Career CPR: Get Unstuck in Your Career Search (INTRO)

Tell me what feelings come to mind when you hear the words, "Job Fair" or "Networking Event"? I'd be willing to bet for many of you the feelings aren't in the category of "optimistic or enthusiastic."

Instead -- my experience of many people who find themselves chronically unemployed, under-employed, or unhappily-employed DREAD the idea of another employment-related event.

Why?

Because MOST career-related events are exercises in hopelessness, rejection, discouragement, and failure. And after you've experienced "enough" of that kind of outcome, well, you just don't want any more of it.

Consequently, I find WAY too many job seekers are depressed, dejected, and generally feel lost -- or stuck -- in their career transition process. However, there's a much different way to approach the whole subject -- where remarkable results and joyful outcomes exist. I've not only witnessed it, I've experienced it myself.

Call me corny, but I believe life's abundant promises include connecting our working life with our personal life's purpose. In fact, the longer we "exist" in the belief that our work self and personal self are two distinctly different things, the less abundant life actually is.

I believe we CAN both be "who we really are" while we "make a living."

Do you believe that too? If you don't, then that's the first place to start. After all, unless we open the possibility that something like that "can" happen, it won't happen.

Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned in our lives to believe that work is work, and life is life, and two are different, separate things. I'm sure you've heard the statement, "Don't worry about it... It's just business..." Really?

I don't think so. A wise person once said, "How we do anything is how we do everything." So if you make "situational judgments" (like playing the game of Survivor -- where good alliances are more important than doing good things) at work you'll do the same thing at home. If you lack integrity in your personal like, the same thing will show up at work. No difference in my mind.

How does this relate to your career transition? This way... If you aren't open to the idea that life at work can be joyful, purpose-based, and full of positive energy, it won't be that way. And -- you'll become stuck in the "work is work, and life is life" trap. Here are some symptoms:

You Might Be Stuck in Your Job Search If:

1. You find yourself thinking in circles, hoping everything would just return to the “good old days…”

2. You have rising frustration, increased fear, and are regularly blaming “outside” forces like the economy.

3. You are unable to create positive, sustainable, forward progress — two steps forward, three back…

4. You seem overwhelmed by insurmountable challenges and may be starting to panic.

So -- this first installment in the "Career CPR -- Get Unstuck in Your Career Search) article series is all about this idea: Are you open to being a fully integrated person -- both at work and at home? Are you open to the idea that your working situation can be joyful, passionate and highly fulfilling?

Let's start there. Even a little crack in your armor will do for me! And then, in my next article, we can "talk" more about the process of preparing yourself for a significantly different approach to navigating your career transition.

I can't wait!