Remember when you were a kid and everyone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up?

For the longest time, I wanted to be the President of the United States.

I also wanted to be Claire Huxtable, the fierce attorney, wife, and mom on The Cosby Show.

(I STILL want to be Clair Huxtable…. I am an attorney, wife, and twin mom so I think that counts as progress, right?)

What did you want to be when you grew up? Are you doing it?

If not, you’re in luck because you have another chance to decide what you want to be when you grow up!

Open your mind and let your imagination run wild because you’re about to go on a Career Discovery Journey.

Start with the research

Career research is something all of us do at least once in our lifetime. It is an exciting process that involves contemplating different career choices and imagining a future for ourselves.

 Whether you’re an undergraduate, graduate, or professional, career research is something you will...

I used to have a job that didn’t give me any happiness or fulfillment at all. 

My friends told me to take some time off or find a new hobby to take my mind off things. That worked for a while. But at some point, I found myself once again dragging my feet to work because I would rather be anywhere else but there and do anything else but my job. 

And yet, in spite of everything I was feeling, I was terrified to hand in my two weeks’ notice. 

What was my problem? 

A pretty common one. We’ve all been there. 

I had limiting beliefs. 

What are limiting beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are more than just a fear of something new. Limiting beliefs are the things we believe or hear about ourselves that stop us from reaching our full potential. 

So how do you know if you have limiting beliefs? 

Does this sound like you? 

• You are frustrated and bored at your...

Social interactions can be draining, intimidating, and unproductive. 

Add to that the stress of making it a business social interaction, where you’re expected to behave confidently, articulately, and graciously as well as represent your expertise and make those crucial connections….

…and that’s the nightmare of networking.

Is it even worth it? 

And if it is worth it, how is the introverted networker to survive? 

Is Networking Worth It?

Networking is all about socializing and communicating with people who have similar interests. It is about having meaningful conversations and exchanging valuable information in a friendly and professional way. 

The ideal woman for this seems like someone who is welcoming, confident, articulate, adapts well to new environments, and is energized by face-to-face interaction.

That is why extroverts are thought to be especially gifted at this.

...

So. You’re planning to change careers. 

That’s a big step. 

But I also want you to succeed at it. So in reality, I’m actually here for you to change careers with a good reason for the action and a solid plan in place. 

First things first. 

As a career coach who works with women like you in this transitioning process every single day, I always ask my clients a simple question. And I want to ask you that question now:

Why do you want to change careers? 

While a lot of people consider changing careers sometime during their life, only a few actually pull it off in an intentional and well-planned way. You might decide to take the leap of faith and change careers but unless you’re clear about your motivation, you’re more likely to slack off when it gets tough or takes longer than you thought. 

And that’s what I want to help you figure out. 

Your Why is...

Changing careers is a big step. And one of the scariest parts of that transition process is the idea of starting over. 

You may feel like your past experience and work have been wasted because you’re starting from the beginning.

You’re a newbie in the field again. 

You don’t have as much to offer. 

And going from a high professional status back to square one can seem like a step in the wrong direction (even if it’s the job you’ve always wanted.) 

BUT, this isn’t actually true. 

All because of a little handy thing called transferable skills.

Transferable skills are the skills you’ve honed over the course of your previous career and that overlap with your new career. 

These skills are instrumental in helping you secure a role or position in your new field. 

By highlighting transferable skills, you showcase your expertise to potential...

A year ago I:

• Woke up from a coma
• Was on a ventilator with a breathing tube down my throat to help me breathe 
• Was suddenly a mother of premature twin boys in NICU  whose photos I was afraid to look at because I was so afraid of losing them
• Couldn’t walk, feed, or do other personal things for myself 
• Woke up to terrifying ads about Chucky. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to leave my tv on the SciFi channel during the Halloween season?!

          (Yup, this one!)

But also a year ago today, I:

• Won a battle against death by waking up from a freaking coma, surviving massive bleeding and multiple surgeries, and being put on a ventilator!!!!!! 
• Had the breathing tube removed and was able to breathe on my own with the help of an oxygen tube
• Was suddenly a mother of twin boys in NICU who were fighters, just like their mama. 
• Woke up to an amazing amount of love and support from family and friends. 

So,...

If you are kind, generous, ambitious, driven, or perfectionistic…. (you know, like me), then you probably have the same problem I do.

You have a problem saying the word No.

Maybe you see the word “No” as something negative. Maybe you think it sounds mean or

selfish.

Maybe you see it as your job to keep everyone happy all the time, and saying “No” sounds like the surefire way to disappoint them.

I had trouble saying “No” for years (thank you, lessons taught by my mother), especially when it came to protecting myself and my mental health.

In fact, I felt like I could only say no if it affected someone else’s happiness, so much so that I

would sometimes use it as an excuse.

I hear women saying things like, “So sorry, I can’t. I’m taking my kids to soccer practice that

day,” or “So so sorry, my husband asked me to pick him up...

We hear all the time about how we should “get into such-and-such investment”. Stocks, mutual funds, and crypto are all the rage just now (and not just for the financial gurus). Sometimes, it makes you want to just turn to that colleague and say: “Ugh! Shut up about Bitcoin already.”

I am not here to tell you to open up your investment accounts and get a broker (although, you may find that a good idea).

I’m here to let you in on an investment secret (that shouldn’t be a secret).

A secret that maybe not even that annoying coworker knows about (but would definitely change their life).

The most important life-changing investment of all is…. *drumroll please*

YOU.

Okay, did that seem a little anti-climactic and clickbaity?

I understand.

You hear all the time about how you should practice self-care and take time to rest and invest in yourself and learn and grow and plant...

Do you ever look at your life and think: “I didn’t think it would be this way”?

Sometimes that realization hurts.

It can feel like letting go of hope or desire. It can feel like you’ve disappointed yourself.

It can even feel like failure.

But it’s not.

Maybe part of your problem is that happiness always seems like something ahead.

“Once I live there….”

“Once I work that job….”

“Once I make that income…”

But here’s the truth. Happiness isn’t found in making a certain amount of money, living in a certain location, or working a specific job.

All of these can be good and wonderful, but if your whole life is spent chasing what is ahead of you…

…then you will never be happy where you are right now.

Maybe you should stop chasing happiness, and start creating ...

We all have something that we’re insecure about when it comes to pursuing our dreams.

A big one for me was my weight.

I thought I had to be a certain size or look a certain way to show up and succeed on social media.

I knew intellectually that this wasn’t true, but that emotional insecurity still existed for me. I found that by not addressing that fear of mine, I began:

1. Talking myself out of my own goals and aspirations
2. Procrastinating even the little things that could lead to my success
3. Playing the comparison game with other people and thinking, “I can’t do what they’re doing (so why even try?)” which in turn led to…
4. …even MORE insecurity!

I finally got to the point where I had to realize that not only was this not true, but my ambition and determination had to be bigger than my insecurities.

I decided it was better to show up, even imperfectly than it was to continue holding...