Looking Back and Projecting Forward
The first few months of 2022 have been a time of significant reflection for me, particularly as it relates to my coaching business and the processes that have become part of supporting it. I still find myself enjoying the client sessions that I hold, and even the discussions I have with people about their careers. Additionally, the last couple of years have had me making more presentations on career topics than previously, especially with the advent of all those presentation opportunities being done through virtual technology. I also have been able to offer my skill sets to a non-profit organization to assist refuge families navigate the job search process in the United States.
On the other hand, there have been some other realizations that are coming to mind. The stream of clients coming my way has slowed down. Less individuals being let go by companies, and therefore needing outplacement services is a part of this. Another factor is companies who previously relocated employees and had them move closer to their home office (uprooting both the person who worked for the company and their family members), has lessened due to virtual technology. Competition in the job search process has been inundated with electronic tools as opposed to individuals using the human touch. There are more calls that I need to âredoâ my marketing approaches, as my past approaches are out of date. An entrepreneurial networking group of which I have been a part, feels more like a burden than something I enjoy, as it has gone virtual, the number of members in the group has lessened, and the demands on my time have become greater.
This monthâs theme, (from the quote that graces the Absolute Transitionsâ home page through the articles and newsletter), all tie together one common theme and that is COMMUNICATION. Sometimes, though the communication that is toughest to do, is the communication you have to do with yourself. Often, we get so tied up in the activities of day to day or week to week, we donât really have the conversations with ourselves we need to have. How is it best to have those conversations?
Two methods that I know of that work well, and I would recommend are the following. I am blessed to have some good listeners in my life. A good listener is someone who will allow you to express yourself. They will address you in the form of questions and allow you to say what you have on your mind or are feeling. Additionally, they have a great ability to reframe what you have said, and play it back to you, so that you both are able to hear it, and possibly pick up revelations from what you have said. Having such people in your life is a blessing. They are usually the people whom when you talk to them, you will find yourself saying, âThatâs a good question!â, when they address you about what you may have been pondering.
The other method is one on which I recently developed a presentation that is built from two outstanding tools I learned in my career coach training. Admittedly both tools take a little time to work through, but fortunately are easy to use, and require more the patience to be open and reflective on yourself. The first says think back on the enjoyable items of your life where you felt productive and gained a sense of accomplishment. Those experiences donât have to be just work related. They can be school related, volunteer related, casual activity related, etc. What did you enjoy about the activity? What skills did you use in completing it? What was the accomplishment that you felt you received from the activity? The more accomplishments one can come up with, the better, (usually 25 are suggested, although 15 will do). Then select the Top Seven accomplishments of your life. What are the skills or talents that seem to always be present when you are doing and accomplishing things you enjoy? Those are ones you want to make sure are current in your world of today.
The 2nd part of the tool works as follows. First answer a list of questions, as to where you are now in life. Where are you living? Who are your friends? How many children do you have? What are their ages? What do you do for enjoyment? Once having a picture of your life now, then project forward and answer the same questions for some time in the future, (perhaps 5 years in the future, but 3 years will also do). See what your answers are there. What has changed in your life? What steps will you need to take to get there? Keep projecting ahead, (say in 5-year intervals). Remember certain factors will change at that time. (The ages of your children, your age, perhaps things such as your health or desire as to where you would like to live). The point is by projecting forward, you get a sense of the life you are looking to lead going forward and providing yourself signals to steps you may need to take to make those steps happen.
It does take discipline to set time aside to have conversations and reflections with yourself. It is often more enjoyable to have them when you have positive thoughts about what you are experiencing, as opposed from a position of frustration. However, whether good feelings in your life or bad, periodic expression of yourself, whether you can get feedback from a good listener or tools which are at your own control, is one way to best move your life forward to do the things you most enjoy and which give you pleasure.
