Hearing Your Calling

I'm in the midst of researching the topic of finding one's calling...what is a calling, how do we identify our calling and what do we do once we have? This is very intriguing and motivating to me being that I am actively pursuing my own calling these days.

There is a brief article today on Yahoo focusing on a man who sold a very lucrative business earning $500k a year for a job as a teaching assistant earning $13.5K that allowed him to pursue his passion for literature and writing.

While most of us don't have such a valuable asset to sell, I believe we all have a passion that when followed, leverages our gifts and talents, that inspires us, and that benefits others. This is how most of the writers on the subject define a calling.

So, let's assume you've enjoyed the experience of being so caught up in an activity that you've lost track of time, or you've had a recurring dream or fantasy about what you would love to do - if only. You've had different people recognize certain skills and talents you possess over time, you have a particular "heart" for a need you see in others...these are some of the ways your calling is being revealed to you.

The critical problem for most of us is the - IF ONLY...If only I didn't have this mortgage, this amount of responsibility, this health problem, etc. If only I had that degree, more experience, was smarter. If only, If only, If only.

Some of these circumstances, fears, and self-doubts are realities...but as with the man in the article, many can be prepared for, reduced or eliminated. The rest? Well, that's where faith comes in. Do I trust in a plan greater than my own? In what or in whom do I expect my security?

As so many people can attest to today, whether you are an owner of a lucrative business, a tenured and loyal employee, or a job seeker...security is tentative at best.

One of my favorite passages of scripture focusing on faith versus worry says..."Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life..." It goes on to talk about from where all the necessities of life that we worry about ultimately originate and how we can trust that if we seek after the provider first...all of these things will be provided to us.

So, instead of seeking security for ourselves, can we instead seek meaning, purpose, and fulfillment? What would that look like in your life? Just for a moment let yourself envision it. What's holding you back from following your calling and how can you work to remove those obstacles or doubts?

Since we all only have so many hours left...why not make them great ones?

Insights from Ken Blanchard!

I've been spending the past couple of days surrounded by church leaders and church "planters" at the Exponential Conference here in Orlando. I have such an incredible compassion and respect for those who sacrifice their comforts, security and lives for the purpose of bringing light to the ends of the world or right next door.


One of the keynote speakers is Ken Blanchard. After a lunch story-telling session, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Mr Blanchard. After thanking him for a very inspiring presentation and his life's work...I asked the author of The One Minute Manager, Situational Leadership, etc. what he believed were the top 3 opportunities for church leaders today. His response was insightful, clear and applicable to ALL leaders.

1. Know your Mission...be able to clearly articulate it, share it with others, inspire others by it and most importantly live it.

2. Be a Servant Leader...once you set the Mission, "turn the hierachical pyramid upside down...lead by serving your people...egomaniacs make horrible leaders.

3. Keep to you Mission...stay focused on who you are and don't allow mission drift.

This advice also applies to us personally as we search for our own life's work or maybe just our next job:


1. What is your Mission? Why are you here? What is the purpose of your life? What are your unique gifts, talents and motivations? Many describe it as your Calling. What type of vocation fits with your personality, skills, motivations and values?

2. Do you lead to be served or do you lead to serve? Often we can fall into the trappings of position power, status, title, influence and the like and forget about those we are leading.

3. If you know your life's mission...how often are you derailed or distracted from it? Another speaker today said that the greater the work, the more critics and naysayers you'll have. We all have our own agendas and we can try to "hijack" the mission of others or criticize them if we don't understand or agree with their life mission.
I look forward to reading Mr Blanchard's latest work Lead Like Jesus...what better model of a servant leader, great motivator, and life changer?

Enough for today

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ~ Exodus 16:4

“God makes a promise. He will give you manna – or grace – when you need it, but not before. That means you will be anxious if you forecast the future because you are making your prediction based on the manna you have left over from today, and there is none. What you don’t factor into your prediction is that you will receive fresh grace when you need it."

~ Dr. Ed Welch, from Peace that passes all understanding

 - TableTalk Magazine, Jan 2010

These words resonate with me so clearly this week as I prepare my first career transition seminar...Coping with Job Loss.  So much of the anxiety and fear we face is from this "forecasting" into the future (whether tommorow or six months from now)...What will happen when my severance/savings runs out?  Will I have found another job in time? Will I lose my house, will I have to file bankruptcy, or will I lose my children's future education...the list of what-ifs goes on and on. 

We spend our lives trying to store up money, belongings, accomplishments only to have them stolen by stock market crashes, mortgage crises, and having our identities stripped away by corporate down-sizing. 

“Without realizing it, we begin to look for identity, meaning and purpose, and our inner sense of well-being horizontally…important things (like family, work, housing, money, etc.) become all too important to us because they become the places we look to for our rest…they not only do not give us rest, they become the reasons for the endless cycles of worry, anxiety and fear…”

~ Paul David Tripp from Thinking Biblically about Worry 

- TableTalk Magazine, Jan 2010

This daily dependece on God seems to be the point.  I can chose to depend on and trust God for my future, or I can chose to fret and worry about my needs. Either way, I can't control what's to come, I can only do what I believe is best today. 

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

~ Matthew 6:25-27

WORDS TO LIVE BY...

The business of business

Boy! It's been a crazy 2 weeks...setting up business accounts, working with my web designer, new business cards, filing with the State, IRS, etc...I have a new found appreciation for folks who run their own business. I knew there would be a lot involved...but man there's more than I ever thought!

I thank God I have a wonderful friend who is also my CPA, financial planner, and tax advisor! I told her the other day if it weren't for her - I would have very likely been stopped in my tracks by the sheer frustration and confusion of all the forms, calls, faxing, paperwork, errands and stuff involved with just starting a business.

It has been so difficult to stay focused on the real purpose for doing all of this.  I've spent far more time doing the "business stuff" than the actual work I want to be doing. What has kept me going is the continuing support and surprising new opportunities I never thought were available. 

I was in my credit union last week to setup a business account and later was introduced to the Financial Services Rep who after me telling her about my new business, she says I should send them some info about the career transition seminars I'm working on as they might be a good fit for the monthly seminars the credit union sponsors for their members.  Wow...so cool!

I hope I can just keep up!

Career Transition Series

I'm working on developing a series of seminars for those impacted by job loss. The series topics will include:
Coping with Job Loss
• God’s Sovereignty and Fear
• The Grief Process
• Staying healthy, physically and emotionally
• When to get more help…
• Resources and Links

Hearing God’s Calling on your Life
• What is a Calling?
• How do I identify My Calling from God?
• Translating Your calling into a Vocational Identity
• Identifying Marketable Skills
• Resources & Links

Developing Your Personal Marketing Materials
• Do I Really Need to “Market” Myself?
• Resumes – Types and How-to’s
• Cover Letters
• Social Media
• Avoiding Scams
• Resources & Links

Preparing for Job Interviews
• Types of Interviews
• Developing Your “Success Stories”
• What to Ask in an Interview
• Negotiating Job Offers
• Resources & Links

What might I be missing?

Impacts of Unemployment on Children

I just read this article...apparently, 1 in 7 children in America (that's 10.5 million kids) have at least one parent unemployed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100325/hl_hsn/parentsarentonlyoneswhofeelstressofunemployment

In addition to their health care, nutrition, and potential for higher education being in jeopardy; unexplained anger, anxiousness, aggression, decreased school performance are common for these kids. The article continues to say that pre-teens and teens may be the most affected because they are more aware of what's going on around them and feel the social consequences of unemployment more acutely. I have seen this first hand in particular with my pre-teen daughter...she's more aware of money and not asking for what she might have before.

What I found particularly interesting was what the "experts" recommended...
- Talk with your children about the new reality in your family, but try not to communicate panic.
- Be hopeful and reassuring as best you can.
- Listen to your children.
- Watch for signs of anxiety, worries and fears; some of them may be subtle.
- If you sense a problem, talk to your child's teacher first. If it's a serious problem, seek psychological help.
- If your marriage is struggling, try to make it better. Marital discord adds to a child's strain.
- If you or your partner is experiencing excessive anxiety or depression, get help.

All good advice on the surface...but I think the issue runs much deeper than these solutions can touch. Like teaching our kids:
~ Who is the true source of all our income and belongings?
~ Can He be trusted in and through all of our most difficult trials, even and especially when we don't see the solutions?
~ What is the difference between a want and a real need?
~ What really matters most...our house, cars, clothes...or our family unity?

I've said it to so many of my friends and family...how do folks without a strong foundation of faith deal with the overwhelming amount of uncertainty in the world today? It must be simply terrifying!

First Client!!!!

Well, it seems I have my very first client. The wife of a former boss who is returning to work and needs a resume. God has been so faithful through this process. He has surrounded me with kind, compassionate, really smart people that genuinely have my best interest at heart.

Changes coming to my website platform soon...moving to Square Space for some additional functionality and slicker look and feel. I'm working to nail down the details on my business plan too (I know, a little backwards, client before business plan). Things like marketing approaches and pricing.

Everyone I speak with who owns there own business says the same...the focus will evolve with the clients. I'm a former Brownie (never quite made it to Girl Scouts), and I really prefer to be as prepared as possible before I put myself out there.

I guess that's the point though, it's not about me...it's about the One who is truly the "CEO" of True Compass Consulting (I'm just the President). So, here I am...I'm a legit business owner (according to the State of FL anyway).

Next up this week? More business set-up stuff and some coversations with my most recent boss...yes I'm returning to the "scene of the crime" :) and speaking with my Pastor about their needs.
Stay tuned!

All in due time...

Been a while, I know...I've been working hard to hone in on the core services of True Compass and translating them into a website. Much easier said than done! There are three primary components to True Compass Consulting as it stands today...Organizational Development consulting (i.e. people selection & development), Business Process Improvement (i.e. Six Sigma), and Personal Career Services (i.e. transition coaching, resume development, interview preparation, etc.).

The initial website is up and thank you SO much to all those that took the time to review and provide me feedback and encouragement! I have to recommend Microsoft's home.officelive.com for small businesses - if you want a cheap ($14.95 for the domain name) web domain and a basic and easy-to-use way to get a website up and running quick with little skills - that's the way to go. If you're interested the web address to the new site is: www.truecompassconsulting.org. It's very early still. I want to add alot of content, links, videos, etc. All in due time...I have to remind myself it's only been a month or so since I made the decision to create a business of my own.

Speaking of encouragement...If you are in any type of transition today (career or otherwise),it is so important to have a group of honest, trusted people around you to bounce ideas off, to encourage you when you get down, and to help you with connect to others. I've never, ever been a "network-er", but I've discovered that I am blessed with a "network" of people who genuinely care about me and want my best...that realization alone was worth all the travails of late! I can tell you from my experience by caring for people all along and treating them well (even when you don't have to), they come out of the wood-work wanting to help you when you need it.

Next up, the scary part...identifying and marketing to potential clients. Attending a Church Planting Network conference in April - goal is to meet with and better understand the needs of growing churches. Very excited about that.

More to come...

"The Anguish of Unemployment"

I spent some time yesterday researching the various impacts of unemployment. In particular, I found three recent studies very compelling…a Rutgers University study entitled the "Anguish of Unemployment", a NY Times/CBS News poll, and a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management Survey (SHRM) all completed between September and December of 2009.

Some of the findings were not news…15 million Americans are currently unemployed, a quarter (or close to 4 million) of them have lost their homes or are likely to lose it to foreclosure soon. Other details shed some light on the actual experience of being laid-off. The Rutgers study found that 60% received no advanced warning of their layoff, 84% received no severance or other compensation. The NY Times poll found nearly half reported no health insurance, over 40% have moved or considered moving to another part of the state or country to find work.

Other findings went deeper. In the NY Times poll, 55% of the unemployed suffer from insomnia, depression, feelings of embarrassment and shame, a loss of self-worth and self-esteem, almost half reported more conflicts and arguments with family members and friends. More than half (approx 7.5 million people) have borrowed money from friends or relatives and the same have cut back on or eliminated seeking basic health care due to the cost.

Even more frightening to me is that 40% said they noticed behavioral changes in their children that they attributed to their difficulties finding work. The lack of money, strain on marriages, fear, doubt and anxiety seems to be rolling down to our children!

And for those still employed, in addition to enduring one (sometimes several) rounds of lay-offs; these workers are experiencing heavier work-loads for extended periods, about 30% have had their pay cut or salary frozen, reductions in work hours, furloughs, reduced retirement and health benefits.

The long-treasured belief that if we work hard and are loyal, we will be rewarded and enjoy some semblance of security has been all but shattered today. One Rutgers professor of public policy relates the psychological impact of this recession to that of the Great Depression… “It’s a life-changing experience for people”. He suggests that long-term unemployment may lead to higher divorce rates…which is consistent with the stats above. The professor warns of a “silent mental health epidemic”. Because of the shame, feeling of lack of control and belief that somehow being laid-off was their fault, the unemployed are reluctant to talk about what they are going through.

So, what’s the future looking like and what is being done to prepare for it? The SHRM study found that organizations know their top talent are ready to leave and are just waiting for more confidence in the economy. Companies anticipate this huge increase in turnover and are already facing a crisis in employee satisfaction. In addition to reinstating some reduced or eliminated benefits, the most likely actions they’ll take as the economy recovers include:
• engaging in more transparent communication about the status of the organization,
• cutting HR related technologies (applicant tracking/payroll systems),
• retraining employees,
• increasing recruitments efforts,
• stopping business growth,
• engaging in volunteer and philanthropic activities, and
• outsourcing certain business areas.

Only two of these approaches (better communication and retraining) even remotely address the issues faced by their current and future employees. What about focused efforts to streamline and improve work processes, studying what (if anything) employees find meaningful about their work, trying to understand what would help satisfy and engage them, and dare I say it: how to rebuild the lost loyalty and trust?

There certainly seems to be a significant and growing gap between the number of urgent needs of people (employed or not) and meaningful answers to address those needs. It is becoming clearer how True Compass might be able to fill some of the gaps for the unemployed, underemployed and business world in general.

So, what are churches and other faith-based organizations doing now and in the near future to help meet these needs? This is where the real power of faith comes in. Being able to share with people that, despite their circumstances, there is a God that “knows the plans He has for them, plans to prosper them and to give them a hope and a future”. And that the only real security in this life comes from a relationship with the one who created us.

Worthy of the Call

"Don't come back, do not come back!" These words from a dear friend echoed in my mind today as I hung up the phone with a hiring manager from a world-class organization that I applied to 2 months ago who was very excited about me and my potential future with their organization. Given today’s economic environment and my current situation, why would a friend be so emphatic that I not return to the corporate workforce?

As I shared with him what I’ve been experiencing – it reminded him of his own journey with unemployment. He recalled the extended times of reading and reflecting, worshiping and serving in his church, and the unexplainable peace and contentment he felt during a time that for most would be a very anxious trial…very similar to my experiences now. He went on to say…"now, I’m working almost 7 days a week and I can barely seem to find time to spend with my wife and daughter."

The Apostle Paul urged his readers to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received”. So, what is a calling? Webster defines a calling as a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, everyone can agree we all have gifts or talents that can be used for the benefit of others. What about that strong inner impulse accompanied by conviction? When was the last time you felt time fly when working at something? Or when you were energized by giving or pouring yourself into something? Each of us has a calling – we are all here for a reason and were made for a specific purpose.

I know first-hand the need to pay the bills and provide for my family. But there has to be a way to follow the calling on our lives AND make ends meet! I find myself at a new cross-road...That job I was referring to? Likely the same pay as what I was making, but with 60-70% travel.

So, what’s more important: career-growth, apparent financial security, but with little time for my family, OR following what I am being called to pursue, flexible time with my family BUT uncertain finances?

Amazingly enough, this one is pretty easy for me. After discussing it with my husband, I will withdraw my name from the world-class organization and dedicate myself to having a life worthy of this calling I have received.

Think I'm crazy? A fool?

The cost of cutting costs...

Had lunch today with some very special friends. One of which shared how frustrated he was by how hard it is to get anything done at work with all cuts in staff. He told me the ratio of support to staff and they are not just lean, they are ANOREXIC!

Most of us have experienced first-hand or know someone who's experienced the hardships of being laid off...but what my friend said got me thinking.

What is the true cost of cutting costs? What is the impact to those left behind & ultimately to the organization?

Having personally survived three rounds of lay-offs at my former company, I remember well the emotional cocktail of loss, guilt and relief. Then, sooner or later the question is: who's gonna pick up that person(s) work?

Round 1 cut: okay, we're "right-sized", round 2: will be a little tough, but we can do it; round 3: alright now, we're cutting into the bone; round 4: a whole new ball game.

I often hear: "I'm just glad I still have a job", or "I'd leave in a heartbeat if things weren't so scary out there". Not exactly a testimony for employee engagement!

As I've been trying to narrow down what exactly True Compass Consulting should be, one of my first questions was...where are the unmet needs? Well, today I've identified 3 groups that are really hurting...
1. Those who've been laid off,
2. Those left behind, and
3. The leaders trying to figure out just how deep is too deep before things really start coming apart?

Great book!

If you're going through a trial of any sort right now and are struggling to find God's will for you in the circumstance...I highly recommend a great book by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend - What to Do When you Don't Know What to Do (8 Principles for Finding God's Way).

It's a quick read (I read it once quickly and then went back to identify key points and how to apply them).

This book was really an inspiration to me when I was the most confused about what I should do next and how to cope with the uncertainties.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/What-When-You-Dont-Know/dp/1404187731/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267805303&sr=1-29
Let me know what you think of it.

Hello!

Why a blog about finding my way? Well, like many of you, my life was changed drastically by the loss of a job. After 19 years of work for a very large Hotel/Timeshare organization, I was laid off at the end of January 2010.

The thoughts and emotions of grieving this loss were textbook and are still ongoing. At first, there was the shock, the hurt, the sadness, and some anger too...why me? What could I have said/done differently that might have made a difference? I know now, I have to just allow myself the time to work through all of these emotions. This is scary for more than just me. Explaining this to my elderly Mom whom we care for, and to my 18 & 11 year olds was pretty tough. Telling them "It will be fine" when I'm not completely there myself is not easy.

The first 2 weeks after, I felt like a kid skipping school...I went to the mall, but couldn't stay long because I half-expected someone to jump out from behind the clothing racks and point their finger at me and yell "AHA! We caught you...you're supposed to be at work right now!! Which is exactly how I felt...but really the person pointing the finger, was me.

Next up was what I liken to the "nesting phase" of a woman waiting to give birth...I ran through a long list of household projects, ran every errand I could think of, and even had a huge Garage sale (made about $400...so that's pretty cool) and got exhausted.

Then, came the depression and the desire to become a complete hermit...no make-up, not leaving the house, wanting to literally just hide from the world and the reality of no job and nothing on the horizon. Every task was too hard and nothing really mattered anyway. All the while, I was trying to do what everyone said to do, update the resume, target companies, network...yada, yada, yada...all of it just felt wrong.

Unlike many, I have been greatly blessed with a severance that can be stretched for about a year, but even with the luxury of a that time, I felt the clock ticking down and an urgency to make something happen.

So, after more than 135 applications, 8 first-round and 5-second round interviews, many heart-to-hearts with God, mentors, family, & friends, several sermons, books, long walks, long cries...I asked myself the question...WHAT NOW???

One of my mentors is authoring a book about surrendering to your calling. Reading the preview really struck a nerve...what IS my calling? So I asked the One who was doing the calling and I discovered that the times in my life when I felt the most joy, peace and purpose were when I was pouring myself into my friends, colleagues and family listening to them, coaching, and advising them with God's Word.

Is being a paid counselor my calling? I do it for free ALL the time :) I don't know...I've always thought that like many of the things I enjoy (cooking, cutting hair, singing, etc.), doing them for pay, would somehow make them less enjoyable.

So, here I am unemployed for the first time since high school and now I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to move away from my son, the rest of my family and my friends to find a job that has some meaning. I love the flexibility I have now to take my daughter to school, be there for my son as he learns life's new challenges (like what to do after a fender-bender), and just hanging out with my husband on his days off.

At the same time, I'm compelled to dedicate myself to helping people find a better way to work, a better way to lead, and a better way to live. So, I find myself taking steps to create my very own consulting practice - True Compass Consulting.

One quote from my mentor's book that is just perfect..."There's a fine line between exciting and scary"...it's a RAZOR-THIN line and I'm on it!!!

We 'll see how this story unfolds...