 I am a woman over 50. I do not like to be labeled, unless of course that label is biker chick or awesome mom. Labels like extroversion, sensing, thinking, etc. feel so superficial to me. And don’t even get me started with the acronyms. ISTJ, ESTP, ENFP?
I mean WTF? But five years ago, I acquiesced to take the Clifton Strengths Assessment mainly because it did not have acronyms. Upon completing the test, I promptly put my results in a manila folder on the shelf for two years. There is no way in hell a behemoth like Clifton owned by Gallop (and aren’t they all about TV ratings anyway?) could tell me who I am. I was so very wrong. Clifton labeled me Positivity, Connectedness, Learner, Intellection, Empathy. B-I-N-G-O. Once I learned my strengths, my life got easier. This light of understanding made my path so much more comprehensible and straightforward. I understood why I suck at some things and accel at others. I felt and still feel a little bit like Harry Potter in the Triwizard Tournament. His coach and mentor Mad-eye Moody counseled him to “play to your strengths, Potter.” Harry is a wizard who is an ace broom flyer. When he finally understood what Moody was telling him to do, he flew like the brilliant wizard he is and slayed the evil dragon. My strengths have helped me slay my own dragons. As a woman my age, there seem to be more dragons out there than there were even just a decade ago. Knowing my strengths, I am better equipped in all aspects of my career and my life, which is why I am thrilled that my colleagues at FromWithin Coaching are offering an online Clifton Strengths Worship this fall just for women. November 10th, 2022 12pm EST/10am MTN/9am PST Join us for 2-hour live discussion that will help you engage your strengths for a more fulfilling life beyond 50. See you there! - Jane Taylor, former CliftonStrengths Doubter, Current Believer  A friend asked me yesterday, “What all goes into writing a good resume?” This is such a huge question, I had to laugh. It’s like asking Serena how to play tennis or asking Billie Eilish, “How can I sing like that?” I don’t know tennis and I only sing in the shower, but I do know what goes into a good resume—especially for women over 50 who are in transition. The short answer is that the resume portrays what it is like to work with you. And more than a history of past work experiences, I think of the resume as a roadmap to the future that opens the door to what is possible. I do this by presenting not just accomplishments but the skills, qualities, and characteristics that made the accomplishments possible. My resume writing process is deeply introspective. I ask clients to complete an in-depth questionnaire about what they’ve done, why it makes a difference, and how it’s relevant to their life goals and dreams. The resume-as-roadmap factor is why I like to recommend that people keep their resume current. If you are looking for change and growth or wondering what it is you’re actually doing in your career, maybe it’s time for a look under the hood? Why are you so good at what you do? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Why? How did you get to where you are today? What makes you You? How do you want potential employers/colleagues to perceive you? How do you want to perceive yourself? Answering such probing questions can either reassure you that you’re in the right job or start to inform your path to the right job.   A neighbor invited me to the backyard for a bonfire and a sip of wine to toast the return of spring. My two neighbors (both women of a certain age) and I (also a woman of a certain age) stood around the smokey fire talking about crones and hags. In folklore and Disney movies, a crone is a scary old woman. She is disagreeable, angry, even sinister. Think of the witch who gave Sleeping Beauty that poison apple and you’ve got the right idea. We have been taught—largely by men—to fear the crone. It makes sense. The fellas have drawn a scary-ass picture. But back before those instructive men cold even hold a crayon, the crone of matriarchal societies was revered as a wise elder, a shepherdess of future generations. The Crone was the postmenopausal woman recognized and admired for her wisdom and leadership. “The literature describes the crone archetype as a pre-existent form in the collective unconscious that embodies instinctive ways of channeling wisdom, inner knowing, and intuition, guiding us through the transition of life, and going inward to bring forth the light for transformation. When women resonate or activate the crone archetypal image they tap into the psyche, to reclaim primordial images and receive the power within them that honor older women.” [1] In Irish and Scottish folklore, the Hag is represented as a divine deity of creation and weather. Her name is Cailleach, a direct translation of “old woman, hag.” There is a movement afoot to reclaim the name and elevated status of the crone archetype. We women of a certain age want to unveil her power by being ourselves. Think Whoopi Goldberg, Patti Smith, Alice Walker, Joni Mitchell, Jane Goodall, and the late, great Maya Angelou. These women are painting a new picture of aging in power. Back at the campfire, my neighbor (the one with grey hair she calls silver) said, “I feel invisible sometimes.” “Hooray for invisibility! Think of all the fun we can have while no one can see us,” I responded. (My hair is mostly grey, too, though I still have streaks of brown and gold.) Harry Potter fans will remember that when he donned the Invisibility Cloak, he learned great things that connected him to his past and his strengths. Invisibility was a gateway to discovery and growth. And invisible, he furthered the cause of good versus evil. As I step into my own cloak of invisibility (I had my 58th birthday earlier this week), I am ready to discover and grow. I encourage the same in the women of a certain age I write resumes, bios, and LinkedIn profiles for. We are at the height of our intellectual powers, it’s time we acknowledge our value, wisdom, and direction! -Jane Taylor   In FromWithin Coaching’s 12th year, we find ourselves inspired by the lessons of the past few years and the possibilities in 2022! As the owner of FWC, I am lucky to be surrounded by talented Coaches and Writers that consistently make a difference in their clients’ lives. And in mine.
We have added two more amazing Coaches and we want to take a moment to introduce them. I’d like to introduce them in order of their arrival to our FWC family: Tim Birmingham, both a Career Coach and Communications Writer, believes a rewarding career path can be blazed over any mountain and around any obstacle. Like a mountain range, career paths have peaks and valleys along the way. Having been through that change himself, he brings both a personal perspective and professional commitment to helping others find the right path and achieve their career goals. His clients are individuals who: ★ Are still searching for what they want in their career OR have an idea of what they want but might be unsure of how to get there, or where to start. ★ Are aware it’s time for a change and are committed to that change ★ Are rising or mid-career professionals seeking Career, Clarity, Strengths-Based Coaching as well as Job Search Strategies, Powerful Resumes, Cover Letters & LinkedIn Profiles and Interview Coaching & Training. Tim's Strengths are Futuristic, Significance, Empathy, Individualization, and Relator. We are lucky enough to welcome Amanda Lau to FromWithin Coaching as well! As a Professional Development and Simplicity Coach, she works with clients who are ready to set boundaries, simplify their lives and clearly understand their top priorities in their professional and/or personal lives. They want to learn to say yes to what truly matters and stay focused on those priorities. Learning to say no to requests, people, things, and buffers that will not serve us can be uncomfortable, but when these changes move from a new practice to an unconscious habit, that's when the magic happens. Her clients learn to believe in themselves and find the confidence to have a voice to advocate for what they need. Her Strengths include Connectedness, Relator, Empathy, Responsibility, and Maximizer. The change you seek starts here!  Career Coaching vs. Clarity Coaching
When I first started coaching 15 years ago, I’d get asked “What is a Coach?” way more than I do now. This is a wonderful thing because that tells me that more and more people are seeking Coaches or at least understand what a Coach is. It also tells me that coaching is becoming a more accepted form of support in one’s career, life, or business. However, the question I do find myself answering often is “What is the difference between job search coaching and clarity career coaching?” Good question! “Isn’t it all career coaching?” Yes and no… FromWithin Coaching is proud to support hundreds of clients each year, from students to seasoned professionals, to find happiness in their careers. It’s our specialty. We love helping clients find a career that brings them happiness. But in order to understand how we can help you, it’s important for you to understand the difference between these two different types of career coaching – job search coaching and clarity coaching- so you can consider what might be the best fit for your specific situation. Job Search Coaching is likely for you if you are asking yourself any of these questions:
And so on… What you’ll see is a theme of strategy – “how” or “what” is the key in these questions. A job search coaching client is seeking strategy, tactics, steps, and hints on how to handle a job search. Career Clarity Coaching is likely for you if you are asking yourself any of these questions:
What you’ll see is a theme of following up on the “what” and “how” with the “why.” Clarity Coaching is more about purpose and why you want to pursue a career. It helps you identify the problems holding you back from getting clear. Clarity comes by brainstorming solutions that value your strengths and individuality. This greater self-awareness will not only allow you to shift to experience yourself, others and the world in a much more positive way, but will also help you better understand what you need in a career in order to find greater meaning, purpose and fulfillment. And that is the frame you can use in your job search. To sum it up: Clarity first – job search second. You don’t want to leave it to chance that you’ll find your dream job based on who is hiring the week you look at your career alerts, Indeed, or wherever you’re searching. Now that you know the difference, it’s up to you to ask yourself: “What support do I really need?” Is it getting clear on what might be next in your career, or how to get there? Finally, to lock in the learning I hope I was able to offer, as a lover of metaphors, I’d be remiss if I didn’t use one to explain the difference. Job searching coaching is for you if you’re driving your “car” on empty with the orange fuel light on and there is no gas station in sight. You need strategy to find the gas station. Clarity career coaching is for you when you don’t know which car to get into in the first place! Still not sure? No problem. We offer free exploratory calls to help you determine whether you need fuel or the clarity on which car to drive. Amy Magyar, PCC, M.Ed. Owner/Founder of FromWithin Coaching  Where Can We Take Back Control? Reflections from Coach LJ Nieulant In these tumultuous times it may seem that your life is out of control. Whether you are without a job, furloughed or working, a lot of things came to a halt very abruptly. Work and life have changed; routines and schedules changed. We need to adapt. For my wife, three children, and me, we had to adjust to a new routine which we changed several times before we found a schedule and routine that benefits us all. This is where you can take back control in your life: decide what to do and what to avoid or leave for what it is. I am not able to develop a cure for the virus; I am not a scientist. I am able though to be of help and service to others in my community. Please take a moment to reflect on your current life. How are you doing, how is your family doing, and how are your friends and neighbours doing? Journal about your situation and see where you might need to make adjustments. What is it that you can do to regain some control in your life? Build a new routine; take it one step at a time. Adjust as necessary. Identify adaptations that benefit you and your loved ones. You might want to add a new activity to your routine. For instance, my wife and I walk our dog at the end of the day for an hour to discuss the day’s events. It benefits us although our dog thinks it is a little too much to be walked for the 7th time. An addition to your routine could be to reflect on your career so far. What did it bring and what are you missing in your career? Would you like to take a different route in the future? This may be a good time to prepare for that journey. Think about the things that brought you joy and what you would like to continue. What activities wore you out, which ones do you want to get rid of? Make a list of your Strengths, which ones bring a smile to your face? Make an inventory of your weaknesses and leave those for what they are. They are not working for you or with you so maybe take this opportunity to throw them out of the window and only focus on your Strengths. Ready to focus on your Strengths and take back control? Let's connect! - Coach LJ Nieulant Quick Follow Up to Coach LJ's Thoughts on Control  I spoke to a Client today and all I could hear was his fear of trying something new
for his business that he had never done before, but that was a necessity to survive through this time of chaos. The fear vibrated through his voice. Even though the knew he needed to take this step in his business to survive this crisis, he was more scared of taking action than losing his business. What was he fearful of? Fear of not being enough. Fear of being an imposter. Fear of not being perfect. Fear of old stories that are keeping him back from finding his truth. Well folks, I have never lived through a more fearful time than now, March 2020. So I wonder...for all of us, if we are going to survive this pandemic physically, mentally, and economically, we need to let go. We need to become losers and lose everything. Said another way, we need to lose in order to win. We need to lose our fear. We need to lose the belief that we are not enough. We need to lose the idea of perfection. We need to let go of the old stories keeping us from doing what we want. And what we need to do, to survive. Be a loser to be a winner. Be safe, be brave, be hopeful. -AM  The "C-Word" (aka Corona Virus) that we have heard has taken on a more intense meaning in the last week. The word is creating fear and panic. People are isolating. But we at FromWithin Coaching challenge you, in order to “insulate” vs the “isolate”, to use differnt words that start with C that are going to be more helpful in getting us through this uncertain time. What are other the “C-Words” we encourage you to say and DO more? Community Connection Certainty Compassion Conviction Commitment Cause Contribute Care Cleverness Consciousness Create Co-Create Calm Curious Capable Can-do Champion Celebrate Confirm Current Courtesy Courage Choice Continue Cooperate Capable Civility Competence Conversation Chance Cohesion Contemplative Contribute Center Character Contribute Continuity Closeness Climb Creative Clarity Choose Cookies (not kidding, they are helpful) And finally, Coach. Your job is to be you and practice saying (and doing) these “C-Words” more than the other c-word. Folks - the world is changing quickly.
FromWithin Coaching is going to be here to help you make sense of the chaos happening in the world right now. And help us as well as we are human beings and nervous as well. We are a community for each other...stay posted as we share ideas of "insulating" yourself from the chaos, not isolating. -Amy Magyar, Owner of FromWithin Coaching and Human Being as nervous as anyone else, but dedicated to helping us all find solace during these times.  Finding Insulation without Isolation in the Viral Age -Blog Post by Jane Taylor, working from home since 1997. Working remotely and social distancing are acts of self-care. They are also part of our social contract. In order to get through the uncertainty brought about by Corona, we must work together and stay apart. But this insulation need not be isolating. With vigilance and care, we can keep our personal and business connections strong even as we keep our distance. The verb insulate, means "protect from heat, cold, or noise," like when you add an extra layer of clothing to insulate yourself from the cold. You can insulate a wall to keep sound out, or insulate your house to keep cold air from getting inside. So, to insulate is to protect against unwanted changes.”[1] In the era of the C-Word (Covid-19), self-quarantine and social distancing are the types of insulation recommended by the CDC and other health officials. This recommendation is backed by empirical data. In 1918, a flu epidemic killed 20-50 million people globally. There was no cure. Symptoms were managed with improvised home remedies. The first official preventive measures included “the closure of public meeting places, such as theaters, and the suspension of public meetings. In addition, long church sermons were prohibited, and Sunday instruction was to last no more than five minutes.”[2] Taking it further back to the plague outbreak in Florence in 1348, officials also recommended social isolation. However, Italian theologians advocated that people “beware of fear, anger, sadness, excessive anguish, heavy thoughts and similar things. And equally one should take care to be able to be joyful, to be happy, to listen to lullabies, stories and melodies.” Several plague advice books hit the newsstands in the 14th Century including Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron (a collection of amusing and racy bedtime stories meant to keep spirits high) which instructed citizens on how to maintain mental wellbeing in times of epidemics and isolation. “Boccaccio also understood the crucial role of what we now call social networks in public health crises.”[3] As we ‘protect against unwanted changes’ and move our offices and classrooms to online locations, our need for human connection grows almost in proportion to viral spread. And yet, our current public health crisis is exacerbated by a crisis of disconnection in society. In other words, loneliness is also killing us. Working remotely will only make the disconnection worse unless we actively counter it with meaningful connection. We need stories, connection, and a sense of belonging to keep us human. Psychology Today tells us that, “Being alone can result in negative reactions related to loneliness (e.g., sadness, hopelessness) or it can have positive reactions related to solitude (e.g., spiritual and creative growth, restoring one’s health and energy).”[4] With diligence and the aid of technology, we have the power to choose our reaction. Here are some of our favorite tips on mitigating loneliness and staying connected (staying connected will also bolster productivity) as we work remotely: Schedule Face-to-Face Time Non-verbal communication is a huge part of communication. As a very transparent eye-roller, I relish the insulation email and text offer, but also appreciate seeing the faces of my friends and colleagues. Schedule regular online meetings and video chats. Be Proactive About Scheduling Make time to make time with your boss, your colleagues, your direct reports, your friends. A meeting request shows not only that you care, but also that you are on the ball. Schedule both one-on-one and team phone conversations and video chats. Don’t Forget the Niceties of Chit Chat In email and in video chats, human connection is…well… dependent upon connecting as humans. Before getting right to the meat of the business matter at hand, engage in authentic personal communication. You need not reveal all, but some light conversation about your well-being and your concern for the well-being of others will bolster that well-being. A rising tide lifts all ships… Work When Your Colleagues Work Be available and respond quickly. Use LinkedIn LinkedIn is a business networking platform. Use it. While the cute pit bull videos on Facebook are heartwarming, the amount of disinformation, divisiveness, and distraction that social media channel foments is counterproductive to your work and counter indicated to true human connection. The comparison Facebook enables and encourages (i.e., my tropical vacation is more luscious than your tropical vacation) robs us of joy, makes us feel small and undervalued, and creates further disconnection. LinkedIn, on the hand, is more about sharing business ideas and innovations. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and use it. As the stock market crashes, the NBA cancels its season, and your favorite yoga studio closes its doors, it is certainly getting harder to eschew “fear, anger, sadness, excessive anguish, heavy thoughts and similar things.” But staying connected helps. By controlling the things we actually can control, we gain agency. It is not naively or unreasonably optimistic, it’s part of our evolution. -Jane Taylor, working from home since 1997. [1] https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/insulate [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6477554/ [3] https://www.newstatesman.com/2020/03/coronavirus-survive-italy-wellbeing-stories-decameron [4] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-nourishment/201612/why-we-need-each-other Thank you Jane Taylor for another timely blog post.
Folks - the world is changing quickly. FromWithin Coaching is going to be here to help you make sense of the chaos happening in the world right now. And help us as well as we are human beings and nervous as well. We are a community for each other...stay posted as we share ideas of "insulating" yourself from the chaos, not isolating. -Amy Magyar, Owner of FromWithin Coaching and Human Being as nervous as anyone else, but dedicated to help us all find solace during these times. |
AuthorThe authors of these blogs include incredible Coaches and Writers at FromWithin Coaching who are inspired to share their thoughts, ideas, comments, and possibilities with YOU, the reader. Archives
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