Rediscovering YOU in a Job Market Crisis

Rediscovering YOU

in a Job Market Crisis

By
Dr. Ellie Corigliano

Using your creative nature to establish a line of work that can be financially sound, can be quite challenging in a culture that promotes “stay within the lines”.

When we go to school, elementary through to graduate school, we are told what to do, what to learn, how to apply it and when we are allowed, or not allowed to use it.

In today’s job crisis, “staying within the lines” is no longer a viable behavior.

Americans are losing jobs that they have been trained to do, that they are comfortable doing, and that promised them a secure future. And let’s face it, most jobs were designed for a behavior of “do what you are told to do and get compensated for it”. The majority of Americans are trained to follow, not to lead. Which I want to express is OKAY, leading is not for everyone, and they too are losing their jobs, but knowing yourself and your abilities is something we can all do.

It is time for laid off Americans, and those "not- laid- off" Americans, to acknowledge themselves in a new light.

I don’t want to pretend to be an expert on this topic, rather I would simply like to share some thoughts on how to uncover your creativity within your network of established skills and use them to discover a world of new possibilities that empower you for success.

When you go through school, or work at a job for a long period of time, your brain creates a neural network of behaviors, memories, skills, responses, and so forth that become very complex and intertwined, and quite difficult to alter once established…..the whole “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” cliché. To disengage from this network will take some effort but the outcome will provide growth, motivation, self-confidence and possibilities.

Begin by finding a quiet space, a pen and paper, or your computer, clear your mind and start listing your work skills. These skills can range from anything that seems trivial like answering phones, to sophisticated skills like computer programming. For example;

Internet Researching

Map making

Typing
Data entry
Microsoft office- Word, Powerpoint, Excel….
Networking
Organizing

Following through
Initiating ideas
Public speaking
Working with numbers
Etc….

Once you have done this, and make it long, list everything you may normally take for granted, make a list of your closest friends and family and list their skills as best you can. Remember, it takes a team to make a better you (prior article). Knowing what your friends/family are able to do can help you create a larger world of possibilities for yourself. The third thing, make a list of the things you enjoy doing, your hobbies, your aspirations, your “time off” activities. Ask for help in making these lists. Others who know you best can see things in you that you may not consider, like being a listener.

Now try to think about a concept I call “Circular Living”, where your daily living is a converging experience of thoughts and actions, where your hobbies, your interests and your visual image of yourself guide your career path so that your income is generated by your life work, and not just a job.

This job crisis in America is an opportunity that can unveil a side of you that has been lost in the fast pace of keeping up.

Take all the listed information and piece together as many scenic puzzles as you can. The more you play with the information, the more you will find you can add to the lists. Have fun with this. This is your time to grow and expand and re-define yourself.

Remember the way of progress is neither swift nor easy, but perseverance, dedication, patience, compassion, courage and confidence will lead you to prosperity.

Ellie Corigliano, Ph.D.

Dr. Corigliano is the founder of Bionysis (Biological Nutritional Systems), which is designed to integrate scientific research with clinical application for targeted nutritional intervention. She works with patients and their medical practitioner in diagnostics through suggested testing complimented with lifestyle consultation for complete health. Dr. Corigliano is also a lecturer at UCSB where she received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry. Additionally, she is a mentor for Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) where she mentors on women’s issues concerning career pursuits in science. She also mentors on issues of establishing a family and raising children while pursuing a career.

You can meet Dr. C in person at the International Women's Festival in Santa Barbara, California on March 8, 2009 where she is presenting on a panel "So You Want to Live to be 100?"

http://www.womensfestivals.org/

Follow Your Dreams from Jack Canfield sent in by my Grandniece Anna

The following story comes from the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL


FOLLOW YOUR DREAM
By Jack Canfield

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro (Near Aunt Patty's home in Santa Barbara / Monecito!) . He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let Jack use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

"That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200- acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.

"He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, 'See me after class.'

"The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, 'Why did I receive an F?'

"The teacher said, 'This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, 'If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.'

"The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.'

"Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, 'You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream.'"

Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000- square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week." When the teacher was leaving, he said, 'Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids' dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.'"

Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.

From Chicken Soup for the Soul
By Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

SALLY in the Middle East, January 3, 2009

Here's more about our friend Sally, American living in Kuwait:



I have my Bachelor's of Science degree with a strong specialty from a prestigous University in the USA.



My home town is San Francisco, California so I am accustomed to a great climate, smart people and lots of opportunities. I also have my MBA in Accounting and Finance from an east coast Graduate school.

Just today, I have sent my resume to a boutique PE firm based in San Francisco in which the Manager is presently in China. It is for an Analyst position in which I would be able to fulfill this position virtually while here in Egypt. This Manager, whom I had met through LinkedIN, is going to put in for me to get this position along with his recommendation. I will let you know if I do end up getting this position which would be optimal.

Sally's latest experiences using Linked In and working Virtually in the middle east

Dreams for 2009 by Keith A. Shaw

Be careful of what you dream in 2009
“Because it may come true”



My high-school football coach, Coach “Pic” would tell us this every day in his motivational speech as we prepared for the upcoming game. His goal was to get each of us to create a mental picture of what we wanted to do – individually and as a team.
So, here are three strategies that I have used successfully and that you can utilize to achieve your dreams as well…
Number 1 – Write your dreams down on paper.
There are numerous studies that prove the value of writing down and keeping track of your thoughts and goals. A study sponsored by the Ford Foundation found that:
- 23% of the population has no idea what they want from life, and as a result, they do not have much.
- 67% of the population has a general idea of what they want, but they do not have any plans for how to get it.
- Only 10% of the population has specific, well-defined goals, but even then, seven out of the ten of those people reach their goals only half the time.
- The top 3%, however, achieved their goals 89% of the time.
What accounted for the dramatic difference between the top 3% and the others? The top 3% wrote down their goals, their dreams, their THOUGHTS. Simply put, dreams are not goals until they are written on paper. They become a road map for you to follow.
Number 2 - “Pre-set” your mental state for the next day before you head off to bed.
Here’s my secret. Before my head hits the pillow, I spend about five to ten minutes in quiet reflection and thought as to what I want my next day to be like. I think about the things that I want to achieve, such as a financial goal, spiritual strength, courage or other goals, and let my subconscious “dream-mind” work on these while I sleep. I have learned from experience that this strategy not only works in the short term to solve an immediate problem, but also helps me to come up with solutions to achieve a longer-term goal.
Number 3 – Review your list of dreams and do not be discouraged when you are “off course”.
When you focus your mind on your dreams and goals, you centralize your attention, just like you focus a camera lens on the subject of your photograph. Be sure to monitor and check yourself from time to time. People who do not follow the practice of honest, self evaluation can never identify when they are getting off course.
For example, before an airplane takes off and flies from one city to another, the crew maps out a flight path. Along the way, they must account for headwinds, tailwinds, turbulence, weather issues and more that cause the plane to drift off course. Now, do the pilots panic? No! They read and analyze the plane’s telemetry and systematically make the adjustments needed to get the passengers to the destination. Systematic and ongoing self evaluation will allow you to do the same by reading your “telemetry” and keeping you on your “flight plan” so that you successfully reach your destination.
Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”.
Design the future of your dreams in 2009. And be careful, they may come true!
–
Keith A. Shaw is the author and creator of “The Power Of Thought”, and “The Power Of Concentration” Motivation and Success Systems, along with “The Power Of Serenity And Peace” Spirituality and Happiness System. Visit his website www.MindBodySpiritCentral.com.