Sharp Heels
GRATITUDE, HEALTH & CAREERS
Feeling Disconnected From Your Job? Staying Fit & Having an Attitude of Gratitude can Get You Back in Touch
As a career professional it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind, managing fifteen different things from the moment we wake up: get up, grab coffee, maybe have a work-out, shower, get dressed (in whatever we can find that’s not wrinkled) and speed out to take on the day. As if trying to do it all while looking amazing isn’t enough of a task, heading to a job that we don’t like is even more of a challenge.
If you’re like 52.3% of Americans who are unhappy with their jobs, you may feel anxiety about spending all day in the office, doing work that you dislike or aren’t passionate about. And if you are one of the 70% of Americans (Gallup Poll 2015) beating their heads against their desks as a result of disengagement from and/or disinterest in their job, then it’s time for a shift in focus.
In my years of working with hundreds of corporate, individual and A-list celebrity clients as a nutrition/lifestyle management coach, I have found that one of the biggest challenges people face when it comes to their work, is being caught in the “complaint mode.” It is so easy to get wrapped up in the negative aspects of an unfulfilling job that it can become extremely difficult to see any other aspect of the experience. But in general complaining doesn’t change a negative situation if all that accompanies the complaint is complaining; in other words, positive change requires an organized plan of attack to have a sustainable impact. One of the most important building blocks in creating positive change is cultivating an attitude of gratitude as a daily practice.
Changing Your Perspective Can Help Your Progress
One might ask, “How does gratitude factor into my work life?” The answer is simple: an attitude of gratitude positively enhances the overall experience of personal life, which can transfer into the professional arena. Feeling disconnected from our professional work can be a major stress factor causing physical and emotional health problems. The act of being grateful, on the other hand — finding a positive in the face of a negative — can change perspectives from the inside out. This dedicated shift in focus allows one to view and manage challenges more happily, create increased well-being, and ultimately shape a fulfilling life.
With so many other responsibilities and obligations, how do we, as women, train ourselves to see the beneficial aspects of a job from which we might feel disconnected or find overwhelming? Just like beginning a fitness routine, styling our hair or putting on our make-up, we start with the basics and work at it until it becomes a part of our daily life.
Three Mood-Boosting Tips for a Better Career/Life Outlook
1. Write it down. When we are stressed out and unhappy, we tend to be more aggressive, emotional, unhealthy, and disconnected. We may discuss it with friends, but how many of us actually take the time to write our thoughts down with good old-fashioned pen and paper? (I know — it’s like going back to the stone-age, right?)
The act of “journaling,” however, is a psychologically detoxifying process that allows us to voice our thoughts about our experiences to ourselves. Writing down experiences — and our reaction to them — can be extremely beneficial for seeing the big picture and focusing on at least one positive aspect.
Examples:
Perhaps you hate your boss, but you like your co-worker who has become a good friend.
Maybe you really dislike your work, but getting paid for that work allows you to enjoy free time with friends, doing activities you might not otherwise be able to do.
Perhaps you don’t love your commute, but the time sitting in traffic/on the subway affords you a chance to listen to music that you love, putting you in a good mood.
As for writing these things down, one might ask, “Why journal with pen and paper? Why not just use social media, a blog or a digital magazine contribution to express our thoughts?” When we write for other people, we are not always honest with ourselves. But when we are alone with our thoughts, we can be genuinely honest about both the good and the bad in our lives, which helps us determine our true feelings about a situation and allows us to be proactive about change.
Exercise:
Buy a journal with cover art that you love (colorful design, animal print, flowers, etc. . .), and start to reconnect with yourself by writing down only the things you dislike about your job.
Now write down at least one positive outcome that your job has allowed you to accomplish. Maybe you have been able to pay a loan down, buy a car, or book a weekend trip you couldn’t otherwise do.
Whatever it is, write it on a sticky note. Put the note up in your bathroom, or send yourself a text reminder of it. Focus on that one positive thing and what it means to you, weekly or daily, and watch your stress begin to recede and your happiness start to increase more each day.
2. Move Your Body. Our bodies NEED movement. We weren’t meant to stagnantly sit behind a desk for 8-10 hours a day staring at a computer, with our minds continuously processing information, especially if we are doing it in a job that makes us unhappy. Unhealthy bodies make for increasingly unhappy people, which is precisely the reason that employers are regularly beginning to invest in wellness opportunities for their employees. So having an outlet for our stress is an absolute must for cultivating a positive outlook, and a sustainable tool for creating an attitude of gratitude.
Also, when we are moving our bodies, our endorphins kick in and we get that boost of serotonin that bumps up our “feel good” energy. Consistent exercise (cardio, yoga, walking, dance, swimming, running, racquetball, etc.) gives us a sense of accomplishment, helps to alleviate negative energy, and can be an empowering force for channeling positivity.
Exercise:
If your work environment offers a workout program, take advantage of it. If you do, you can soon list “the corporate exercise program” as something you are grateful for, which will make the day much more manageable!
If your company doesn’t offer a well-being platform, then create your own. Make a goal of exercising for fifteen minutes per day, adding five minutes weekly.
If there is one thing you will be able to take away from your new-found exercise routine despite an unhappy job situation, it’s that your job pushed you into taking control of your physical health — and that’s never a bad thing!
3. Fuel Your Body. Nutrition is VITAL for positively balancing stress, health and wellbeing. Women are amazing at multi-tasking and accomplishing feats worthy of sainthood when the pressure is on — but when that pressure is on, we bust out the chocolate like it’s going out of style! Lesson: balancing stress is a necessary evil, but balancing stress positively is an art.
Feeding our bodies not only helps our overall health, it actually contributes to how our brain handles emotionally- charged environments and situations. Food is fuel for positive reactions in negative atmospheres, and for women, there are definite nutrition staples for stress management, helping us to form an attitude of gratitude from the inside out. Here are three things you can do to elevate your nutrition for optimal gratitude and stress management levels:
Hydrate. 64 oz. of water a day is the optimum amount for clean cells carrying nutrients to our blood. If you are used to only drinking 16 oz. of water/day, then add one more bottle. Just adding this amount will get you halfway to optimal functionality for your cells, keeping your lymphatic and intestinal systems running smoothly with less.
Mineralize. Trace minerals such as zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium are found in micro- quantities within our bodies, but not reproduced at sustainable levels for optimal health. Adding ¼ tsp of Himalayan Salts to 32 oz. of water or coconut water along with lemon juice, cucumber, or mint can ensure that your body is getting all of the 84 trace minerals found in the salt, for maximum energy and healthy cells.
Eat Protein. We need at least 3 oz. of lean protein a day (about the size of a deck of cards) to feed and heal our muscles, tissues and brain. Sitting for hours at a desk, under stress, can actually weaken muscles — and utilizing our brains to manage the stress of our job can be damaging too. Lean proteins such as grilled chicken, turkey sausage, nuts and eggs will help proactively heal and repair damaged tissue, needed to think clearly when the pressure is on. Bonus: protein keeps us fuller longer, so we don’t snack as often and gain unnecessary office-related “stress pounds” (definitely something to be grateful for!).
The tips above are a formula for successful stress management that can help you find positive silver linings in what could otherwise be a dark “professional” storm cloud. Recognizing that gratitude is a lifestyle choice can enhance every aspect of our lives, for increased daily joy.
As a result of our newfound positivity, we can increase our ability to effectively handle our job, boring project, or frustrating boss, with a more grateful outlook, changing our perspective from the inside out — and that is without doubt something to write about in your journal!
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THE POWER OF VISION
How to Create a Personal Vision Statement to Achieve Your Dreams
What does your future look like? This is a big question that many of us are afraid to answer. We get bogged down in what we have to do today, tomorrow, or next week, and cannot see what we actually want most in life. One way to counter this fear is to write a personal vision statement. Visioning provides you the space to dream and the direction you need to create your own future.
In business, this is often referred to as a mission statement. But for you, as an individual, it is a glimpse of what’s possible, a big idea, or a dream. Your vision can, of course, include professional aspirations, but I encourage you to make it more personal. Visioning is a good practice to cultivate, as well as a first step in focusing your life, your legacy, and your happiness.
To get started, imagine yourself five, 10, 20 years in the future—whatever feels right. Catch a glimpse of where you are. There are no limitations, logistical considerations, or rules. What do you see? Where are you, who are you with, what do your surroundings look like? What are you doing on that very day? Use your intuition to sense every detail of what is out there and available for you before your rational brain catches up to demand how and why you got there. We often limit our ability to dream when we get caught up in the practical considerations.
As you begin to create your vision, ask yourself these questions:
What is your why?
What kinds of people and activities leave you feeling fulfilled?
How do you envision your legacy?
What kind of support do you need to get there?
If you manifest your biggest dreams, what is possible for you?
Write your personal vision statement in the first person. Use powerful “I am” statements. Take as much space as you need to record as many details as you can see. You can write it as a narrative, or use bullet points.
If you’re more of a visual person, create a vision board:
Pick up a piece of card stock or artist canvas. You can use one as small as a 5×7 to keep on your bedside table, or as large as a full poster size to hang on your office wall.
Look through magazines that you have around the house for content that articulates your vision—wellness, food, entrepreneurship, or travel, for example. If you don’t have magazines at home, purchase two or three, or ask a friend to donate her old magazines to your vision!
Cut out images and text that you find meaningful or exciting.
Arrange your chosen images on your board in any way that you like. They can be placed in random order or separated into themes, for example. Once you are happy with the way they look, paste them in place.
If you like, you can decorate your vision board with glitter, your own writing, stickers, or anything else that appeals to you.
You can also design a digital vision board using an app like Pinterest. This is a nice alternative if you want to separate boards into different themes and continue adding images over time. Whichever method you choose, be sure to create a positive self-image, affirming what you desire and what you deserve.
Once you have completed your personal vision, refer to it often, especially when you feel challenged or lost. And share it with your support system! Know that it is not set in stone, and that you can always make changes, or even start over completely. There is space and possibility for you to constantly enhance your vision. Everything you want is there for you to have, even if you don’t know it yet!
One last thing to remember: Your vision is not a to-do list. Identify specific, actionable goals only after you have given yourself permission to dream without limitations.
This quote by writer Victoria Erickson speaks to the powerful process of creating and manifesting a vision by embodying the very life that you want. It may be helpful to you as you begin the process for yourself.
“If you inherently long for something, become it first. If you want gardens, become the gardener. If you want love, embody love. If you want mental stimulation, change the conversation. If you want peace, exude calmness. If you want to fill your world with artists, begin to paint. If you want to be valued, respect your own time. If you want to live ecstatically, find the ecstasy within yourself. This is how to draw it in, day by day, inch by inch.”
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JUMPSTART YOUR CAREER
5 Actions to Take to Be Your Best Self and Enhance Your Career
Navigating the job search process can feel overwhelming, especially for young women who are just starting out in the professional world. How do you score your dream job, or even decide what you want to do? The first thing you must ask yourself in this process is “What are you jumpstarting?” Are you switching to a new career field or perhaps exploring an opportunity to use the degree you earned? Define your goal, and then use the tools at your disposal to get where you want to go. Here are my five must-dos for jumpstarting your career.
Improve Your Social Before you ever put out a resume or meet with a potential supervisor, clean up your social media. While it’s acceptable, even encouraged, to live your life on the Internet in full view of strangers, selfies from your hard-partying college years don’t do much to inspire an employer’s confidence in your abilities. If a simple Google or Facebook search of your name turns up photos filled with drinking or suggestive dress or behavior, ask yourself, would you hire you? Begin to portray the right image for the industry you are entering. Use your account to build your professional network, and be sure to enable appropriate privacy settings. You can still have fun — just keep your social life off social media.
Do Your Research Compile all the information you can about your chosen job or career field. Cast a wide net with networking events, local professional organizations, friends of friends, and volunteer opportunities. Schedule informational interviews with people who hold positions you covet at companies you admire. Be curious, make a personal connection, and use these opportunities to ask questions, not to sell yourself — unless they ask specifically about your qualifications, of course! What you ask depends largely upon the field you are researching, but it might be helpful to know how this person got where he or she is today. What type of training or study did the person need? What are some best practices for working in this industry? If you connect with someone you interview, approach the person about becoming a mentor!
Act the Part Are you familiar with the expression “Be, Do, Have”? It is a principle that helps you create the life you want. Instead of using the things you already “Have” (time and money, for example) to grow into the person you wish to be, start with the “Be”—embody the qualities of loving and caring, for example. Act from that state of being (the “Do”), and then you will wind up having what you’ve always wanted. How do you put this into practice? Ask your mentor! He or she can share best practices, standards, and expectations for the role you are seeking.
Be Yourself Be open and honest about your skill level and experience and the opportunities you see for growth. No employer expects you to know everything — in fact, the best mentors and managers invest in hiring, training, and building employees up! If you are new to an industry, be prepared to discuss two or three examples of how skills developed in a previous job, your education, or life experience have prepared you for this new opportunity. Be upfront (and enthusiastic!) about your current skills and what you would like to learn in the future. Don’t box yourself into a job that isn’t a great fit or exaggerate what you are capable of. Having these realistic conversations early on prevents disappointment and misunderstanding later — and potentially opens the door to great learning experiences!
Take Care of Your Wellbeing Boost your confidence by looking after your mind and body. Eat well. Exercise regularly. Prioritize self-care, whether that’s a monthly massage or a weekly yoga class with a friend or a hot bath on Sunday evenings. Invest in a trainer or coach or therapist. Get ample sleep. Ask for support when you need it. The very best thing you can do to prepare for a new job or a big career move is to look and feel your best, especially when you begin to feel stress or anxiety about the process.
No matter where you are in your career, let your light shine through! You can do and be anything you want. You are inherently capable and empowered to reach all of your goals. The most important action you can take is to be authentically YOU — your best self. If the specific job or career path you aspire to is the right fit, this will come naturally. Enjoy the ride!
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