Courage to Change News Template

Shary Raske

July 2008

Celebrating the Difficult: When All Else Fails…Make Your Bed

You have heard of the expression: You have made your bed, now lie in it. It is a rather fatalistic view of suffering the consequence of a bad decision. Yet what if making your bed had a different meaning? What if making your bed was a foundational piece for celebrating the difficult?

Each of us have times in our lives when life is just plain difficult. Many years ago, I was experiencing circumstances beyond my control and saw no way out. It is one thing to have a crisis that you know is temporary, but when the crisis becomes a chronic, life-altering state, it takes forethought to persevere. I am in the business of giving people better options, and here I was feeling my emotional health deteriorating under weight of my situation.

The solution presented itself when speaker Alan Weiss asked, “If you could change just one thing today, what would it be?” His point was if you could change one thing, then you could build on that change to change more thing. I heard people talking about getting better organized, or quitting smoking, or starting a business or networking more. Nothing came to mind for what that one thing could be for me. I was being bombarded on so many levels. What one thing could I do when I was already so overwhelmed? Then a thought popped into my head: Make your bed. So I went home that afternoon and did just that.

My life circumstances did not change. I continued to have days when I honestly did not think I could go on, and then I saw my made bed and found myself saying, “Well, at least I made my bed.” And so it went, an inventory of everything that was going wrong in my life….and at least I made my bed. Eventually that made bed gave me the strength to add another change and then another until I found that my life had been re-arranged for my greater good.

What one thing can you do differently? Some of you are faced with hostile takeovers, bad bosses, or a sense of foreboding that your occupation is becoming obsolete. Would you make your bed under those circumstances? Would you keep making your bed? It may seem like an insignificant step, but eventually this one more action just might make all the difference in the world!

Do You Want to Job interview Better?

Spend less time memorizing the perfect answers to tough job interviewing questions, and more time listening. If you really show up and be with the person who is interviewing you, you will be more likely to be selected for the next interview. Try Speaking Circles on Tuesday evenings if you’d like to practice how to be a better listener. Located in Creve Couer. Call Shary Raske to learn about how to attend the first session free at (314) 560-1088.

One Secret for a Successful Career Transition

One of the secrets of a successful career transition is to take time to play. I am sure you know people who put their nose down, don’t come up for air until they find a new job. Maybe that person is you! That works in the short-run, but if your search takes longer than four months that break-neck speed will make you very crabby….and who wants to hire that?

Want to be a Better Speaker / Facilitator / Trainer?

Try this tip: Before your event, find a quiet place to check in with yourself. What is your emotional state? Is your emotional state in line with the presentation you are about to give? If not, you will come across incongruent no matter how wonderful your content is.

Do you know someone whose career needs CPR? No, I do not mean resuscitation, although sometimes it feels that way!! I work with career changers who want to get to where they want to be and get there faster! Get back on track with a Career Planning Resource meeting. Available either as tele-coaching or face-to-face. Call today for details (314) 560-1088.

Shary Raske, Career Strategist,
Courage to Change Enterprises
shary@courageouschange.net
(314) 560-1088

Smarter, more effective career change!