Just the other day, Sharon Cohen of the Associated Press wrote a story of Baby Boomers aged 50+ looking for long-term work. The article expressed the despair and rejection qualified candidates feel while searching for gainful employment. It evoked tough memories for me as well, when I was laid off the first time in my career, almost 25 years ago.
Ms. Cohen’s article chronicled the efforts of the job seekers – looking online, scouring the classifieds and even networking groups of other unemployed. I ran into the same issues – sending 100s of resumes to blind ads, knocking on storefronts with help wanted signs – and like many of my Boomer colleagues, I was told more than once that my knowledge and skills made me “over-qualified” for a position. The frustration and rejection can be overwhelming.
While these are traditional, classic methods, they are not the way most employers find great employees – the rules have changed and Boomers need to be aware of where to channel their time and energy. (more…)
Whitney Ferre believes that each of us in an artist, actively creating art called “life.” Despite that fact that Whitney is not some who could paint or draw as a trained artist, she opened two Creative Fitness Centers that do just that – show people how to create change in their lives through art.
According to Whitney, natural talent is not the driving factor behind creativity. Instead, it is the art making that creates the bridge from your logical, analytical left brain to the infinite, intuitive, miracle creating right brain. Her results have been so exciting that her art classes led to a published book, The Artist Within, and also an online Creatively Fit program. (www.creativelyfit.com)
The journey has not been without setbacks. Amidst opening two art centers, having three children and publishing two books, Whitney also opened and operated two wine bars with a partner. Unfortunately, the wine bars ended up in the red, which created much self-doubt. Whitney recognized the power of experiencing such kind of failure and refocused her vision on Creatively Fit. She now coaches and has an entire team of Creatively Fit Coaches across the United States, Africa, Europe and Australia.
For Whitney, there is no greater joy than creating joy in others. When her clients transform from “I can’t even draw a straight line” to creating their own art, her purpose is proven. Whitney believes that art making is a portal to your higher, infinitely creative self and there is no greater reward that helping individuals experience this.
This eight-part blog series, exclusively for www.UpsideTheBook.com, highlights the Every Woman Visionary. Each of these women, along with myself, are featured in the first-ever Spirited Woman 2012 Directory: Resources For An Inspired Life! (www.thespiritedwoman.com) set to launch tomorrow on 12/12/11. It is an exciting time for women, and the FREE magazine-style digital directory – rich with inspirational stories, resources and more – is our gift to you. Women from six countries and over 25 states participated in the directory.
When Sallie Felton works with a new client, one of her first questions is, “What would it feel like if your life were exactly the way you wanted it to be?” It’s a thought provoking question from a woman who understands how intricate life can be.
After three years of intensive training to become a Professional Certified Coach, Sallie uses her own powerful life transition to lead others to success. Whether it’s identifying goals, working on relationships or beginning a new chapter in life, Sallie is your secret weapon to uncover the hidden obstacles that are holding you back. An accomplished author and speaker, Sallie also hosts an international radio show, A Fresh Start with Sallie Fenton http://www.salliefeltonlifecoach.com/A_Fresh_Start_radioShow.html
Sallie’s own background of addressing the not-known and identifying obstacles is powerful. She co-hosts a second radio show with Conway, her husband of 30+ years. Entitled, Light at the End of the Tunnel, Sallie and Conway discuss the realities of managing and living with depression. Often a taboo subject, depression affects millions but is often misdiagnosed or untreated. The response has been so popular the couple is working on a book together.
For Sallie, her mantra of “Start Where You Stand” is the North Star and guiding passion of her business. This idea that life begins in this very moment where you are is a powerful directive and the platform of success for her clients. Sallie encourages people to ask for help and let others do what you don’t want to. She believes that investing time because you can or should is a disservice to your authentic self. Your time deserves to be spent in pursuing your passion.
This eight-part blog series, exclusively for www.UpsideTheBook.com, highlights the Every Woman Visionary. Each of these women, along with myself, are featured in the first-ever Spirited Woman 2012 Directory: Resources For An Inspired Life! (www.thespiritedwoman.com) set to launch on 12/12/11. It is an exciting time for women, and the FREE magazine-style digital directory – rich with inspirational stories, resources and more – is our gift to you. Women from six countries and over 25 states participated in the directory.
Andrea Woolf wants you to have it all – the self-proclaimed “Queen of Having It All” discovered her gift of coaching others through challenges at a very young age. While other children played outside, Andrea could be found in her mother’s salon chatting with clients. Eventually, the client would reveal their personal obstacle and commit to specific action steps to resolve it by the time they left.
Andrea applied this talent to a very successful corporate career.While juggling massive projects in a high-pressure environment, she still found that helping individuals achieve their goals to be the most rewarding.When she discovered the role of executive coaching, Andrea says it was like “finding the glove that fit me.”
Her clients are fueled by Andrea’s core values of integrity, full self-expression and inspiring magnificence.She believes that all business is created through powerful and connecting communication, which quickly leads to amazing results and successes.Andrea is committed to inspiring others to own their personal magnificence by thinking and playing bigger while embracing the huge difference they make in the world.
Andrea certainly walks her talk, too.A confessed ‘recovering perfectionist’, Andrea discovered many of the tools she coaches others with as she wrote her first book, Ignite Your Life! How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.The need to write the ‘perfect’ book almost immobilized her, but lucky for us, she overcame her self-doubt and busy mind and voila, the book is now a reality!
Her advice to others?“The only thing between you and your dreams is YOU!”How very true – that’s why in order to have it all, you must let go of expectations and doubts and embrace the possibilities.Learn more about Andrea’s inspiring work and sign up for your free chapter newsletter at www.IgniteYourLifeBOOK.com.
This eight-part blog series, exclusively for www.UpsideTheBook.com, highlights the Every Woman Visionary. Each of these women, along with myself, are featured in the first-ever Spirited Woman 2012 Directory: Resources For An Inspired Life! (www.thespiritedwoman.com) set to launch on 12/12/11. It is an exciting time for women, and the FREE magazine-style digital directory – rich with inspirational stories, resources and more – is our gift to you. Women from six countries and over 25 states participated in the directory.
You may be surprised to know that Americans work harder than our counterparts abroad. While Europeans enjoy months at a time of “holiday,” Americans remain hard at work. The numbers on relaxation and vacation are in – and they are not in our favor! (more…)
Now that summer is unofficially over with the start of school, I’m exhausted – and I didn’t have anyone to send back to class! Nope, my slow burn is the result of not taking any time off and trying to cram in all the last-minute requests, wrap up loose ends and finalize major projects started mid-summer. Ordinarily, this is no problem. This year, however, I feel more burned out than ever… (more…)
Economist and best-selling author Juliet Schor has a new video describing the new American Dream: http://vimeo.com/26573848. The film shows why economic and job-related strategies from the past that don’t work in today’s economy. It depicts, in her words, “what a post-consumer society could look like, with people working fewer hours and pursuing re-skilling, homesteading, and small-scale enterprises that can help reduce the overall size and impact of the consumer economy.”
In our book Upside, we talk about the need for creating your own career crystal ball of the future. This film is an excellent example of our concept: taking advantage of emerging job opportunities based on the needs of the future. It also takes into account the need to pay attention to our dwindling resources as that affects job opportunities, too. (more…)
When the year 2000 was about to dawn, there was much speculation about changes that might occur – experts feared the binary code in most computers systems would crash, causing chaos and inability to run everything from our bank accounts to gas pumps to grocery stores.
While that scenario sounds like science fiction, it was barely 11 years ago. Luckily, the massive meltdown didn’t take place but it did usher in an era of precedented change. This rate of change can be divided into two schools: emerging or “not-known” opportunities, and completely unknown events. (more…)
I just finished a week-long vacation in the Rocky Mountains soaking up the clean, cool air and taking in all the beauty of the area. I am refreshed and renewed with new ideas and energy. I am lucky. I own my own business and can take vacations.
Many individuals work for companies that have vacation policies but are afraid to take them in this shaky economy. Fear is the primary reason– as stated in our book, Upside: How to Zig When Life Zags. Because the “not known is the new norm,” many individuals are fearful to take a vacation. In this instance, “the not known” is the fear that their job might be eliminated. This is emphasized in the July 20, 2011, Wall St. Journal article (Work-Life Column) where John de Graaf, executive director of Take Back Your Time, says “Many people think that I need to have this face time. I don’t want to be the next one laid off when the company downsizes again.”
Enthusiastic, passionate, knowledgeable and strategic are a few words to describe, Kyra Cavanaugh, work-life consultant and president of Life Meets Work. She is an expert in flexibility and here are her words of wisdom regarding the status and future of flexibility,
I asked her what the upsides of flexibility vs. doing nothing are:
Flexibility is a tool to achieve strategic objectives. It helps organizations meet bottom line objectives such a growth, customer loyalty, sustainability and more.
It’s not about being nice – it’s about survival.
Regarding employers being more or less resistant to implementing flexibility, she said:
Employers are more open to the idea. But they’re coming at flex as a way to solve other problems. For example, taking time to care for a sick child isn’t flexibility for them, it’s a workforce reality.
When asked if employers are well educated on the benefits of flexibility, she said NO:
“Many still think it’s a Human Resources program, a benefit or perk. But it’s not, it’s a business strategy. We have a ways to go in helping them understand that.”
Kyra says that work sharing to solve the employment issues hasn’t taken hold yet. It is at the bottom of the list. However there are some examples of condensed work week and unpaid days off.
Kyra’s thoughts on the future of flex options are exciting.
It is projected that in 2020 employers will need to go where the people are. The talent shortage occurring now will continue and employers will have to meet the needs of employees -–talent management and flexibility will have to merge. Employers will need to reach out to the diverse population. Flexibility is going to help them tap a much broader talent pool including returning veterans, part-timers, and boomers transitioning into retirement.
Kyra cited Ryan LLC as an organization that has changed culture and embracing flexibility. As a tax accounting firm in a very competitive industry, they were losing people. The CEO, Mr. Brent, didn’t do this to be nice -– but, rather to retain and recruit talent. As a result when they shifted to being performance driven rather than to “where and when” approach, their metrics went up significantly. 80% of their recruits say that flexibility was crucial to their joining the organization.
I asked about the correlation between happiness and flexibility. She said people who use flexibility are much happier. They have the time to exercise, sleep, and work-family conflicts are down. Less commuting is also a factor for less stress.
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