Category: Improving Yourself

We have all experienced walls or challenges in our lives.

They may be personal; they may be professional; they may be both. No one is exempt from career challenge, disappointment and even failure.

There are a variety of ways to attack these walls – some more effective than others. How you handle the walls can be a defining point in your leadership and in your career. Here are five common ways.

1. Just level it.
If the wall is causing a problem, we just need to get rid of it. It’s in our way. This approach requires nothing but mindless action. At least we know we’re doing something. We flail away at the problem with minimal success. We act with no sense of purpose or deep understanding of the outcome. But the problem can come back and transform into one big hairy monster.

2. Replay the tape.
Sometimes, we assume that all walls can be conquered with the same approach. It worked before, it should work again.We stare at it and remember last year’s plan. But all walls are different. Fresh approaches are needed and expected in today’s constant changing environment.

3. Delay, delay, delay.
The wall is in front of us, but we hope it will go away. However, it will not shrink or disappear. Rather, it will become more menacing the longer it is allowed to stand.

4. Deny, deny, deny.
We can conquer this situation; but why should we? It really is not a problem. But, we know it is. The wall creates a personal fear. We avoid the struggle. However the challenge must be engaged.

5. Climb over with the 3 A’s.

• Do an assessment. Step away and gain a clear perspective of the problem. What is the real wall I’m confronting? Why does it exist? Have I created it through my behavior?
• Then create an agenda asking these questions. How am I going to attack the wall? What are the best approaches? What is my plan?
• Finally take action. Throw procrastination out; dump denial and move forward. Your confidence is up; you understand the actions it will take; and you have prepared.

Readers, is there one or more that you automatically utilize? Does it work for you or cause you more challenges?

Career Success Tip

Believe in your ability to climb over walls. Visualize yourself dealing with a specific challenge successfully. First assume it’s possible; second rehearse doing it in your imagination; third do it; and fourth congratulate yourself and celebrate. You’ve taken charge of your life and career.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

I recommend to you holy simplicity. – St. Francis de Sales

Paula Huston – an author, professor, wife and mother – wrote the book The Holy Way: Practices for a Simple Life from her experience trying to simplify her life so that she could bring more meaning, peace and spirituality to her life. I enjoyed being with her on this journey as I could relate to many things that she struggled with and appreciated many of the things she chose to change in her life. According to Paula, she identified and experienced these practices which transformed her life.

Ten ways to bring about holy simplicity

1. Solitude
2. Silence
3. Awareness
4. Purity
5. Devotion
6. Right livelihood
7. Confidence
8. Integrity
9. Generosity
10. Tranquility

Meaningful messages I received from these 10 ways

I’ve had to anchor myself in a single, central reality – my longing for God – and allow everything else to arrange itself accordingly.

Most of the clutter turns out to be internal verses external clutter, a result of the kind of person I am rather than the time and place in which I live.

Spiritual life is under the public eye, yet somehow people must manage to withdraw into the private chamber of the heart in order to meet God.

Simple does not mean easy.

Solitude allows us to make room for the blessed and the transformative experience of being alone with God. Around this key we can build a unified life.

Unless we go silent, we cannot hear his voice within us, which is so very still and small that it can be muffled by a stray thought.

If we are to live simply, our choices must be deliberate ones.

My wantings were a constant interruption to my concentration. Each time a desire rose, I had to intentionally deal with it – and this was taking literally hours out of my days.

The quality of prayer has to do with the inner disposition of the mind and heart.

When we find God, what we see is what was normally hidden: we see that we are not alone at all, but, in joining worshipfully together with our fellow human beings, we have become the very dwelling place of God.

Cutting schedules, withdrawing from committees, skipping classes turning down opportunities; this is extremely uncomfortable business, especially in the eyes of the world. “I was slowly, deliberately, giving up my place in the center of things, my spot in the busy hub.”

The life of holy simplicity is a life lived against the natural flow of things, a deliberate departure from business as usual.

“It was not that the world grew small, but my heart was enlarged.” – St. Gregory

It all comes back to love – God’s great love.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most. She started Project GratOtude, a movement to increase gratitude in people’s lives.

A recent post on the LinkedIn group- Career Thought Leaders Consortium – asked for the most indispensable career and job search books.

Below are must read books!

Some are for helping people in job search; others are for those that are trying to figure out what ‘s next in their career. And several are on career satisfaction and career advancement. However, all are written to shake up your thinking about job search and career management.

The Top 15:

1. Don’t Send a Resume by Jeff Fox
2. Job Search Magic by Susan Whitcomb
3. The Career Activist’s Republic by Peter Weddle
4. What Color is Your Parachute 2011 by Richard Bolles
5. Go Out and Hire Your Next Employer by Charles Irish
6. The New Leader’s 100 Day Action Plan by George Brant
7. 101 Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times by Jay Blocks
8. Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0. by Jay Conrad Levinson
9. Work Strong: Your Personal Career Fitness System by Peter Weddle
10. Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Personal Brand, William Arruda
11. Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career Herminia Ibarra
12. Knock ’em Dead, Secrets and Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World by Martin Yates
13. Ground of Your Own Choosing: Winning Strategies for Finding & Creating Work by Beverly Ryle
14. Work with Passion in Midlife and Beyond: Reach Your Full Potential and Make the Money You Need by Nancy Anderson
15. Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul and Barbara Tieger

Career Success Tip

Don’t manage your career in an information vacuum. As pace of change accelerates, everyone’s career will be profoundly affected. Whatever your career was yesterday, it’s changed today and will change tomorrow. Seek out resources – people, different points of view, the latest research – that will give you the edge in your job search and career.

Readers, what books would you recommend? What are some of the “ah-has” you discovered? What actions have you taken on these tips?

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

I was reminded recently how hard it can be to Be Peace when our emotional hot buttons get triggered. Whether at work or home, we can get triggered easily by old wounds or reminders of past patterns. When these instances occur, rather than sending your anger to the person who bothers you, look deeper at what the emotional trigger is inside yourself. That’s where the peace work needs to be done. This happened to me this past weekend and I was surprised at what I found.

Over the weekend I came across a nice YouTube video clip called “Don’t Worry” by Playing for Change. I love their compilations. I felt really uplifted listening to this song- the message of peace, the symbolism of world peace with singers from around the world, and the wonderful harmonies. As such I decided to send the YouTube link to my family and friends whom I thought would like it. As I was typing the message in email, my partner started playfully pestering me. I got more upset the more my partner continued. Only later did I realize what hot button was getting pushed.

Being Peace comes from Within

I was aware of the irony of getting angry while sending a peace song to friends! No matter what “good deeds” I was doing to create peace in that moment (by sharing the video link with my friends), my anger created energy that negated the peace I was sending.

Do you get angry as you try to do “good things for others”? Pay attention to to your reactions, even when you have good intentions.

As I mulled over my reaction in this incident, I realized how challenging it can be to Be Peace, even when taking actions to create peace. I try to remember the idea that – If your walking is not peace, then you cannot create peace. This is spiritual practice that can be done every day.

Notice Your Hot Buttons and Work There

Next time someone really rubs you the wrong way at work, use that opportunity to recognize what your hot buttons are and where they came from. If you want to create peace at work, and work in a peaceful environment, see when and how you get angry or emotionally triggered. Find ways to heal whatever old sores are there within you so that you can bring peace to your work by Being Peace.

In my incident, I realized that my partner was bugging me in similar ways to how my oldest brother used to tease me as a kid. Evidently there was still a scar there. I was glad to have this reminder so that I could do more work to heal that older wound. Luckily I saw what was going on and could shift gears to re-group and apologize for my reaction to my partner. I had to admit the sore spot was mine and heal the emotional charge of it. We talked it over and were able to clear the tension. In so doing, I was able to be the peace that I wanted to share with others.

Spiritual practice – Be Peace; Smile from Within

Reflecting on this incident I was reminded of a poem I learned in high school. I only remember one line from it, but that line has stuck with me over the years – “It’s easy to be joyful when life flows like a song. But the one worthwhile is the one who can smile when everything goes dead wrong“.

Here’s some spiritual practice for you this week –

1. Create peace from within you when you get triggered.
2. Practice sharing that peace through your smile- even when things go dead wrong

Here’s the video link of “Don’t Worry” by Playing for Change. Enjoy and spread the peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAjFnJuk1Aw

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” The paperback version is available on Amazon. Also available for download – the pdf version of Path for Greatness – available from her website.

Oprah spent her last farewell show on May 25^th sharing what she knows for sure from doing the more than 4,500 shows for the past 25 years. She considered the show and her viewers as “her great love” and this finale show, sharing with us her words of advice and encouragement, as her “love letter” to all of us.

Here’s what resonated with me and my summary from what she taught us. Whether you saw the show or not, or whether you like Oprah or not; she shared some important spiritual messages that we can all reflect on.

Worthiness

Oprah said that the common thread she saw in the shows and her viewers is the feeling of unworthiness. “You are worthy because you were born.” We often times block the blessings in our lives because we don’t feel worthy enough.

Energy

All life is energy. We are energy, like radio transmitters putting out energy to the world. You are responsible for your own energy and the energy that you bring to others. Know that every action to you “put out there” will have an equal and opposite reaction that comes back to you. She encouraged us to find the “love energy inside of ourselves.”

Calling

As she was called to do this show, she encouraged all of us that we have a calling too. Our real job is to figure out what that calling is and get to work doing it. Your calling is something you are meant to do and should give you the” joy and the juice” to do it. As you live from the heart of yourself, your calling will light you up. Live your calling in your own way, so you too can “illuminate the world.”

Service

We are all called to serve. We receive in direction proportion to how much we give. It’s been the greatest gift for her to serve us with this show for the past 25 years and she called us to action. “Don’t waste another moment to use your life to serve the world.”

God

When asked about what is the secret to her success Oprah replied, “My team and Jesus. Nothing but the hand of God made this possible.” There are no coincidences in life, only divine order. She said how all of her life she has felt the presence of God and that this presence is always working in our lives. She explained that it’s “closer than your breath and comes to you like a whisper.” Waiting and listening for this guidance is how she operated and how she was able to do this show for 25 years. Questions for us to consider: What are your whispers? Will you hear them?

Gratitude

She ended the show with messages on gratitude. “Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I’ll take from this experience.” It was a privilege for her to share “this yellow brick road of blessings” with us and she would offer a prayer of gratitude before each show.

In conclusion, Oprah said something like this a couple of times that is a wonderful question for all of us to ponder on. “Our life is always speaking to us, how will we then let our lives speak for us?”

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most. She started Project GratOtude, a movement to increase gratitude in people’s lives.

‘Tis the season for vacations and preparing children to go back to school. I heard a woman recently proclaim that she has too much work to do to take time off. It’s a common complaint. Yet, just as getting an oil change every 3-4 months keeps the engine running smoother, so too we need time away to keep renewed and in good mental, emotional, and spiritual condition. Otherwise we run the risk of being tired, stuck in a rut, not gaining perspective, or just plain bored.

Time out is Time in. Vacations allow you to come back with greater energy to face your tasks and challenges. Stepping away from work allows you to see your work with fresh eyes and gain new perspective on what is important. You can see more clearly what work adds values vs. wasted busy work. Sometimes just having extra time to read or think away from the office, you find a solution or work through a problem that has been weighing on you.

Taking time off to renew your spiritual soil is important time so you don’t feel depleted. Even if you take an afternoon to go fishing or go to a spa, that is helpful to renew your spirit. Tending to your spiritual soil, keeping it nourished helps you keep centered, focused on your values and priorities, and invigorated to face your tasks.

I knew of a company where two VPs didn’t like each other and didn’t work well together. The CEO saw their conflicts over time disrupt meetings and hinder business success. He told them if they wanted to keep their jobs they needed to spend one day a month together doing something they both liked doing away from the office. The two VPs weren’t too happy about mandatory time off together.

It took two months to find an activity that they both enjoyed doing and felt they could do for 8 hrs with each other. It took another 3 months before the men were able to talk openly about their backgrounds and share more personal information with each other. By the end of the year the men realized they had similar life experiences and learned to approach their challenges in different ways. They learned to respect each other’s different approaches and saw that they each had something to offer the company. After this one year experiment getting to know each other away from work, they were able to bring their differences and new perspectives back to their work in a productive way. Their teams aligned better and worked more cooperatively with each other afterwards. This was time away that led to millions of dollars saved in improvements to work flows and greater revenue generated by more customer retention. Time Out was recouped thousands of times over.

1. What will help you recharge your energy and gain better perspective?

2. What teams need re-charging so that they can work more effectively together?

3. Where do you go to till your spiritual soil so that you can be more grounded?

As you move into the busy fall activities, remember to take time away, even if for a day, to renew yourself or your team. It will support your personal foundation and your work if used intentionally for greater renewal and regeneration.

May you walk the Beauty way in the months ahead. Aho!

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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I wrote a few weeks ago about a ceremony I did with an EcoShaman group to visualize the world we wanted to create.

It was a full day of drumming, singing, chanting in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Using American Indian hand drums, we sent our intent for a new world to be born, based on conscious co-creation, abundance, beauty, and balance. We used the drums as instruments of healing, conscious creation, and power. We worked with The Herb Medicine Wheel Garden and Angelic guides to broadcast our messages of healing.

The images and themes that emerged were beautiful expressions of what we intended for our lives, the lives of our family, neighbors, government and business leaders, and people around the globe.

• What do you envision for the world?
• What is your most exquisite expression of joy, balance, wholeness and possibility for our world?
• What is your positive intention for your life, work, home, community?

Take some time this week to set your intention for shifts to greater harmony, balance, wholeness.

Now is the time to get clear on what you desire to create in your world. The energy is building for us to fully express and manifest what our heart’s desire is for a world of peace, love, harmony and wholeness.

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I’m including this section from an article on this website- http://www.eraofpeace.org/world-congress.php that speaks to the shifts that are needed at this time.

“2011, A Transfiguring Year of Rebirth and Renewal” by Patricia Diane Cota-Robles

A Call To Love

Precious Hearts, a monumental shift is taking place at this moment that transcends the perception of our conscious minds. We are being called, on behalf of Humanity and all Life evolving on this sweet Earth, to release the greatest expression of Divine Love we have ever experienced. This very moment, focus your attention on the person you Love the most in this world. Tangibly feel your Love flowing through your Heart Flame into the Heart Flame of your Loved One. Now, feel your Love expanding and expanding until it envelops every particle of Life on Earth. Ask the Presence of God pulsating within your heart to increase this expression of Divine Love daily and hourly with every breath you take from this moment forth.

On Saturday, January 8, 2011, which numerically was an 11:11 day, we held a Celebration of Life Service for my beloved son Joao who passed away unexpectedly on December 29, 2010. The service was held at Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Tucson, Arizona, at 10:00 a.m. There was an overflow crowd of 700 people physically present and tens of thousands of people all over the world joining with us in consciousness to send their Love and support.

At 10:10 a.m., during the exact moment that Tucson was being flooded with Love and support from all over the world, an unprecedented act of violence took place which took the lives of six people and seriously wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and eleven other people. Those who were killed included a Federal Judge and a nine year old girl who was born on September 11, 2001. The focus of the world instantaneously turned to Tucson, and people everywhere began invoking the Light and praying for healing and comfort for the people involved. This outpouring of Love and Compassion created a powerful forcefield of Light that enveloped the planet and paved the way for a shift of consciousness that has the potential of lifting Humanity into a Higher Order of Unity Consciousness and Oneness than we have previously experienced. The success of this opportunity is up to us. Let’s all accept responsibility for being the Open Door for a perpetual influx of Divine Love. Let’s all hold the sacred space for Humanity to remember the Oneness of ALL Life.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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When job seekers are developing their resumes, they have to identify what they are selling.

In other words, what skills and experience do they bring to the employment table. Are their skills state-of-the-art and in great demand or are they rusty or too specialized to be sought after? How many are transferable to different positions, different industries or different professions? How competitive are they?

Think of it this way:

Someday your current job will be a line entry on your resume. Under the entry, you’ll have two or three bullets to describe your major accomplishments. “Did a good job of doing what always was done” can’t be one of them.

• What have you done that added value to your team, department or company?
• What customer or operations problems have you solved?
• How and where have you shown leadership?

These are the things you need to put in the section of bulleted accomplishments for each position on your resume. They are the things that distinguish you from others and will get the hiring managers eye.

Take a hard look at your career

Therefore, at the end of each year, whether you are looking for a new job or not, take the time to write or update your resume and compare it with last year’s. See if it has gotten noticeably better. See if it shows growth in a variety of skills, or growth in satisfied customers, or completed projects. If not, what can you do to make it better in the coming year. Avoid becoming a career dinosaur. If you don’t evolve, as in nature, you will face extinction.

Career Success Tip

At the beginning of a new job decide on what you want those two or three major accomplishment bullets to be. Then deliberately set out building them over the course of your job responsibilities. Otherwise, you run the risk of having them simply be the incidental byproduct of what opportunities happened to come your way.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

It has been the interruptions of everyday life which have most revealed the divine mystery of which I am a part, all these interruptions presented themselves as opportunities to go beyond the normal patterns of daily life and find deeper connections than the previous safety of my physical, emotional and spiritual well being.

– Henri Nouwen

Isn’t it true that in the ordinary day we have the opportunity to look deeper into our experiences or interruptions to look beyond what is ordinary and discover the extraordinary, spiritual connection. This is what happened for me with learning about the author of the quote. At the beginning of the week, I asked God to reveal to me who I should feature for N. I was reading the book The Power of Pause and the above quote caught my attention. Not only because of its meaningfulness, but because the author’s last name began with an N.

At that moment, I took that interruption to seek more about Henri Nouwen. I know that I’ve read other spiritual quotes from him, but I didn’t know much about who is and what he believes. Now I do and I realize how learning more from his writings will help me grow deeper into my quest of spiritual wellness in all areas of my life.

Who is he?

Nouwen ranks as one of the most significant spiritual leaders of our time. Nouwen was a priest, academic, psychologist, teacher, author, gifted public speaker, spiritual member, faithful correspondent and friend, wounded healer and a passionate seeker. With an uncanny ease he moved in and out of these different roles, never allowing himself to be fully contained or categorized. In so doing he showed, and continues to show, a generation of seekers how one’s gifts are to be placed at the service of those whom God places in our path.

There is society dedicated to sharing his teachings: The purpose of the Henri Nouwen Society is to foster the spirituality of solitude, community and compassion that was embodied in the life and teaching of Henri Nouwen. (What I’m sharing about him comes from their website.)

Henri Nouwen was a spiritual thinker, a synthesist and one of the first in our time, along with Thomas Merton, to consciously develop a “theology of the heart.” Henri had an unusual capacity to write about the life of Jesus and the love of God in ways that have inspired countless people to trust God more fully.

What did he believe?

Nouwen believed that what is most personal is most universal; he wrote, “By giving words to these intimate experiences I can make my life available to others.” The model he gives us is for building the kinds of relationships and communities that will allow each person to find his or her personal mission. He dedicated his life to the spiritual values of communion, community and ministry.

What is his impact?

The internationally renowned priest and author, respected professor and beloved pastor Henri Nouwen wrote over 40 books on the spiritual life. Since his death in 1996, ever-increasing numbers of readers, writers, teachers and seekers have been guided by his literary legacy. Nouwen’s books have sold over 2 million copies and been published in over 22 languages. He is often referred to as “the spiritual writer who most influenced our generation.”

What interruptions in your life have led you to deeper spiritual growth? We would love to hear from you by sharing your comments below.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Often our most challenging times at work are dealing with people who push our hot buttons in some way. Perhaps we experience them as being uncooperative, unsupportive, intimidating, or outright vindictive. While I can understand you would want to run from these people as fast as you can, I encourage you to stop in your tracks and consider the situation from a spiritual perspective.

Accept the Challenge as your Calling

You are brought to this situation to be a spiritual presence. When you model peace and harmony for others, you shift the energy where you work.

Often the lessons we most need to learn are brought to us from people who challenge us the most. In order to develop patience, we need to be in situations where patience is required. In order to practice compassion, we need to experience situations where compassion is required. In order to learn where our growing edges are, we need to be pushed to the edge. When you get annoyed with someone, take time to see what the situation is calling of you.

I’ve written before that our work environment is where our spiritual unfolding takes place every bit as much as with our families, our faith communities, and with friends. You can be spiritual and bring peace everywhere you go- if you set your intention on that. Others are presented to you so that you can choose how to be more spiritual. You are always provided opportunities to practice greater love, patience, graciousness, acceptance, forgiveness, peace. That’s the real work we are here to do!

Co-workers as Spiritual Partners

Guess what? Your biggest lessons keep coming back to you so you can practice. Maybe you practice with one person for a very long time, such as your partner or family member. Maybe you get reminders periodically so that you practice for only a short time. You may have to dig deeper to find a way through it. You may have to reach out to others or use prayer to find greater support with your challenge.

While these times and people may not feel particularly pleasant, they are in fact brought to you for your spiritual progression. Rather than get angry, stomp away upset, or otherwise feel uncomfortable- stop. Breathe. Relax. Pray. Reflect.

• What is this person here to teach you in this moment?
• What are you required to practice with this person?
• How are you creating peace this instant?

You have drawn these people and these situations to you so that you can work on those aspects of yourself that need polishing. Take the opportunity to see what needs to shift within you rather than focus on changing or judging them. As we read in Matthew 7:3 “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” These people trigger your own hot buttons (eg., defensiveness, impatience, arrogance, self-doubt, not taking responsibility for your actions). Thank them for bringing into awareness your areas of growth.

Find ways to choose love, acceptance, compassion, peace, awareness. Not only will you develop more spiritually, but your work place will become more peaceful as you remain a spiritual presence.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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