What Kind of Optimist Are You?

I always encourage lifelong learning, but now is absolutely the time to stretch out of our comfort zone to embrace the possibilities that this time of change presents. Stepping into change stems from hope….

When you see spontaneous social protests erupting from Tunisia to Tel Aviv to Wall Street, it’s clear that something is happening globally that needs defining. There are two unified theories out there that intrigue me. One says this is the start of “The Great Disruption.” The other says that this is all part of “The Big Shift.” You decide.

Paul Gilding, the Australian environmentalist and author of the book “The Great Disruption,” argues that these demonstrations are a sign that the current growth-obsessed capitalist system is reaching its financial and ecological limits. “I look at the world as an integrated system, so I don’t see these protests, or the debt crisis, or inequality, or the economy, or the climate going weird, in isolation — I see our system in the painful process of breaking down,” which is what he means by the Great Disruption, said Gilding. “Our system of economic growth, of ineffective democracy, of overloading planet earth — our system — is eating itself alive. Occupy Wall Street is like the kid in the fairy story saying what everyone knows but is afraid to say: the emperor has no clothes. The system is broken. Think about the promise of global market capitalism. If we let the system work, if we let the rich get richer, if we let corporations focus on profit, if we let pollution go unpriced and unchecked, then we will all be better off. It may not be equally distributed, but the poor will get less poor, those who work hard will get jobs, those who study hard will get better jobs and we’ll have enough wealth to fix the environment.

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Horrible Bosses and Bravery Sometimes do Mix

It’s an interesting phenomenon – the issues my clients face seem to come in waves. Recently I’ve seen several people who are struggling with horrible bosses and really lousy work environments. It makes sense, right? More people are more stressed at work that ever. Doing more with less, less turn around time to get things done, more emails, texts, etc coming at us than ever.  But is this really unavoidable? Do you have to suffer in silence, take the abuse and then spread the negativity by talking it out with your friends and family; growling at the cashiers your encounter, drinking too much, or however else you deal with the nasty behavior of people who ‘control’ your working life?

You know what I’m going to say, right? No you don’t have to take it. Recently several clients of mine has decided that sticking it out in toxic work situations was not worth the risk of ruining their mental and physical health. They actually decided that, even without actual jobs to move to but with other options in the wings, to resign.  Making the decision was scary, certainly, all things considered. But all things were considered, so clarity reigned.  This is where the bravery lives.

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Entrepreneurship: What It Takes and Do You Have It

Join us for our June 8th Panel Discussion and Networking Event!   Scroll down to read about our panelists whose inspiring stories and tips will help you formulate ideas and new strategies to move forward in your own business and career!   Have you been contemplating striking out on your own, by starting a new business? But a little – or a lot! – hesitant to do so? Not even sure where to begin, or if it’s the right move for you? It’s clear that entrepreneurship is our way out of this recession – whether you head out on your own while working, or want to be a more innovative and proactive contributor in your current workplace – it’s essential to hold on to that bigger view of what’s ahead of you. Join us on June 8th to meet our five panelists who will be speaking… Read More

Tavis Smiley: If At First You Don’t Succeed, ‘Fail Up’

If you want to learn about success, talk to a successful person. If you want to learn about failure, talk to a very successful person. In his new book Fail Up, TV and radio host Tavis Smiley offers lessons on how to turn life’s setbacks into success.

2011 marks Smiley’s 20th year in broadcast — and that anniversary got him thinking: “The way I arrived at this place [of success] was failing my way — all the way,” he says. The book is sort of a Top 20 Worst-Of list: It details the 20 biggest mistakes of Smiley’s life.

Some of these mistakes were news even to Smiley’s close family. Before the Fail Up manuscript arrived at his parents’ house, Smiley called home to tell his mother and father they were about to read things they’d never heard before. Smiley was the first person in his family to go to college — but when he marched across the stage at Indiana University to get his diploma, he hadn’t really graduated. It technically took Smiley 16 years to get his degree; during college, he had been arrested and sent to jail for check fraud. “I couldn’t bring myself to tell my parents that I’d gone to jail while I was in college,” he says. “[Or] that I didn’t have a college degree.” 

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A Special Co-Teaching Program at Insight LA

Date(s): April 9 (Saturday) Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm Description: During this three hour workshop, we will learn how to apply mindfulness practice to our decisions during times of career transition. We will see how mindfulness can transform our experience of change from stress and anxiety to clarity and well being which allows us to see options more clearly and make skillful choices. Through meditation practice and discussion we will explore how to align mindfulness practice with the, often times, complex process of career change.ABOUT THE TEACHERS: Jane Davis has practiced in both the Vipassana and Zen traditions since 1996. She has completed Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practioner’s Program, an intensive 2-year course studying the Buddhist Suttas. She also volunteers as the Insight LA CFO, and teaches classes and sitting groups. Jane is currently teaching about how to apply Mindfulness to our work environments. Jane has had a twenty-five year career, first practicing as… Read More

Liminas Exclusive: L.A. Career Expert Interview

Source:  Liminas.com

Daisy Swan, a career strategist, coach and counselor and head of her own career private practice, knows what it means to be a Liminas woman.  Her career {and passion} was born from the confusion and uncertainty of her days during that time.  We went to Daisy with all the concerns, stress, and questions our readers are struggling with and she shared great career advice and life tips to help all of us Liminas women find the balance and happiness we  seek.

Ashley: First of all, please tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in this line of work. Also, are you familiar with the Liminas concept?  Do you feel that you are/were a Liminas woman? 

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A Writer Writes

I listened to this interview on KCRW’s Bookworm program today and was really grateful to have heard this. I thought you might be too. While the discussion about the book itself is yummy, the rest of it is very satisfying to hear — especially for any of us who have ever contemplated being a writer. Or for those who are currently writing for a living, or attempting to.   I know that I wanted to be a writer from the time I was 10 years old when I read Harriet The Spy.  I always have loved writing, and loved the idea of being a writer. And over the past few years have found out just how hard it is to actually write and publish a book.  I hope you’ll take the time to listen to this recording and be inspired, as I was. — Daisy… Read More

Work-life Balance

Work-life balance is a concept that supports the efforts of employees to share their time and energy between work and other important aspects of life. It represents the challenge that is put before the individual and which requires a constant process of balancing in different life aspects. The term "work-life balance" was used for the first time in America during 80s.This concept defined unhealthy lifestyle many Americans lived -neglecting family and friends, as well as personal needs every individual has. One of the most important aspects of modern HR management is finding a balance between work and life. It actually involves a continuous process of balancing between responsibilities at work and those at home. The main argument for the introduction of these programs within company’s HR department was the fact that organizations realized that they must be aware of different needs their employees have and to show respect in order… Read More
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