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You’ve probably heard of and even felt FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) especially since lots of marketing efforts today use FOMO strategies to get you to buy any manner and goods of services that you can’t live well without. It’s the adult version of teenage peer pressure. And it plays on and keeps us focused on our fears. A big part of my coaching process is getting clients to focus on joy instead of fear because what we focus on grows. And I don’t know about you but I see the need for more JOY in our world, not more fear.

I saw the picture below recently and being a joy junkie and an intovert was immediately smitten with the notion of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out). During this hustle and bustle time of year when we are supposed to be merry and bright and filled with good cheer, most of us are exhausted trying to keep up with all the shoulds and to dos in the name of holiday perfection (SO much FOMO). Instead of getting all caught up in the holiday FOMO, what if we also practiced a little JOMO. It’s ok (maybe even glorious) if you don’t attend every holiday party, holiday market, or holiday concert and do something instead to take care of yourself. Go for a run if that’s your thing. Sit on the couch and binge the latest show on Netflix if that’s your thing. Whatever your thing is that helps you unplug and feel more joy and less stressed instead FOMO, do that and be refreshed and renewed so you can enjoy the holidays and all the days to come in the new year. Don’t wait on a new year’s resolution to start taking care of yourself! Join me in practicing JOMO!

Offering 2 Joyful Living Coaching Holiday Specials:
1) Job Search Session (1 session with resume and LinkedIn review and create job search strategy) $99 (reg. $125)
2) Career Coaching (4 sessions tailored for client needs and goals) $360 (reg. $480)
Purchase by 12/31/2018
Expires 12/31/2019
To purchase (for self or others) or if you have questions, send me a message. 

In this holiday season of lots to do, don’t forget to be who you want to be in the flurry of it all. In every moment of every day, you get to choose. What will you choose? I choose joy.

The short answer is NO! Unless, you have been presented with a specific opportunity by a specific person in your network to apply for now, you should find a way to cope with whatever is causing you pain in your current role if at all possible.

But don’t misunderstand me. You do need to be working on your job search strategy during this season to be ready to be in full on job search mode come January. What does it mean to have or work on a job search strategy? Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Know your target job. Any ole job won’t do. Know what you are specifically interested in doing next in your career.
2. Do your homework! What organizations do you want to work for? Pick 10 to 20. Write them down and then go to their website and set an alert to be notified when they post jobs that are of interest to you.
3. Work on your resume and LinkedIn profile. See how this is step 3 even though most of us want to start with this step?! You can’t do this well without knowing your target job and target companies. Also make sure you know how to customize your resume and cover letter for each job you apply for. There are tools and techniques available for great customization.
4. Network! That doesn’t always mean handing out business cards at a conference or professional event. Find ways to connect with people in your job market. LinkedIn is a great place to start and there is a way to do reach out authentically, professionally, and with confidence.
5. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support during this process. A job search is quite the undertaking so confide in a friend, work with a coach for accountability, manage your time so it doesn’t feel like you are always working on the job search, take a day off to do something you enjoy, etc.

While there is much more I could tell you about creating your job search strategy, I’ll leave you with these tips as a starting place. As always, let me know if I can be of help as we all work on choosing joy in our careers and lives!

You don’t have to feel stuck in your career or life! Get the support you need to embrace the change needed. It’s worth it and you don’t have to wait until you have all the answers to relieve the pain.

I saw this image on social media recently and it gave me pause to reflect on how we can reframe our perception of our reality and how doing so consistently can change our perspective on life. In some ways, it’s answering the classic half empty or half full question and then deciding you’d rather have a different perception than you tend to. For example, for the first 30 years of my life, I saw things negatively and in turn my perspective on life became a negative, pessimistic one. There were valid reasons for why I viewed things this way but I came to a point in my life that I had healed those issues and wanted to live more positively, more joyfully for my well being and the well being of my new baby. To shift my perception and my perspective was no quick, easy task and still occasionally requires recalibrating.

Reframing requires us to shift our thinking, rewriting those scripts we have ingrained in us and operate on autopilot. Here are some tips for reframing your perception and perspective that worked for me:

1. Be intentional about the change you want to make and turn off autopilot mode. If you aren’t clear on what you want to change or aren’t committed to it, you will have a harder time changing.
2. Be gentle and patient with yourself during the process because you won’t get it right every time. It takes time and practice to change.
3. Find external ways to support the change. It’s easy to get all jumbled up in our thoughts and feelings so external supports can help us stay on track. For example, tell a confidant and make a plan for checking in with them on your progress. If journaling is a helpful way for you to process, journal about your successes and struggles with making the change. If you love inspirational quotes as much as I do, you could put quotes that inspire you in strategic places where you will see them in your home and office where you will be reminded and encouraged on your quest.
4. Celebrate when you get it right! This will reinforce those instances where you have success and spark more of them.

Eventually, you will have created a shift in your perception and perspective and created a new normal for yourself. As always, know that I wish you well on your journey to the joyful life you want. #choosejoy