July 5th, 2010
I had such a great time sharing part one of ways to burn out, I’m back again for a another round. So here we go!
- Bring your bad attitude wherever you go. Remember my past post about Mike Rowe and his awesome show Dirty Jobs? Those workers could do the dirtiest jobs with enthusiasm because they brought their passion wherever they went. The opposite is true too. Want to burn out and get yourself fired? Bring your unhappiness to your job and it’ll feel a million times worse being there. I once had a Japanese teacher who told us to leave our baggage outside the door so that when we entered we’d be fresh and ready to learn. While it’s not always easy to do so, being present, mindful and showing a good attitude while you’re at work, can potentially propel you into something better. Being angry, disgruntled and negative can make you miserable and eventually lead to a fast track path to burning out.
- Be boring. Do the same thing every day all the time. Don’t ever have any fun and be as dull as you can be. Work until you can’t work no more, then work again for good measure. Do that and you’ll need a vacation ASAP!
- Stay safe. Stay in your comfort zone too long and spider webs will grow on your dreams. You’ll start losing hope, have less faith and your potential for self-growth and happiness will begin shrinking all around you. Giving up is next and that’s when burnout sets in.
- Sit under the sun too long without any protection. The opposite of staying safe is to go out of your comfort zone too much and too often. I once had a job where I was battling my inner fears on a day to day basis. The stress not only attacked my insides, but they didn’t give me a chance to refuel, reboot and recharge either. The result? Well, you can guess what happened next. How do you protect yourself from feeling too stressed? Social support. Breaks. Adequate safety from supervisors, mentors, anyone in a position that can lend a hand. It may also mean a change is necessary, which leads me to this:
Here’s the deal. Sometimes burning out can be a good thing. It can be a sign that it’s time to move on. Maybe you’ve stayed safe too long. Maybe you’ve allowed fear to paralyze you from taking action and burning out is the sign that you’re ready to confront that fear and make a change. It could also just mean you need a break. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take some time to figure out what it’s telling you. Just like a fever is your body’s way of saying you need to rest, burning out is a signal that something’s not right. An internal and emotional shift may be necessary to put you right back on track.
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Facing Fears | 
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July 1st, 2010
Yep it’s summer! July 1st only a handful of days left until 4th of July! But before you go firing up the grill and roasting those marshmallows, listen up. Yes you want to soak up the rays of that gorgeous summer sun, but not only should you protect yourself from sunburn, but also from burn out.
Here are a few things you DON’T want to do to make sure you’re not partied out before the party (your dream life) starts:
- Put all your party eggs in one basket. Here’s what that means. Yes, you want to become the best writer there ever was or the most successful teacher or talk show host or self-help guru on this planet. Here’s the thing though. Crawling in a hole and surrounding yourself with all things related to your one dream, is not just insanely boring, but it’s one step toward the death of your dream. Yes, it’s important to learn and know everything you can about your passion, but filling your brain up with it is also a surefire way to kill it. Keep informed. Learned what you must. Talk with those interested in your passion as well. But then, go out, chat with non-writers, be among the rest of the world, stick your head out from under the ground long enough to smell the sweet flowers around you. Then, go back and dive in!
- Make everyone your God. Yes sometimes I fall for it too. When times get tough, the weak get listening. And at times our ears fall on the grand population whose words swallow our own. While I think it’s good to learn and observe from those we admire, we also need to keep our own thoughts and good advice in check. A successful guru can chant all he wants about his great pyramid or his gargantuan empire, but in reality we need to live our own lives. So unless you want to give up too early on your dreams, listen compassionately, filter and find what feels right for you.
Sorry guys that’s it for now! Will be back next week for more ways to tip the scale towards burn out. I’ll be on an interview so wish me luck. (Trying not too put all my party eggs in one basket here.)
Following your dreams | No Comments »
May 7th, 2009
I first began tracking my “signs” when I read a book called When GOD Winks on Love: Let the Power of Coincidence Lead You to Love by SQuire Rushnell. It was a tiny little book with a BIG message! It’s all about observing signs from God which Rushness calls a “wink” that tells you when you’re heading in the right direction. I actually began taking notice of these signs as far back as 2004 and notated everything from having a water bottle almost hit me on the head when I was extremely thirsty to finding a Masters program in a topic I was interested in while perusing a newspaper. Five years later, I’ll admit that I haven’t really been dedicated to my search for signs. That’s why when I had a “Godwink” moment today, I couldn’t wait to share it here.
Recently, I’ve been feeling the effects of modern day busyness. I often feel like my body can’t quite catch up with my mind. And the end result? I get sick and need to take time off to recuperate. And I know I’m not the only one. Lot of women feel the pressures to “have it all”: great relationship, successful career, perfect family life. And as Cher would say in my favorite 90’s movie Clueless, “As if!”
Recently, I wondered how I was going to continue to work full-time, exercise, write new articles and keep up with two of my blogs. Then, I got it! Literally. I got the answer to my prayers in a package that came from Amazon.com that I wasn’t expecting. And the title? The Life Organizer: A Woman’s Guide to a Mindful Year. The book is all about how to obtain your dreams and written for the busy woman. I know I must have ordered it, but I honestly don’t remember doing so. All I know is that I’m grateful to have received the right book at the right time in a Godwink and am SO looking forward to receiving more!
Following your dreams, Inspirational Stories | No Comments »
