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               WORKIN' MY WAY NEWSLETTER March 2009
 
WELCOME!

Wow - it's March and it's still winter here in the Mid-Atlantic
with a new 6" snowfall.  But I can't complain since I'm leaving for
a winter-break trip to the island of St. John's, VI where I plan to
spend a lot of time sailing and snorkeling and soaking up the sun
with a great group of friends.  The Happy Hour Tower at our rented
tropical cottage sounds quite wonderful!   Sorry for those of you
still stuck in the snow - make a winter break vacation a goal for
next year - if you plan it, it will happen....

And speaking of that, if setting and reaching goals is a problem
for you, the Just Do It! e-course will guide you through a month
long process to get from a great idea to reality in 30 days. 
You'll get one lesson each week for a month along with some
templates and worksheets to keep you focused and lots of resources.
 You'll also get immediate e-mail access for answers to your
questions, an occasional nudge, or personalized resources.  You can
start today and get the first lesson tomorrow. 
 
It's just $19.95 and you can use your Paypal account or
any credit card.    
 
                      JUST DO IT!

If you can't see the Paypal button, go to the website at
http://www.lifeandworkbydesign.com/services to order it. 


   ********************The Snowball Effect********************

As I look out my window at the 8 inches of snow on my patio table,
I am reminded of a philosophy called The Snowball Effect. 

Even if you live somewhere where it hasn't snowed this year, or you
have grown up in the tropics or Hawaii, you've seen a drawing or
picture of a snowman.  You know how they are made with three
snowballs - one large one on the bottom, a medium one in the middle
and a small one on top for the head.  

The best way to create these is to pack a good grapefruit sized
snowball with your hands and then roll it all over the yard.  It
will pick up snow as it rolls and gradually become bigger and
bigger.   A good sort of wet snow like we've just had works the
best.  And this exercise is guaranteed to result in falling down
and giggling.  It's great fun! 

In much the same way, our minds sometimes take a tiny little
thought, or an innocent comment from someone, and begin to roll it
until it takes on enormous proportions.  

In The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, this is called the Tiddely-Pom
Principle which comes from a song by Pooh:   
        (sing along in a sing-songy lilt, please) 

 The more it snows
          (Tiddely pom),
         
The more it goes
          (Tiddely pom),
         
The more it goes
          (Tiddely pom),
                
     On snowing. 

 Sometimes the effect is positive and sometimes it is not.  To
quote Hoff, "it can promote cynicism as easily as it can encourage
hope.  It can build hardened criminals or courageous heroes, stupid
vandals or brilliant creators.  The important thing is to make it
work for yourself and for the benefit of others..." 

I find that this happens to me at those times when I wake up in the
middle of the night remembering something I forgot to do.  As soon
as I think about that thing, another pops up and then another and
pretty soon I am tossing and turning, unable to shut my brain off
to go back to sleep.
  
I know other people who spend much of their daylight hours creating
giant snowballs of worries.  They let little concerns grow and
expand into nightmarish scenarios until they can't think about
anything else. 

The trick is to recognize when the Tiddely-Pom Principle is
happening and to stop it.  Write down the things you need to
remember so your brain isn't churning around trying to keep them in
front of you.   Check out a worrisome thought.   Can you do
anything about it right now?    Is it something you can prevent?   
Is it something that's only a possibility?

Choose to deal with it right now and put it away. 

You do that by taking it out, looking at it, saying " yes, I see
you"  and then deciding to put off thinking about it until a later
date or trashing it all together.  In almost all instances, it will
go away or fix itself.

So let's work at creating some good snowballs.   Start with a seed
thought like "I can do _______ and then start adding to it.  

    * Because I really want to...
    * Because I am smart enough to....
    * Because I will like doing it once I....
    * Because I will be proud of myself when I.....
    * Because it will make me happy by giving me....   

Just keep rolling those good thoughts around the yard of your mind
and build a dream with The Snowball Effect.  

Meanwhile, I'm going out to play with the neighbor kids!
        They're rolling around and giggling in the snow.   


***********Second Careers: New Ways to Work After 50 ************

This very informative and useful book by Caroline Bird resulted
from the overwhelming response to an AARP survey that was done
originally in 1988.  Members were polled about their attitudes
toward working and the results staggered the organization's staff. 
The amount of data that was collected showed clear indication that
people in mid-life were not only continuing to work, but were
finding myriad new ways to do it. 

Although this book was published in 1992, it is still very
applicable and useful today.  The reason I like it is that it has
chapters for over 25 general areas of work such as Public Service,
Hospitality, the Visual and Performing Arts and Your Own Business. 

Within each chapter there are three sections:

    -    An overall definition of work in that field including
income ranges 
    -    Second careers for people experienced in the field
    -    Niches for newcomers to the field

For example:  maybe you've always thought about doing some kind of
social work.

The first section describes all the different ways in which people
can be involved in helping others.  The second section suggests
that someone with a degree and experience can move from a public
agency to part-time consulting or work as supporting staff in an
employee assistance program or as a workshop trainer for employers.
  

The section for newcomers to social work suggests ways to get
training as well as places like United Way agencies where
non-degreed people can still provide service and support to
pre-schoolers, teenagers, challenged young adults or seniors. 

Another really valuable part of this book is the Appendix that
contains over 50 pages of job-by job resources of associations,
organizations and government agencies related to it that can
provide further information.
 
Second Careers is a great resource for anyone who is thinking they
need or want to work at something new or take their experience in a
new direction.   Since that's just about about all of us, I highly
recommend this great resource.

The BOOKS TAB on my web-site will take you to my bookstore on
Amazon.com. You can find this title under the Careers Information
and Mature Audiences categories. 

You can purchase directly from that page for the same price and
no-shipping policy of the main Amazon site - but I get a small
commission -so you can help me while you help yourself. I
appreciate the support!  
 
But, if you are being frugal, please go check your local library
for these and other similar titles.  They'll be glad to help you.
 

************************A Little Inspiration**********************

"Robert Fritz teaches that the very moment you realize you are
unhappy or frustrated with a situation is your "point of power,"
for now you have a clear picture of how you don't want things to
be.  Imagine the exact opposite of the frustrating situation, and
there you have the makings of your vision."  

(Excepted from The Path  by Laurie Beth Jones,  New York, Hyperion
, 1996  p.78)
    

        My e-mail box is always open if you just need to chat..
                        lifeworkdesigner at me dot com