Finding Time

How big is your to do list?  How about your 'personal' to do list.  You know the one that is all about you?  The very one that you say you'd like to accomplish something but never get around to it?  How important is it for you to reach those small personal goals one task at a time?

We all have things that we would like to do in life, but sometimes in the midst of everyday living, what we want to do actually takes a back seat to satisfy what needs to be done right now.  And more times than not, what needs done now is for someone other than yourself.

This can cause us to lose sight and focus of what we originally wanted and needed to do for self in order to feel complete for that moment.

I suggest to you to find some selfish time.  Think of it as time to regroup, re-energize and refocus yourself so that you can be more for those around you.

Start off by taking 15-30 minutes every day to find peace and clarity through meditation, prayer, or journaling.  Choose a time that you can commit to yourself with no interruptions.  This could be at the start of your day, before bedtime, or anytime in between.  What matters most is that you devote time to yourself and enjoy being good to you during that time.

What you will find is that by taking time to get back to you, you will be more equipped (mentally) to deal with those around you.
Try it!  Email me and let me know what works best for you!

It's time to energize businesses and train our youth to work smarter! It's time to (globally) catch up!

If I could show you a company that is a catalyst of change, would you be interested?  A company that believes in doing and taking action to implement real solutions.  We all know what the issues and challenges are, yet the mission is to implement real world solutions that can be used today!

Society has always benefited from a strong middle class yet few have focused on creating a cohesive holistic inclusive solution to bolster those with whom our economy is built.

Education (STEM) is the foundation upon which we must build economic equity and vitality in the 21^st century.

The national campaign is the platform upon which we are developing strategic solutions to many challenges in our communities.

We believe the creation of a culture and ecosystem that facilitates excellence and generates wealth is a major key to empowerment.

We are holding seminars and training ALL over the country - it’s time to become empowered!  

Message me for more information!

Personal Space

Sometimes, I just need to get away!  In a house with two kids, I need a place to think, breathe, and yes, be alone!  It seems, that more times than not, people are somehow always around me. Regardless if it’s to write, eat, read, sleep or even the bathroom, the more I yearn for alone-time, the more they seem to follow.

Does this remind you of your life at times?  If it does maybe it’s time to create your personal space.

 What is Personal Space?

Somewhere that you can go to have complete privacy.  Free from phones, kids, family, pets, technology, or anything that interferes with your quest for peace. Your creative corner could be a closet, space in the basement, or anywhere you can call your own sanctuary.

My Saturday Project Was Finding and Creating My Space

I found my space in the basement.  A space about 6x8, just big enough for me!  Because it is in the corner, I had two walls and then an open space. The challenge became how to close up and create walls cheaply.  I went to JoAnn Fabrics and purchased heavy couch fabric in a beautiful green.  I sewed the fabric into a curtain and cut holes in the top to hang from the ceiling. I used PVC pipe, wires and nails to attach to the beams in the basement to hang the curtain as an enclosure.   While this took some time, trial and error, it was rewarding to see it begin to become mine.

 Next, I selected paint for the two walls. Since the curtains I made were a deep green, I chose a bright yellow to perk the room up.  I then went to Burlington Coat Factory and found a great light green ottoman that fit perfectly!  I painted an old bedside table and stuck that in there with a lamp. The result ROOM DONE!

Once you have created your space, name it. Insist that everyone in the house know the name of your space.  This makes it personal to you and for others, it lets them know how important it is to you.  Make sure they understand that when you are in (name) respect your need for privacy.

Set-up boundaries and rules for your space to keep it safe for you.

Rule:  This is my space, please respect it whether I am in there or not. Do not come in uninvited.

Boundary:  If the curtain is open, you can come in.  If it’s closed, please respect my time and need for peace.

Realize that your space can affect your mood and stress level. Give yourself time to unwind, relax and enjoy.

The RLS Method

Going on an interview?  The RLS Method is a great tool to have in your toolbox!  This is something that I created for use when teaching Career Development courses to all ages!  For more in-depth information please email me at: Lisa@LCRay214.com

Research

·       Use Social Media to help you do your homework.  (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)

·       Does the company have a website?  If they do, read over and get to know the company.

·       Do you know what the position that you are applying for entails?

o   Can you easily learn those duties if you are not familiar with them?

o   Are you qualified through school, training or previous work experience?

o   Can you get further education/experience to qualify you for this position?

Language

How you present yourself is everything not just in the interview, but when you first walk in as well as when you’re leaving.  REMEMBER:  How you come across over the phone counts too!

·       What type of language are you using? While we all speak “differently” when in various situations, you never want to go into an interview and talk to the interviewer the same way you would with your personal friends.

o   Cussing, loud, and obnoxious tones is definitely an no-no

o   Sharing your personal business or problems is never a good idea.

·       

      Do you know the language of the profession/business you are trying to get into?

o   Are there technical terms that you should be familiar with?

·       

     Your body language (non-verbal communication) is just as important as what you say.  It is the visual trademark impression that you leave with a possible employer.

o   Are you neat and clean

o   Did you take the time to visually prepare for the interview?

Sell:

The overall goal here is to show the interviewer who you are as well as what type of employee would will be for the company.  Two main points are:  Selling yourself in a personal sense, as well as selling you – the business person.

·                           Personally:

o   Who are you as an individual?

o   Are you positive in nature or are you negative?

o   Do you speak negatively about previous employers, or do you focus on what was “right” with the company and your co-workers.

o   Will you bring your home life (issues) to the workplace?

·                       Professionally:         

o   What skills do you bring to the table that will enhance this company’s bottom line?

o What have you done (work-wise) in the industry that will contribute to what you will do for this company?

These are some brief things that you can incorporate into you career development training. 

For more information - email me at:  Lisa@lcray214.com

Have a Phone Interview? Here's How To Ace It!

You have spent a large amount of time applying for jobs and creating networks, so it's very realistic that at any moment, you could get a recruiter calling you to do a phone interview. Are you ready?

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If you can, find a quiet place so that you can talk without background noise and interference.

If you are unable to find a quiet place,  you can:

1. Answer the phone and ask if you could schedule for another time more convenient. Suggest times, and be sure to be available at that time.
2. Let your voice mail get the call.  If you choose this option, make sure your voice is clear and the message is free from background noise, music and especially profanity.  You are still selling yourself, and your voice mail represents you more than you think.

WHY it matters? 

There is nothing worse than talking to someone when all you can hear is background, distracting noise.  It takes the emphasis off of what you're saying and is just unprofessional.  

You are in a quiet area free from background noise and interruption.  What's next?

When you answer the phone, clearly say hello, and state your name.
  "Hello, this is JANE DOE."  avoid "Hi", "What's Up?", "Speak!" etc

WHY it matters?
If you are applying for a job where you will be talking on the phone or dealing with customers, this gives the potential employer a chance to see how you sound (clarity and intonation). This becomes part of your selling pitch.

You have a potential employer on the phone. You've answered and are ready to begin the phone interview process.

Some quick Do's and Don'ts:

Don't eat, drink, smoke or chew - all of these have the ability to distort what you're saying to the point that you are not easily understood.  You could also choke.

Do pronounce your words and speak slower than you normally would.

Do smile (yes, even on the phone). It actually comes through when you're speaking. Smiling has the tendency to put us in a good mood and it can change the tone in your voice.

Don't multitask.  Right now is the time to focus on the phone interview and nothing else. Give your complete attention to the call at hand, it could be your next job.

Do keep a copy of your updated resume with you. On the back, list accomplishments and quick notes. It's a great reference tool during a phone interview.

Do ask questions and take notes.

Don't interrupt the interviewer or become argumentative.

At the end of the interview, ask what the next step of the hiring process is and if there is any further information you can provide.

REMEMBER:
Finding a job sometimes can be a job in itself.  A phone interview can be a part of that process. Knowing how to get through the interview can line you up for the next step (face-to-face), get you the job, or leave you asking what you did wrong, and why weren't you hired.

The most important factor is you.  Practice your phone skills the same as if you were doing face-to-face interviews so you are both comfortable and confident when your number is called.

Good luck!

Knowing and Doing

Did it ever seem that you know how to do something, like in your mind, you can see what it would take to succeed, and when you put it on paper everything looks great, but, when you physically try to make it happen, everything seems to fall apart leaving you frustrated?

This is the gap between knowing and doing.

It's not that you can't get the results that you want, you just may be lacking the clarity to get there.

So, what could be holding you back?  First and foremost... the fear of succeeding.

One of the greatest obstacles any of us have to face is fear!

I know someone who sells cars.  He is average at what he does, but when he attempts to work as hard as he can, he is reminded of his childhood where his family always said he wouldn't amount to anything.

Through a lot of coaching, the young man realized that he had a fear of actually surpassing what his family said he could do.  And even though he is now a man, the hurtful things he was repeatedly told as a child, haunts him most days. He was held back not just by the words and doubts of others, but also from the fear of succeeding.

It is important to recognize what your fears are, and why you feel the way that you do.

Are you powerful or powerless?  Are you always judging yourself negatively? Do you talk down about yourself to yourself? Do you blame self or others for the position that you're in?

If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, you may be feeling powerless.  This is that 50 pound weight on your shoulders, the one that makes it hard to get out of bed sometimes.  It's what keeps you from fully working towards your best, and your dreams.

How do you break free?  You've got to learn to let go (no matter how hard) of the negative things in your life.  Sometimes it takes mentors, family or close friends to help you break through.  But once you do, you will be able to move to an empowering state.

A good starting point may be to find positive affirmations or to start a positive self-talk journal.  Focus on the things that you do well.  Put them on paper.  Constancy is the key, as this is something that you are doing for your own well-being.

The last major obstacle is focus.  The awesome point here, is that once you are not afraid to succeed, and you begin to empower yourself- focusing on your goals actually becomes an easier task.

When you start to plan your path, the road you take to reach your goals gets easier with each step.  Do research on what motivates you and act on it!

This is not to say that there won't be challenges along the way, but by staying positive in your self-talk, keeping a journal and positive affirmations, the road to success will be a more pleasant journey.

Again, consistency is key in whatever you choose to do.  Work out your vision, purpose, plan and goal then run with it.

Believe in you!

Selling YOU! Ready, Set, GO

Still haven't been hired yet? When was the last time you stepped back to really look at YOU and how you're selling you as a product?

When you are interviewing for a job, you become the product that someone is looking to use in their establishment. Your interview is nothing more than a personal commercial to see if you will be a good fit with that company. Think of the commercials on TV - yes, you are now the product and it's showtime! 

I'm sure you know what you look like, eyes, hair, facial features, but when is the last time that you really took time to look at what you bring to the table in a business or personal setting?

It's a given that we all want to believe that we are the best choice for any position, but is this really a true statement?  Do you really believe this?  More so, can you sell this to a potential employer?

It's 2015, time to get in front of a mirror, and ask yourself some very important questions to figure out who you are, and why someone should hire you.   Doing this will not only get you to better know what you can (and cant) do, it will give you a chance to practice your sales pitch.  If you don't buy it, then no one else will either.

Some sample questions to ask yourself:
Are you easily overwhelmed, frustrated or angered? What skills do you have (hard or soft)?  Are they (really) up to par? Why should you be offered a job? Will your references speak favorably about you and if not, why?  

While there are so many questions that can be asked, start with basic ones like the ones above, and be truthful in your answers.  Even though it may be tough to hear (especially coming from you), it gives you something to work with...and we can all benefit from the self-improvement homework.  From the answers that come from your honest assessment, find areas that you can begin to work on to improve what you have to offer.  For example, if one of your self-assessment answers were that you have are easily frustrated in stressful working situations, try seeking help to put your life in workable order that will help with stress that can cause you to feel angry.  If you don't have the skills for the industry that you want to work in, take an online course, or even a tutor. The goal here is that for every answer that you give, find solutions that can help you improve on your technique and presentation of selling you.

My recommendation is to grab a mirror and a quiet room.  Figure out who you are, what skills you have and what you could improve. Then take the necessary steps to do it. Remember, selling you in any atmosphere (business or personal) is about the most important thing you will do.   Always put your best foot forward.

Looking For a Job? Ready, Set, Action

So you "think" you're ready to find a job.  You've pumped yourself up for the interview as this is a no-brainer and you are more than qualified for the job. Yesterday you felt prepared, but today, something just doesn't feel quite right? So you brush it off thinking "it's all in my mind".

You open the door of the interviewers office and immediately freeze! What happened?  What changed?  You decide it's too late to turn and run, your mind isn't working as you want it too, in a moments thought you realize you're not really ready (or want) to work.

A lot of times, the fear of succeeding can take over leaving the subconscious mind to choose between deeply rooted emotions and logic.  When this happens, emotions usually win leaving the mind to figure out how to get out of the situation.  What comes next is called, self-sabotage. For every question the interviewer gives, your responses are short with no detail. You've lost the ability to focus and effectively communicate how you've gained the skills needed to perform this job.  What's worse, you've lost the ability to sell you!  So sitting in an office where you feel you don't belong, you try your hardest to just get it over with so you can go back to your comfort zone of the couch, Jerry Springer and soggy cereal.

For any employer to hire you, first you need to believe in yourself and the skills that you have accumulated over your working career.  You then need to learn how to sell that product (which is you).

Where do you start?  First you need to figure out who you are, and how your skills should be marketed to best sell you for any job.  Bottom line, why should someone take a chance in hiring you rather than someone else?  If you find some of your hard skills are lacking, find a free class, go to the library or dust off your computer and work on making your skills a great selling point for you.  If it's your soft skills that need a touch-up, try an etiquette (manor) class.

Regardless of what skills you need to improve on, whether it's minor adjustments or a major overhaul, stay positive on your quest and find others who will encourage you.

Good luck!

Are You A Hoarder?

Many times, the picture we see when we think of hoarding, is what is on TV.  But, it doesn't have to be that intense, or that bad.  Hoarding comes in many shapes and forms.

Hoarding can represent feeling unsafe in life and a feeling of being all over the place.  It can start out as a need or a way to be in control of something or things (people included) and slowly over time, it can consume us completely.

Ways that we can express control may be buying and keeping multiple unneeded items. Or even to hold on to people that no longer contribute to the healthiness of our lives. Holding on to the emotional and physical allows useless things to consume time and space.

Experiment:

If you were given 10 minutes to clean out your kitchen, what would you toss?  What about your bathroom?  Now, let's look at the personal closet you keep in your mind.  If you had that same 10 minutes to let go of 3 people who no longer fill you the way they once did, who would you choose and why?

Let me know how your experiment works!

Choose to Change 2015

Make a commitment to yourself that you will reflect and regain control of your life.

Take Time For YOU

Take control of a life spiraling out of control.  It is your life.  If you've given 85% of who you are to others and only left 15% to care for self, change those percentages.  Usually, it's the people we give a large majority of our time to that mistreat us mentally, emotionally and/or physically.  The small percentage left over is just not enough to pick up the broken pieces left from someone else's destruction.

Make a choice everyday to look at the days events without over analyzing them.  Allow your mind to be open to your true thoughts and feelings without worry of what someone will think of your decisions, and without thought of hurting someone or being harmed.

Make time to take refuge every night away from distractions of others to write about the day.  Reflect on only your behaviors and actions.  Just focus on you. Take time to heal as this is for you not for them.  For as long as it takes, pen to paper non-stop writing of your thoughts.

Make a goal to learn how to start protecting yourself rather than saving others. 

Make a way to break through the negative things that you allow to hold you back.  This becomes more of a raw workbook rather than a read along.  It is current and relevant to you and it is very interactive of each day as it happens.

If you choose to settle for something, you are choosing to allow it to happen to you.

Change! 

Fourth Quarter and inches...

2014 is almost done and gone, what have you done for you lately?

As we move towards the Fourth Quarter, the end of the year, it's time to re-evaluate where you are in your life plan.  How often do you review this plan? Are you meeting your smaller goals as you work towards the big picture of your life? When is the last time you actually looked at that chapter in your YOU Book?

Talk is simple and cheap, but the reality of life can be cut-throat. Are you ready to face the facts of your life and where it's headed?

If you're unhappy with your situation, it's time to saddle up and make changes so that you move forward, not continue to stand in the same place or worse move at a snails pace.

It's time to look beyond the immediate wants you may have and work for the basic needs to secure the future of you and your family.  It all starts with you and how you choose to do your business.

There are many organizations to help in your quest for a better future, they are all in your reach if you step towards them and put all you have into bettering your skills and hone in on what expertise you have.  Every industry is looking to hire that perfect employee, why shouldn't they hire you?

Take the time to take a long hard look in the mirror.  See the package that you present to other people.  Look at you from head to toe, review your skills (soft and hard). It may be time to make a full-hearted change so that others see the best that you have to offer.  But remember, any changes you make to self should be from the heart, and real.  People (good HR people) can easily read through nonsense and putting on an act to get a job only hurts you in the long run.

Good Luck!

Relationships, Contracts and the Fine Print

Your friendship is like an unwritten contract.  All friendships should work with terms of what you will accept, what you won’t put up with, and most of all how you will interact with individual relationships.  Most people don’t associate contracts with regular everyday relationships, therefore there can be a huge area of grey confusion amongst friends.

Think of it like this.  When you purchase something (car, home, etc.) there are terms of agreements that apply. Usually somewhere, there is fine print which better define the terms of those agreements. For example you may receive a pre-approved credit card however the fine print says “subject to approval” The fine print clearly states full disclosures of all (even unfavorable) terms or conditions in the contract.

With everyone you meet, you start a contract of sorts, we just don’t put it on paper.

Today, take the steps to redefine contracts with people in your life.  If you feel that you’re taken advantage of, mistreated, or easily dismissed, maybe it’s time to create a contract with fine print that states the terms of that friendship. This is for you – for a better understanding of who you are, and what needs that you have for each relationship you encounter, new or old. 

Want to take it a step further, have a conversation with the individual(s) and let them know what the fine print on your contract is.  If they feel you are a value, they will do what it takes to hold up their end of your contract.