A reduction in your income may impact many things, including how you perceive yourself, whether you are conscious of it or not. If you have prided yourself on financial success, your ability to feel good about yourself may be impacted as you battle a tough economy.

How to manage this challenge:

1. Remember that a successful life is not all about the money. Look for other non-monetary ways to define success.

• Are you helping people?

• Are you growing as an individual?

• What are you contributing to your community or to the world that does not involve money?

2. Look back on your life to periods when you weren’t making as much money as you are now. Believe that you have the capability to increase your income level once again.

• Is this an opportunity to start something new that could lead you to a better place?

www.innerarchitect.com

Most of us approach our lives by way of our conditioning. That is, we make our decisions based on how we were taught. Unfortunately, many of the ideas that have been passed down through generations go against what we really need to do to create and maintain personal happiness.

Here are just a few misconceptions:

Misconception #1: If an established, secure job or relationship no longer makes you happy, something must be wrong with you.

Consider instead: Your life experiences have caused you to grow and change. You are not the same person as you were, so what you are no longer happy with may no longer be a fit.

Misconception #2: Following your heart anywhere except your love life is bound to get you in trouble. Use your rational mind to make decisions.

Consider instead: Your heart is connected to ideas and passions that you do not consciously select and which reside in your being. Think of your heart as the most accurate compass for your life decisions.

Misconception #3: Taking steps backwards financially should be avoided at all costs.

Consider instead: Improving your inner quality of life deserves as much an investment priority as upgrading your external environment and material possessions.

Misconception #4: Having a successful career doing what you love is an unrealistic fantasy that happens only to a lucky few.

Consider instead: What you love is what you are here to do. Expect that you can create a successful career doing it.

www.innerarchitect.com

Being in between jobs doesn’t have to be experienced like the kiss of death. I know that it is natural to feel very vulnerable, yet that is what being in transition is all about. It’s the very point that you are temporarily unattached to a job that provides you with a rare freedom to ask yourself what you really want from your next adventure.

Key questions to ask yourself in between jobs:

1. How soon do you really have to land a job?

Can you afford some time to step back and evaluate what you really want from your career while you have the freedom and time to prepare yourself for it? Sure, it’s no fun watching your life savings take a downward climb, but is your time here really about the money?

Are you at a point in your life where you can afford to spend some time being selective about your next step or preparing yourself for a new path? Think of your career choices now as investments in your quality of life.

2: Would the jobs you are now searching for be top choices if you were just starting out?

You spend a majority of your waking hours at your job. Consider it like you would a romantic relationship. Are you willing to settle for second best just to be committed?

3: Is it possible to support yourself financially doing what you love?

Make a list of all the different ways you can generate income by doing what you love. Your financial support does not have to come from one income stream. Maybe one single role can’t generate enough money, but adding other roles that express your passions might make the necessary difference.

4. Are credentials getting in your way of going for jobs you really want?

Ask yourself if you are truly lacking what is necessary, or if credentials are a convenient excuse to protect you from risk or rejection. Research the kinds of credentials that others doing similar work have. If you don’t have what it takes, identify sources that can provide the appropriate credentials. Don’t make assumptions without checking the facts about the true requirements to do the work.

www.innerarchitect.com

What is an Obstacle?

The underpinnings and support you build for yourself when you begin to implement change in your life are first challenged and often thwarted by what you perceive as obstacles that get in the way of your transition. If you can become aware of these obstacles, you give yourself the permission to change the meaning of the very obstacle(s) that stand in your way. Begin by redefining the word “obstacle”:

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. . . the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. . . they’re there to stop the ‘other’ people.”

–Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon Professor and author of The Last Lecture

In Susan Hanshaw’s Inner Architect: How To Build The Life You Were Designed To Live, Phase 3 “Breaking Through Fear” contains a very important tool when considering your obstacles: Step 8 “Define What Lies Between You And Change.”

3 Common Types of Obstacles:

1. Fears: Your thoughts about your ability to successfully create change

2. Limited Beliefs: What you think you are capable of acheiveing or becoming

3. Lack of Commitment: Not being completely dedicated to the work involved with the necessary steps

Ultimate Responsibility:

Accountability for your actions and efforts is the ultimate responsibility we all have to ourselves.

“We can commit to becoming accountable and responsible to our jobs-careers, to our family and friends, yet we often don’t make that same commitment to ourselves.”

–Susan Hanshaw, Founder/CEO and author,Inner Architect

One of the most intricate and important parts of creating your new life or career is producing an action plan. In Susan Hanshaw’s Inner Architect: How To Build The Life You Were Designed To Live”, Phase 4 Creating Your Plan contains the tools to begin the process. The best tool to get started is Step 15 “Outline Your Training Process.”

Marketing Through Networking

One of the fastest and most effective methods to begin meeting people in the niche you wish to build your new career or life is via real world networking events and meetings

Webgrrls International

A great example of outlining your training process can be found at the networking group Webgrrls.com. Webgrrls provides meetings and events with the following benefits:

1. Networking: you meet people in your niche
2. Introductions: you give your 1 minute “elevator” pitch a mini marketing message business plan
3. Practice: you hone your public speaking skills by participating
4. Support: members support each other’s goals and help bring ideas forward
5. Synergy: many members have synergy within their action plans and training plans

5 Steps For Identifying Your Training Process

In Susan Hanshaw’s exercise you are given a practical method of evaluating your training process:

1. Get Clarity: Define details of your service or product, develop a profile of your job description, and list your job duties
2. Identify Areas for Development: review your job duties and list specific areas for development
3. Research: find training opportunities, options for training and learning, don’t limit your path to education
4. Buy In: Choose training programs that resonate with you, that excite you, and commit your efforts 100% to that program(s)
5. Complete Training and Credentials: realize your training will require concentration and sacrifice. Focus on the rewards of training rather than your sacrifices

Webgrrl Attendees With Expertise

1. Nelly Yusupova: Founder Digitalwoman.com a successful a website development and Internet consultant practice started in March, 2004. Nelly is also the CTO for Webgrrls.com and Manhattan chapter president. Contact Nelly Yusupova at nelly@cgim.com

2. Naomi Most: Naomi is the talented producer behind LittleMovingPictures.com and a well versed programmer with experience in Python, Perl, PHP, SQL, XML, C/C++. Naomi’s company is so busy and expanding that they are looking for a wide variety of professionals from copywriters to engineers. Contact Naomi at naomi@littlemovingpictures.com

3. Beth Rogozinski: Director, Marketing Communications for devicescape.com the leader in software for secure and seamless WiFi internet access. Beth has 10+ years of experience in Public Relations, media relations, media event marketing and planning. Contact Beth for all of your enterprise or individual WiFi access needs beth@devicescape.com

4. Erin Clark: Account Manager Eastridge InfoTech a technology staffing firm in San Francisco. Erin is a vibrant and well connected human capital facilitator who matches talented technologist with their desired positions. A active member of ebig.com and thinkhdi.com, Erin is a market leader and go-to source of information. Contact Erin at eclark@eastridgeinfotech.com

5. Gayle Uchida: Business Development Manager Gayle is a joy to meet and learn from in her work with Lighthouse-sf.com. Lighthouse For The Blind is a non profit organization focussed on education and awareness effecting the vision impaired community. Gayle has over 20 years experience in Silicon Valley as a business development executive and marketing professional. Contact Gayle at guchida@lighthouse-sf.org