Why there will never be a 'right time'

If you want to bounce out of bed every Monday morning feeling excited for the week ahead.

And fill your day with tasks and activities that you love.

And go to bed knowing that you’ve made a difference.

And create a life that inspires and empowers you.

There will never be a 'right time' to do it.

You'll have to push yourself to try new things that scare you.

You might encounter criticism, jealousy or fear from others (and that could include people who are close to you).

There's a possibility it might not work out exactly the way you thought it would.

You'll have to dedicate time and money to getting your dream off the ground. 

You might have to re-arrange your priorities for a while (and yes the house may not perfectly organised for a few weeks/months).

But I can tell you this. This short term, uncomfortable, sometimes scary beginning, pays off BIG in the long term. That is, if you want...

Purpose
Direction
Motivation
Freedom
Confidence 
Authenticity
Balance 

Change isn't always easy. Which is why not everyone goes after their career dreams. And there never seems to be a 'right time'. 

But if you are willing to be brave. And do the work in the short term. And you have the right support system by your side. Then you CAN do it. I've seen it happen many, many times. 

If you feel the irresistible urge to create a meaningful career and life you love, then click here to learn more about my coaching programmes here.

I'll speak to you soon,
Juliette

Are your New Year resolutions not going anywhere? Here's what to do

It's mid-January and it can be a tough time for sticking to your New Year resolutions. It's cold and grey outside, and whilst you might have started the year with the best of intentions, your motivation could be flagging a bit by now.

Maybe you made a resolution to get healthy, or make more time for self care, or take up a new hobby, or finally think about changing career or starting a business. And you wanted this to TO BE IT. 2019 was the year that it was all going to finally happen for you.

And whilst that vision we create for ourselves about how our new life is going to be can feel exciting and intoxicating, it can also sometimes make us unrealistic about how long those goals will take to achieve.

Life starts to get in the way. A stressful work assignment comes in, one of the kids gets sick, the boiler packs up and you need to pay for a plumber, the house needs cleaning etc etc.

And so your good intentions to make a change go to the bottom of your 'to do' list, you lose motivation and start to feel discouraged.

However I want to step in here and say that THIS IS TOTALLY NORMAL.

All you need to do is have a reality check about how much time you have available, and how long the process of change might actually take.

With career change for example, I often have to remind my clients that their journey towards a more meaningful career is precisely that… a journey. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when searching for meaningful work is to expect to find the ONE BIG THING straightaway. The mythical unicorn job that will make all of their problems disappear.

And what I’ve observed from walking through this process with many clients is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to creating a career and life you love. It can be tough at times, take longer than you think, and you may need to try out a few different ideas and avenues before finding the perfect one for you.

So don’t get downhearted, just persevere and stay open to the new opportunities and experiences which will inevitably come your way. Break it all down into baby steps and ask yourself:

• What is ONE small thing that I could fit in this week to move closer to my goal?

• When exactly could I do this (day? time?)

• What might stop me from doing this? Is it something practical, or something emotional? Where could I get some support to overcome this?

You can 100% get there, just be patient with yourself.

Chat soon,

Juliette

Resilience: Your 'secret weapon' in tough times

Man the workplace is a TOUGH place to be these days.

Back when I was still in my 9 to 5 in advertising, I remember only too clearly the constant pressure, shifting deadlines, and heavy workload that frequently pushed me beyond "mmm isn’t this exciting" stress, to "OMG I don’t know if I can cope" stress.

And I hear similar stories from my clients all the time, about how they are desperate to escape and find some balance, whether that’s in a new role or as their own boss. 

Although entrepreneurship isn’t exactly a cakewalk either. You have to constantly step out of your comfort zone, and get used to living with uncertainty. 

Which is why I was so glad to come across the topic of ‘Resilience’ during my studies in positive psychology. It’s a bit of a buzzword at the moment, and turns out to be the perfect antidote to modern day work and life stress. 

So what exactly is resilience?

In nutshell, resilience is our capacity to cope with, be strengthened by, and recover from difficult times. You may think that resilience is something that we are either born with or we’re not, but that’s not the case at all. We can all develop a resilient mindset, if we are given the right knowledge and tools.

Resilience is something we do, rather than something we have.

Another advantage of becoming more resilient, is that it allows you to not only bounce back from tough times, but actually bounce forward into something even better. 

This is especially important when it comes to handling failure. It could be that your proposal was rejected at work, or you were turned down for that promotion, or you lost a client, or didn’t get that grant you applied for. Or maybe you’re having a tough time in your personal life, and that is having a big impact on your work.

Any of these events can lead to to self-doubt, anxiety, burnout and depression. Which is why learning strategies to handle failure is so important, so that instead of spiralling downwards, we can learn from the experience, maintain a positive outlook, and move forward.

Here are three tips to get you started on the road to greater resilience:

1. Look for lessons learned. You’re in good company, as there are plenty of famous people who failed many times before they finally got it right. Think of Thomas Edison who made 1000 unsuccessful attempts before inventing the lightbulb. Hunt the good stuff. Ask yourself, "where can I improve here? What will I not repeat next time?".

2. Remember your strengths. This isn’t about being overconfident or arrogant. It’s about remembering what you ARE good at, rather than focusing on your perceived weaknesses. Lean on those strengths, and leverage them as often as possible, to get you through rough spots.

3. Gain strength from others. Make sure you have a great team around you, who believe in you. Whether it’s colleagues, mentors, friends or family, it’s crucial for your resilience that you have those people in your life who are there to catch you when you fall, and help you get back up again.  

Everyone can become more resilient. It’s about choosing a more optimistic mindset, and learning to turn any setbacks in life to your advantage. 

Speak to you soon,
Juliette xx

p.s Struggling with stress or burnout? Feeling lost, stuck or just unmotivated? Then book an introductory 45min coaching session with me for just £97, and get some support and accountability to help you figure out your next steps.