It’s Sunday. And, I have a confession.
I haven’t gotten out of my jammies yet today. (Wearing my favorite ones that Woman on Fire Rosemary Nickel sent me from PajamaGram!) Oh, does this feel good – and ever-so-slightly naughty;-)
Rob left before dawn today for Mara Glazer’s Social Media seminar in Baltimore. Wilber and I are home alone. And, because he lies around himself and naps all day, I think he loved having a pal to do nothing with.
I ate when I wanted; skipped making the bed and unloading the dishwasher; yakked on the phone to Shannon McCaffery and to my mom; read Rolling Stone and World Pulse magazines; brewed a pot of hazelnut coffee (which Rob doesn’t like because it makes our house all smelly); and even drank a diet Coke, which I rarely, rarely do anymore.
In short, a Heavenly day of nothingness and everything-I-love-ness.
Hope you get the same chance every once in a while. I’d love to hear on our blog what you do when you have time to do absolutely nothing!
Today’s SPARK! is a strategy for what to do when you are faced with a major transition. I am borrowing from the wisdom of Women on Fire book co-author Shannon McCaffery.
You see Shannon was laid off from jobs in the corporate world FOUR times in nine years before she found her true passion and became an entrepreneur.
She is uniquely well-qualified to talk about what an upheaval it is to unexpectedly lose your job!
(Although you may have a hint your job is on the line, it’s still a shock when it happens. You need a strategy to work through the loss and regain your balance. This holds true even if you didn’t like your job.)
The results from the recent Women on Fire survey revealed that a large number of you are going through a major transition and that many of you have experienced job loss, whether of your own choice or not.
When I was compiling the Women on Fire book, I invited Shannon to share her experience of repeated job loss. I was inspired to see how she coped through some very tough times and how well it all turned out for her. She wrote an excellent, strategy-filled chapter called “Breaking Loose From Corporate America” – 7 Secrets To Being Let Go From Your Job.
In Shannon’s words, here are her seven secrets to surviving a major transition:
1) Surround yourself with support – “This was a lifesaver for me: having a coach, therapist, friends, family and my dogs. It was incredibly helpful to know I wasn’t alone.”
2) Tame your mind – “My mind was my worst enemy. I took up the practice of meditation and learned how to calm and quiet my mind.”
3) Take yourself on vacation – “Taking myself to Peru and experiencing Machu Picchu with a group of spiritually inclined people was just what my workaholic soul needed to open up to my life.”
4) Feel your fear; it’s OK – “I was so scared about not knowing how I was going to pull through. I faced my fear and created a mantra that I repeated 40-50 times a day: ‘I will find the perfect home and perfect job for me and my dogs by Nov. 1.’” (And, she did!)
5) Reach out to experts – “I can’t say enough about having a coach, a therapist and any other specialist you need to see your way through a transition. Yet, it’s not enough just to have them in your life, but it’s about picking up the phone and asking them for help.”
6) Indulge in self-soothing – “There are many things you can do to make yourself smile, laugh and feel good inside. From aromatherapy (candles, incense, soaps) to baths, body lotions, flowers and ice cream.”
7) Comfort your body – “Your body keeps a lot (bound up) during major transitions and change. You need to take extra good care of it with rest, exercise and a massage…or two or three.”
Today Shannon is happy, healthy and successful in her life and work in her own business. She’s gone from being down-sized to “right sized!”
As The Marketing Implementer, she helps other entrepreneurs successfully launch their products and services into the world.
For more details about Shannon’s experience, you can read her entire chapter in the Women on Fire book. She also has an excellent, free monthly newsletter of marketing tips that I highly recommend.
Do you have your own experiences of going through a transition? Please share by going to the blog.
Well, that’s it for today. I love having you here.
And, by the time you read this, I might…I’m just saying I might…have taken a shower. On the other hand, Wilber hasn’t meowed a complaint. So maybe I won’t:-)
