Happiness and Work: Your Life Depends On It

Written by Craig Nathanson


Continued from page 1
Can you makerepparttar difficult choices? Making work-related change in mid-life to pursue a dream or passion generates a lot of issues. I have observed in working with my own clients that these issues generally fall into three categories: emotional, relationship and financial. Am I good enough? Can I can give myself permission to follow my heart? What will my loved one’s say? If they don’t agree, do I dare test a relationship or rockrepparttar 129863 boat at this point in my life? Despite allrepparttar 129864 “sound” financial advice to save for retirement, do I instead invest in myself now, thus perhaps turning my financial world upside down. Are my loved one’s willing to make this sacrifice? What if they are not? These questions will all come up. One will feel selfish and may well be accused of being self-indulgent of self-absorbed. Well, mid-life is a time to be selfish. This isn’t about change for its own sake, but to position oneself forrepparttar 129865 second half of life, to be authentic and to shred external views and norms. During this time, it doesn’t help that society’s view isrepparttar 129866 general belief that work continues to be something not necessarily to be enjoyed. As a result, most career theory and research has supported this notion by largely ignoringrepparttar 129867 enjoyment factor. Even counseling psychology has largely followedrepparttar 129868 same path. The focus has been on matching skills and available types of work. While this can be helpful for younger adults, in mid-life internal needs, desires and passions beg for attention. While society expects those in mid-life to simply roll over and prepare to die or retire (I am not sure which is worse) many in mid-life actually begin to wonder how they can start living. For many, it is a re-birth with new wisdom and self permission to follow your heart. Economic conditions can force people to ignore their inner needs and take jobs they don’t like to payrepparttar 129869 bills. This only helps to further ignore your inner needs. Jung believed that ego was important for development inrepparttar 129870 first half of life but inrepparttar 129871 second half, ego should step aside for humility. Achieving vocational passion requires looking inward to understand what brings yourepparttar 129872 most enjoyment in your work. As a result, you can begin to understandrepparttar 129873 relationship between achieving greater meaning andrepparttar 129874 way you choose to conduct your life. It takes action to follow your vocational passion. I am not convinced that money can buy happiness at mid-life, but I am convinced that happiness can increaserepparttar 129875 richness in your life. We each get to define what that means. It all starts with a simple re-examination of what you have done, are doing and might do vocationally inrepparttar 129876 second half of life. In mid-life and later, it’s critical not to ignore your heart. In mid-life, it may berepparttar 129877 most consistent thing in your life when everything else seems in flux. Sadly, Robert wasn’t able to do this. My wonderful grandmother who lived well into her mid-90’s used to always say to me, “Bagel (that’s what she called me) just do what makes you happy.” I think now, I finally understand what she meant.

Craig Nathanson is The Vocational Coach™ and the author of, P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day. Craig believes the world works a little better when we do the work we love. Craig Nathanson helps those in mid-life carry this out! Visit his on-line community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com


The Language of Intuition

Written by Claudette Rowley


Continued from page 1

Most frequently, though, intuition shows up inrepparttar dialect ofrepparttar 129860 ordinary. Ordinary, everyday intuition usually doesn't set off fireworks or makerepparttar 129861 6 o'clock news. Everyday intuition often takesrepparttar 129862 form of a seemingly fleeting inner comment such as "I really should call Ken and tell him about my new business idea," or "You know, every time I drive by that restaurant, I feel compelled to stop." We often dismiss these comments for two reasons: Intuition doesn't necessarily inform us in advance why it's important to do or say something, and soon after we hear an intuitive comment, our inner critic jumps in to say, "Now there's a stupid idea."

How can I get to know my individual intuitive dialect?

- Noticerepparttar 129863 fleeting inner comments. Experiment with following repparttar 129864 direction of these messages even when your inner critic makes a judgmental comment.

- What seems persistent or insistent in your life? That may be your intuition talking to you.

- View intuition as a sixth sense. Use it as you would your eyes, ears, nose, mouth or skin.

- Ask your intuition a question and listen for an answer. That answer will come from your intuition.

- Notice if your body is intuitive. Do you get a pain in your neck when something is a "pain inrepparttar 129865 neck?" Sometimes I develop headaches when there's something I don't want to think about or when I think too much. Both are intuitive messages.

- Use your energy levels as a barometer. As your energy rises, plummets, shifts, centers, grounds or ungrounds you, what do you notice? Energy and intuition are intimately connected.

Become acquainted with your intuition; view it as an immensely informative language to learn. The difference between learning a spoken language such as Portugese and learningrepparttar 129866 language of intuition is that learning Portugese requires external resources while intuition requires onlyrepparttar 129867 internal. You have allrepparttar 129868 tools you need to learn your own intuitive dialect. With practice, you'll be fluent!

Claudette Rowley, coach and author, helps professionals identify and pursue their true purpose and calling in life. Contact her today for a complimentary consultation at 781-676-5633 or claudette@metavoice.org. Sign up for her free newsletter "Insights for the Savvy" at http://www.metavoice.org.


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