How to Job Search When You’re Feeling Burned Out

The calendar starts fresh.

There is a lot of that “New Year, New You” vernacular out there and a wiry energy abounds… but we all know that the holiday season is not exactly recharging for most adults (I’m especially looking at you, parents of young kids!).

With all the talk of creating new habits and setting goals, you may wonder how anyone manages when you’re just trying to stay afloat.

If that sentiment resonates for you, you may be burnt out.

Some other traditional warning signs of burnout, as per the OG psychologist on the matter, Herbert Freudenberger, are:

• Depersonalization

• Decreased sense of accomplishment

• Emotional exhaustion

Whether you’re burned out or “simply” experiencing the stress that comes with being in a job you don’t want to be in anymore, energy is a finite resource either way.

So, what do you do with this Catch-22:

You need energy to look for a new job, but your current job is taking your energy?

Four tips for job searching when you’re feeling burnt out:

1. commit to calming your nervous system

   It may sound counterintuitive, but I recommend starting by NOT going all in on job boards and applications. This is how approximately 99% of my clients begin their search before we work together 😊 This approach can easily become a time suck – here’s how it often plays out:

   You sit down in front of your computer thinking, “Okay here we go, job search time!” and then three hours and 30 open browser tabs later you are left questioning what you’ve accomplished. Maybe you started with clicking a link for an open position, which led you to look up the company on LinkedIn, which led you to click on an employee profile to learn more, which brought you to another company page, which…. you get the point. Long story short: before you know it, lots of time and energy have been expended... both of which you typically don’t have an excess of if you’re burnt out.  

   Start, instead, by becoming militant about your stress management.

   This doesn’t mean you need to spend all day everyday meditating. What I mean is, take the step of discovering (or simply recognizing) which activities help you feel like your best self. I’m talking your tried-and-true go-to stress reducing strategies – the things you either already do (or could integrate more), and commit to prioritizing them even when adding a job search to your plate.

   Are you feeling so far down the burnout cycle that you don’t even know what helps you feel better?

   I’m obsessed with the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski. These are their 6 evidence-based strategies to turn OFF your stress cycle and turn ON your rest and repair mode. The good news? They’re all simple, free, and doable (and they work!).

   A related note for business owners or if you have to plan a lot of content in your work: Tracy Stanger has a Planning Your Year program that I did for 2023. One thing I love is that she has you input your down-time and personal commitments FIRST. We all know those can easily get kicked to the curb, so prioritizing them first then making the rest of your life fit around it is the kind of anti-hustle counter-culture messaging the world needs.

2. Believe in Boundaries

   We’ve all heard about the power of saying no by now, and if you’re burned out you have FULL permission to scale back your committments and expectations of yourself.

   When you feel like you’re treading water, tell yourself that staying afloat is enough.

   No need for any fancy swim strokes.

   In addition to saying no and taking pressure off of yourself, explore creating boundaries at your current job to mitigate additional stress (if possible!).

   I love this breakdown of 10 traits of an anti-burnout employee.

   If you work from home and feel like work just bleeds into all of your time, these simple strategies can help create both literal and metaphorical space between you and your work.

3. control what you can control

   Along those lines, what are the additional sources of stress in your life? There are plennnnty of stressors we have zero control over (hence my strong nudge to double down on the stress reducing coping strategies). But, which might you have some control over reducing?

   For example:

   A. Are you surrounded by negative people – otherwise known as energy vampires – and is there room to distance yourself from them? Here are 6 strategies to protect your energy.

   B. Do you feel exhausted every time the alarm goes off in the morning and if so, is there any wiggle room in your control to go to bed earlier? Create a wind down routine to help “land the plane” of your brain before bed? Here are other reasons why you may be so tired (and what to do about it).

   C.  Are you stress-scrolling and spending time (the same time you feel like you don’t have enough of!) getting sucked into a comparison trap on social media? Here are some free resources to create more screen life balance.

4. know, and keep coming back to, your why

   What is driving you to make a change?

   What kind of impact would it have to stay where you are and not put energy towards this new role?

   If you land what you’re looking for - how will life look differently for you / your family / your friends?

   Being clear about these answwers and having these bigger picture drivers in mind can help you keep perspective and stay resilient through the process.

I hope these strategies serve you in restoring and protecting your energy, so you can land work you love!

Simple but Powerful Practices to Create Boundaries Between Work and Home

Does the term quiet quitting make you want to roll your eyes at this point?

I get it – but it’s amazing to see the narrative shifting and employees pushing back on previous paces of work that are not sustainable.

The best thing I’ve seen about quiet quitting was the following tweet:

The last few years have created opportunities for many people to reevaluate their values. What matters to them. What they want their work to mean – or not mean – to them in their lives.

You can love what you do and work in a healthy culture and still prioritize creating healthy boundaries to not let work interfere with doing the other things that matter to you.

What has been particularly refreshing for me is that companies are reaching out to me to teach their employees how to prevent, or recover from, employee burnout.

My most popular corporate wellness workshop has been my “Power Down, Level Up: How to Create a Healthier Relationship with Your Phone to Improve Your Life.” In this corporate wellness program, in addition to all the tech tips and tricks for disconnecting from our phones, I also share strategies for separating work from home.

These are not mutually exclusive, as often we check work email on our phone, but zooming out on how we think about our workday and delineating between being “on the clock” and off is also important… especially since the lines have become much more blurred with the increase in working from home.

Here are more ideas for creating those sparkling boundaries:

• Set an automated “out of office” email for the weekends to counter the culture of always being available. Still in the habit of checking emails on nights/weekends? If you’re the kind of person that feels you need to respond right away or you’ll forget, you can reply to the email at night/the weekend but schedule it to only send during normal business hours.

• Bookend your day with a calming ritual. Work tends to bleed into times in our schedule that used to be protected as we WFH more. If possible, block off your calendar first thing in the morning (just like when you used to commute to the office and not be available for a call!). Do something grounding to set the tone for your nervous system for the day. Similarly, end your day with a clear signal of “leaving” work – even if it’s just a walk around the block. It does wonders for making the transition in your mind.

• Establish a designated workspace in your home (aka no laptop in bed or wherever you relax). This helps your brain stop associating every corner of your home with work. If you have trouble sleeping but work in your bedroom/bed, this is for you! If you want bonus points, set a cut-off time for work, and shut down (gasp!) your computer and put it out of sight.

• If you tend to set a boundary, but then not hold it, get an accountability buddy and/or set alarms with yourself to check in on how you’re doing with implementing the strategies you’ve picked.

• Eat lunch away from your desk/phone/computer. No more sad desk salads. Food is one of the greatest joys we can experience in this life (no? just my foodie opinion?) but apart from that, we’re not meant to be tethered to our desks for 8 hours/day. I listened to a fascinating podcast by Dr Huberman and he speaks to ultradian cycles when prepping a new workshop “Retraining Our Brains and Attention Spans” for a Boston corporate wellness client. The takeaway is this: our brains actually max out at 90 minute work cycles - and even that length is a stretch for our focus at first. Whether you want to nerd out on the science or not, it’s there, and it says you’re more productive if you walk away and take that break.  

• If you need boundaries between yourself and people, here’s a post I wrote on 6 Strategies to protect your energy around negative people

There are plenty of other strategies I recommend in my 1-1 coaching and workshops, but sometimes less is more so I’ll leave you with these.

If you want to try one and/or you already have something that you know helps but you’ve fallen out of the habit, I can’t recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear enough!

What’s your favorite way to separate work and home? What boundaries have you created that have created more harmony in your life?

5 Ted Lasso Lessons To Use To Create A Healthier Work Culture

The Apple TV+ show, Ted Lasso, will forever hold a most special place in my heart.

I first started watching thanks to the encouragement of my mother. At the time, she was enduring treatment for stage IV non-smokers lung cancer during a global pandemic… so basically, she was trapped at home feeling like garbage and was a prime candidate for both entertainment and some cheer. 😊

She and my brother swiftly ripped through the first season, and every time I would travel to the home I grew up in in Connecticut to take care of and visit her, she’d rewatch episodes she had seen at least twice already so that I could catch up.

Before the second season dropped, our entire family counted down to it with incredible anticipation. When we found out they were only going to release one new episode per week, we were frustrated with the news at first (who doesn’t love to binge their favorite show?!).

It ended up being the most precious gift for us all.

Each week we faced medical complications, side effects, treatments, and often bad news. This show gave us something to look forward to – some light in the darkness that made up those days – and for that I will be eternally grateful.

It’s a great reminder of one of the many lessons the show imparts on its viewers – we all have much more power to create a positive change on the lives of each other than we realize.

Whew! Now that you know the depths of my love for this show, let’s get into some of the other lessons and how they can inspire us to create a healthier workplace.

Lesson 1: We don’t always have to change everything - sometimes listening can be just as impactful

When the legendary Roy Kent finally gives in and seeks out the “Diamond Dogs,” he’s surprised that they don’t offer advice and/or fix his problems. The conversation goes a little like this (after removing his signature expletives!):

Roy: Wait. So sometimes the Diamond Dogs is just chatting about stuff, and no one has to solve anything and nothing changes?

Ted: Sometimes. Yeah.

Roy: That's cool.

It all comes down to the power of connection and mindful listening. Sometimes, your employees and colleagues just want to be heard.

If you’re trying to make changes – big or small – in your organization to create a healthier culture, start from a place of being attuned to employee needs. This makes it much more likely that the changes will not only land well, but will also be impactful.

When it comes to 1-1 conversations, the question “How can I support you?” provides an avenue for this kind of discernment and getting to the root of what people want and need.

Image via GIPHY

Lesson 2: PLAY is powerful

In season 2, Isaac becomes Captain of the team and starts to lose his competitive edge. Roy tricks him into playing a nighttime pick-up football (soccer) match with young players, and there, Isaac remembers that having fun is why he started playing in the first place. When he taps into that innate joy, his performance elevates as well.

This demonstrates how playfulness and joy can impact many areas of our lives. My “The Power of Play” corporate wellness workshop covers how to infuse more joy and perspective into our lives. There is some interesting research on how play helps adults with resiliency, productivity, creativity, problem-solving and more.

When it comes to the workplace, there are two ways to explore integrating this concept:

1. Can you create more moments for this amongst teams? Some companies try by having foosball tables and axe-throwing events, but referring back to Lesson 1 here, it’s good practice to see what fun means to your employees first

2. Can you encourage this by creating more room for employees to do it on their own time? Especially if you’ve educated them on the power of play, perhaps creating a yearly “Friday Fun-day” where they have one full or ½ day off. This gift of time could demonstrate how serious a company is about facilitating more joy for their employees    

Image via GIPHY

Lesson 3: Mental health is physical health

That same season, Ted’s panic attacks are made public. He leans in and takes the opportunity to speak with the press about the importance of mental health and reducing the stigma around when people struggle.

This is another big lesson many organizations have learned over the last few years.

With rates of anxiety and depression rising 25% globally over the last 2 years, facilitating a culture where employees feel safe, supported, and able to access the resources they need to restore their mental health is critical.

What support tools does your organization have and how are those communicated to employees? In terms of prevention, what programming and tools are provided to employees to support their physical, mental, and emotional health, as we know they are all connected?

Lesson 4: We can’t control how others act, but we can control how we respond and model the behavior we’d like to see

This lesson is a core tenant in meditation and mindfulness practices, and it plays out on the Ted Lasso screen time and time again.

Ted appears, at times, impervious to the harsh words from AFC Richmond fans and the press. He repeatedly responds to criticism and negative energy with his trademark optimism and one-liners. 

If you’re in a workplace where you’re dealing with a difficult colleague/culture, one way to keep yourself grounded is to embody this mindset.

But what about applying this same notion to create a healthier workplace?

We know by now that company culture is contagious – which is great when it’s a healthy and positive one, and not so beneficial when it’s a culture of burnout and toxicity. Given this, we want to be mindful of what we’re “spreading” and how our behaviors contribute to these cultures.

For leaders, it is even more important, as tone trickles down. For example, let’s take this scenario:

Leaders encourage employees to take their vacation days and really disconnect (to reduce stress, prevent burnout, and aim for more work life harmony), BUT when they themselves are out of the office, they’re still attending meetings and responding to emails.

That mixed message has a powerful impact on an employees' ability to trust that it’s okay to truly disconnect.

If trying to create a healthier workplace, leadership needs to “walk the talk” and be offline, otherwise the status quo will remain. And while we can’t make an employee really disconnect when they’re on vacation, we can model that it’s not only acceptable but encouraged behavior… and that may make all the difference.

Lesson 5: No matter our job title, there is always more to learn and more ways to grow

In Season 1, Ted relied on “kit man” Nate (a colleague typically ignored by many, and in an organizational chart, a “lower-ranked” employee) for an important idea that impacted the whole team. Ted’s ability to not only be open to feedback and ideas from others, but also his active solicitation of it is a great example to follow.

A healthy workplace is one where we recognize that all people can add value, not just the highest ranked employees.

Whether formally, through things like 360 reviews, or informally, through the way we treat one another in everyday interactions, how does your organization embody this simple yet powerful principle?

I hope these Lasso Lessons inspire you to explore ways you can integrate more wellness into your workday to create a culture where employees feel valued.

Want to learn more about how I support companies in creating wellness programming with this mission in mind?

Reach out for a complimentary consultation and let’s talk more.

Image via GIPHY

Finally, as a parting bonus, if you like to listen to music while you’re working, here’s a playlist I made from the soundtracks of both seasons. The songs are mostly instrumental, and the overall energy of the playlist is relaxed. Cheers!

Texting and Typing a lot? Simple Stretches to Show Your Wrists Some Love

International Day of Yoga was in June, and what better way to celebrate than with moving our bodies.

We know the importance and benefits of keeping active and maintaining joint mobility, but most of us don’t pay attention to how tiny repetitive movements impact our physical health.

Most of us spend hours every day texting and typing, but how often do we take care of our wrists which bear the brunt of those movements?

Practicing small exercises daily can improve your wrist mobility, ease tension, and prevent future injuries. This short but effective video shows you some simple stretches you can do anywhere, any time.

I often teach micro-movement breaks like this at companies (it’s especially a welcome pause during a long all-hands or off-site meeting!). It’s a joy to show employees how accessible taking care of our bodies can be, even in a full workday.

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Let me know if you have any questions!

If you’d like more simple ways of counteracting the aches and pains that come with sitting and stress, you can grab my complimentary guide here.

3 Ways to Support Your Employees' Mental Health

Mental Health.

This phrase has been in the headlines more in the last 2 years than ever before.

But what is it really, and how can we continue the conversation to ensure we create cultures at companies that foster a more open dialogue about something that has been stigmatized for so long?

In this article we’ll…

• define the difference between mental and emotional health

• discuss how to normalize the fact that life is not always easy and that we all need different kinds of help at different times

• explore 3 specific ways to support mental health in the workplace

What is mental health?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines mental health as “a state of mind characterized by emotional well-being, good behavioral adjustment, relative freedom from anxiety and disabling symptoms, and a capacity to establish constructive relationships and cope with the ordinary demands and stresses of life.”

When I talk about this topic in my corporate wellness workshops, I like to point out the word “relative” in that definition. This is a small but strong word choice!

The goal is not to live a life free from anxiety, and wellness does not mean never having hard experiences interfere with the rest of your life. That’s impossible, as to be human is to suffer.

This may not be the cheeriest thing you’ve read all day, but it’s true. 🙃

The APA even somewhat acknowledges this by saying there are “ordinary demands and stresses of life” as to set the stage that it’s not about never being stressed, it’s about how you cope with inevitable stress.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and others are doing their part of expand upon the definition of mental health and emphasize this point: that mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness.  

What is the difference between mental health and emotional health?

I adore the work of Psychologist Dr Guy Winch, and he makes the delineation clear by stating “Mental health is about diagnosable conditions like depression and anxiety. Emotional health is about common experiences like loneliness, failure, and heartbreak, the non-diagnosable stuff.”

I highly recommend checking out his TED Talks, especially “Why we all need to practice emotional first aid.”

In this talk he describes how there is no health without mental health, and notes “…how much we favor our physical health over our emotional health. For example, if we get a cut on our arm we can tell just by looking at it whether we need a bandage, a stitch, or an ambulance. But when we sustain an emotional wound like rejection or failure, we have no idea how to gauge whether the wound is deep or whether it requires emotional first aid and few of us would know how to ‘treat’ it ourselves if it did.

As a psychologist I find that unacceptable. Our physical health and our emotional health are the twins of our general wellbeing, and as such, we should treat them equally.”

This analogy is powerful – emotional/mental pain and dis-ease can interfere with out lives just as much, sometimes more, than the physical. It’s time we not only acknowledge that but also create better ways of caring for and promoting healing in this space.

Why does this conversation matter?

Both mental and emotional health have taken an incredible toll while people have navigated the turmoil of the last few years. The APA definition above refers to “ordinary demands and stresses of life” – we all know that the circumstances we have all faced recently have been far from ordinary. It’s no wonder the data shows people are struggling to cope.

Rates of depression and anxiety climbed globally by more than 25% in 2020. Recent events aside, in the US there has been a steady increase in rates of mental illness and a lack of people seeking treatment for some time now.

This mental wellness quote sums this up well:

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201602/if-emotional-first-aid-were-dress-it-would-look

We spend 1/3 of our lives at work. Given this, creating space to take care of our mental and emotional wellbeing at work is a must to create meaningful change.

With the economy shifting, many are worried that as budgets tighten, the progress that has been made in this space will regress. Ariana Huffington is one of those people, and she is encouraging employers to continue to take mental health and wellness seriously as the world continues to change.

With all of this in mind, and a better understanding of what mental health is and why this conversation matters…

Here are 3 ways to support your employees' mental health 

1) Communication

One way to encourage employees and colleagues to take care of their mental and emotional wellness is to create a safe space for them where they feel supported and seen. Honoring that we’re all humans and not simply work-horses can go a long way in this regard.

In one of her podcast episodes, the inimitable Brené Brown shared that she does the following at her company:

“We start every meeting with a two-word check-in. We take turns sharing two words that describe how we're feeling that day. We all have the human need to see others and to be seen. The realness connects us.”

Source: https://twitter.com/BreneBrown/status/1336363448507260928/photo/1

I love this practice because it’s a way of seamlessly integrating mindfulness and self-compassion into the workday (two tools that have a plethora of evidence supporting their ability to improve mental health.)

Being asked to name our feelings (…which is easier said than done!) and being given the time and space to turn inward to find the answers is such a caring gesture. Sometimes, it can be all you need to notice that you may not be doing that well. With that awareness, you’re much more likely to take action to feel better. A simple practice, with potentially powerful results for one’s mental wellness.

Another easy way to facilitate an open, accepting culture is through keeping these conversations going (not just once month/year!). Some people are apprehensive about doing so, and that’s understandable especially since most societies haven’t equipped us with much practice to approach these kinds of exchanges.

Two strategies?

The first is to practice mindful listening. It’s really about listening and giving people the chance to have someone hold space for them to show up as they are, and less about what you say. In fact, sometimes saying nothing beyond the sentiment of “I’m here to listen if you want to talk” can be more than enough. Listening doesn’t mean you’re taking over the responsibility of solving any issues, and you can (and should!) refer people to connect with their Employee Assistance Program and any other internal resources equipped to support employee wellness.

The second strategy is to check out the Harvard Business Review article on how to be a mental health ally.

2) Offering and modeling behaviors that facilitate mental wellness

There can only be so much change without buy-in from leadership. If leaders model behaviors that can help prevent burnout and create more work-life harmony, employees will believe that it’s okay for them to take time to take care of themselves. What does this look like in practice?

• Offering mental health days

• Encouraging people to use their sick time when they’re sick (sounds simple, but think of how many people you know who “work through it” and explore why that’s the case).

• Creating a policy where employees must take a minimum amount of vacation days

More than that, having leaders demonstrate how to disconnect by not sending emails or being in meetings when they’re out of the office can show that time away is meant to be AWAY!

Apart from vacation, leaders can demonstrate boundaries between work and home life by not emailing or sending Slack messages at all hours. This can foster a more balanced and less stressful culture, which influences the mental and emotional health of employees.

I know this is easier said than done, but that’s why I talk all about how to implement these practices in my Power Down, Level Up: How to Create a Healthier Relationship with Technology to Improve Your Life workshop!

Speaking of which, the third example of how to support your employees’ mental health is through

3) Customized corporate wellness programs

One of the reasons I love offering corporate wellness workshops in Boston and beyond is because I get to help organizations support all areas of their employees’ health and wellness.

Want to help employees take care of their minds and bodies? Let’s do some yoga and/or meditation.

Want to teach employees how to manage their stress and connect with their colleagues (reminding them that they’re not alone, and showing them that their employer cares since they’re offering these sessions)? Let’s run some customized corporate wellness workshops on the topics you’ve seen employees struggling with, including sleep, nutrition, and more.

The above HBR article shares that:

“Group self-care activities in the workplace promote peer-to-peer engagement. Popular activities include exercise and fitness classes, healthy meals, meditation, and mindfulness programs. These experiences also foster more in-person conversations, which can facilitate discussions about mental health. Sometimes people with mental health challenges find it comforting to do things with colleagues that aren’t directly focused on mental health; many fear the loss of such social connections due to their issues. Extracurricular activities organized around a shared interest or affinity can create a space in which to create connections with other employees that facilitate engagement.”

If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach out to consult about the corporate wellness workshop needs at your organization.

These sessions not only provide people with the tools they need to feel better; they also can be a means of preventing employee burnout from the start – which is a topic we could spend an entire article on 😊

For the sake of brevity, instead, here is the Australian Government’s National Workplace Initiative (NWI) from their National Mental Health Commission. “The NWI provides a nationally consistent approach to workplace mental health” and the blueprint they share is an incredible resource to use when thinking about both the management of and prevention for mental health challenges.

If you want to dig deeper into this topic, feel free to reach out as I’m happy to point you to additional resources and providers based on your interests.

Here’s to greater wellness, in all of its forms, for all!

Job Search Stress... and How to Effectively Manage It!

April was Stress Awareness Month, but around here we talk about managing stress on a regular basis!

I hope you enjoy this conversation and get what you need to reduce stress and land work you love!

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One major contributor to stress for many people is their jobs (where we spend about 1/3 of our lives).

For some, the job search process itself is one of the most challenging experiences they have in their professional world.

The stress can arise from any number of parts of the process, and manifests in several ways. I’m guessing that if you’ve ever been on a job search, at any time in your life, you know the stress that it can bring!

These are some of the most common questions I have seen stress out job seekers:

• What do I want to do in my career / what kind of job do I want?

• What type of organization will have a culture that aligns with my interests and needs?

• What am I qualified for?

• What do I even write on my resume?

• Do I need a cover letter?

• How do I actually spend my time in my job search and what do I need to do to hear back from employers?

• How do I connect my experiences and relay it clearly in an interview?

• When and how can I follow up with someone after interviewing?

• How do I negotiate the salary in an offer?

…and more!

When I work with clients, I not only help them with these tactical topics, but I make sure we address their overall stress management in life.

We explore how they can take care of themselves to have the energy and ability to execute on all of the components that make up a successful job search strategy.

I sat down (virtually!) with my wonderful colleague Becca Carnahan to talk about some of the ways to manage job search stress. It’s always such a joy to connect with my career coaching colleagues and see all of the ways that job seekers can get the support they need.

Practicing Yoga at Home? Try these Simple Neck Streches

April was Stress Awareness month, and May is Mental Health Awareness month. They're beyond connected, of course, and being in a chronically stressed state has a negative impact on our mental health.

The first step to addressing both of these is awareness- when we understand how we're feeling (mind and body) and what our stressors are, we can then take action.

One element we can become more aware of is where we hold stress in our physical bodies. For many, it's often in our jaw, neck, and upper back.

My invitation for you is to
1) take a few breaths and a moment for yourself today... where do you notice stress manifesting in your body?
2) Try this release and see how you feel!

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If you’re curious about learning more of the science behind how our bodies hold onto our emotions, there is a fascinating book called The Body Keeps the Score. It’s certainly not a light read, but can help illuminate how these two things are connected and what we can do with our bodies to help move our emotions.

In the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, the Nagoski sisters walk through this concept in detail as well. It’s a favorite book of mine and I adore their voices and the very simple yet evidence-based and practical strategies they share to release phsyiological stress from our bodies, freeing our minds in the process. The strategies are summarized in the link above.

They highlight movement as one of the most efficient and effective ways to do just this - so that’s my final nudge for you to explore this stretch and any other form of movement that feels good to you!

Feeling Some Burnout? Try this Breathwork as a Morning Meditation

This breathing exercise has been a favorite of mine ever since Boston yoga instructor David Magone first introduced me to it back in 2012… a casual 10 years ago 😊

There are variations for the flow and hand positions, but the gist is the same: alternating breathing out of one nostril at a time.

I have found that even when I’m teaching it, I feel calmer after only a few cycles, so I’m not surprised that there is research to support the benefits this has on our nervous systems (check out PubMed to see some).

I find when I’m teaching corporate wellness workshops to help address employee burnout, breathing exercises seem to be the most popular and can sometimes be less intimidating when people are coming to the session without an existing mindfulness practice.

Breathwork IS a form of meditation!

When people experience the physiological benefits that come with the specific breathing practice at hand, those positive feelings and impact can motivate them to come back and do more.

As with any habit, feeling that reward makes it much more likely to be something you repeat!

If you’d like to pair this with music, here’s a link to a meditation music playlist I created.

Anyone else a Nadi Shodhana fan?

Or if you’ve never done it, let me know how it feels if you try it out!

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3 Benefits of Working with a Career Coach

You might think this post is going to be very biased since I’ve been a career coach for well over a decade now.

While of course I can’t remove that lens, I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the table, too!

It was through working with a career coach myself back in 2005 that I discovered this path.

I was at a crossroads. I realized I didn’t want to be a teacher – something I worked towards for almost 4 years of college already, and my go-to reply whenever anyone asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”.

Feeling completely overwhelmed and stuck, and then finding my way after working with this coach, was an incredibly formative experience. What I learned from being a career coaching client myself is influencing what I’m sharing here as well.

This post is aiming to answer a lot of the common questions I see when prospective clients originally reach out to me for a complimentary consultation. There is often a period of a lot of stress, nerves, or anxiety before people end up reaching out, so my goal is to provide tons of information so no matter which coach you explore working with, you have a good sense of things and feel more excited than nervous 😊

With all of that in mind, let’s get into 3 of the benefits of working with a career coach!

1) You get to talk about yourself with an un-biased person who has your best interests in mind

When you’re working with a coach, you’ll notice a difference in the way they listen to you compared to how it feels when your friends and family listen (no offense, friends and fam!).

Not only will they be fully engaged, attentive, and attuned to what you’re saying, they’ll ask lots of follow up questions to dig deeper and learn more. In addition to this open and mindful listening, a coach has no ulterior motives steering them to encourage you to make a particular decision.

In fact, most coaches won’t even tell you what decision to even make! They’ll reflect back what you’ve shared, what they have heard you articulate as your values, interests, and drivers, and help you to connect the dots you may be too close to the situation to see.

Their true goal is to help you feel empowered, informed, confident, and supported enough to make a decision that feels right to you based on what matters in your life. A coach can help you see the forest from the trees when you’ve potentially gotten caught up in the opinions of others, which are usually well-intentioned but clouded by the values of those people.

Here is how a former client of mine shared how this felt for her:

“While Aileen is amazing in so many ways, I think one of her most outstanding qualities is her ability to listen. Aileen never told me the job she thought I should want - she always made sure that my career decisions reflected my passions and aspirations.” – Megan Quill

I’ve had previous clients joke with me that they feel like I’m their therapist, which is (definitely not what career coaching is!) so flattering as it illustrates just how heard and supported clients can feel when working with a coach.

2) They hold you accountable

This may be the most valuable benefit of working with a career coach!

For some people, having an external source of accountability as they work towards a goal in their lives can make or break their progress.

You may know this about yourself already, but if you’re wondering whether or not you’re one of those people – or if you just want to learn more about the kind of structure that enables you to maintain momentum when working on something – I highly recommend taking the four tendencies quiz by Gretchen Rubin.

If you’re curious about diving into the four tendencies more, you can read this article about how understanding your tendency can help you improve your life. Gretchen has also been on countless podcasts and written many other articles in addition to her books.

Image is from https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast-episode/podcast-120-happier-four-tendencies/

I’m an “obliger,” which is the most common tendency, and Gretchen states that “Obligers meet outer expectations, but struggle to meet inner expectations. They’re motivated by external accountability; they wake up and think, “What must I do today?”

I can know that I need and want to move my body, but if I don’t sign up for a yoga or barre class, I’m much less likely to do it. I can know that I need to take time to focus on marketing my business, but not do it until I work with a marketing consultant who is checking in on my deadlines and progress.

(Yes, I’m a coach who basically loves having coaches herself!)

This is part of why we see group fitness classes, personal trainers, business coaches and more being so popular – for most areas of life there is likely a solution that involves creating external accountability for it.

When you work with a career coach, you have a dedicated person invested in your professional success who is there to give you the tools and create the structure needed for you to succeed. That accountability stops the cycle that is common for countless people - wanting to prioritize your career development but often having it fall at the bottom of your to-do list because life gets in the way.

When I work with my career coaching clients, I ask them what kind of accountability feels good for them. Questions I ask most often include:

• Do you want to set a deadline to do these action items by and if I haven’t heard from you by then I’ll check in?

• Would you prefer to schedule our next session, so you force yourself to have to have updates by then and see a goal on the calendar?

Every person, their style, and their life circumstances look different, so I meet each person wherever they are based on the kind of support that makes them feel good.

If you know you thrive when there is external accountability, what areas of your life have you implemented this and how has it helped you move forward?

3) They offer reliable resources and bring structure to a structureless process

Another benefit of working with a career coach is having a reliable, knowledgeable go-to source to answer all the million questions that come up throughout your job search. Questions such as:

• What should be on my resume vs my cover letter? Do I really need to write a cover letter? How long should a cover letter be? And Who do I address my cover letter to?

• I haven’t updated my resume in forever… what do you even put on them anymore?

• How do I follow up with an employer after an interview if I haven’t heard anything?

• What’s the best way to prepare for an interview?

• How do I answer the “what’s a weakness” or “tell me about yourself” questions?

• I have a LinkedIn profile but I haven’t updated it in years and I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do on there anyway… help?

• Is it okay to negotiate the salary offer?

• I got an offer from one company but I’m waiting to hear back from another that I like more... what do I do?

Instead of spending hours googling the answers, and getting lots of conflicting advice, you have an expert in your back pocket. Moreso, someone who understands you, your background, and your personality so they’ll tell you the best practices but also help create some workarounds if a typical approach doesn’t align with your comfort zone.

Additionally, many people feel overwhelmed when job searching. They’re not sure where to start to create a job search strategy, what to focus on, and how to spend their energy efficiently to get the best momentum and results. They may come out of the gate strong but then if they’re hearing crickets after applying they aren’t sure what to do next.

Working with a career coach will help you create structure and efficiency in an often structureless process, so you can get results, and, get back to the rest of your life.

Now that we’ve exhaustively covered the top 3 benefits of working with a career coach, let’s delve into what it actually looks like to work with someone.

What to expect when working with a career coach

One of the most common questions I get from people is “So… what… does... it actually look like?! What do we really do if we were to work together?”

Which always makes me think of this scene from Office Space:

The answer depends on two things:

1. you and your unique situation and

2. the coach

In my practice, if you’re in a good groove and just want an extra pair of eyes on some application documents, a refresh on job search strategy or interviewing, and a sounding board, I typically recommend we focus on 1-1 appointments. These are done via zoom, phone, or in person as you feel necessary.

This means I’m here when you need or want to connect, cheering you on and checking in in the ways you’ve said feel good for you, but we don’t have a regular standing meeting filling your calendar.

If, on the other hand, you’re feeling rusty on all things job search, overwhelmed with how to proceed, and/or know you thrive with more support and accountability, I supplement those 1-1 sessions with “on demand coaching.”

I created five comprehensive learning modules with an arsenal of resources (videos of me teaching you what you need to know, workbooks, templates, guides) for each step in the road – figuring out your path, updating resumes and cover letters, LinkedIn, interviewing, taking care of yourself while doing this work, and more.

With instant access to this kind of coaching, you can chip away at your job search on your own time (no schedules to coordinate!) and then we end up being able to dig deeper in our 1-1 coaching time together. To make it manageable, based on where you’re at, I’ll get specific with your “homework” and point you to the resource/module to start with and then we plug away together from there.

Clients have access to this for life, and my whole ethos is that I’d rather teach you how to write an effective resume vs do it for you so you don’t need me again! Most people change jobs a good number of times in their life, so I believe it’s powerful to equip each person with the tools they need to feel supported in future job transitions as well.

The nitty gritty of what coaching looks like can be very different, so I always encourage people to shop around and ensure they find a coach that feels like the best fit for them, their personality, and their needs.

This brings me to my final point – how to find coaches, and what to do if you want to dip your toe into more self-guided work in this space before/instead of reaching out to someone.

How to find a coach + ways to explore working on this yourself

I always do a complimentary phone consultation with anyone interested in working together. I do this to not only make sure they feel like I’m the right person for them, but I also want to make sure I feel like I have the right skills, approach, and background for what kind of support they need.

If I don’t think I’m the best coach for the job, I typically refer prospective clients to my trusted colleagues and friends in the field, helping me feel confident that they’re in good hands.

I also always recommend that people explore free coaching options, especially if budgets are tight. Most people are surprised when I tell them that if they studied somewhere for an undergraduate degree, there are often a number of free resources (including coaching sessions at times!) available to them through the Career Services office. This typically is not heavily advertised, so I recommend people reach out via phone/email to the center directly to ask. Often there are 1-3 sessions for free for graduates, and/or access to internal job search resources.

Lastly, one of the most frequent recommendations I give to people exploring making a change in their professional lives is the book “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life.” This is an incredible resource filled with hands-on activities for building self-awareness and deepening your understanding of what work means to you and what might be exciting to integrate into your next opportunity.

I hope that this comprehensive post not only helps you understand some benefits of working with a career coach, but also gives you tools to find someone that is right for you to work together towards achieving your professional goals.

Here’s to feeling supported in the process of doing more of what you love, no matter what that is!

5 Signs It's Time to Look for a New Job

I’ve been career coaching since 2007 (!) and have worked with people of all ages and backgrounds. There are common themes that arise after having so many conversations with people when they’re exploring a change in their professional lives.

While of course every person and situation is different, I often see these five signs. Use them as one tool to evaluate your career satisfaction – how many are true for you?

1. You’re bored

Have you noticed that projects that used to excite you don’t anymore? Perhaps the tasks that make up most of your work lead you to dread your workday or even roll your eyes when you see the email request come in?

While these don’t mean you need to kick a job search into action, they are indicators that your innate desires to continually learn, grow, and challenge yourself are not being met. Note which types of tasks may still excite you and see if you can speak with your supervisor or colleague to get more of those in the mix.

If it’s not possible, that is information to take into consideration when assessing whether your current role and employer is still a fit or not.

2. You don’t see any room for growth

(Can present as “I don’t want my boss’s job”).

For some time in your professional life, you may be very goal oriented. For certain people this looks like wanting to work towards a particular job title or scope of responsibility. For others, it’s more nuanced, and is more about wanting to continue to be in positions where they acquire new skills and are pushed outside of their comfort zones.

If that’s you, and the role you’re in isn’t providing continued opportunities to hone existing and/or acquire new skills, that may not feel like a good fit.

Of course, before simply jumping to the next organization, it makes sense to have candid conversations with your organization about making this happen. Sometimes all it takes is an ask!

To note, for people who are at a certain point in their careers and/or lives, this may not be a dealbreaker. For some people, once they’re reached a particular point in their professional lives, they don’t want to keep climbing and moving onto the next. This is not my nice way of saying “once you’re older you stop wanting to grow” either!

It can happen at any age when you’ve found work that aligns with your values, interests, personality, skills, and fits well with your personal life. Bigger offices, more pay, and shinier titles are not what it’s all about for many people… these days more than ever.

3. You’re not using the skills you thought you’d get to use

This one is often a stand-alone reason why people end up leaving their current role.

This can happen in a few ways – perhaps it’s a startup or a new position, and what the company anticipated the role requiring didn’t end up being what was needed. Or, someone may start off with a role looking one way, and then it evolves into something different due to staffing changes or simply because that’s where the organization is headed.

It can feel very disappointing no matter the circumstances. You’ll notice a theme, though, with the tips I shared above.

Especially in a culture where growth and changes are happening in the organization at an exponential rate, this may be something management has simply overlooked vs a sign they don’t care about you. An option is to reach out to your manager and ask to get some time on their calendar to discuss the scope of your work – giving them a heads up to prime the conversation can often yield a more productive chat.

4. You often find yourself daydreaming or wondering about what’s next

…maybe even during planning meetings at your current company.

If this is happening – noticing a strong disconnect when your colleagues are looking at the future – it is a big piece of data potentially pointing to disinterest in your current professional whereabouts.

Other ways I often hear this start off…

 “I’m happy where I am but I just started scrolling through jobs on LinkedIn...”

“It’s fine where I am but… I’m starting to wonder what else is out there.”

“I’ve always known the next step in my career, but now I’m not sure what I’m going to do… I just know it’s not this.”

Let me clarify – daydreaming alone does not mean it’s time to make a change, but if you’re noticing this internal pull to do something else, something different, and this innate sense of longing or wondering “what else?” – that is information to pay attention to and explore deeper.

5. You feel burnt out or misaligned

A toxic work environment, not gelling with the company culture, not believing in the organization’s mission… these are some of the top contributors to employee burnout.

We spend over 1/3 of our lives at work, so if you’re not being treated well or feeling a sense of purpose connected to how you’re spending the majority of your time, especially now as work bleeds into home life, it takes a toll.

This comes down to personal preference, but for many people, they want to work where they feel there is alignment and where they are valued. Employee burnout can also come from that lack of using skills you want, as discussed above, so it’s important to clarify where this energy drain comes from so you can create a clear path forward.

Are any of these resonating with you?

If you’re noodling on making a change, or maybe have even been trying to make one but not getting traction, I’m here to chat over a complimentary consultation should you need some support.

Here’s to finding more flow in our work!

5 Things You Need To Do When Planning Your Corporate Wellness Programs

If you work in HR or are on the wellness committee at your organization, how do you approach planning your wellness offerings?

After partnering with a wide range of players in this space, from startups with small budgets to global companies with more resources at their fingertips, I’ve found the following best practices help employees feel seen and supported by these programs:

1) Poll your people!

It may sound obvious, but a lot of times this doesn’t happen due to time/resource constraints. Even if you can’t collate info from a huge group, ensuring the opinions are heard from a few disparate teams can make a huge difference.

Aside from more formalized polling, utilizing mindful listening during all times of the year (vs. just during the planning period) can help flesh out some recurring themes of what employees are struggling with and where they could use more support.

2) Anticipate challenging times

Of course, we can never anticipate everything. But, if there is a period with greater challenges coming (examples: an annual “busy” season, a major organizational change) and offer programs beforehand to help employees move into that time feeling more refreshed vs already fried.

Not possible? Providing wellness tools after the fact and honoring the struggle of that specific season can increase engagement. Sessions offered when employees are “in it” may have less participation.

3) Accomodate time zones and learning styles

Offer the same program multiple times to enable multiple time zones to be accommodated. This simple strategy is powerful – honoring the times that work for teams in other countries can help them feel valued.

Bonus- these tend to create smaller groups in each session, which lends itself to greater participation because the group feels more intimate.

Not a global company? Noting the needs of different learning styles in this same way can have the same impact (more breakout rooms if there are more introverts in the session, for example).

4) Take a holistic approach

Of course this all depends on your budget, but if possible, looking at well-being from a holistic and whole-person centered approach tends to help more employees feel catered to in the offerings. In the book Burnout by Amelia and Emily Nagoski, they say “wellness is a state of action” and I adore this mindset.

Since there is no single answer to a healthier mind and body, consider thinking about all of the different pillars of health and creating programs to support each – mental, physical, emotional, financial, spiritual. Some people may have their movement down and not want any step challenges or office yoga, while others may benefit from those nudges to be more physically active.

One company I’ve partnered with for 5 years now breaks each quarter into a wellness theme and then creates programming that aligns with those themes. We typically meet each January and based on those, I create workshops/events that touch on the topics they’ve deemed most pressing for their people.

5) Quality over quantity

Short can be sweet – while there is power in longer programming, attention spans have dwindled in the last few years. Consider breaking a big topic down into micro-sessions to allow for easier scheduling and digestion of information.

Seasoned planning professionals, what have I left out?

If you’re an employee participating in wellness workshops, what is something your employer does that makes you feel supported?

As always, I’m here for complimentary consultations if you’d like to discuss your employee wellness needs. Happy planning!

Simple Stress Relieving Strategies You Can Do At Home

It’s only one month into a global pandemic, and COVID-19 has already made it a challenging time for all of us in countless ways.

Here are some resources for ideas on how you can continue to support your mind, body, and spirit.

Mind:

Sitting in stillness can be challenging even in normal times, so here are ideas for more active forms of meditation:

• Color: grab some colored pencils and an adult coloring book and get to it! Coloring mandalas in particular has been proven to help reduce anxiety levels.

• Walk: bonus points if you have access to nature as it’s proven to reduce stress (grass patches + trees count, city dwellers!). Make it a moving meditation: pay attention to everything around you and try to use as many of your senses as possible: what you see, smell, the feel of the fresh air and the earth under each step.

• Breathe: try alternate nostril breathing and/or box breathing in particular. They both require more concentration, which can be a wonderful way for your mind to have to keep refocusing on what you want it to.

Body:

You’ve likely seen that there are TONS of instructors local to you offering streaming classes now. If you don’t have an instructor you like, here are some more “corporate” options!

• Peloton is offering a full 90 days of their app for free – no bike or treadmill needed. I adore Aditi’s yoga classes.

• The Down Dog app has free barre, HIIT, and yoga as well and can also be viewed from a computer. They’re extending the free access for everyone until April and longer if you’re a student or teacher!  

• If you want to wind down for sleep, or just for the sake your stress levels, here is my guide to simple yoga poses you can do to calm your nervous system and release tension. If you can only have capacity to do just one, pick legs up the wall without a doubt!

Soul:

For some people, this time is creating a bit more space to do a bit of big picture reflection.

• As a reminder I always offer complimentary 30-minute phone consultations on everything from work to wellness: if you’d like a listening ear, you can reach out to schedule.

• If you’re in the process of navigating a change in your work, I recently ran a virtual workshop with GA Boston on Negotiation and the Interview: Exploring Fit & Landing the Job. You can access the recording for free there!

The outpouring of resources out there (and here!) can be very inspiring… but also very overwhelming.

Take what works for you and leave the rest.

Sending all of my best positive and grounding energy your way.

How to Prevent Decision Fatigue

Whether you’re thinking of making changes in your work world or not, everyone could use a little more energy, right?

We make up to 35,000 decisions per day.

Many of us are feeling the fatigue that come with that reality.

This blog post I wrote is all about how to cut down on decisions to introduce more ease into your days and make space in your brain for the kind of thoughts you want.

I break things down into three simple options: automation, delegation, and prioritization.

Do you have other strategies to preserve your energy and prevent mental fatigue? Let me know!

How to Spend Less Stocking a Healthy Pantry

Two things that can drain your energy?

Grocery shopping and stressing about spending money (which often go hand in hand!).

One resource that addresses both of these?

Thrive Market.

What is Thrive? It’s a “membership community that uses the power of direct buying to deliver the world’s best healthy food and natural products to our members at wholesale prices, and to sponsor free memberships for low-income American families.”

The way I describe it? Think Whole Foods meets Costco meets Amazon Prime... with a philanthropic mission. They aim to “make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone” and “when you buy a Thrive Market membership, you’re also donating one to a low-income family, teacher, veteran, or student.” You can learn more about how they give back on their site, and if you want a free 30-day trial + 25% off your first order you can sign up here*.

Prices for everything are 25-50% off retail, and while you do pay an annual membership fee of $59.95, most members make back their membership fee in savings within their first 2 orders. I’ve been a member for about 3 years now… and

I saved $3,144 last year alone (!!).

I’ve found that I’m much more efficient when I grocery shop now and dread it less. I’m essentially just buying the produce I need and then I’m outta there, Supermarket Sweep style (if you didn’t grow up watching that show I’m sorry you missed out)!

Image from Chowhound

Below is a breakdown of my typical purchases and the cost savings I see. To note, I’m comparing prices to Whole Foods because it’s the closest store to me that stocks these items.

You may notice less of a price difference compared to where you shop (for example, Wegman’s may have comparable prices, but it may be super far from you, or maybe you need to go to multiple stores when shopping to get all of the items you need).

I factor the time savings and convenience of Thrive into my evaluation of it (I used to send some orders directly to work to stock my snack drawer!), along with the perks of stocking up during sales and leveraging the free gifts they offer too.

Broths/Condiments:

• Coconut aminos: 6.99 Whole Foods or 4.99 Thrive = $2.00 savings

• Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar: 4.39 Whole Foods vs 3.19 Thrive = $1.20 savings

• Red Boat Fish Sauce: 8.99 Whole Foods vs 7.49 Thrive = $1.50 savings

• Fourth & Heart Grass Fed Original Ghee: 12.99 Whole Foods vs 11.99 Thrive = $1.00 savings

• Nutiva Refined Organic Coconut Oil: 11.99 Whole Foods vs 8.99 Thrive = $3.00 savings

Baking:

• Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour: 11.99 Whole Foods vs 8.99 Thrive = $3.00 savings (P.S. my favorite recipe I make with this is the Detoxinista Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!)

• Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour: 4.99 Whole Foods vs 3.99 Thrive = $1.00 savings

Staples/Snacks:

• Epic Performance Bar, Lemon: 22.41 Whole Foods vs 19.99 Thrive = $2.42 savings

• Artisana Cashew Butter: 16.99 Whole Foods vs 13.49 Thrive = $3.50 savings

• Artisana Raw Tahini: 12.99 Whole Foods vs 7.99 Thrive = $5.00 savings

• Purely Elizabeth Grain Free Granola: 6.99 Whole Foods vs 4.94 Thrive = $2.05 savings

• Siete Chips: 4.99 Whole Foods vs 4.39 Thrive = $0.60 savings (this adds up when you eat these as much as we do! 😊)

• Rao’s Tomato Sauce: 8.99 Whole Foods vs 8.69 Thrive = $.30 savings (I like that I don’t have to lug heavy items like this and stock up my pantry with about 4 at a time)

• Banza Chickpea Pasta: 8.99 Whole Foods vs 8.39 Thrive = $0.60 savings

Personal Care Products / House Supplies:

• Dr Bronner’s Lavender Castile Soap: 17.98 Whole Foods vs 12.99 Thrive = $4.99 savings (this does go on sale at WF a lot though!)

• I also get laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap, and pregnancy/baby products.

Lastly, back to the gifts! Each order can include a free gift, which you pick from a selection based on how much you’ve spent. They also do deals with certain companies every single week. Some free gifts I’ve gotten over the years:  paleo dressings and sauces, protein powders, and a reusable steel water bottle ($32).

As we welcome a baby girl into our family in the next few weeks, and time becomes that much more precious, I imagine that I’m going to love Thrive even more than I already do. I hope it helps make living a healthy life easier for you, too!

If you want to give it a try, click here* for a free 30-day trial membership + 25% off of your first order.

Let me know if you have any questions and happy saving!

*this is an affiliate link: if you become a full member I’ll receive $25 from Thrive as a thank you for spreading the word.

Coffee: The Great Debate

Did you know that Americans spend around $1,000/year on coffee? I’m not judging, as I love a fancy latte as much as the next person (Blue Bottle, anyone?!).

But this substance is one of the most hotly debated in the health world, and there are a few facts about it that are particularly important to note if you’re workin’ on your wellness. Learn more in my blog post here.

If you feel like you’re constantly stressed, have trouble falling/staying asleep, and/or feel your sleep quality is poor, I’d nudge you to ask yourself “should I rethink that drink?”

If you don’t feel like any of these describe you, or you just don’t feel like reading, it’s all good!

The last thing I’ll share is that non-organic coffee is one of the most chemically-treated crops around, so if you imbibe regularly that’s something to consider.

My favorite organic options for home brewing? Hu Kitchen and Thrive Market.  If you’ve never used Thrive before, I wrote a post all about how it can help you save time and money when stocking your house with healthy staples.

Whatever you choose to drink, cheers!

Non-Slimy Chia Seed Pudding

Want a nutrient dense breakfast that takes under 2 minutes to make INCLUDING batching breakfasts for the week!? Look no further. I've been making this simple recipe on repeat, and there are so many variations that it’s hard to get sick of it!

Chia seeds are a superfood high in fiber, antioxidants, protein, omega 3's (they have more than salmon gram for gram!), and calcium (higher amount gram for gram than most dairy products).

Most recipes have you soak them but I don't love their texture after they absorb liquids (hence the title, non-slimy!), so here's my version:

• 3TB chia seeds

• 1TB cacao

• 1 cup non dairy milk (the creaminess of coconut milk is great in this)

• Optional: 1 date or 1/2 TB maple syrup, or throw berries on top to sweeten

• Optional: 1TB of organic peanut butter and a scoop of collagen to add more protein and gut perks (plus who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate?).

• Simply throw everything in a blender for a minute until it's mixed and store in the fridge until you’re ready for it.

This takes such little time to make yet keeps you full for hours. It’s also easy to transport (just throw it in a mason jar or small tupperware) so you can bring it to work and know you’ll have a healthy and filling breakfast or snack easily at your fingertips that will keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady.

Let me know if you give it a try and which variations you make!

Designing Your Life + Giveaway!

I’m starting the week with a way to make your future workweeks more enjoyable!

Over the last 10+ years of career coaching, I've had many people come to me because they disliked the work they did but had no idea how to figure out what they'd enjoy more. This usually came with fear around making the "wrong" choice, and a lot of overwhelm.

I still meet people who feel this way every week, and I've found that this is the book I'm constantly recommending as a starting point. It has lots of practical exercises and prompts to help people move from feeling stuck to taking productive action.

I've had clients call this book "life changing" so I'm giving away a new copy to hopefully positively impact the life of the winner!

To enter, head over to my Instagram page and follow the simple prompts (*This giveaway is now closed*).

If you’re not interested in the giveaway but you're not feeling fulfilled by your work, here's part of the model I use with clients to help them brainstorm/assess other options. I encourage you to stop asking friends or googling "jobs in <insert your location>" when trying to make a change - start with YOU.

When you find something that aligns with your VIPS, that's when it all clicks.

To be clear, I don't think a "perfect career" exists - every job will have tasks you'd rather not do or things you don't love, even if you work for yourself. But, as cliche as it sounds, when you love what you do, work feels less like work. You’re also less likely to experience chronic stress and burnout.

How might you take some time to pause and reflect on these parts of yourself?

It may seem simple, but it can help you get a better sense of where your dissatisfaction is coming from and also have a framework to evaluate new options.

Happy exploring!

Courageous Career Choices: Episode 5

The fifth episode of the "Courageous Career Choices" monthly series is up! I'm interviewing people from all industries, both entrepreneurs and employees, who have made intentional decisions (not just major career changes) to do work that's aligned with their values. The goal is to to inspire you if you're curious about:

• the impact that our work can have on our health 
• what makes people move from thinking about leaving their jobs to actually taking action
• how to manage stress and prioritize wellness when in a big transition (or simply in your everyday life!)

In this episode, we're speaking with Kristin Thomas, Founder of Thrive by Food. She's a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and Holistic Health Coach, and she shares many wonderful tips on how she found her way to starting this business.

Catch the replay here, and leave and comments/questions directly on the FB page!

Fight Stress With These 5 Foods

Do you want to use food to mitigate some of the impact that stress has on your health?

If you answered yes, this means that you:

• Understand that being in a perpetual state of stress isn’t good for anything

• Are tired of feeling exhausted and run down, and are open to taking action to feel like your best self so you can do more of what you love (and feel better when doing it!)

• Are open-minded to using a holistic approach to make changes and figure out what works for your body and mind

I've put together a free guide, 5 Foods that Fight Stress, to show you some of the ways that stress steals from you, and some simple ways to take back your health.

Based on the info shared, you’ll…

• Have a better understanding of where comfort food cravings come from

• Know which delicious foods to seek out to nourish yourself and help balance your body, resulting in increased energy, less time fighting colds, and better sleep so you can wake up refreshed and ready for your day

• Eat chocolate without judging yourself for it

• Feel like you have more options than just sucking it up and assuming you simply have to feel this way

I hope you take a peek at these simple foods and start eating your way to less stress and better health soon!  

Courageous Career Choices: Episode 4

The fourth episode of the "Courageous Career Choices" monthly series is up! I'm interviewing people from all industries, both entrepreneurs and employees, who have made intentional decisions (not just major career changes) to do work that's aligned with their values. The goal is to to inspire you if you're curious about:

• the impact that our work can have on our health 

• what makes people move from thinking about leaving their jobs to actually taking action

• how to manage stress and prioritize wellness when in a big transition (or simply in your everyday life!)

We're speaking with Lissa Johnson, Founder of Mosa Mack Science (https://mosamack.com/). Learn more about how she saw a need within the educational system while she was a teacher and used that to inspire the creation of her incredible business. She also gives great advice about networking and finding time to fit in wellness while working a lot!

Click this link to watch the replay!