Vol 1 Iss 3

I've been thinking a lot this week about "processing time." It really came home to me while I was working with my website. Have you ever put a lot of effort in to updating a document then pressing "enter" and it just takes FOREVER? It's processing.

Many of my clients come to me to make a change in their career and put in a lot of effort updating themselves and their perspectives, then it seems as if nothing is happening. Well, a lot is happening, they're processing. There's an acronym for this: TTTT -

These Things Take Time.

Earlier this month I received a letter from a former client who had been with me for a couple of years. She updated me on all the interesting and amazing things that had happened to her in the ensuing year. Here's how she ended the letter:

"So, I am ready for 2004! I really appreciate all the help and support you have given me over the previous years. I think about it a lot. The coaching still runs through my mind. The process is so ingrained in my mind that I will still go through it when working through issues. The identification of values and mission has turned out to be immensely valuable --I refer to it a lot."

Processing never ends. The truth is, clarity is rarely a big AHA! It usually shows up in small hints and leanings and increments that you heart knows is right. No matter how much your brain is saying you "should" already know your next step, keep listening to your heart. It knows. That's the process. (See the Career Tip for ways to listen to your heart.)

I welcome feedback and eagerly await your comments!

P.S. I need your help! If you have saved Issue 2, Jan. 19, of my newsletter, will you please

e-mail it back to me? I am archiving them on my website and that file was lost when I changed software. Thanks!

Obstacles - Not Enough Money?

Looking at a new career can bring up all kinds of fears, or obstacles. One of the biggest and scariest is the Money Monster. Well, no doubt about it, money is important. Having enough money can certainly make a transition a lot more satisfying. It's a lot easier to focus on self-actualization when the mortgage is paid.

What's interesting is that "enough money" to make a career transtion is a choice. Once you have the basics covered, home, food, clothing, etc. everything after that is a choice. You choose which house you live in, which car you drive, which clothes you wear. Do you know Sam Walton, founder of Walmart and Sam's Club, drove a beat up old pick up truck? It's all about choice.

You can choose how you earn money too. For example, you buy a new sofa, what do you do with the old one? You could leave it by the street for the trashman, donate it to a shelter and get a tax write off, or sell it on e-Bay or the classifieds and increase your income. It's all about choice. You may be unwilling to take on an extra income-producing activity because you don't want to lose your evenings or weekends. That's a choice.

So how do you "create" money for a career change? Well, you need to get real. List all income and expenses realistically. Pay attention to the details. You need to know the truth. As long as you are thinking your family couldn't survive with a 40% paycut without checking out the truth of the matter, you are letting an internal obstacle manifest itself as an external obstacle. If you are relying on "common sense" or a "feeling," you are cheating yourself of living a fulfilling life.

The reality is, when you put your full attention to something, it creates an energy around it. Possibilities open themselves up. Joseph Campbell said "Money is congealed energy, and releasing it releases life's possibilities." Suddenly, you think of ways to cut this expense, or increase your savings in another. When you start getting real with money, you will create a way to make your career change possible.

No kidding, it's all about choice.

Working with a coach can help you uncover your obstacles and get you moving more quickly than doing it on your own. Contact me for your free consultation to how hiring a coach can help you Move Forward!

"You don't want an answer you can put in a box and set on a shelf.

You want a question that will offer you a lifetime of pondering, that will lead you toward what you need to know for your integrity, draw you to what you need for your journey, and help you understand what it means to burst at the seams.

These questions will also lead you to others whose lives are propelled by the same questions, and from them you will receive 'Oh, never an answer,' as writer P. L. Travers says, 'but a spark of instructive fire.'"

from his book Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life

Three Rivers Press, NY, 1997

When I talked about processing and letting your heart lead, did it leave you with a sinking feeling? "How the heck do I do that?" You do it by doing more right-brain activities.

The left brain is logical and wants structure. It wants the answer NOW. The right brain is more creative and loose. When you open up your right brain to more possibilites, it allows the heart room to communicate.

Things you can do to open up the right brain:

* Draw. Paint. Use color to express what you are feeling. Finger paints are FUN.

* Build a collage of your future life using magazine pictures. Cut out a bunch of pictures that

you like, then spend some time arranging them on a poster board. Hang it where you can

* Use a picture to trigger a writing prompt. For example, a picture of a path may have you write

about paths you have taken, or paths you may take, or may like to take.

* Get some clay or PlayDoh and mush around awhile. Make something or not. Let your hands

get the feel of creating.

* Put on some great music, move the coffee table over, and dance, dance, dance. Let your body

* Dig in your garden a while.

* Go for a walk outdoors, preferably near water. Sit and stare a while.

* Write a poem. Sometimes using a poetic structure helps the logical brain stay focused and out

of your way, while the heart sings with metaphor.

* Remember to pray. Prayer and meditation are the language of the heart.

If you know of other right-brain activities, please share them and I'll put them in a future newsletter. And let me know how it goes for you!

Have you ever wondered "What should I DO with my life?" Everyone needs something to live ON, but you also need something to live FOR.

In this workshop, you will learn what is important for career satisfaction and life enhancement. You will uncover deeply held values that must be honored in order to live a fulfilled life. We'll take a look at your life themes, and you'll learn a model of the universe that will help you understand how to create your intentions.

For details and to sign up, visit http://www.ForwardMomentum.com

The average age of retirement in the U.S. is 57 years old. People are retiring at a younger age and in better health than ever before. These days, especially with adequate planning, this can be a time that brings enrichment, personal fulfillment and renewal.

The benefits that work has provided have become such an integrated part of our lives that they have been elevated to "needs." Learn what your work has provided you and ways to replace those functions in retirement.

In this class, we will visit the major arenas that will need your attention ahead of time and talk about ways to prepare.

You will learn some of the common (and unusual!) paths retirees have taken and consider ways to learn which direction would fulfill you

Retirement life lasts longer than adolescence, longer than early adulthood, and longer than middle adulthood. The process of preparing for your retirement is is especially important.

In this class, you will take the on-line assessment, Retirement Success Profile (RSP), developed by Dr. Richard Johnson, to determine which of hte 15 universal factors you need to focus on to help prepare you for your retirement success.

For details and to sign up, visit http://www.ForwardMomentum.com

You are free to use material from Moving Forward! in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including a live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:

"By Debra DeVilbiss, CPCC, of Forward Momentum, LLC. Please visit Debra's website at http://www.ForwardMomentum.com for additional articles and resources on creating your right livelihood."

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