by boxfreeminds | Sep 1, 2016 | Blog, Educating, Event, Financial Empowerment, Press/Media Room, Workshop
– Free Event –
September 27, 2016
Registration is required – so don’t wait!
Register Now
On September 27, 2016, Pam Heward of Box Free Minds will be the featured speaker at the Career Connectors event in Gilbert, AZ. She will present the importance of doing the “Work before the Work” – doing the things that will set the foundation for achieving your professional goals, whether it is finding a new job, career or starting a new business. This is an interactive, fun experience.
You will take the first steps to:
- Identify what you love and what you are good at.
- Become a “stand out” candidate in any situation: interviews, networking, social media profiles
- Shift your approach to your career and begin to clarify your job search journey and get you the career and life you love!
- Meet others and connect, share, support and collaborate.
Career Connectors is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to connecting professionals in career transition to hiring companies and quality resources. They are primarily event driven and connect people and resources at events. They bring in professional career speakers to deliver content that is relevant and actionable to current professionals. They also bring in two – three hiring companies per event. You will hear these company representatives speak and then get one-on-one face time to talk about their company, culture and open positions. The last hour is dedicated to providing you services and networking time to talk directly to all the speakers. Free professional services include resume review/critique, business portraits, social media / LinkedIn coaching and educational opportunities.
Don’t forget to register – space is limited!
Register Now
by boxfreeminds | Mar 28, 2016 | Blog, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
(A note from Pam Heward: I knew Brii was special the moment I met her. She radiates warmth, beauty, and intuitiveness. Over the past few years she has shared her dreams and challenges with me and, every time, I say to her “you need to share this with others!” She is a gifted writer and her insights into human behavior are amazing. Luckily for all of us she agreed to share – so please read, enjoy and comment. Thank you!)
Brii Ravelo
The ability to take risks is directly connected to the ability to succeed, and ultimately create a life that makes you truly happy. Of course, there are many other pieces to that age-old puzzle, but none of them can fall into place without that first action step – that leap into the unknown. No matter who you are, there is only ever one reason that any of us hesitate to take the risk: FEAR.
Yep. I said the “f” word.
I want to talk about fear because it is sneaky. It lurks in the shadows as you rationalize 1,000 reasons why you can’t quit your secure job or start your dream business. Fear oozes through the cracks of all the excuses you’ve made for not asking your boss for the promotion or the raise. It creeps around, arm in arm with your Gremlin Voice, poking holes in your big ideas and most sacred dreams. Fear often comes in evasive packaging – disguised as practicality, sensibility, caution, security, rationality, stability, and many other names that are not only socially acceptable, but are often encouraged.
It is high time that this type of fear be dragged out into the light and seen for the culprit that it truly is. It is so easy to allow these fear based thoughts and feelings to direct our most critical career and life decisions. As a matter of fact, I just caught the little monster this week, gremlin and all, chipping away at my confidence as a writer. It crept up on me slowly and I almost didn’t notice until it was too late. Editing delays, content delays, even technical delays (i.e.: computer problems… give me a break!). In the end, I realized that as I continue to pursue that which truly has meaning in my life, I will continue to encounter choices that my subconscious will perceive as “Risky”. It’s just the way I’m wired.
I also discovered that this particular fear (the one that keeps us snuggly and warm in our comfort zone, the one that doesn’t want us to really go for it) is kind of a wimp. Once you expose it and call its bluff, you will send it running for cover – leaving in its wake, YOU. And your true strength. It can be exhilarating! And it can give you the power to push forward, through any obstacle.
Sometimes, just knowing that it will be worth it in the end is all the reason you need to begin.
All risks turn out for the better. It may not be the best for you, but it will be the best for someone else. Always take risks. You’re only here because of the risks someone else took.” — Amanda, 9 years old (adopted at birth)
by boxfreeminds | Mar 21, 2016 | Box Free Television, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Podcasts, Radio Show
Doing the “Work Before The Work” and Finding Your Dream Career – Podcast
What a great show with Mark Lewis and The Empowerment Team. We talked about how to find your Dream Career and how doing the “work before the work” is where you begin.
- Joanne joined us and shared her personal story of landing her dream job after attending one of my workshops – very inspiring!
- We touched on how to deal with those negative and limiting thoughts in your head.
- We also answered the ominous question so many career transitioners have: “Now what am I going to do?”
Making a career change is a moment of opportunity! Discover this whole new approach to Career Transition.
Take a listen to this show and discover why now is the time to approach your career in a whole new way.
Grab a cup of coffee and click here to listen – look for the show on the dropdown list on the podcast!
I’d like to thank Mark Lewis of The Empowerment Team for having us. Mark is a delightful, masterful host, fun to listen to and empowering to us all!!
by boxfreeminds | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
As a Career Transition Coach, I work with job seekers (employed and unemployed) who are looking for advice to land their perfect career. Though my approach includes a personalized and focused plan for each client based on their individual goals and attributes, I’ve also realized that there are some distinct pieces of advice that seem to ring true for every client – no matter the situation. I’ve decided to publish them here! Which one will help you the most?
My 8 Best Pieces of Advice
First and probably most important- Our sense of who we are precedes us in any encounter (interview, networking, written communication). Do not downplay or dismiss this.
Taking the time to examine what is on and in our mind will make all the difference in how we show up and how others receive us.
No one achieves success in a vacuum. If you want to succeed in your career or business, making connections and collaborating are essential.
You must continuously challenge your thinking, assumptions, and perceptions. The best way to know when it is time to do this is when you find that you are doubting yourself or feeling stuck.
Don’t underestimate the importance of follow through. I receive feedback from clients and hiring managers that the fact that someone did what they promised to do was a pleasant surprise and impacted their decision to hire potential candidates or work for potential employers.
If you feel stuck in your own “box” remember that you constructed your box and you can de-construct it!
It takes courage to proclaim your true passion and dreams to yourself and others. Not everyone will accept or agree with what you want to do and will have strong opinions about what you “should” be doing. Have the courage to embrace your new identity and let what others think be their business.
Finally, don’t assume you’ve heard this already. We all need a mind reboot from time to time.
The most important work you can do is the “Work Before The Work” – before you write your resume or set up interviews. You can kick start your new mind and reinvigorate yourself to be truly ready to do the work to discover your passion and begin a new chapter in your personal and professional life. This is why I built my workshop – Box Free Breakthroughs for a New Life and Mind. It’s time to reboot!!
P.S. – Remember, one other benefit of getting back to what makes YOU happy and motivated is that you will begin to naturally see what is interesting and inspiring in others. THIS can make life more colorful and full in ways that you may be missing today!
by boxfreeminds | Jan 19, 2016 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Financial Empowerment, Inspiring
A common reason my clients come to me for help with their career transition is they feel “Stuck”. They know they want to take the next step in their career and life but have no idea where to start.
They have experienced success in their life in the past and they are actively working on their next career chapter through activities such as:
- Attending career events
- Searching online for new career possibilities
- Working their resumes, LinkedIn pages, and other online sites
- Getting new certifications, education, and training
- Networking
So then what’s the deal? Why are they stuck? The answer lies within! The culprit? That dialogue going on in their own heads.
- What if I am no longer relevant?
- What if I pursue a new career and I don’t like it?
- What if I can’t earn what I earned in the past?
- What if I commit to something and it doesn’t work out?
- What if my age is a factor and no one is willing to talk about it directly?
- What if I try and start my own business and it doesn’t work out?
- What if I am not willing to put in the same amount of time I did with my career in the past?
These questions and others can be absolutely paralyzing.
How can you make a decision and move forward in your life with these concerns whirling around in your head? The answer: Change the dialogue in your head.
Stop the “What if” questions and let go of the FOMO (fear of missing out) mindset. None of us has a crystal ball telling us how the future will play out.
Start by clarifying what your minimum standards for your new career and life, things like:
- Minimum earnings you are willing to accept
- Career choice standards: things like hours you will work; how far will you commute…. etc.
- What are you passionate about and would be willing to put the time energy and effort into?
- Who do you know that can help you with advice, introductions and support?
I also recommend that you begin with short term goals. What will you accomplish this week?
For example: you can set a goal to contact 3 people you know and write a preliminary list of your actual monthly expenses.
That’s it!
If possible, discuss your week with someone whose brain you trust. This is crucial since so many people feel isolated during this transition and having someone to talk to and process with makes a world of difference.
by boxfreeminds | Dec 23, 2015 | Blog, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
Werner von Braun
As we get ready to celebrate and spend time with family and friends, I find myself reflecting on the past year and asking myself — “What are you thankful for?”
I’d like to share my thoughts with you:
- I am thankful for the things I don’t know yet. It is motivating and exciting to know that in the year ahead I will have puzzles to solve, challenges to overcome, and lessons to learn.
- I am thankful for the people in my life now and the one’s I haven’t met yet. I know that expanding my connections expands me. (P.S. some of these people will prove to be challenging and frustrating. This is ok. Either way I will learn and grow from them.)
- I am thankful for early morning epiphanies. They don’t all pan out but it’s great to wake up full of ideas.
- I am thankful for the doubters, naysayers, and doomsayers. Without them we would have no one to prove wrong!
- I am thankful for my Pollyanna attitude. I strive to see the best in others and will not apologize for this! Do I get hurt sometimes? I am happy to report hardly ever!! I just think it is a better way to live your life!
- I am thankful for those disciplined, accomplished people out there who remind me that I am a work in progress and that they can be role models for me as I strive to be a more disciplined, accomplished person.
- I am thankful for the unplanned events in my life. I have been thrown into life transition which, at the time, felt overwhelming and defeating. As I look back at these events I realize that they were all opportunities to reinvent myself and invite new and wonderful people into my life.
What are you thankful for in your life? How can you begin to see your past experiences and present opportunities from a Box Free perspective? The possibilities are endless!!
