In one week, Kathleen’s professional world had totally changed. Her beloved manager whom she has worked with for decades was leaving, two of her team members were switching teams, and she was now left with a list of unanswered questions in her career. She had to deal with change at work…
As for Sarah, she had just received news of an amazing offer in the context of her side business, and was ready to transition full-time into entrepreneurship. All the while, Mary was getting ready to go on maternity leave, and had decided she would not come back after a couple of months, but instead take an extended leave of absence to stay with her baby at home.
These are just a few of the scenarios of change affecting so many women, and men, at work. In every career, business or professional endeavor really, if there’s one constant, it’s change. And now more than ever, we’re no longer apologizing for job-hopping, especially among millenials, as our priorities have shifted from being slaves to the cubicle, to looking for what really fulfills us as people. Which has translated in even more career transitions, changes and upheavals over time.
My own career has changed quite a bit from the days I started in Big Corporate, all fresh and new in my preppy Ann Taylor suit, not giving a thought to how things would pan out later. As a bit of creature of comfort, dealing with all the changes that naturally came, from changing jobs, to moving cities, to having children, took a toll I didn’t expect at first. I mean, it’s not like anyone pulls you in a corner on your first day and tells you: “Look, it looks great and all, you’ll be getting a paycheck, but in a few months/years/decades, things will change dramatically and it might seriously suck!”
The point is, we’re hardly ever ready for the changes, big or small, that come into our careers and/or businesses. Whether it’s the layoff, or the team change, or the sudden increase in hours and workload, it almost always seems to drop on you like a ten-pound weight. Even a promotion, or a great opportunity, is a change in itself, and can bring about effects we still have to manage.
So how do you prepare for change in your work or business, especially when it’s not easy or straightforward to plan for it? Do you just go with the flow, and roll with the punches as you go, and expect everything to fall into place? Or drown yourself in a tub of sea salt caramel Haagen Dazs ice cream when all hell seems to break loose?
Or do you take change as an opportunity to push yourself forward?
While you can’t always control the types, timing and impact of the changes that are bound to hit your career sooner or later, you can control what you do with it over time. You may have to pick up your face off the floor first, sit yourself down somewhere and have one more scoop of ice cream though…
Change almost always reveals something you need to learn.
You can bet on it. If there’s a skill you need to acquire, or something you need in your career or life arsenal, it’ll probably come to you in the form of a change request initially. Like when your boss suddenly leaves, and you need to learn to be more self-reliant and transition to a new style of management when someone else replaces them.
Or when you make a career transition of some kind, whether you decide it’s time to jump ship and become a full-time entrepreneur, opt for a job rotation, or decide to become a stay-at-home mom, and have to learn to adapt to a totally different life and career context.
A great mentor of mine once had this insightful tip:
“Whenever change happens, in your life or career, ask yourself: What am I supposed to learn here?” And go do your homework…
Tip: Take an inventory of the most critical changes that have affected your career in the past year or so. What did you need to learn? What have you learnt from these?
Change forces us to come up with solutions.
That’s the thing when situations get upside down, and shifts happen, in your career or life. You not only have to learn from them, and adjust somehow, but you also have to come us with practical solutions and actions.
I had to radically change my approach to my schedule when I needed to take and pass my CPA exam. After many (and I humbly mean, many) attempts at passing the certification, my back was against the wall, and something had to change, or else my career and life would suffer (in addition to my ballooning weight and that stress acne too). So I had to get the big guns action plans out, as in devise a realistic but effective schedule, and incremental steps to get me to cross that hurdle.
Tip: Consider the changes that you have or need to make in your career and life right now. Have you devised action plans to help you manage those changes? What steps do you have to take to do so?
Change helps you manage beat your fears.
You know how you get ready for work in the am, and start getting afraid of being late for the 9am team meeting…only to get on the highway and see all your fears materialize: it’s bumper-to-bumper traffic, and yes, you’ve effectively missed the 9am team meeting. And did we mention you were supposed to lead it?
I don’t know about you, but every time change is needed or happens in my career or life, it almost always brings to light a series of fears I had previously carefully packed away in the back of my mind.
It could be that a new manager is coming in to your team, and it brings out all your fears and insecurities about receiving feedback and being evaluated on new criteria. Or that you’ve been promoted to a new position, and you’re scared that you’ll mess up on the very first day.
And no, it’s not bad karma, or your first cousin’s old promise that you’ll be punished for flushing all their Halloween candy (stuff happens, ok). It’s a way of forcing you to face the very stuff you think you can’t face, and instead of going around it, actually do what it takes to beat it.
If it’s a fear of speaking up, and you’ve just been promoted to a position that requires you to let your voice be heard, you can practice by joining an organization like Toastmasters, or even forcing yourself to express your opinions more frequently.
Tip: Look at the last change that has happened at work for you. Did it bring out a fear/insecurity in you? Which one? What action can you take to squash that fear?
In Conclusion:
Identify the changes that have happened to you most recently at work or in life. Write them down somewhere and keep an inventory.
For each significant change, pinpoint at least one lesson it has taught you.
Identify at least three actions you have implemented, or will implement, to face each change.
Do a self-analysis and identify at least one fear or insecurity these changes have made you feel, and how you can manage to beat it.
Vision board = Powerful visualization tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on your life goals.
Last week-end, I set out to do do something I had planned on doing a couple of years ago, but was kinda resisting all along…So after a couple of years of fighting with myself and procrastinating, I walked into Staples on a rainy Sunday morning, grabbed a cork board (HERE’s a medium-sized one, and a wide frame one HEREfrom Staples), a box of colorful pushpins (check out this one HERE), some scissors (like this pretty pink one HERE), and went on my way with a mission: Build my first vision board ever!
I got home and gathered a bunch of magazines and even some of my favorite books, and went to town. There I was cutting, sticking, and creating the best visual representation I could muster of who I was and what I really wanted out of life! And between the board, the scissors, the colorful pushpins and the images I picked, it was both scary and exhilarating at the same time…
Now why a vision board? And how can a simple piece of corkboard with some random images stuck to it create the life of your dreams? How about working on what you really want and already have, and leave all the woo woo stuff to your superstitious grandma?
Those are all questions that kept me from buying into the whole concept of visualization and creating a vision board. For the longest time, I have to admit I thought vision boards were kind of an active exercise in daydreaming. Well, I’m glad to report the joke was on me…And here’s why…
Visualization is your brain’s most powerful tool.
According to Psychology Today, a weightlifter lifting hundreds of pounds emits the same vibration patterns as when s/he simply imagines it. Or you could just ask olympians for the basis of their mental training, and they’ll gladly tell you that visualizing their performance ahead of time helps them not only do better, but actually even work the same muscles they would otherwise use in reality.
This is to say that for decades, and especially in popular culture after the book The Secret came out, we’ve been realizing that our brains are more powerful than we think. That we can actually change our performances, outcomes of situations and our entire lives based on the thoughts we think and those things we can see in the eye of your mind. I mean, if uccessful moguls like Oprah Winfrey and Uncle Rush consistently use vision boards in their own lives and empires, why shouldn’t we?
BUT (there’s always a but, right…)
We tend to resist seeing ourselves as our best selves.
From my own experience, I can see how it’s easier to just conform, and resolve ourselves to”fit in” to our environments, rather than daring to see ourselves in the full expression of our potential and desires.
Whether it’s in our careers, our businesses, even in our families and relationships, it requires a lot of courage to say “this is what I want, and that’s what I’m going for.” Is it any surprise then that women especially tend to not negotiate the salaries they want and deserve? That we tend to put ourselves last? And that we’d rather be “realistic” than give our dreams a real shot?
Yet again, is a simple piece of corkboard with a bunch of ideal images stuck to it with colorful pushpins going to be able to change all of that, and all of a sudden give us that promotion, send us on that vacation, or build that billion-dollar empire for us?
Which brings me to my next point…
The secret is not in the stuff, it’s in what the stuff brings out of you!
The biggest misconception I had about vision boards was that they were about the stuff. The perfect job, the dream house, the vacation in Venice, even hanging out with Oprah (Oprah, if you ever read this, I’ve not given up, and yes, you’re on my vision board)…Except I was totally wrong…
As we strive in life and allow ourselves to aspire for more, ask for more, experience more, we’re not just yearning for the stuff. Sure, the stuff is part of it. That amazing business would allow you to afford that Cartier watch you’ve been eyeing. Making partners at the firm would let you have more of the prestige and everything that goes with it, including the padded yacht and luxurious vacations…
But what really makes a difference, what really drives us, moves us, makes us get up in the morning, is not the stuff. It’s how the stuff makes us feel. How watching our kids grow into amazing people in part because we can afford to give them a quality education, makes us feel. Or how building a business from scratch turns us from fearful creatures into fearless, powerful individuals.
That’s the secret wrapped into visualizing simple images from a magazine into a reality you can live. And that’s also the fuel hidden inside the power of those visualizations, that turn the power of your mind into tangible action that brings you closer and closer every single day to your wildest, craziest goals…
Just because you dared to question your own assumptions, stepped into a Staples on a random Sunday morning, and purchased a corkboard, a few pushpins, and a solid pair of pink scissors…
So if you’re ready to give it a try, here are a few things you’ll need:
Any kind of board. It can be a corkboard, like the ones I recommend above from Staples.
Magazines you’d like to cut inspiring images from, like that great beach in Rio de Janeiro you’ll be lounging in soon, or that Louboutin beauty you’ll be slipping your tired feet in in no time
Your favorite photos, quotes, sayings…All the stuff that inspires you to keep going. For me, it includes my kids’ and hubby pics, my mom, dad and siblings, and all the empowering Bible quotes and other mantras I live by. And don’t forget to add a picture of yourself in there as well, preferably one taken at a time when you were really happy, to bring back those memories.
Embellishments: if you’re into the glitz and glam of board vision making, then knock yourself out. Add fun stickers, markers and all the bling you want to make your board really YOU.
Last but not least, give yourself some time and space! Allow a couple of hours for this exercise, so you’re not rushing into it, and you really take your time to pick the images that best represent your best self and life. Most importantly, take the time to enjoy the process and enjoy yourself through it!
Pick a space that evokes peace and harmony to you. If you’re in the mood, light a candle, put on some soft music, or that Beyonce anthem that gets you going…And while you’re at it, pour yourself a glass of wine too…
PS: Here’s a quick tutorial on how to build your dream vision board that I really like from The Cubicle Chick:
Let me preface this by saying that I’m a woman of my makeup (and my shoes and my purses too, don’t judge). Not that I would roll into work looking like I’m ready for the Paris Fashion Week, but you know, looking fresh and on par can help with the whole getting through the day thing…
And it’s another reason why I love the Fall, as with the new season comes a little upgrade in our makeup routine for work. Everything about Fall is a bit more refined, a tad more sophisticated, and that goes for our makeup as professional and business women as well…
For me, it’s a matter of reconciling my crazy morning life routine with the glam mom buried deep inside of me (most days). Which means picking on-point, beautiful but efficient products that take minimal time to apply and have maximum impact…so when you catch me strutting my stuff running around, at least I’ll look and feel like I kinda woke up like this…
So here are my mom-approved,”I-only-got-5-minutes-to-get-ready”, “make-me-over-now” 7 top work makeup picks fora subtle but right on par Fall makeup for work:
NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
This all-day, natural-looking coverage foundation has quickly become one of my favorites. All you need literally is one drop, and you’re good to go! It builds and blends effortlessly, and reduces discoloration over time too! And I love the fact that it’s available in a range of great shades for women of color as well. It’s $48 at Nordstrom.
Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
You know when the kids have been waking up about every hour on the hour, and you get up looking like a raccoon gifted you with extra eyes…You get the drift. I’m always on the lookout for great concealer (blame the kids and the blog) that makes me look like I just had a full 8 hours of restful sleep (appearance matters, people). And this Laura Mercier high coverage concealer has been doing the trick for me lately. The high coverage formula is highly pigmented, and blends and build flawlessly for a great yet still natural-looking effect. Read: I get to work looking like I won’t have to drink about 5 cups of coffee to get by! It’s $30 at Nordstrom.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
I love this luxurious yet natural powder. No chance to look like you fell into the flour jar, or are celebrating Halloween year-long here! Plus it has minerals in it, and provides a matte finish that’s almost perfect under most lights (including the horrible lighting in your office’s conference rooms). It’s $33 at Nordstrom.
Maybelline The Nudes Eyewear Palette – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Pulling a natural-looking but put-together look for work is easy with this selection of nude eyeshadows. The shades are subtle but still add a little something’ something’, even if only to make you look like you’re not daydreaming about your bed during the quarterly earnings presentation. Just sayin’…It’s $9.99 at Ulta.
Now I don’t know why it took so long for someone to invent this thing, but it’s definitely been worth the wait…If you have to pick between looking like a powdered cake, or sporting a smooth, radiant skin that glistens from a distance, please get yourself a beauty blender. I love that it allows me to apply minimal foundation and concealer, and still look flawless in the end (I mean, of course I’m biased). It’s $20 at Neiman Marcus.
Bare Minerals Ready Blush – Photo credit: Shopstyle.com
Fall is my season to “blush” it! There’s something about the chill in the air that makes you want to get a little cheeky (no pun intended, people). One of my favorites is the Bare Minerals Ready Blush, which has great colors for all skin tones and is neutral enough to sport to the office. It’s $24 at Macy’s.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have a bit of a lipstick/lipgloss/lip balm obsession, and will grab every mildly attractive lipstick I see in a drugstore just because. But if I have to invest in a long-lasting, Fall-ready lipstick, it would be this plum beauty from MAC! It’s $17 at Nordstrom.
What are your favorite work makeup picks for Fall?
Big changes at work? The Glassdoor Blog gives you tips on how to handle them;
Ever cried at work? One of America’s favorite CEOs tells you why it’s OK;
Want to become your own boss, but not sure where to start? Black Enterprise tips you off on 5 part-time franchise opportunities for your side hustle;
Did you regret accepting the offer after day 1 on the job? According to Ellevate Network, you should have asked these three questions beforehand;
This University of South Carolina Assistant Professor created an app that helps you rate your media for equity, inclusion and general content quality;
Wondering what recruiters look for in new candidates? Ellevate points out these three things;
The Paris Fashion Week is in full swing, and the Business of Fashion confirms that it’s all about women empowerment;
Soup season has officially started, people. Love and Lemons shares with us their 10 favorite soup recipes to whip up throughout the Fall.
PS: Did I miss anything? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com with any career, lifestyle or inspiration news you’d like me to share, or simply post a comment below!
When I was approached by the fabulous Adore Me brand to write a post on my very own version of a Netflix and Chill night at home, I was excited to share my homebody , comfort-addict experience. So here’s my very own take on “turning in” when “turning up” isn’t exactly in the cards, or the stilettos, for the night…
Let’s be honest…How many times have you turned down an invite to hang out with the girls, or go for drinks after-hours, to rush home, slip into your favorite lounge wear, pour yourself a cup of tea glass of wine (or vodka), and turn on your favorite show or movie?
Seriously, you know you did…Well, I know I did still do every now and then more often than I’d like to admit…At the risk of sounding totally boring, there are just times when “turning in” beats “turning up” any day. Like when you can’t find a babysitter for the kids (all your little nieces and cousins have now turned 21 and will purposely not pick up your phone calls), your hair’s just not up to par (major component of a successful night out), or you just don’t feel like glamming up and hitting the town (the perennial“I have nothing to wear” dilemma)…
After many an attempt at avoiding the inevitable (aka trying hard to keep up only to finally crash in bed, painful heels, false lashes on and everything), I fabricated my own version of “turning up”.
Except the whole thing happens on my couch, minus-the-bunion-inducing-high-heels and other hazards of hitting the town. With the benefit of getting that warm corner of the couch with all the bread crumbs and other unidentified objects to the left, and not screaming inside when the kids wake you up at 6am sharp the next morning…
For me, it usually happens on Thursday nights ( Thursdays ARE the new Fridays, people) , when I’m ready to wind down and start my pre-week-end celebration in Shondaland, including my absolute favorite shows Grey’s Anatomy,Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder. I tried picking just one, but they’re like shoes, you have to get them all at once (blame Shonda)…
My perfect Netflix and Chill night is usually with the hubby, in some stylish, yet ultra-comfy loungewear I can relax in (and still feel like I haven’t given up on style for the rest of my life). Like this cozy Colby Set from Adore Me, or this Lauren Black Pajama Set that have “cozy chic” written all over them.
All the while snacking on some (unlimited) white cheddar kettle popcorn, wrapped in my deliciously warm African Fulani blanket (similar to this one on Etsy) that I may or may not share with the hubby (some things are un-shareable, even in marriage)…
While it usually ends up with me falling asleep and frantically searching for my glasses in between the pillows three hours later, I get to spend quality time with me, myself and I, oh and the hubby too…
That is, until my reformed party animal’s toes are strong enough for another night out in the town, high stilettos, false lashes and hair on fleek and all…
Now your turn? What’s your version of a perfect Netflix and Chill night at home?
In one week, Kathleen’s professional world had totally changed. Her beloved manager whom she has worked with for decades was leaving, two of her team members were switching teams, and she was now left with a list of unanswered questions in her career. She had to deal with change at work…
Vision board = Powerful visualization tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on your life goals. 
Let me preface this by saying that I’m a woman of my makeup (and my shoes and my purses too, don’t judge). Not that I would roll into work looking like I’m ready for the 
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
When I was approached by the fabulous 
