by boxfreeminds | Oct 17, 2017 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
Are You Too Old To Change Careers?
As a Career Transition Coach, I encounter the myths about obstacles in employment on a regular basis.
Many of my younger clients (in their 20’s) believe that no one will hire them because they don’t have the experience and knowledge of a more seasoned candidate. Many of my clients 50 and over believe that companies are only hiring candidates in their 30’s and younger because they can get away with paying them less.
What I have found is companies are hiring all age groups and all levels of experience. Many of the hiring managers I talk to are embracing the idea that EQ (emotional intelligence) and finding a good cultural fit are just as important as a professional or technical skill.
Bottom line – there is opportunity for us all in all age groups and stages of professional experience. My advice to career transitioners and job seekers is to begin with letting go of the assumptions in your mind and focus on what is possible.
In any new endeavor there is challenge and opportunity.
Be sure to:
- Ask for help,
- Take advantage of resources
- Talk to the great people in your life
- Take care of yourself physically and emotionally (you will be surprised how important this is in career transition!)
Remember, successful people ask for help, they know where their strengths lie and when to ask for help.
Recommended Reading: Forbes “Debunking 5 Myths About Changing Careers In Your 50s”
Don’t forget to check out our workshops! 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!!
Have you considered Personal Coaching? I offer individual and group coaching sessions and my clients experience remarkable results. Find out more, get signed up and begin creating your best career and life.
by boxfreeminds | Jun 15, 2017 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
(originally published May 26, 2017 on the Career Connectors blog page)
Lessons from Larry
I met Larry at the beginning of my career as a job placement counselor. He arrived one day, just as our office opened; he was eager and motivated. What was unique about Larry is that he was completely deaf in one ear and about 80% deaf in the other. Because of this, he spoke with a speech impediment. Even if I was not able to understand every word he said (more…)
by boxfreeminds | Jan 6, 2017 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
Welcome to 2017!
- Are you feeling full of hope?
- Full of fear or uncertainty?
- Do you want this year to be the year you accomplish new and great things in your life and Career?
Wherever you are in your thought process, start by taking a look at YOU and the dialogue going on in your head. Does your mind need a reboot? If you are ready for your life to be different this year, then you must think differently.
Below is an excerpt from a great little book I read years ago, Please read it and decide what lessons you are willing to learn to grow and change the way you think about what has and will happen in your life.
If Life is a Game, These are the Rules
(10 Rules for Being Human)
Cherie Carter-Scott
Rule One – You will receive a body. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s yours for life, so accept it. What counts is what’s inside.
Rule Two – You will be presented with lessons. Life is a constant learning experience, which every day provides opportunities for you to learn more. These lessons are specific to you, and learning them ‘is the key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and relevance of your own life’.
Rule Three – There are no mistakes, only lessons. Your development towards wisdom is a process of experimentation, trial and error, so it’s inevitable things will not always go to plan or turn out how you’d want. Compassion is the remedy for harsh judgement – of ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not only divine – it’s also ‘the act of erasing an emotional debt’. Behaving ethically, with integrity, and with humor – especially the ability to laugh at yourself and your own mishaps – are central to the perspective that ‘mistakes’ are simply lessons we must learn.
Rule Four – The lesson is repeated until learned. Lessons repeat until learned. What manifest as problems and challenges, irritations and frustrations are more lessons – they will repeat until you see them as such and learn from them. Your own awareness and your ability to change are requisites of executing this rule. Also fundamental is the acceptance that you are not a victim of fate or circumstance – ‘causality’ must be acknowledged; that is to say: things happen to you because of how you are and what you do. To blame anyone or anything else for your misfortunes is an escape and a denial; you yourself are responsible for you, and what happens to you. Patience is required – change doesn’t happen overnight, so give change time to happen.
Rule Five – Learning does not end. While you are alive there are always lessons to be learned. Surrender to the ‘rhythm of life’, don’t struggle against it. Commit to the process of constant learning and change – be humble enough to always acknowledge your own weaknesses, and be flexible enough to adapt from what you may be accustomed to, because rigidity will deny you the freedom of new possibilities.
Rule Six – “There” is no better than “here”. The other side of the hill may be greener than your own, but being there is not the key to endless happiness. Be grateful for and enjoy what you have, and where you are on your journey. Appreciate the abundance of what’s good in your life, rather than measure and amass things that do not actually lead to happiness. Living in the present helps you attain peace.
Rule Seven – Others are only mirrors of you. You love or hate something about another person according to what you love or hate about yourself. Be tolerant; accept others as they are, and strive for clarity of self-awareness; strive to truly understand and have an objective perception of your own self, your thoughts and feelings. Negative experiences are opportunities to heal the wounds that you carry. Support others, and by doing so you support yourself. Where you are unable to support others is a sign that you are not adequately attending to your own needs.
Rule Eight – What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. Take responsibility for yourself. Learn to let go when you cannot change things. Don’t get angry about things – bitter memories clutter your mind. Courage resides in all of us – use it when you need to do what’s right for you. We all possess a strong natural power and adventurous spirit, which you should draw on to embrace what lies ahead.
Rule Nine – Your answers lie inside of you. Trust your instincts and your innermost feelings, whether you hear them as a little voice or a flash of inspiration. Listen to feelings as well as sounds. Look, listen, and trust. Draw on your natural inspiration.
Rule Ten – You will forget all this at birth. We are all born with all of these capabilities – our early experiences lead us into a physical world, away from our spiritual selves, so that we become doubtful, cynical and lacking belief and confidence. The ten Rules are not commandments, they are universal truths that apply to us all. When you lose your way, call upon them. Have faith in the strength of your spirit. Aspire to be wise – wisdom is the ultimate path of your life, and it knows no limits other than those you impose on yourself.
Welcome to 2017!
I wish you lots of happiness and success in the pursuit of your goals and dreams!
Hugs,
Pam
Don’t forget to check out our workshops! 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!!
Have you considered Personal Coaching? I offer individual and group coaching sessions and my clients experience remarkable results. Find out more, get signed up and begin creating your best career and life.
by boxfreeminds | Oct 12, 2016 | Blog, Box Free Thinking, Educating, Empowerment, Inspiring, Life Balance, Uncategorized
As a Career Transition Coach, I work with entrepreneurs and job seekers (employed and unemployed) who are looking for advice to land their perfect career or start their own business. Though my approach includes a personalized and focused plan for each client based on their individual goals and attributes, I also like to share good information with you, my readers, along with my personal commentary. Here is an article I found interesting and thought you might also! What do you think are the most important points?
Click to Read Article
Article Source: FastCompany.com
As a Career Transition Coach my clients generally wait to reach out to me after they have been unhappy or feeling “stuck” for quite a while. I appreciate this author’s advice and encouragement to do some exploratory work while still at your job – before deciding to make a change. I would also add a few other suggestions:
1. If you are not sure what the next best thing to consider might be, ask yourself: “How do I like to spend my time when no one pays me?” It does not mean you have to do this as a career or job but it promotes new thought pathways.
2. When considering other options, consider creating your own business: explore entrepreneurship. There are many ways to earn a living and pursue what makes you happy.
Don’t forget to check out our workshops! 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!!
Have you considered Personal Coaching? I offer individual and group coaching sessions and my clients experience remarkable results. Find out more, get signed up and begin creating your best career and life.
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 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!
