30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 10

No quote today - just a chat.
Today started off more positive...but has ended up not good at all and feeling like I've taken a step back.
I had a great talk with a leader about his approach to career development as he has a plan that he uses which has 2 year "re-ups" and a 10 year goal. It includes his strengths, his functional and leadership skills to go after...and just is clear on his outcomes.

I loved seeing the information and it resonated that I need that structure. But I also felt myself being "blame" and "defensive" in the meeting. I didn't show it (I Hope) - so a good note for me today (yeah!) but I did still feel the resentment and expectation that I should get everything I want....with perhaps a step back seeing I haven't done enough to get it all just yet.

One thing I loved and want to state was a comment that "each role is a stretch" in that he doesn't have many of the skills or knowledge to do the role and is there to learn them. I loved this and agree, but in my current outlook I keep seeing the blocks to "getting someone to give me that job" and of course that doesn't happen.
I asked how he got those jobs and it was "tenacity" and keep knocking at the door.

A little positives for the day
- Ate lunch with a group of folks (not gen-y)
- Met someone new and played ping-pong, yes a little fun to bring me back to normal
- Talked with my office neighbours (a little sad that I don't do this more often)

So Good Job to me!

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 9

Day 9 Quote - Commit to What You Are Doing
If you do not make a total commitment to whatever you are doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It is tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on.

Day 9 Review
I recently committed to not eat lunch with the younger employees. I wanted to move forward and have been using this group as a safety zone for too long and have seen that I just don't fit in. It's hard and often I have lunch on my own, but today was an example of why it is better to commit.
I talked with 2 peers who mentioned an article in CFO magazine about female CFOs and their secrets to success. I went to my desk and read the article and it was AMAZING!
Exactly what I have been looking for with some questions - what are the next steps to take, what are the areas to grow in and also avoid...
Article: http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11475748/1/c_2984789?f=magazine_coverstory

I printed off the article and highlighted sections and key words. The biggest area was "don't apologize for who or what you are". I NEVER would have thought i had this problem, except in the past 2 years, this is exactly what has happened to me.
But seeing this in print - you need and want a confident person at the executive level. And that is what I'm going to be.

So, I COMMIT to being more confident! Right now...

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 7/8

Day 7/8 Quote - Spread Your Wings

When life pokes and prods you, it is not punishment or abuse. You are being pushed out of the nest. Spread your wings and take flight. See how well you can fly.

Day 7/8 Review

The weekend has arrived. Yeah! This weekend was definitely about emotion. Living the emotion, feeling it, and letting go of it! I guess it was time to get out of the nest and fly into the new adventure.

The weekend was better than it has been fr a while as there was freedom in letting go...and focusing on the future with all the possibilities and excitement that it may hold.

I went geocaching again, watched the Euro 2008 football matches (awesome matches!), ate and drank, and just relaxed. Wonderful!

You know what...I usually think about work and end up doing a little bit but this time I didn't. I'm letting go of the old so that i can welcome in the new ...or in the quote terms "ready to fly the nest!"

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 6

Day 6 Quote - The Journey Matters
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.

Day 6 Review

Been wrestling with my mind for peace, happiness, answers to the next step. This whole week has been "the angry week" and have shut myself away from people - for I know how I come across and don't want my brand to be tarnished this way.

I realize that I go through this occasionally and need to recognize it as a journey. The phases as I see them are....

Step 1 - Unease about current state

Step 2 - Anger and resentment

Step 3 - Indifference and letting go

Step 4 - Forming the new passion and goal

I've been in the "anger and resentment" stage longer than I'd like. I wrote a few pages of horrible stuff on paper to help me towards Step 3 of letting go. Definitely not stuff you want to read here, but imagine lots of blame (on everyone and myself) and anger.

I made another step forward in that I cleaned up the folders in my office. I went through them and said "do I need these" "will they take me forward or do they keep me from letting go and moving forward". I ran out of time with the amount I threw out/filed/scanned in....

The journey continues....but I see light coming through...

Daily Quote Source: http://lucymacdonald.typepad.com/

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 5

Day 5 - Courage


It takes as much courage to have tried and failed as it does to have tried and succeeded




Day 5 Review
I read this and for my journey it means - take a risk today. So I attended a new type of networking opportunity. Drove all the way to the city, paid the "how much!?!" parking fee and had a great time.
It was basically an investment pitch from a fund manager....but it amazed for for 2 reasons:
1. I want to be rich enough to invest in funds like these (min invest $100k)
2. I don't want to be in investments as a career

They were both big moments for me because I've been feeling "comfortable" lately in my lifestyle. I earn well and have a good life - should I really push for more....YES! I got a bit of that fire in my belly to push forward.
The second factor was I always felt enticed by the investments industry - Wall street, money makers - and considered it as a career out of school. I appreciated what the manager does, but at the same time it was a big "sales" job and the numbers didn't speak for themselves because he twisted them and talked about them so much. And I saw that this was what the biz was about and my passion is not there anymore.

Courage...yep
I have tried and moved forward...and hence because I tried, I succeeded!

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 4

Day 4 - Small Opportunities

Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along.

Day 4 Review

oohh, this is an ominous one indeed. I'm currently reflecting and assessing my next step and I asked myself this question. Do I take the position now that meets most of the criteria or do I wait for the total package that could materialize at some point in the future...

As I stated on Day 1, things can take a while sometimes when the brain doesn't want to let go, but at some point when you hit that brick wall, and read a quote like this, it makes more sense. I also had a great chat from an unsuspecting coach..showed me reaching out does make work, just have to find the right person.

Thank you quote number 4 - I think I will be more positive when I'm clear on that next step and take it!

30 Days to a Positive Outlook...Day 3

Day 2 Quote - Focus on Now

Forget mistakes. Forget failure. Forget everything except what you are going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.

Day 2 Review

Definitely sounded cheesy when I ready this, especially the "today is your lucky day". But then again, I'm here to try something different to become more positive....so let's go with it.

I ended up spending most of the day locked away int he office catching up on all those pesky to-do items that rack up. Send email A, order item B, set up meeting C ...you get the picture. If I read the quote, I think I feel quite happy as I forgot the failure of not getting to these items earlier and instead "just did it" and got them done. Plus I like to tick things off a list and I got ALOT of items ticked off today. Yeah!

I also reviewed my action items from a month ago as part of the clear up and set up for the next month and was happy that I set my self personal goals - like writing this blog, networking outside of my comfort zone more, which I definitely have been.

So overall, a tiring day but also a great day...perhaps I'm lucky after all...