Project U. Blog

Five Steps to More Success and Happiness

Posted by Catherine Saar on Tue, Jun 25, 2013 @ 07:58 AM

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As a career and wellness coach, I talk to clients all the time who want to feel happier and more successful in their lives.  Maybe they have to pick a college, a job, or decide whether to stay in a relationship.   Most of the time, they start from the outside and try to force fit themselves into something they aren’t good at or they don’t enjoy. They do it for the money, or to please mom or dad or to avoid being weird.  Often, they choose organizations that aren’t supportive of them, or surround themselves with people that don’t or can’t appreciate them for who they are.   If any of this sounds familiar, (about you or someone you know) then here are five suggestions to consider:

1) Know who you are.

Get clarity about what you are good at, and also about what do you love to do. Consider all your skills and love.  None of them are too small or too insignificant to count. Figure out if, or where those characteristics overlap.  Maybe they don’t. On the other hand, how might you include both in your life?  Could you put them together in a new and different way to invent something unusual? For example, maybe you are a skilled accountant and love listening to music, could you become an accountant for a radio station, a band or a performing arts organization?

2) Embrace and enhance your talents.

Once you know what you are good at, realize that it is not an accident. You are a unique expression of creativity in the universe. You have gifts.  You have a style. Go with it.  If you are a writer, write.  A great caregiver? Give care. A maker? Make. A teacher? Teach.  A good listener?  Listen.  Don’t fight it – appreciate it.  Whatever you have to offer, I assure you, it is worthwhile. And, like a garden, if you tend to it, it will blossom into something beautiful that will bring joy to you and to others.

3) Invest Yourself in opportunities (and people) that fit with your special and unique gifts.

Success is all about “fit.”  Find jobs, causes, people and/or organizations that will benefit from your skills and gifts.  Seek to spend time with people and causes that you believe in. Go to them and offer your gifts.  Develop your talents; hone them and make them grow.  Even if what you choose is not your primary money making endeavor, invest time and energy because it will feed your soul.  Wherever possible, surround yourself with people who appreciate you. Find a tribe. Even a single supportive friend or a pet can be enough companionship to give you the courage to align your life with your spirit.  Commit to spending way less time with people who don’t encourage and support you.

4) Accept that learning is continuous.

Just because you are following your heart and taking care of yourself, doesn’t mean that everything will go smoothly.  This is life.  Things go wrong; circumstances change.  Maybe you thought you really wanted to organize projects – so you took a desk job - and then found out that you are miserable unless you are doing lots of physical activity.  It’s okay!  It’s just new information. Go back to step one and two and then back to step three.  Get creative. Don’t beat yourself up.  No need for regret.  Do what you need to do.  Ask for support.  Life is a journey; death is a destination.

5) Change it up as needed.

Making change can be difficult. As a human, you will likely only choose to change once the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing. No matter.  Once you are ready to make a change, go for it.  Try something new.  Look for the best fit – whether it’s a college, a relationship, a home or a job.  It’s your life.  It’s your happiness.  Don’t squander any of it.  Find a place that you can land and that feels like home.  It may be challenging, but it will be worth it.  Your real job in this life is to be yourself and to have fun doing it.  Start by acknowledging your gifts and by loving who you are.

Tags: relationship, wellness, invent, career, love, challenging, change, joy, successful, support, gifts, accept, unique, home, be yourself, loving who you are, college, coach, job, happiness

How to Be Great, Even If You're Not Feeling It

Posted by Catherine Saar on Sat, Feb 04, 2012 @ 10:44 AM

When we struggle with work and life issues, it can feel as though we aren't successful. Over time, this can lead to self-doubt, burnout and even depression. Unless your issues stem from giving too much and not taking care of yourself,  a great antidote to these feelings may lie in helping others. Dana Reeve, an activist for disability causes put it this way,

When you least feel like it, do something for someone else. You forget about your own situation. It gives you a purpose, as opposed to being sorrowful and lonely.” *  

Ms. Reeve's comment and the short excerpt from a  Martin Luther King speech below are "great" reminders that everyone has something to contribute. There are no barriers to making your world a happier, better place through kindness to others.

Video from KarmaTube


* Check out Daily Celebrations  for this and other motivational service quotes and Karma Tube for cool, inspirational videos. 

Tags: motivational, contribute, kindness, Dana Reeve, depression, Karma Tube, self-doubt, sorrowful, helping others, how to, successful, struggle, Martin Luther King, great, lonely, antidote, taking care of yourself, happier, disability, burnout, feeling, Daily Celebrations

How to Benefit by Turning Your Job Search into a Project

Posted by Catherine Saar on Thu, Dec 08, 2011 @ 08:51 AM

Looking for a new job is a project – and it can be a streKozzi man smiles at desk 644x806ssful one, especially if you’re currently unemployed.  To make it better, I suggest you treat your job search as if it were a part-time job.  Being organized and getting dressed everyday – as well as taking time for lunch and getting exercise, can help relieve stress.  My experience is that a healthy, less stressed job seeker is usually more effective and more energetic - and that often translates into better results.  

Here are some tips and guidelines to consider when putting your project plan in place: 

  • Set a goal for daily and weekly hours for working on your job search.  If possible, set regular office hours for yourself. 
  • Don’t overdo it.  Forty hours a week may be too taxing.  Considering starting with 20 to 25 hours a week and adjust as needed.
  • Create an organized, professional workspace for yourself. Sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal in your hand and a notepad on your lap may not be the best strategy for clear thinking.
  • Make yourself presentable.  You’re valuable.  Treat yourself as such.  You don’t have to dress-up in business clothes, but looking good contributes to a positive outlook. 
  • Each week, set goals and create a project plan for what you want to accomplish during your office hours.  Here are some activities to consider:
  • Spend time on your personal brand if you are making a career shift or change.  Take time to take career surveys, do informational interviews and develop a clear awareness of what you want from your next position.
  • Network in-person, on the phone and online.  Online networking is important, but don’t overlook high touch contact.  
  • Develop new contacts by joining groups and attending industry-networking functions.
  • Follow companies and apply for positions using targeted online job sites. There are many to consider, so pick the ones that suit you.
  • Update your resume and cover letters as needed.
  • Volunteer or take classes that improve or increase your marketable skills.

Last but not least, make time outside of your project schedule to connect with friends and share a few laughs.  Because looking for a job is a job, you will benefit by taking time to recharge your batteries. 

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful hunt.   By the way, what job search tips have worked well for you?

Tags: professional, network, results, change, goal, skills, part-time job, relieve stress, valuable, career shift, exercise, how to, resume, benefit, successful, unemployed, project plan, marketable, job sites, recharge, cover letters job search tips, happy, project, stressful, job search, online networking, industry

Saying Thanks Creates a Happier, Healthier More Productive Workplace

Posted by Catherine Saar on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 08:27 AM

Saying thank you – and acknowiStock 000010530388XSmallledging someone in your workplace for a job well done or a meaningful contribution not only can make your workplace happier – it can improve retention and performance.  

You and I don’t need to read all the polls and data to know that one of the top reasons people leave a job is because they don't feel appreciated.  Money is very important, but it only goes so far.  We all want to be recognized for the value that we contribute.  At work, a simple thank you and a show of appreciation can make all the difference.  Even Gallup, the research organization, has years of research that shows engaged employees are more productive employees. 

Case in point: Doug Conant former CEO of Campbell Soup believes that giving a pat on the back is an essential part of successful leadership.  Over a ten-year period, he wrote approximately 30,000 thank you notes to employees.  Moreover, there’s proof that his attention to employee recognition as a tool for increasing engagement paid off.   After he took the helm at Campbell, his corporate culture-rebuilding program “The Campbell Promise: Campbell Valuing People.  And People Valuing Campbell,” resulted in double-digit increases for five consecutive years at a company that had previously lost half its market value.  

If that isn’t sufficient evidence that gratitude has benefits in the workplace, consider the work of Robert Emmons,  psychologist and author.  He says that gratitude enhances our sense of self-worth, while at the same time strengthening social ties.  The best part, is that his studies show that expressing gratitude increases the not only the happiness of the receiver, but also of the giver!

With that, I just want to say, thanks for reading.  Wow, I feel better already! How about you?

Tags: successful, thank you, gratitude, Doug Conant, CEO, value, Campbell, job, top reasons people leave a job, happier, healthier, successful leadership, self-worth, social ties, more productive, apppreciation, Gallup, happiness, workplace, improve retention and performance, create, increasing engagement, Robert Emmons, acknowledgement, corporate culture, engaged