Being laid off is an opportunity

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There are 3 things that are I believe is absolutely true about being laid off

  1. It will happen to you and me at least once in our life time, but more likely multiple times.
  2. It sucks every time it happens no matter how prepared or unprepared we are.  There is no escaping feeling at least some disappointment, anger, frustration, confidence blow, hostility  etc…
  3. It’s up to us to decide how long we will let it suck – we can dwell on our bad luck and let the event forever define us in some negative way OR we can rise above it after awhile and choose to view it as an opportunity to reflect and perhaps do what we really want to do in life.

Last night I saw the movie  “Up in the Air” by George Clooney – great movie!  That’s what prompted this post.    He plays a character named Ryan Bingham, whose job is to fire people from theirs.    The main point of the movie is not relevant here , but I wanted to share three parts of the movie that really stood out to me related to job transitions. ...  read more

Annual Salary Needed to be Happy

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What annual salary do you need to be happy?  $1 million?  $200K? $100K+?.  Well the answer according to a wide range of research is even lower – around $40K to $75K a year.   Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University, says once you have enough money to meet basic needs – food, shelter, but not necessarily cable —incremental increases have little effect on your happiness. ...  read more

The key is not thinking

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We are paid to think – literally.  Companies pay us thousand of dollars for our ability to think and solve problems.  So naturally our brain is wired to think, evaluate, compare, devise solutions.  It’s a blessing and a curse. I realize at times, I forget to turn off my brain and also think, analyze, and compare too much when it comes to life.  Life is to be experienced and enjoyed but not over-analyzed. ...  read more

Believe in Yourself – You are “Beautiful”

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This post is not about external appearances.  This post is inspired by a recent show I saw onVH1 called Storytellers: Christina Aguilera.  It’s in a format where a music artist sings to a small group, and talks to the group about herself, her music, and her inspirations.  Christina’s story about her song “Beautiful” really caught my attention. ...  read more

5 Business Networking Tips Anyone can Follow

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Learning how to network well is essential to job search and career success.  It doesn’t matter what level of business networking skills you have.  These 5 business networking tips can either help you get started or serve as a good reminder.   Use these 5 business networking tips at any event and see results. ...  read more

Laid Off? Now What – 5 Things to Do

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You have just been laid off.  Now what?  This can be a confusing and stressful time, and sometimes well-meaning friends don’t know what to say or how to help.   Don’t worry!  Your fellow readers Tamara, Ajantha, Judy and I have some great tips for you.  The best way to move forward after being laid off is to stay active.  I categorized the tips into five sections: Immediate, Practical To-Dos, Determine Your Path, Motivate Yourself, Start Job Search, and Enjoy Yourself. ...  read more