November 25, 2022 - Reading time: 9 minutes

As I sit here and type of this note there is a lot of flux in my professional life. The potential for layoffs is pretty high right now in my company and yet I see it as an opportunity to move in a new direction. As you know I have been a lot of things in my life, when I was younger it was more than clear to me that, someday, I would be a professional gymnast at least for several years. Today, my husband and I still go dancing, both of us being rhythmically inclined, though my obsession has subdued to a normal health level from my peak in my early teens.

It should not come as much of a surprise that changing occupations could be a challenging task. After all, starting a new job from scratch in a field that you are not familiar with is not exactly the simplest thing to accomplish, particularly if you do not have any prior experience in the field.

Altering one's line of work can, on the other hand, result in a variety of positive outcomes. It is possible that it will provide you with the opportunity to start over, acquire new skills, and even make more money. Therefore, how can you determine if switching careers is the best choice for you?

Here are some things that should be taken into consideration:

1. Are you dissatisfied with the career that you currently have?
   • If you've come to the conclusion that your current line of work isn't making you happy, it might be time to look into other options. Being unhappy in one's job can result in a wide range of complications, including a decline in productivity, increased absenteeism, and even clinical depression.
2. Do you feel as though you're unable to get out of a rut?
   • When you feel as though you're simply going through the motions in your job and not really getting anywhere, then it's possible that you could benefit from making a switch to something else. Stepping outside of one's comfort zone can lead to the discovery of new opportunities and personal development.
3. Are you interested in taking on a greater challenge?
   • People will frequently remain in the same line of work because they are either reluctant to embrace change or mistakenly believe that they are unable to excel at anything else. If you recognize yourself in any of these descriptions, it may be time to reevaluate the circumstances surrounding you. Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations can be beneficial to your personal and professional development.

That is simpler said than done for most. When I am left with a tricky situation I feel it is useful to go through a list of pros and cons, usually, I never need to write them down but with my current situation I did. When I was working to become a gymnast there was a need to do my own makeup when we would preform. That left me with an interest in makeup artistry when my gymnastic career was no longer relevant. That left me always wondering if it was life sending me a message.

Breaking It Further Down

While my list looked a little bit different when I jotted it down this is what, in essence, it boiled down to. A number of the points were slightly different and I have already taken some courses on cosmetology when I was younger so point three of the cons list are less relevant to me now than they were when I was making my thoughts about the career choice in my teens.

First the Pros

1. It's never too late to switch gears in your professional life. Many people believe that your twenties are the best time to "discover yourself," but this does not mean that you have to remain in the same job for the rest of your life. It is acceptable to seek new employment if you feel that you are not content in your current position.

2. Having a shift in routine can be refreshing. Altering your line of work could provide you with a revitalized sense of purpose if you've been feeling like you're caught in a rut. Beginning one's career anew in a different sector or domain might be an exciting prospect.

3. It's possible that you have more skills and experience than you give yourself credit for. When making a transition to a new line of work, you might be surprised to find that many of the abilities you gained in your prior position are transferable to the new industry.

4. Switching to a new line of work may provide a more favorable work-life balance. If you're having trouble striking a healthy balance between your work and personal life in your current line of work, you might benefit from making a change. Think about getting a job that can either provide you with more adaptable working hours or let you do some of your job from home.

Now for the Cons

1. Making a significant change in one's line of work can be a stressful and intimidating experience. There will be a great deal of uncertainty, and it is possible that your income and job title will need to be reset to their most basic levels.

2. You are going to have to do some research. It is essential to make a decision regarding changing occupations after gathering sufficient information. Be sure to conduct exhaustive study on potential new lines of work before making the transition.

3. You might be required to get additional training or return to school. Before starting your new career, you could be required to complete a certain number of classes or receive further training, and this need will vary according to the industry that you will be working in. This can make the process of switching careers more time-consuming and expensive.

My Dream Job?

Would it be my dream job? I am note able to answer that with a resounding yes. My current job is fine, while not rewarding, I also don't hate it. But how many of us can say that, the majority most likely since we would have a lot more career flux going on.

One aspect of becoming a makeup artist is that one is pretty free, you work for somebody else if it doesn't work out, you can be freelance, or start your own salon and hire others to do the work. No matter what my path is is would still love to find my dream job.

Finding the right career is one of the most rewarding things you can do. It can be a difficult and time-consuming process, but it’s worth it in the end. There are a few key things to keep in mind when searching for the right career.

Think about what you’re passionate about. What are you interested in? What drives you? When you find a career that you’re passionate about, it won’t feel like work. You’ll be excited to get up and go to your job every day.

You should also consider your skills and strengths, honestly. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Matching your skills and interests with a career is a great way to find satisfaction in your work.

By researching different careers and by talking to people who are already working in those fields you can get a realistic idea of what the day-to-day tasks are like and whether or not you would enjoy them. Once you have a better understanding of what a particular career entails, you can make a more informed decision about whether or not it’s the right fit for you.

Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks. Trying something new can be scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Stepping outside of your comfort zone may just lead you to the perfect career for you.

Searching for the right career can be daunting, but it’s also an exciting journey. By keeping these things in mind, you’ll be well on your way to finding a career that you love.

Wow, today's essay got a lot longer than I had planned, it really was just going to be a note at first but my finger kept typing and this is what we ended up with. There is a sense of clarity that I now have after writing this wasn't there when the first words rolled across the screen which is positive sign. Wish me luck, my deliberation has been long and my path getting to the decision to move forward even longer!

June 30, 2021 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Who hasn't had any problems in life? They are like the basis of every day life for some, and even if they are not we at least think about them when they appear. Do we know how to deal with them?

That is a question which I pose to myself every time I encounter one. By asking the questions I am given a chance to step back and analyze it in a way that allows me to take a proactive look at the problem at hand.

There are no exact rules of steps and procedures approved, however, there are facts that confirm that with a given reasoning, you will have a greater chance at discovering opportunities to resolve them. Optimism and hope can get us through many hardships. There's a reason that one of the best ways to deal with a problem is to internalize it and understand it, to know what the worst is that can happen to you, but to hope for the best out come. A very important variable that we often set aside is hope, solving the problem with that optimism of knowing that we will do well.

Perhaps the most important part of the previous paragraph is the ability to correctly identify the problem. Many times we define excellent solutions but for other problems, then everything is ruined. After that, identify their causes, study possible solutions or alternatives, analyzing each of them - their advantages and disadvantages. Finally we can come to a clearer picture to choose the best alternative. But of course, the matter doesn't die there. We still have to know how to implement it, and more importantly, know how to measure and control whether it turned out the way that we wanted or not.

As a corollary to this note I leave you with one of the phrases that Bob Knight (The General), one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time, said in relation to attitude, as well as the logical form of steps that in my opinion are recommended to solve a problem, when success is the goal they will be of no use if they are not accompanied with a good dose of hope and positive attitude: Many times adversity and problems can work in your favor. Instead of feeling a victim and feeling very sorry for yourself, using it as an excuse, you have to face the situation and get the best out of it. She is the only way for a team to develop the strength and character to compete at the highest level.

Success isn't a given, but when you focus on understanding the problem you are in a better position to solve it in a successful manner. Understanding the problem is also key in not loosing hope.

June 22, 2020 - Reading time: 5 minutes

For many of us the coronavirus has meant less money, either through fewer hours or layoffs. This lack of social and economical means has caused estrangement in our society. Regardless of the necessity to further infection control actions aimed at delaying the spread of the disease by minimizing close contact between people. Methods like quarantines, travel restrictions, and closure of schools, workplaces, stadiums, theaters, or shopping malls are important. People can also apply methods of social distancing by limiting travel, avoiding crowded areas and physically moving away from sick people. Many areas now demand or recommend social distancing in the regions affected by the outbreak. Yet, this has meant a major cut in our daily lives, socially as well as economically. Which brought me to think about the different aspects of work.

Why do we work?

What is our motivation to work? Are we motivated by money, for a need for attention and praise, or for something that matters more? What drives us to work and get it right?

There is no doubt that economic remuneration and the desire for promotion are two of the most important motivating factors, but will they be the only ones? Will they be the most important? I don't think so, there are more and more indications that we feel driven by others, such as obtaining a better "mental salary" (salary related to quality of life) or even more importantly, by something more internal, by our desire to do things right, either by spiritual motivation or to overcome the personal limitations that we all feel sometimes.

Understanding what drives us to work can help us focus, it allows us to see what's really worthwhile, get past stages where you feel everything goes wrong, or that you're bored of work, or that your relationship with other employers is bad, because you know that what you're doing has a value that goes beyond your paycheck, or of getting along with your boss. All of these represent challenges and they are simply a personal challenge that has a motivation of its own. By having that personal motivation, it immediately makes you work better, harder, more dedicated and that often makes the difference between a good employee and an excellent one.

A great example was Konosuke Matsushita, a Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, the largest Japanese consumer electronics company. Here is an excerpt from the book entitled "Matsushita Leadership" by Dr. John P. Kotter, The excerpt gives us good insight into the character of Konosuke Matsushita.

A frail, sickly bicycle apprentice who survived unspeakable childhood tragedy, Konosuke Matsushita lacked formal education, wealth, charisma, connections and even a special talent. Yet, early hardships produced hidden strengths which opened Konosuke Matsushita's mind to the collective wisdom of others. The author reveals how a lifelong thirst for learning fueled the passion that led this humble, shy 5-foot-5-inch humanitarian idealist to pioneer management practices and advance his philosophy that the mission of a manufacturer is to relieve poverty and create wealth, not only for shareholders, but for society.

His brother-in-law, Toshio Lue, said of him: "I don't think Matsushita was a brilliant person or a man of great talent. However, his zeal and dedication to the work were exceptionally elevated." Surely many "gurus" would have said that Matsushita triumphed by having an outstanding IQ, and a spectacular vision, but his brother-in-law, who knew him well, chose something as far from it as commitment and dedication to doing things well.

The trick is not to look at the events that happen to us impatiently, stop measuring projects or jobs in terms of weeks or even days. Life must be given a chance, with short-term visions where we can focus and do our best regardless of the monetary reward for completion. With no work to do, the ethics associated with it do not generate distinctive value. The negative ethics of work and power structures that do not value the work done or attribute it improperly (in ethical terms) have dissolved the ethics present in society and emphasize individualism. Moreover, urbanization and large-scale businesses lead to the elimination of vital learning from work-related concepts.

These are all values my parents hold. Today however, the millennial generation is not identified with work but by their consumerist patterns (use of technology, fashion, popular culture) and not by the traditional concept of work ethic, but by tolerant (liberal) beliefs. This clash has been made more noticeable through the current crisis. In the 1940s work ethic was considered very important, and dissidents (nonconformists) were treated autocratically. The suppression of mood in the workplace was characteristic. A Ford Company worker, John Gallo, was fired for being preoccupied in the act of smiling.

As with all things, however, there is a happy balance, a balance which I hope we'll find before the end of the crisis.