Tag Archives: UXL career coaching
December 7, 2016 The Power of HOPE
Even in the darkest times, we can find sparks of hope. A single candle can illuminate a dark room in the same way that a grateful thought or an inspiration can illuminate a mind. Although the science is still fresh, research is starting to find that hope is a powerful factor in lifting people out of poverty, motivating people to find work, and encouraging investment (financially, educationally, or otherwise) in the future.
In a study on poverty, the researchers found that, “families that are stressed and impoverished — trapped in cycles of poverty — can feel a hopelessness that becomes self-fulfilling. Give people reason to hope that they can achieve a better life, and that, too, can be self-fulfilling.”
Hope is self-fulfilling.
Whether you’re hunting for a new job, trying to overcome a bad habit, or thinking about going back to school, use hope as fuel. Let it ignite your motivation and allow you to see your possibilities.
When you have hope, you ask yourself constructive questions such as “What if..?” and “How will I…?” If you hold the belief that you can do something, you start seeing the paths of possibilities.
I challenge you today to think about what you’d like in your life. What are your goals? What do you want to do? What’s holding you back? Start thinking about your goals and dreams as REAL possibilities, instead of wishes. By changing your mindset to a “How can I…” instead of a “I couldn’t possibly…” you’ll start finding ways to make your goals happen.
Our minds can do amazing things. If you find yours blocked by pessimistic thoughts, try focusing on the possibilities buried within the doubt. Find hope in your life and see where it can take you.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
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Tags: career coach Margaret Smith, change life with hope, dare to hope, hope as fuel, hope in dark times, lesson on hope, power of hope, UXL blog, UXL career coaching
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Goals, Thrive at Work
October 12, 2016 HOW TO Eat Right at Work
We’ve all read the dreaded (and irresistible) announcement:
There are donuts in the break room. Help yourself.
Recurring temptations combined with fatigue from early mornings, computer screen stares, and constant desk sitting, make it too easy for a person to abandon any sort of healthy diet in exchange for an easy treat and a sugar rush. There are, however, a few strategies you can incorporate into your work-day routine to combat the dreaded “office diet.”
Plan your meals.
The first and most important strategy is to plan your meal for the next day. If you’re running late one morning and you don’t have time to grab a lunch, fast food and break room treats will most likely be your solution. By packing a healthy meal with plenty of high-energy snacks to graze on throughout the day, you’re giving yourself the ammunition and energy to say no to unhealthy temptations.
Take breaks.
Oftentimes snacking serves as a distraction—and the mindless eating will only get easier as your eyes blur, your neck stiffens, and your legs cramp, all from sitting at the computer for too long. Don’t reach for food when your body really craves a break.
Get up and walk away from your desk to get your blood flowing. This helps to avoid sugar and caffeine cravings brought on by lethargy. If breaks aren’t on your radar when bombarded by your hefty to-do list, try setting a timer to go off at intervals throughout the day as a reminder to step away from your desk—even if just for a moment. By introducing daily buffers to stretch and move your body, your energy levels stay up and your mind (and willpower) stay sharp.
Drink lots of water.
This isn’t news. Water makes us feel good and dehydration hurts. Unfortunately, while it’s easy to snack at the desk, it’s also easy to become dehydrated, which leads to feelings of hunger, fatigue, cravings, and headaches—all symptoms that point to water, but ultimately lead to sugary snacks.
Find office allies.
Everything’s easier with a little encouragement and company. With a communicated purpose, your team can resist temptation by changing the culture around the office—by celebrating good health, together.
It may be difficult, but your eating habits at work will make or break your health routine. Rearrange your priorities—take care of yourself so you can take care of your work (and feel great doing it).
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
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Tags: career coach Margaret Smith, career coach Minneapolis, eat right at work, eating healthy at work, Halloween and unhealthy eating, healthy at work, healthy eating choices in the workplace, unhealthy eating in the office, UXL career coaching
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Goals, Thrive at Work
September 28, 2016 Define Success in Your OWN Terms
Most of my work is and has been people-oriented. Professionally, I spent nearly 30 years at 3M, working in various sales leadership positions. Now, I work with a wide range of clients through my career coaching business, UXL. In my personal life, I am involved in my church; I teach spin at the local gym; and I volunteer for several different organizations. Suffice it to say, I’ve met a lot of people through all these different avenues!
Some of the people I’ve met have been very career-oriented, some emphasize family above all else, some prefer spending their free time volunteering in the community and making a difference. Each person has different dreams and goals and different things they consider important. Because of that, how could there possibly be ONE measure of success?
And yet, our culture tends to paint a picture of success with one brush.
We consider a successful American to have a well-paying job, a nice house, a 401K, a loving family. We see wealth and power as the ultimate definitions of success. But that’s not everyone’s definition and shouldn’t be everyone’s definition.
If you define your personal success based on others’ measuring sticks, you’ll be constantly disappointed. What does success mean to YOU? What gives you satisfaction?
The idea of defining your own success really hits home whenever I volunteer at the Peace House, a shelter for troubled women. Many of the residents define success by having the ability to meet their basic needs—having shelter, sufficient food, and love from their families. They strive for independence, a steady income, a job that they enjoy. Some of them aim to get their GED or a certificate in a trade. For them, sales goals, investment portfolios, and owning a yacht are abstract concepts of success. AND THAT’S OKAY.
“But, wait,” you might be thinking, “my definition of success is meeting my sales goals, tucking some money away, and eventually owning a boat!” THAT’S OKAY TOO.
As soon as you figure out what you want out of life, you can work toward it with confidence. Sure, your definition of success may grow and evolve, but it should always reflect your personal ambitions instead of outside pressure to fit into others’ ideas of success.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
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Tags: career coach Margaret Smith, defining success, definition of success, personal success, success in your own terms, UXL blog, UXL career coaching
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Goals
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