Change - it seems to be all around us. Not only is it affecting your budget, it is also affecting your work environment and possibly your social and personal life. If you are not directly affected, some of your friends are. There are five secrets which will help you manage the current changes our world is going through.
Daily news reports continue to tell of changes in the economy, work force, and politics. Change can be good when you can see the benefits and feel in control. However, it can be overwhelming and contribute to feelings of being out of control when the impact is negative.
When you have a choice or "say" in the change, it usually generates positive feelings. This is especially true when you clearly see the benefits. Unfortunately, this is not true for many of the changes you may be facing at this time.
Many people I am talking to are needing to find work, reinvent themselves, and scale back their life style, Feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression are common. These feelings make it more difficult to feel motivated, consider options, and make good decisions. While this is understandable, it does not have to be this way.
Kathryn Britton, a coach and regular contributing writer for the Positive Psychology News Daily (http://pos-psych.com), reminds readers that making changes often requires changing habits. This requires a keen self-awareness, effort, and perseverance. It takes many repetitions of a new behavior to stop behaviors that have become automatic.
You may be wondering where the best place to begin is. By asking yourself and answering the following five questions, you can make change positive.
1. What do you believe about the change including do you believe you can make the change? If your answer is no, try to find a different way of looking at the situation. For instance, what part of the change might be possible for you? Do you know someone who has successfully made the change? Are you willing to find out what was helpful to him or her?
2. What behavior can you change that will make reaching another goal easier? This is especially helpful if you are feeling anxious or depressed. For instance, Positive Psychology research indicates that exercise decreases stress, anxiety and sadness. Calmness opens up neural pathways making it easier to focus and learn new things. Daily meditation helps you have more control over your thoughts which reduces negative emotions and increases self control. This can make it easier to stop addictive behaviors such as smoking.
3. What has changed about your situation or your environment that might make it easier to change a habit? For instance, if your work location changes, you might not be driving by Starbucks to get your coffee. If nothing has changed in your situation, you may need to create an artificial change to build your confidence. What kind of change can you create? Do you need to make another change first to build your confidence? Maybe you can create a change by not purchasing unhealthy food. This makes it easier for you to follow a healthy eating plan.
4. How can you use your strengths at work and in your personal life? Martin Seligman, a leading researcher in Positive Psychology, believes it is sometimes necessary to work hard to manage a weakness to prevent failure. However, it does not help you reach excellence. Which of your strengths can you rely on to make change positive for you?
5. How can you be hopeful about your future? Remember, hope is a realistic assessment of a situation. When you are hopeful, you choose to focus on the chance there will be a positive outcome and on the small steps needed to be successful. For instance, instead of focusing on the problem, are you willing to seek solutions? Yes, the problem needs to be identified. Then you need to focus on looking for solutions. "I am out of work" identifies the problem. "These are steps I will take while I am looking for employment" focuses on solutions.
Making change positive is often easier with social support. Be sure to be in contact with people who are supportive of you and show you respect. Having a friend or group to check in with helps establish accountability.
It is possible to make change positive for yourself. What you believe about the change will affect the choices you make. There are behaviors you can change that make reaching your goals easier. Creating a change, if none is there, makes it easier to change a habit. Using your strengths helps keep you focused and happier. During change, being hopeful is highly correlated with productivity and well being.
Which of the five questions will you use to make sure the changes you are going through are positive?
People who are looking for a new career are "trained" to go straight for the job boards. If you are looking for a job opening, you go where the jobs are listed. Right?
Well, yes and no...
-->You will find job openings. That's true.
-->Will you find all the job openings in your profession or geographic area? No.
-->Will you find job openings that are a good fit for your skills and experience? Maybe, maybe not.
-->Will you happen upon a job listing that fulfills your dreams for a green career?
Probably not.
So What's the Best Way to Use Job Boards?
The best way for you to use the job boards will depend on where you are in your quest for a green career. Take a close look at each of these methods so you can use the right one when needed.
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Learn Something about Yourself
-- When you are in the early stages of your search, use job boards to discover what you are drawn to. As you read job listings, notice which topics, tasks, and responsibilities you are drawn to. What opportunities sound and feel exciting to you?
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Learn about Jobs
-- When you are clear about your interests and passions, visit the job boards that have a powerful search function. Plug in your favorite key words to discover the jobs that may be a good fit for you. As you read each job listing, pay close attention to what you are drawn to. What kinds of jobs look like a fit? Keep track of these job titles for later searches.
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Learn about the Kinds of Companies that are Green
-- As you explore the jobs that interest you, pay attention to the kinds of companies that are showing up in the job boards. Don't worry at this point whether the companies are in your region. Instead focus on the kinds of companies you are seeing. Are you likely to be hired by an environmental consulting company or a financial firm? Would your skills be better utilized by a green manufacturer or a marketing company?
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Learn about Various Geographic Areas
-- As you begin to narrow your focus, it's time to look for opportunities that are available in your area. If you are open to moving, you'll want to expand your search to explore the regions you are considering.
It's easy at this point to get a little panicked if you don't find your favorite job in your area. Remember, not every job is listed in the job boards. You'll need to move your research to offline exploration. Talk to people. Connect with the green community in your area.
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Learn about Companies that are Hiring
-- The next step in the process is to determine which companies in your area are hiring. Sometimes you'll find definite trends in which companies are hiring just by scanning the job boards. Consider this search a starting point for your offline efforts.
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Search for Possible Openings in Your Area
-- Now that you know the kinds of jobs and companies you are interested in, you are ready to use job boards to find possible openings. Remember this is still a starting point. You want to use what you learn in the job boards to step up your offline job search results. When you discover a local company that is green and does work that aligns with your skills, make contact even if they don't list a current opening.
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If you expect job boards to be the source of a miracle, you are likely to be disappointed.
If you use job boards as a research tool, during every step of your green career journey, you will discover gems and insights you can use to advance your offline job search. Keep your focus and you'll see results!
Both Maurine Patten & Carol Mcclelland are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Maurine Patten has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kids and Teens, self improvement and motivation and Emotional Intelligence. Maurine Patten, Ed.D, CMC, Maximize Your PossibilitiesMailto: mdpcoach@pattencoaching.comTo find more articles and information about how to handle change or a transition go to:. Maurine Patten's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
Carol Mcclelland has sinced written about articles on various topics from self improvement and motivation, Career Change and The Internet. Green Career Expert Carol McClelland, PhD, is the author of the forthcoming book, Green Careers For Dummies and founder of , a membership webs. Carol Mcclelland's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.