It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
HLife is an excellent source of information on holistic well-being. Started in October 2009, sisters Silvie and Maryl Celiz maintain a bilingual (English/Spanish) webzine dedicated to sustainable living. They cover a wide range of topics including nutrition, spirituality, the body, relationships, and conscious living among other things. I first found out about HLife while reading an article about them in the Café Latino Lifestyle Magazine. In the magazine, when asked about the inspiration behind their website, Maryl replied:
You have websites about green living and you have websites about traditional medicine or…about nutrition, but we just had to put it all together because we didn’t find one place where you can find mind, body, spirit, planet, everything. We think it’s all connected.
Besides their website, both very active on Twitter and provide informational tidbits, recipes, and inspiration on a regular basis. I’m definitely a fan of what they’ve done thus far. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it too.
Resources:
HLife Website: http://www.hlifemedia.com
HLife Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HLifetweets
Maryl Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MarylTweets
Silvie Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SilvieCeliz
Café Magazine: http://www.cafemagazine.com
There are many reasons you should volunteer, but some people need a little more persuasion than others. If you are one of these people, consider volunteering in order to gain valuable work experience. Yes it takes time away from something you could otherwise be doing, but typically the experience is rewarding and fun. Also, volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people who are movers and shakers in the community. Volunteering increases your work experience by increasing your leadership, problem solving, and communication abilities. Find something you’re passionate about and donate some time to it.