Reaching Out and Making Connections
What makes your job meaningful? For most of us, we care about making a positive impact on others, and feel energized through our associations.
It's so natural to crave connection, and derive meaning from our relationships -- whether at play or at work. We feel good when we someone smiles at us, shakes our hand, gives us a hug, or listens to our stories. People make our lives interesting, and they help us to connect with opportunities, like new contracts, ideas for new work, suggestions for ways to do our work more effectively.
So, what are you doing to reach out and make contact in your professional life? Try these suggestions:
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Use your alumni directory to connect with old friends, or find people in your industry
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Join a professional organization, like American Marketing Association
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Sign up on LinkedIn.com and discover helpful professional contacts
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Attend a conference or convention of people in your target industry joining or at least attending a mixer/luncheon for the local Chamber of Commerce
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Volunteer for a local charity. You're doing something good for the community, people can see you in action, and you never know who you'll be rubbing shoulders with!
Make it a practice to reach out to one new contact a week, and reconnect with one person a week. You'll be amazed at what that does for your personal AND professional well-being.
Celebrating Client Success Stories
I love to celebrate! So, from time to time, I'll be highlighting client success stories this newsletter. In this issue, I'd like to introduce you to Paula Hendricks of Cinnabar Bridge.
Paula has a wealth of creative talents -- writing, speaking, organizing information, photography. She had already been doing writing projects and had published her own books, but wanted more clarity about an energizing next step in her career.
In our "discover your calling" career coaching sessions together, we used a number of processes to help her find her deepest talents and unlock her innate potential. It became clear that Paula loves books. Reading them, holding them, being in bookstores.
So, what did Paula do?
Paula realized that many people have stories to tell and books are a great way to deliver their messages. It is easier than ever before for people to print small runs of their own books, so that they can use books for PR or portfolios, or give as gifts to friends and family.
With the impetus from our career coaching sessions together, Paula recently launched a service to help people who want to produce their own books. If you have a creative idea that you'd like to turn into a printed book or eBook, I encourage you to contact Paula. Her great ideas and creativity can carry you far!
And, if you have a creative idea or hobby that you'd like to transform into a career, I invite you to consider a career coaching with me. To get started, sign up for a free 30-minute "get acquainted" session, and you can share your ideas and find out if Work from Within coaching is a fit for you.
A Smile Goes Miles
While it's nice to feel great, life moves in ebbs and flows. So how can you reach out to others when you are feeling down or blue?
One of the fastest, easiest ways to regain a positive mood is to smile. Yes, even when you're feeling down. Put a warm, inviting smile on your face.
Research indicates that different facial muscles trigger different chemicals in the brain. The muscles used for smiling catalyze hormones that tend to make us happy.
So, to make yourself feel positive at work, in interviews, with colleagues and friends, there's a simple prescription: Smile, smile, smile. Even if it feels silly or unnatural at first. "Act as if" you are happy and turn up the corners of your mouth for a mere 17 seconds -- or more . See how your mood shifts for the positive. Experiment for yourself!
