I’m also creating some intro workshops, the first being titled:?? “What’s YOUR Career Dream?”?? These I plan to do in Tucson initially.?? Stay tuned or email for more information.
Till then, be well and look for things to appreciate; your high vibration is your reward!

Blessings?? ~ Mert

This is Part 1. of a 5 part series, FINDING A CAREER.?? Finding, or discovering, or creating a career, can be a matter of seeing what jobs are available in the newspaper want ads or online job sites, or finding a magazine article about the 10 hottest careers for the next five years. I think a wiser and more satisfying approach is to start with oneself, and take a look at who YOU are, what YOU love, and what YOU have to offer. What would YOU love to do? What is in your heart of hearts to do? What calls out to you with a joyful appeal? This more organic approach starts with YOU and what you are all about rather than looking for a spot to fill. Over the years I’ve developed an effective tool, THE 4 LISTS, to help you find a career by starting with yourself. The idea is to ask yourself some key questions, and to keep track of your answers on the appropriate lists.
Pages of THE 4 LISTS are titled:
#1. Interests and Passions
#2. Career Options
#3. Criteria for Choosing Career
#4. Gifts, Strengths, Talents, Assets, Skills

Keeping track of your own answers on these lists allows you to do the following:
~ generate career options from lists 1 and 4;
~ choose (from list 2) four or five options to explore;
~ evaluate (using information on list 3) what you are learning as you explore options;
~ choose your first or next career.

List #1. Interests and Passions

Today we’re going to look at List #1. Interests and Passions. Take a sheet of paper and write this bolded title at the top. Below it, write these questions for yourself: “What’s fun? What do I care deeply about? Like to do? Read about? What do I enjoy so much that I lose track of time when I’m doing it?” To get you started, know that a couple examples might be hiking, and Special Olympics. Just list YOUR interests and passions as you think of them on this page. If you come up with just five things today, fine. Keep this page (page 1 for List #1), and know that you will be creating pages 2, 3, and 4, and stapling them all together. And as you think of other interests and passions, add them to this page 1 list.

What do you do with this information?

Have a notebook for your FINDING A CAREER project. Label the first page, “Brainstorming Career Options from MY Interests and Passions.” And then pick out 2 items from List #1, (such as drawing pictures and bicycling) and ask yourself: “From just these 2 starting points, how many careers can I think of? What careers do they suggest?”

For example, you might think of these:
* doing illustrations for a cycling magazine,
* setting up a side business doing sketches of people on their bikes at cycling events,
* doing illustrations for t-shirts to sell at cycling events,
* writing a children’s book about bicycling and doing your own drawings for illustrations.

Just give yourself some time and many ideas will come to you. If they are far out, fine! At this point, simply capture them in your notebook. And then take a couple other items from List #1 and repeat the brainstorming process. You can do this with as many of the items as you choose. Perhaps you’d like to recruit a friend or two to help you brainstorm; everyone has different experiences on which to draw for ideas, so this can help you create more options quickly. Keep the flow going. Do not critique the ideas; just record them. Later you may be inspired to blend some of the options together.

So, for now, you’ve started your List #1, started a FINDING A CAREER notebook, and brainstormed some options. Well done. Stay tuned for Parts 2, 3, and 4 — and more. It’s all about YOU and your new career! Pay attention to the things that spark you, delight you. This is important; joy points the way!

Success is so much easier than you might think. Just 10 small changes in your attitude can make a world of difference.

1. You’ve got to have a dream.

It doesn’t matter what it is, but before you can get to any but a random destination you have to decide on where it is you really want to go.

It doesn’t matter what your background is, or how much disapproval you might have to face. If your parents are insisting that you stay at school, or you have a family and you need a day job to support them, that’s fine. You can still take time each day to plan your goals and visualize yourself achieving them.

The opportunities are just as great for seniors as for schoolkids. Colonel Sanders, of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, and writer Catherine Cookson are just two of the people who started a new career long after their contemporaries had consigned their own dreams to oblivion — and made a fortune.

2. Choose something you love so much it doesn’t seem like work at all.

No matter how talented you are, you’re going to have to work extremely hard to be successful. That’s why it has to be YOUR goal, not one you’ve chosen to please someone else.

3. Believe in yourself, and don’t ever be discouraged. If you’re really dedicated to your dream, you have what it takes to learn the skills you need.

There’s never been so much information, so readily available, on nearly any subject you can think of, that can help you make the most of your abilities;so much available computing power, that can let you run a business from the corner of a room; so much low- (or no-)cost software, that will let you make exclusive products; or a market like the Internet, that lets you reach, at zero cost, a global audience of billions.

4. Learn everything you can about the thing you love.

If spending hours on the Internet or in the Library soaking up everything you can possibly find out about the subject seems like hard work, you need to ask yourself if this dream’s really yours, or someone else’s… but if you lose all track of time in learning all the skills and information that you need, you’re on the right track for unparallelled success.

5. Accept the chance to do some work — unpaid.

That doesn’t mean you need allow yourself to be exploited, but when you’re starting out, you lack experience. Some unpaid work in an area related to your dream can often be an easy way of getting that — and it can sometimes bring about the very break you’re looking for.

6. Develop new ideas.

No matter what your dreams involve, it’s vital to success. With proper tools and training, nearly anyone can make a wheel; the genius who changed the world was the person who invented one.

7. Creative ideas aren’t hard to come by — in fact, your mind’s already full of them. If you spend time each day with a pen and notebook, or a computer and a brainstorming program, you’ll find yourself producing them in droves.

Use them to improve your products and procedures, help your customers to solve their problems, or write about them for a newsletter, magazine or e-book, and you’ll quickly be the person other people in your area of interest turn to — an acknowledged expert. That will get you noticed by the people who can help you most.

8. Expect to learn something new and valuable each day.

Don’t go to bed before you HAVE learned something new and valuable! That way, you’ll have the information that will help you make connections to develop fresh ideas.

A broad perspective helps you be the first to see the application of new trends and techniques in your field of interest — and this ability alone can make your fortune.

9. Do the things you love, and love the things you do.

This kind of passionate enthusiasm is the basis of charisma — the most success-attracting quality you can develop.

The people who convey their knowledge, sing their songs, write novels, act a role or direct their movies with energy and vividness, and an obvious delight in what they’re doing, are the most convincing and persuasive people on the planet.

People don’t REALLY pay for information, or for entertainment. They pay for information they’ve been persuaded is correct, and entertainment they’re persuaded is just for them — and the people who persuade them best are those who love their subject with a passion.

10. Remember that the law of success in any field is always “give and take,” not “take and give.”

The more you learn, the more you know. The more you practice, the more skillful you become. The more you think, the more ideas you have. The more you give out in creative energy, the more successful you will be… and the more you skimp on any of those things, the more the world will hold back its rewards.

If that inspirational affirmation sends you into a fit of hysterical laughter, you probably see job hunting as an impossible, overwhelming task that should be avoided at all costs. Who can see the ???fun??? in scanning want ads, filling out applications, and suffering the humiliation of repeated rejection? Indeed, a job hunt can take a toll on anyone???s self-esteem.

But consider the cost of not accepting the challenge to find better work. You may stay in a job you???ve been in for years, comfortable with the familiarity, but utterly bored. Or you might be so unhappy with your work that you can hardly drag yourself out of bed each morning. Some employees go on for so long in this state of limbo that they become psychologically and even physiologically affected. Stress, chronic tension, repetitive motion injuries, frequent illnesses, and even nervous breakdowns can ensue. Ironically, it???s not uncommon for a burned-out worker to up and quit his job on the spur of the moment, suddenly finding himself in the very situation he toiled so miserably to avoid ??? a job hunt.

So perhaps the question comes down to whether you???d rather be in a frantic job hunt under the hourglass of diminishing savings, or learn to take charge of your career and aggressively look for new opportunities to enhance your skills and further your professional development. In most cases, what makes a job search so difficult is not the process itself, but rather our resistance to it.

Finding Work You Love

It???s easy to get caught up in the belief that a job ??? any job ??? would be better than the situation you are in now. This rings especially true if your situation is called ???unemployment.??? But long after the thrill of a new job has worn off and the increase in salary has been absorbed into your household budget, you still want to feel happy about going to work each day. That quiet sense of contentment comes from knowing that your job satisfies many parts of your life ??? financial security being the obvious ??? but also personal growth, a feeling of accomplishment, and intellectual stimulation. These attributes are all necessary for a satisfying career position.

Whether you choose to go after a job or a career position can mean the difference between feeling like just another rank-and-file employee or having a sense of purpose ??? and passion ??? about what you do. You don???t have to be a doctor, a teacher or a social worker to achieve this sense of purpose and contribution. Some people get tremendous satisfaction from operating machinery, helping customers with their shopping, or driving a school bus. As long as you feel you???re providing an important service, you???ll be able to take pride in what you do.

If you???re overwhelmed by the mere thought of choosing a career, you???re not alone. Just go to any bookstore and witness the volumes of books, tapes, videos and tests available on the subject. Why has so much been written about career decision-making? Because there???s a lot at stake in choosing one???s work ??? money, job security and most of all, happiness. If you???re not satisfied with your work, your discontent will spill over into other areas of your life. It can affect your energy, your relationships, your family, and even the way you sleep at night.

???Finding a job I love instead of hate ??? what a great idea!??? you???re sarcastically mumbling to yourself about now. ???But how do I find this oh-so-satisfying job???? The answer lies within. Your individual accomplishments, skills, talents, history, goals and dreams are major components of who you are and what you can become. The best way to start your search is by clearly identifying as many of those elements as you can, putting them down in black and white.

Narrowing Your Focus

Writing down where you???ve been and where you would like to go will help you visualize the direction your job-search plan should take and the types of work you should target. Creating a potential path to your career goals also helps separate reality from wishful thinking.

First, consider the primary reason you???re seeking new employment. If money is an urgent issue, then the most immediate action you can take may be to find a job similar to the one you???ve done most recently. If you???re able and willing to continue working in the same field, you???re probably better prepared than you think to find another position in fairly short order ??? by networking with colleagues, clients, and even former employers to let them know you???re available.

But what if you???re unable to continue in the same career? Perhaps you???ve been injured, or the job is becoming obsolete, or you???re just going to scream if you ever have to walk back into that work environment again. Then you???ll need to do some skills assessment and explore new horizons. (There???s always a new horizon, however difficult it may be to see through the haze of job-loss anxiety and impending financial difficulties.)

Make a list of the skills you know you possess. If it???s difficult to think of specific skills, start by listing things you???ve done. Use your resume as a reference, if you have one. Detail duties and responsibilities you???ve handled in previous jobs ??? even if they seem mundane and unimportant, and even if they were not part of your official job title.

Did you supervise staff when managers were off site? Did you introduce a new filing system that helped organize a disheveled office? Did you suggest an idea for a successful sales promotion? Try to recall everything you did in each position.

As you remember jobs you???ve held, think about the things you learned in those positions ??? tasks or computer systems you were trained in, business strategies or decision-making you were mentored in. Whether you???re recounting five or 25 years of work, you will start to see how much you???ve learned and how much stronger you???ve become in certain skills.

Add to your list those activities you did outside your work assignments. Include volunteer work, community involvement, internships, training or apprenticeship programs, academic projects, home improvement and repair projects, and even hobbies. Did you ever assist with organizing staff meetings or social events for a company? Have you handled some of the bookkeeping for your local church? Were you involved in fundraising for your child???s school? Have you helped your neighbor build a patio and deck? Believe it or not, all these activities are important, because each represents a unique set of skills.
Next, try to cite at least one accomplishment (small or large, it doesn???t matter) in each activity. Maybe your double chocolate-chip cookies at the school???s fundraising event helped bring in a record amount of money.

As you develop a comprehensive list of your skills and accomplishments, make some notes about which of those activities you really enjoyed, and why. See if you notice any common themes. Did you love baking for that school fundraiser, but hate manning the sales booth? Or did you find that you were miserable in the kitchen, but had a great time talking to people while watching your cookie sales skyrocket?

You will begin to see a pattern developing, a broad-brush portrait of who you are. Your ideal job should allow you to blend as many elements of this picture as possible into meaningful work. Within those elements is a set of skills that can be used in your ideal job ??? whether it is very similar to your most recent role or something in a totally different field. Career counselors call these ???transferrable skills.??? Knowing your transferrable skills will help you when writing your resume, and later when convincing an interviewer why you are the best candidate for a job.

Setting Realistic Goals

Think about what you want to achieve from this job change. It may be another position similar to the one you just had, or a complete career change.

Keep in mind that your next job may have to be a stepping stone to the perfect position. Be realistic in this process. Ask yourself: Do you already have some of the qualifications and skills that would be relevant to your desired type of work? For example, if most of your recent experience is in telemarketing, it would be unrealistic to expect to be hired as a healthcare professional (unless you already have the appropriate credentials or training). It???s more likely you could make a successful transition to such careers as retail sales, claims processing, or office administration.

Setting and prioritizing your goals is essential to executing a successful job search that takes advantage of your transferable skills and interests. Once you have a clear picture of your immediate career objective, you???ll be ready to embark on your job search.

Don???t underestimate the value of this self-assessment process. When you can envision the characteristics you???d like your next job to have, you can target your job search accordingly. Remember the words of a wise career advisor: ???If you don???t know where you???re going, you???ll probably end up somewhere else.???

How does any of this relate to your career??? We all know that good health makes it easier to be effective in and enjoy one’s work; I mention it here because this tool of holding clearly in mind what you desire, and expecting it, with joy, already happening, can be applied to creating good health as well as a wonderful career.?? It can be applied to creating anything you desire, whether that’s a parking space or a delightful lunch with a friend.?? Expecting it to happen amps up the power.?? This idea is set out particularly clearly in the Abraham Hicks materials — which I love!??Their website is www.abraham-hicks.com.

Life is too short, AND too long, to not have your wonderful vitality and a joyful career.?? And why not, at the same time, be creating everything you desire in this life??? We are each abundantly blessed already, but I believe we are meant to have it all:?? happiness, health and wealth.

For more joy right this minute, look for all the good things already in your life and appreciate them.?? Include appreciation of yourself; you are worthy and deserve this!

Blessings!

Thanks to a company called Vocation Vacations, you can actually test drive your dream job.

Based in Portland, Ore., the two-year-old outfit arranges what might be called internships for grown-ups. For a fee of anywhere from $200 to over $1,000 (plus airfare and lodging), VV matches up people who want to learn a new trade with successful practitioners in their chosen field for a close look at the day-to-day nitty-gritty.

So what careers are hottest now? We asked Vocation Vacations founder and president Brian Kurth for the lowdown.

People are trying to learn what it means to be a cheese maker, pastry chef, wine maker, brewmaster, chocolatier — just about any other food-related job imaginable.

“Over the past couple of decades, we’ve become a nation of foodies,” says Kurth. “It’s partly because of media exposure to high-end chefs, and partly because, as disposable income rises, people get pickier about what they eat and drink. It becomes a passion.”

One opportunity Vocation Vacation offers is a day of “one-on-one mentorship as an animal therapist and educator” in West Palm Beach, Fla. (for $349 plus travel expenses). Or you could spend time learning how to breed or train horses, or how to run an animal shelter.

But the runaway best seller in this category is doggie daycare centers.

“People are very serious about this. They come to us with business plans already in hand,” says Kurth. “It kind of surprises me because, let’s face it, doggie daycare involves picking up an awful lot of poop.”

This category includes sports team manager, talent agent, TV producer, radio announcer, set designer and choreographer.

“Obviously, in our society, lots of people fantasize about being in show business,” Kurth notes. “But sometimes it does turn into a real career.”

A Boston marketing executive laid off in a bank merger last year, he says, did a Vocation Vacations stint as a TV production assistant and has now produced a pilot for her own TV show. She’s also doing stand-up comedy.

The chance to work with a real live fashion designer, photographer, stylist or makeup artist appeals to plenty of people, not just Project Runway fans. But, cautions Kurth, “Part of what we do is to show people the whole experience, including the not-so-fun parts. I mean, how glamorous is it when you’re setting up for a runway shoot at 4 a.m.?”

People romanticize the idea of running a hotel, being a tour guide, or owning a bed-and-breakfast.

“It takes a very special kind of person to make a B&B successful. People often go into it thinking it’s going to be easy, but it’s a 24/7 job,” Kurth says. “You’re opening up your home to people you don’t know. They may come home drunk at 2 a.m. and wake up the whole house.”

He adds: “Some people absolutely love it, the mini-Conrad Hiltons of the world. Others tell us, ‘Thank God I tried it before I quit my job and invested my savings, because I absolutely could not stand to do this for a living.’”

~~~
If Kurth sounds like a bit of wet blanket, it’s because he wants to see people embark on a second career, if in fact they decide to, with their eyes wide open. “Part of what we do is take the romance and mystery out of a dream job, and give you a chance to see if you’d really like it — without taking on any big financial risk, and without telling your boss,” he says. “Sure, working as a wedding planner sounds like fun, for instance, and for many people it really is. But you also have to be part psychologist, to deal with the occasional bridezilla.”

The company offers professional career counseling, both before and after clients have tried out their dream jobs. Kurth says about 80 percent of customers take them up on it.

Then, too, lots of people stay in touch with their Vocation Vacation mentors and continue to ask them for advice. Mark Spoto, 43, of Woodbury, Minnesota, made cheesecakes as a hobby while working as a software engineer for Dow Jones Market Watch.

Then, last September, he spent a day at Wisconsin Cheesecakery, in Madison, Wis., learning the ins and outs of professional baking. He now plans to open a coffee shop, specializing in deluxe cheesecakes, in his hometown.

“It was absolutely great to get a firsthand look at how the business runs — everything from health-code regulations to what kind of shelving and equipment they used. And it’s great to be able to continue to call on them as a resource,” he says. “The biggest surprise for me was that a lot of what they do is the same as I had been doing at home.”

His favorite cheesecake recipe? “Chocolate Bailey’s Irish Cream.” Yum.