous and live to the last breath. I will be good to people and help them as I’m able. I will be proud of myself. I will get off my duff and be active and alive. I will stay hopeful and work to better the world.

Ask yourself:

What makes your ideal life?
What is being vs doing?
What are your life lessons?
What do you want to change, keep, let go of?

Giddy up and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Life Design, Self Knowledge, Wellbeing Tagged With: , , , ,

it’s never too late: career possibilities

May 3, 2017 by

Are you still waiting for your dream career or are you there? You know it when you have it. It may not be perfect, but it feeds your purpose and curiosity. It’s easier to know when you aren’t there. You may have more of the “not there” experiences or ones that started out well, but soured over time.

Perhaps what you wanted at 30 is not what you are wanting today. Your interests have taken a detour along with your priorities. Or you regret never really going after that ideal passion. Instead you’ve worked for financial well being, not to feed your spirit. Is it too late? Will you stay with the familiar? Or is it time for a change?

Many ingredients go into a change, two being readiness and courage. Where you work cannot be too comfortable. There needs to be a reason for change, more than you just want something new. You need to be hungry, willing to risk and curious about answering that call.

Shon Hopwood’s life started off poorly until he found work he was good at and enjoyed. Disinterested in college, Shon fell into robbing banks and served time in prison. There he unexpectedly found a passion and purpose. Eventually Shon worked his way into a career he loves as a Georgetown University Law Professor and a cause he believes in. Shon helps the less fortunate and is committed to reforming criminal sentencing.

In a way Shon fell into a field that was vital to him and his prison community. He learned to improve his life. Now on the outside he continues to help that community and teach law students to do the same.

Think of the areas you are attracted to due to personal or family experiences. A teacher who hated school but wants to improve it for others. A physician whose parent suffered from a chronic illness who wants to heal. A politician who lived in a poor neighborhood who wants to upgrade services for all. An immigrant who began a business and wants to employ newcomers.

What motivates you? What interests you? What are you good at? Every day you are exposed to things that spark your interest and touch your heart. Pay attention. If you stay mired in the same work that no longer serves you, you miss opportunities to charge after something new.

Shon was in a rut and his poor choices landed him in a seemingly hopeless situation. And yet he thrived in the prison library. Soaking up knowledge, writing and helping his colleagues. When he was released, people helped him because they recognized his passions and efforts.

It’s never a waste to work hard and create an meaningful role for yourself. The skills, relationships and experiences gained will asset you in your next chapter. After 15 years Dorothy has risen to management in her organization. She’s noticed for her contributions, but she no longer feels fulfilled. The skills that provide for her financial support don’t excite her anymore. The company’s mission doesn’t touch her heart. She’s feeling stagnant.

But can Dorothy make a change at 55? Is it too late? She can retire in 10 years. Is it best to hold on and wait until then? But what will be different at 65? What will Dorothy design then to have a meaningful life?

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been”

George Eliot

Beginning the inquiry now when you feel the dissatisfaction empowers you toward a solution. Staying stuck is never comfortable. Taking action, any action is an investment in the future.

Dorothy chooses to explore her interests. She notices where her eyes go, how she prefers to spend her time. She finds a theme that repeats, that was nagging her years ago. Sometimes you drop an interest or a talent for good reasons at the time. But now is a new opportunity to pursue something that brings meaning into your life.

Giving yourself permission to create the “just right” life of your dreams is scary. You have been settling for so long, it’s an automatic habit. Defining the direction and ingredients you really want is putting a stake in the ground. Shon knew that convicted felons rarely get a law license, but he went after it anyway. He faced possible failure and won.

You can declare: This is what I want. This is who I am. This is what I believe in. I’m going to do something about it. What if instead of asking, “Is it too late”, you proclaim, “It’s about time”.

Start Now:

Choose this as “your time”
Make your Yes, No, Maybe lists
Find immediate ways to add passion to your day
Hang out with people who share your passions

Take the leap and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , ,

chasing your dreams: the interim step

March 27, 2017 by

Last month I met several people who traveled near and far to realize one of their dreams. For some it was securing their ideal work. For others it was choosing a lifestyle fit for their souls. How often do you ask, “Am I living my dreams?” No matter what age, you ponder how close you’ve come and what still lies ahead.

Transition points can occur naturally or with effort. You graduate school and move into the work world. You change jobs as you advance in your career. Your children grow up and launch. You create a business. You leave the paid workforce. These transitions shape who you become and reflect on how authentically your path evolves.

An example of a crooked path that represents a life well-lived is Juan. I met Juan, a surfing instructor, in Costa Rica. Before he was able to actualize his dream, Juan’s passion for surfing led him on a detour. Juan grew up in a South American region with economic and political unrest, violence and kidnapping. He felt unsafe and feared for his family’s welfare. Surfing became an interest and escape from the stresses of daily life.

When Juan became an adult, his goal was to move to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. As it happened, he went by way of Canada. Frequently, a straight line doesn’t exist to reach your goal. The goals identified in youth are transfigured by the experiences and information you obtain while on the road. At times you may feel totally off course and wonder, “How did I get here and why am I doing this work that doesn’t interest me?” or “Why am I living here or with this person?”

In Juan’s case he went to Canada to live in safety with his sister. He didn’t speak English and didn’t see an opportunity to surf, but a surprise was in store for him. Through his interests, he met a community of people who loved surfing and did it on the Great Lakes! As Juan says, “I didn’t expect to be surfing with ice on my beard”. But he was surfing and learning to teach others and studying English.

Eventually Juan made it to Costa Rica where he has the life of his dreams. He has a wife, a child, his family has joined him and he created his own business. Juan teaches others to use surfing as a means for growth and transformation.

“If you listen to your own inner voice, it will tell you where you are now, and which method will work best for you in your evolution towards the light”

Ram Dass

If you are stuck in a situation that seems not working for you, what are your options? Dissatisfaction leads to feelings of hopelessness and despair. You lose your creativity and positivity. One way to determine where you are is to cherry pick the good parts. Who is special in your community? What skills are you learning? What values are you expressing? What purpose is being shared? Selecting out the opportunities in your current position and viewing this time as a stepping stone help to cherish this moment in your life cycle.

You are never wasting time when you’re in an interim step. This can be a jumping off point for the next, tailor-made situation. Take in whatever you can. Ask what you need to learn and seek possibilities to do it.

So I spent the winter in a surf town. I’m not a surfer, nor did I plan to become one. But I learned from that community and I reveled in the parts that worked for me. I discovered what it means to fight to be in that almost perfect place that makes your heart sing.

Perhaps your community isn’t exactly what you want it to be. Perhaps you aren’t living your values doing precisely what you dreamed, but the experiences can be important. Being flexible, curious and open to possibilities and turns in the road can lead you closer to your authentic life.

Make use of Now:

Create your vision
Enumerate the parts
Check off what you have
What’s missing?
How can you get it now?
How can you make the leap?

Enjoy the curves and see you on the path!

 

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

seasons of your career: change you design

November 22, 2016 by

No matter where you are on your Career Life Line, ten years ago it looked different and it may change in the next ten years. Your parents and grandparents probably worked many years at one place. But just as factory and farm jobs have dwindled, 20-30 year long careers are often a thing of the past. Career reinvention has become the norm as we work into our 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

To see how far you’ve come, draw a line across a piece of paper to create a Career Timeline. Start noting work in your teens and progress to today. There may be some non-employment sections where family care, education or sabbaticals were your focus. By analyzing your reactions to each period or season, you can gather information on their personal significance.

What motivates you at 50 is often different than at 25. Unless you live a single life, family influences your decisions: where to work, how intensely, what salary, amount of travel and responsibility. The risks you undertake depend on your responsibilities. If you have only yourself to care for, you may take more chances: go overseas, live simply, change jobs frequently, start a business.

But often in the middle of your life, you have commitments that color your decision making. Maybe it’s children, aging parents, a partner, mortgage or other debts. These are practical obstacles. Unlike obstacles, your motivators call you to follow your passions, grow in expertise, make a difference, become a leader or accumulate a fortune.

When Mark graduated college he felt an urge to see the world. His interest in becoming a financial analyst was intriguing, but the call to leave the U.S. was greater. Combining both was a possibility that Mark investigated. He was able to secure an opportunity in India with an international company. Because he had no ties in the form of partner, children, mortgage or aging parents,  Mark told himself this was his window of opportunity. He could follow the risky path. He took the job and tested out life overseas and India in particular.

When have you taken a fairly risky career jump? I took my first one at 19 by teaching English in Colombia. After a semester abroad, I had 8 months free from college and sought out more experiences. This proved invaluable to me personally and professionally. While I never was a full time educator after that, I have always incorporated teaching into my life work.

“Most things worth doing come with their fair share of risks”
Kirsten Beyer

As Mark aged, his priorities changed. After 5 years he transferred with his company back to the U.S. He had traveled greatly which was invigorating, but he missed his family and friends and wanted to experience life in the U.S. again. The good news was that he had gained expertise and advanced in his company. A low risk change. Over the years, Mark married, raised a family and bought a house. His need for stability grew.

Frequently at midlife the reasons you work are complicated. You may be responsible for others and have serious financial obligations. Your freedom to take large risks is compromised. Much weighs on your decisions. This restriction may feel like a burden that you’d like to throw off. Some people do this through divorce, job termination or drastic moves. Sometimes that works and sometimes not.

What are your options during this responsible period? And what lies after it? Although it may not feel like it now, life gets more simple as you age. If you are fortunate, you launch your children, are financially secure and your health is good. Any of these can go wrong, which complicates the picture and changes your focus temporarily.

But let’s hope that you handle the bumps that come along and eventually end up in a calmer period of time. This is a season when you can again focus clearly on your livelihood and life style. And take a risk.

For Mark he wanted more freedom in his 60’s so he could return to travel and foreign living, so he became an international consultant. For me I wanted to work for myself and also have the flexibility to follow my interests. During 4 years I planned an exit from my main career, including financial planning, career identification and re-training. By 59 I was ready to move on and start a new business. No one was dependent on me, so the risk was mine alone. I had a mortgage, but also a nest egg and significant experience.

The seasons of your careers grow and develop. It’s up to you. You create the scenario partly through your actions and partly by how you handle unexpected life events. The best reminder is that you are the captain of your own ship. If you want change, head in that direction.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done”
Nelson Mandela

Craft your seasons:

Identify your passions
Choose an opportunity for change
Design the needed preparation
Commit on a beginning date

Step outside the box and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , , ,

working for yourself: the entrepreneur within

August 23, 2016 by

You have unique ideas. You dream of working at something you love. You feel bored at work. Your co-workers are nice, but your heart isn’t engaged in your present role. You aren’t even sure the organization’s mission resonates with you anymore.

Perhaps you have traveled this experience as far as you can. Or perhaps you can alter your current position to better things in the future. You can either unravel what is possible within or outside of your organization.

Often at midlife employees feel chained to their jobs. Some call it “Golden Handcuffs”. I first heard that term when I worked for local government. All of a sudden the job you took on a whim in your twenties/thirties has lasted 20 plus years and you are deep into the benefits package. Your lifestyle and responsibilities have grown and you are living well on those benefits. Alternate companies are no longer offering defined retirement plans, 5 weeks vacation, security, recognition.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now”

Chinese Proverb

What would make you leave all that behind? What leap are you willing to take? Some people have a burning desire to create their own business. After learning the ropes in a particular field, you want to be in charge, to do it your way, to be creative. Or you have a secondary interest that has followed you throughout your life. It never seemed practical enough to provide support, but it kept calling you.

Maybe you left it behind or maybe you made it a hobby. But it’s always brought you great pleasure and satisfaction. It’s something you could learn about and practice for hours without tiring. What would it be like to turn this love into a business?

The fear in taking this passion seriously is that it would erase the joy. It would become work and resemble what you are struggling with now. So you ignore the call and put it in the impossible dream category.

What if you had the courage to look at it differently? What if you examined the possibilities versus the unlikelihoods?

Marion loves designing and sewing. Since being a young girl, she has drawn and made her own clothes. Marion learned from her mother who created her children’s clothes for financial reasons. Marion has less time now to sew and more money from her job as a bank Vice President to buy designer clothes. But she’s still fascinated by the innovative, hands on process.

What can Marion do? It might be foolish to give up what she has developed as a professional. But every year she is feeling more restless, less satisfied. Her job is not very creative. She is extremely competent at her position, but has little wiggle room to operate differently.

Marion takes an Italian vacation and visits Positano. There she is fascinated by the unique stores selling handmade clothes and shoes. She learns the town has a long history of family workshops and begins talking with the owners, designers and seamstresses. She is in heaven to be around these people.

Once home to her real world, Marion cannot forget what she experienced in Positano. She wonders about having her own business. Is it an unachievable dream or something she could establish? Being a practical person with many resources, Marion begins researching the design trade. She locates people to interview. She begins drafting a business plan.

Having seen many business plans as a bank official, Marion is familiar with the required elements. Each one leads her to more thought and investigation regarding niche, legalities, expenses, marketing. She takes a local course given by a small business attorney to learn more. All the while, Marion is planning and building, weighing the costs and benefits. She is excited.

While Marion knows she likes to design and sew, there are more pieces needed to run a successful business. She identifies those and consults people who are doing them. She ponders the options of a brick and mortar store, or online sales or supplying inventory to larger companies. Which would bring her most satisfaction? Delivering the products into the hands of customers or being further removed?

All the while, Marion is examining her financials. What is needed to begin a business? How much does she require to live on? What is the risk of leaving the bank and going off on her own? What is the risk of never trying this?

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable”

Christopher Reeve

We’ll learn more about Marion’s decisions next month.  Meanwhile you can:

Identify your work passion
Ask what part of it intrigues you
Visualize developing a business
Find role models to learn from
Assess your financial health

Start dreaming and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design Tagged With: , , , , ,

career metamorphosis: transforming your life

February 29, 2016 by

Exploring the tropics of Panama this month woke me up to several vibrant transformations of insects and people. Surrounded by growth, energy and adventure, the flora and fauna are brilliant and the people live with gusto.

At the “Butterfly Haven” we witnessed Morpho butterflies transform into an entirely different shape and form. There is no mini figure growing into an adult. Instead, it is a complete metamorphosis.

Viewing the metamorphosis of the Morpho reminds me of how people change and develop throughout their lives. Sometimes that change is gradual and others it feels abrupt. In humans change can be stimulated by an awakening desire to do something different, to become someone different.

The realization that your current career is not fulfilling or is not bringing you joy usually creeps up. Many people are surprised that a job they fought for and carried out for years is now bringing them a sense of gloom. When did it change and why? When did your dreams of implementing a new vision absorb more of your energy than the efforts to move ahead in your current position?

Is there a life cycle of job compatibility? Looking back over your work history provides information on what worked and what caused that irritation that later was impossible to ignore. Initially you are “all in”. You need to be in order to succeed and grow in new circumstances. Your focus is driven toward making this work.

But in time, there is a shift. You may settle in and love how you are contributing. You admire the development of your skills, appreciate your results and enjoy your team and leaders.

But often over time, that enjoyment changes. Is it a natural ending to the job satisfaction life cycle or have systems changed so much that the job you began is now unrecognizable? It’s predictable that everything changes: you, the players, needs, trends, solutions, technology…At times you roll with the changes and are intrigued by them and at others they begin to grate. Grate against your values, your talents, your interests.

And now you want out. But where to go? Do you require a complete transformation from caterpillar to butterfly or a more subtle alternative?

The Panama we observed seems to attract pioneers. People leaving behind their former professions and starting something new. One was a dentist who, while looking for a retirement home, ended up as a chocolate farmer and tour guide. Another was a photographer who took a risk by owning a B&B. A third was a group of friends, including a “reformed attorney”, who longed to create a fishing camp but instead built an eco lodge targeting birders.

All heard the call of a different way of life and work. All investigated the possibilities and weighed the pros and cons. All were comfortable with taking a risk, knowing that nothing is guaranteed in life. They went into their transformations with clear eyes and the excitement for what lay ahead. One comforts himself with the knowledge that he could go back if needed. All established some form of safety net. They are thrilled by their results and intrigued by the challenges ahead.

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk…In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks”

Mark Zuckerberg

So what’s standing in the way of implementing your dreams? We all have barriers: fear, money, lack of information, inertia. The difference between those that get things done and those that obsess about it is action. Step by step, making the plan to get closer to that goal and acting on it.

Here’s the truth. Action feels wonderful. It makes you feel alive, even if you have doubts. But inertia feels confusing, heavy, overwhelming. If you don’t like where you are, do something about it. If it’s scary, find a community, follow role models, fill in the knowledge blanks.

In life you may start in one place and end up in a totally different one like the butterfly. The ongoing practice of increasing your self awareness promotes success in designing the “just right” fit.

Begin your metamorphosis:

Define your dreams
Establish your targets
Identify the first 3 steps
Step onto the path
Encourage yourself

Smooth flying and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , ,

taking shortcuts: career transition options

September 26, 2015 by

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon we kayaked from the Pentagon to Georgetwon, sharing the Potomac River with various water enthusiasts. The views were breathtaking and the exercise devine. Paddling farther than ever before, I began to think about the way back. Would it be possible to take a different route? One that was shorter, easier, quicker?

So I proposed that we leave the river and enter a creek that was a parallel shortcut to our launch site. We’d gone this way before and it was peaceful, solitary, and filled with birds and turtles. It seemed like the perfect plan.

However after a short distance, the creek became filled with green, seaweed-type plants. Was this hydrilla that had spread since our last visit? Once we had taken this route and the low tide required us to portage. This time we had sufficient water, but the vegetation stopped our boats cold. We were about halfway in and couldn’t see our destination yet. “Perhaps it will get better,” I thought. “I’d hate to turn around and go back.” So we stroked very hard, trying to rid our paddles of the accumulating green plants that hung on everything.

If we stopped, we stayed stuck. It reminded me of stories about quicksand disasters…no way out. We tried to make paths for each other. The first one clearing a way for the second. All the while I’m thinking, “this really wasn’t a smart move, Candy. Why did you think you could cut corners and make it back easier and faster?”

Once home safely with aching arms, I began to see the parallels with decisions we make in life. And especially with times when we want to change our work. Perhaps we yearn to join a new, more evolved company or more radically, we envision switching to a completely new career. Once we decide to make the change, we want it to happen fast. And even easy would be great.

So we search for the shortcuts. Veronica is a counselor who works with homeless families. She loves helping her clients, but the work is often challenging and the resources are scarce. As Veronica ages, she would like shorter hours and easier work. The field of Life Coaching is making news these days. Veronica doesn’t know much about it, but some of her colleagues are talking about a switch.

Veronica attends a workshop on coaching and is intrigued. She would love to work with people who have sufficient resources to create desired changes in their lives. Veronica signs up for a coach training course and starts to plan her job exit. Veronica is thinking that with her background and this training, she’ll have a coaching practice up in less than one year.

Many people are attracted to changing their field of work. However, they are reluctant to spend time and money on a new degree or certification and training. They worry they are too old to spend a long time “starting over”. They want the destination, but hope to avoid the journey. These obstacles can result in remaining in a dissatisfying work environment or jumping into something new with little preparation or thought.

Avoiding what you view as a challenge can bring greater impediments. Without proper information and planning, Veronica may have unrealistic expectations of her proposed career as a coach. One way to get the inside facts is to interview people who are doing work you admire. It’s important to get current information on the trends, opportunities, salaries, skills needed, demand, and competition.

What if I had asked someone about the current conditions in the creek? If I had known the path was overgrown and had compared the effort required with that of the river route, I would have had greater knowledge to make an informed decision. Instead, I impulsively tried the “easy” option. Sometimes what’s best for you isn’t the quickest or the easiest. Sometimes the harder path takes you to where you really want to go.

“It shouldn’t be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It’s the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something’s difficult to come by, you’ll do that much more to make sure it’s even harder-or impossible-to lose”
Sarah Dessen

Design your route:

Determine your end goal
Interview role models
Identify the steps needed
Examine the cost/benefits
Begin or re-work your plan

Full speed ahead and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions Tagged With: , ,

beginning a new job: demonstrating your value, part 3

August 31, 2015 by

You were hired to produce results. As basic as that sounds, achieving results early in a new job can be a challenge. You may be entering a role that is familiar. Or perhaps, you are moving up to one of greater responsibility and authority, either within your organization or elsewhere.

This new role is one you sought out and thought about for a long time. Now that it’s yours, how will you demonstrate your value to your employer? You seek to be recognized for the good work you do. In order to insure success, here are some principles to keep in mind.

You aren’t in Kansas anymore. What worked in previous environments may or may not work here. To enter a new organization with a pre-conceived solution may set you up for failure. You can bring your previous skills, knowledge, values, and experience, but a solution is developed over time.

Often you lack extensive time to prove yourself. Michael D. Watkins talks of the “break even point, the time when you contribute as much value to the organization as you consume”. To create that value it helps to establish a 90 day work plan which includes priorities, goals, strategies, and deadlines. This is accomplished in collaboration with your supervisor and team. Regular feedback on your progress will keep you on track to become successful.

Maria recently was promoted to head the department where she has worked for 10 years. Maria holds many ideas of improvements that can benefit her former peers as well as streamline results. She is an expert in her previous role and respected in the company. However, Maria has never directed a unit nor partnered with management.

Maria’s 90 day plan needs to include her personal learning objectives as well as early wins that matter to the organization. Maria and her supervisor need to establish realistic expectations for her first 90 days. Maria will accelerate her transition by focusing on the company’s stated priorities versus her preferred ideas for change.

As time goes by, Maria realizes the view from the Manager’s office is different than where she stood before. She now has more information: input from other units, contact with clients, and competitors. Maria feels more invested in the organization’s success. While she hasn’t lost her former perspective, Maria is building on it to function effectively in her new position. She finds this both exciting and challenging.

While theses first 90 days in a new job are filled with learning, growing, producing, and building new relationships, they can be exhausting. The self care you were able to manifest before the transition helps some, but this care needs to continue in order to fuel your development.

How many times have you begun a new job only to say later, “What have I gotten myself into?” The pressure and uncertainty can become overwhelming. Therefore, another “must do” is creating a unique self care plan.

“We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we’ll also have a lot more joy in living.”

Thich Nhat Hahn

Stress is a huge factor in our work lives and even more during transitions. Having a plan to combat stress includes exercise, eating whole foods, adopting a support network, and having an outlet for fun. Pick an activity that brings you healthy joy with people you trust and care about. Some possibilities are: a hiking club, dancing, painting, or acting. We all require an outlet and social interaction outside of work to relieve pressure.

Maria is now three months into her new position. It’s been a tremendous learning experience and she’s fortunate to have a supportive boss as her mentor. People want Maria to succeed. Her perspective of “new eyes” is bringing innovative strategies to increase the company’s bottom line. There’s more growth to come, but Maria is off to a promising beginning.

Establish your 90 day plan:

Align it with the organization’s priorities
Develop necessary skills
Demonstrate early wins
Evaluate your progress
Practice self care

Enjoy your transition and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions Tagged With: , , ,

career year end review: wins and lessons

December 29, 2014 by

Sonnenuntergang in den Bergen
It’s common to make New Year resolutions at this time, but how many of you review the year you are exiting? Especially in work life, whether you work for yourself or others, you can learn lessons to guide your progress and growth.

If you were to close your eyes and scan over the past 12 months, what stands out? Is it that fantastic trip you took, or precious time spent with friends and family, or does something work-related make you smile?

Most of us need to work to earn a living, but what else does your career bring you? What are the meaningful parts of your role? What keeps you engaged? What demonstrates that your efforts matter?

Lisa works in the healing arts and is reminded that her hard work matters when clients praise the positive results of her efforts. Harry, a musician, is motivated to continue long hours of practice when audiences cheer and return to experience his superb performances. Tony feels recognized when his boss salutes him in meetings and hands over more authority.

While exterior validation feels yummy, what are you hearing inside yourself? What’s going well from your perspective? How do you measure success in your work? Is it quantitative, objective, or emotional? By making yearly career goals it is possible to evaluate your progress. This can be the year to begin a structured process to know where you are:

1. List your most important career Wins of the last year. For example, these could be advancements in pay or responsibility, completion of projects, or advanced skill development. Karen was asked to take on new responsibilities when a co-worder suddenly left. While she felt unprepared to carry out unfamiliar duties, Karen jumped in. She grew new skills by working with a mentor as well as taking an online course. Now Karen is amazed and proud of what she can do.

2. Make note of those times when you are in Flow: you are so immersed that time flies by. Analyze the pattern of those times. Are you working with a team, creating something unique, or using a skill you are very comfortable with? Marty finds whenever he is thinking outside the box, he is extremely satisfied and excited.

“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life”

Jean Shinoda Bolen

3. List your Lessons learned: those things you love to do, those you’d rather avoid, your system for finding solutions. Sarah realizes she is better having great independence than being micro-managed. Often failures while painful, can teach us a great deal. Bob took a risk with a friend to start a new business. They were matched in their talents and ended up competing in decision making because they lacked complementary skills.

4. Appreciate all the Skills you have used as well as new ones gained. Imagine how these skills can be transferable. Marion is a great cheer leader for her team. She can translate those skills into leadership and management opportunities.

5. What Risks paid off the most this year? Stretching out of your box and doing something new lead to growth. Which one of these risks reaped returns? Was the “pain” worth the “gain”?

6. List the new Relationships you have made and how you want to prosper from their existence. Bob joined the Board of a non-profit and is meeting professionals outside of his field. It is bringing an infusion of viewpoints and personalities that spice up his life.

Once you have an overview of this year’s work, it’s time to look ahead. What do you want for yourself in the future? Set your intentions. Where do you want to be? Is it staying where you are, moving to a new role in the same organization, or is it time to move out? People put off making changes waiting for the planets to align, but the reality is that nothing will be perfectly timed for a change. You can make the change now on your terms or have change happen to you without your input.

“Life has no smooth road for any of us and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself”

WC Doane

Whatever you decide, it helps to have an accountability partner to brainstorm goals, steps, and review progress. Whether this partner is a peer, a colleague, or a professional coach matters less than the act of committing to a regular process.

So look back before you look ahead:

Make sense of this year
Write your “take aways”
Keep what you like
Discard the rest
Take a new step forward

Be bold and see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design, Self Knowledge Tagged With: , , ,

Step Two to Finding Your True Calling

January 19, 2013 by

 

Seagull

Once you have a vision of where you want to be in the future, you are ready to take the next step.  Perhaps you’ve heard the story of someone walking into Baskin Robbins and telling the clerk, “I don’t want vanilla ice cream”.  OK, but what DO you want? Even though you are certain about what you don’t want, it is vital to take the risk to go after what you do.

Maybe your vision is solidly formed or just an inkling of what’s next.  It may come to you in images, phrases or sensations. Whatever floats into your consciousness is a message that gives you something to work with.  It’s like anything you have created from scratch:  a meal, a garden, a letter, or a piece of clothing.  You get started and it grows to express your desires.

What does your future vision tell you?  Tease out the theme of your calling.  Does it cry out for you to work more creatively or more independently or to deliver more impact in the world?  As you mature, the motivators that drive your direction begin to change. What was driving you five years ago, may no longer be relevant.  New interests and priorities are growing within you.  For example, it is noted that the desire to leave a legacy increases as we age.  We want to make a contribution.

Ask yourself which parts of your work/life need tweaking.  Where will you get most return for your effort?  What do you see when you close your eyes?  When I close my eyes, I see clouds representing various aspects of my life.  If you were to grab hold of one aspect of your life to change, where would you start?

Often we bite off more than we can handle and quickly give up in disappointment when results aren’t immediately forthcoming.  Instead if you were to take one aspect of your work or life and turn the dial 5-10 degrees toward your desired vision, how would that be?  Often small changes allow us to luxuriate in a new space and decide if that’s the direction we are truly seeking.

Claudia is someone who loves the outdoors and being active.  When she studied horticulture in college, she spent months on farms both in Texas and South America. After 20 years progressing in her career, Claudia is now the vice president of product development for an international food corporation.  Claudia spends her time in a C-suite on teleconference calls and in meetings all week.  In fact her work is so demanding that she rarely leaves before dark and often takes work home on the weekends.  Claudia’s connection with nature and the environment is severely lacking.

Claudia craves a change, but is confused where to begin.  Step two in finding your true calling is putting a stake in the ground and taking the first steps.  Where you go and how fast are dictated by your interests and motivation.  How important is this change in direction for you?  How urgent?

If you are ready for action now, write 1-3 goals for the next 90 days.  According to Caroline Adams Miller in her book Creating Your Best Life, it’s important that your goals be viewed not as tasks, but as something attractive to undertake.  Choose goals that are:

Approach vs avoidance goals
Not too easy, but just beyond your fingertips
Specific and Measurable
Tied to your values
Leveraged

Remembering the Nike ad, “Just Do It, it is imperative that we act on our dreams.  The more we think, the more we find reasons to stall.  Taking the first step with joy and curiosity will get your wheels turning toward a life that better fits you.

Create your own Board of Advisors to hold you accountable in your efforts.  Tell others what you are changing and allow them to cheer you on.

Take a chance and I’ll see you on the path!

Filed Under: Career Transitions, Life Design Tagged With: