Photo by Kate Hliznitsova on Unsplash While one could argue Mom is always a pillar in her family, we are heading into the throes of what I consider to be “Mom as the Pillar” season. You know, the time where moms have to rise to the occasion, create the magic and be all the things: the family backbone, the nurturer, (if you are a working mom) provider, mediator, etc. The holidays often challenge us to step into all of these roles as best we can, even though it may be outside our comfort zone. But come January, we often learn how capable we are.
There are a few things I wanted to highlight that I hope you consider as we head into November:
In this last 8 weeks or so of the year, jot down some personal and professional thoughts - these may make some good fodder for those fast-approaching New Year’s resolutions:
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I wanted to share a story of a friend of mine who I could tell was really struggling at work. By struggling, I mean she was livid. She had so many ideas, would voice concerns, and was met with silence or told that her ideas were not a priority for the company at that time.
I'm no career coach, but as a friend I remember us grabbing a drink and talking through everything that was going on, her frustration palpable. I recommended she do the following things - and if you find yourself in a similar situation, I recommend you do the same.: 1. Document your ideas. What do you wish your company was doing today that it is not? What ideas you have, or strategy components you wish they would listen to? Write it down. This helps get clarity around your personal talk track, and crystalize proof points in your mind so you can rattle them off later. 2. Sketch out what an ideal job looks like. Take a step back from what you are doing today. What parts of your job do you like? What do you dislike? What would you be SO happy doing all day, every day? Combine this section with your ideas listed prior. 3. Invest time in building your personal brand. Talk about your ideas! Just because you are working at a company, doesn't mean you have to operate in a silos. Use platforms like personal blogs, or LinkedIn to write articles about your ideas. This will force you to further sharpen your ideas, not to mention market yourself and your expertise to the world as well as give reading material to potential employers that may want to hire you one day. 4. Have "the talk". Personally, I'm of the belief that you should be straight with your employer, which may be your boss / manager. Talk to them about your pain points, where you are frustrated or blocked, and share what you want to be doing. More often then not, they may have no idea and be happy for you to pursue your areas of interest or be willing to listen to your ideas. And if they are not, you now have that knowledge - and a fairly clear conscience - as you proceed to step 5. 5. Make the decision. You've put it all out there, communicated that you are unhappy and may or may not like the answers that you get. Will more money make you stay? Did you ask for it, or did they offer it? If no, is it time to start looking around at roles at other companies that match your ideal job sketch you drafted in step #2? As for my friend? She is happily settled in at her new job, now 2 months later from when we first sat down at the bar. If this story resonates with you, I encourage you to take the above exercise and apply it to yourself. And if you do make the decision to jump, use this interviewing guide to keep your organized. Life's too short to walk around so frustrated, and there are plenty of opportunities for hardworking people like yourself. Good luck! Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash The notion of "exploring" can call you out of routine and into all that is around you
I'm not just talking about grand traveling expeditions. While travel can be profound and illuminating, don't think that experiences you need are out of reach. Especially if you are a working mom (like me!) who doesn't feel like travel is really in the cards right now. Explore from where you are. Do new things and projects. Explore your current environment, maybe take a different route to work or try a new restaurant. Shake up the typical and ordinary. Reflection for today: what do you think of when you hear "explore"? What qualities are brought out when you are exploring - curiosity? Excitement? Play? Someone with a balanced view of exploration is driven by the need for freedom and learning about the world around her. Conversely, an unbalanced need to explore everything, someone who is constantly bouncing around could be ungrounded and thus unstable - that is, they don't have that home base or a foundation to fall back on. However, if you are struggling to be present, constantly moving may be an addictive way to deal with that restless energy. You may not yet be a fan of meditation, but I would recommend time to yourself with no distractions to see what needs to be addressed in your life. |
AuthorI'm a motivated, self-starting marketer and working mom looking to make a difference in the world - one story at a time. Interviewing?Let's get you set up for success!
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