Feminine Foresight

I couldn’t resist doing something a little different for episode 100. So I’m going to keep it short and sweet and do some reflecting with you. In this episode I‘m sharing: What reaching 100 episodes feels like and means to meWhat to expect over the next few months on the podcastYou can find full show notes and a transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/100

As my baby’s due date is quickly approaching and I’m about to enter the world of motherhood, I couldn’t think of a better guest to have on the Career Foresight podcast than Diana Cregan. Diana is a career coach who specializes in helping women reconnect with their professional identities and navigate the job market after taking time away from the workforce to focus on raising their children. Her coaching business is Back to Work Roadmap for Mothers and she was kind enough to share her expertise and wisdom on this topic with us in today’s conversation. In this episode we discuss:The most common mindset barriers women face when they are ready go back to work after taking time off for their familiesThe misconceptions people have about the role recruiters play in landing jobs, and what you can do to actually make a difference in your job searchHow to know when you’re ready to go back to work as a mom, and what steps to takeFind full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/moms-back-to-work

Anyone who’s had either a great boss, or a bad boss, knows how important workplace relationships are for feeling happy at work. But it can be really challenging to assess what a workplace is like, and how people interact with each other from the outside looking in when you’re career changing. With the people I coach, those who have experienced negative work environments in the past have a lot of trepidation about starting over at a new company. “What if I end up in the same situation I just left?” “How can I know if my boss will really have my back?” “The company culture sounds great on paper, but what if it’s all just marketing?” I’ve heard all of those concerns and I understand them from the bottom of my heart. It is hard to assess an organization from the outside to know if it's a good fit for you or not. But it’s not impossible! By following a few practices and asking the right questions, your ability to determine if a company is a good fit for you or not will go way up! In this episode I’ll share:The challenges of assessing a workplace from the outside, and tips to work around themWhy looking at team-level factors is more important than company culture factorsQuestions to ask before accepting a job offer to gauge fitYou can find show notes and a complete transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/company-fit

I’m pretty sure that peace is one of those things that you could never have too much of! We could all use more peace in our lives, right?Especially now as we’re going on month 9 of the Covid pandemic and quarantine, and things are looking worse for the next few weeks. Prioritization may seem like a funny thing to talk about when so many of the things we enjoy in life are no longer possible or guaranteed. However, the skill of prioritization can be applied to mindset, thoughts and goals in the same way it can be applied to our time or activities. And by doing that, we can experience greater peace.In this episode I share:Why prioritization is key for experiencing peace in life & careerWhat we tend to do instead of practicing prioritizationHow to know when prioritization is lacking, and ideas for implementing it in your lifeYou can find show notes and a complete transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/peace-through-prioritization 

Helping people uncover and articulate their strengths is one of my favorite parts of coaching! It’s such an empowering experience when people learn how to articulate what it is they are great at and why. Exploring strengths is where I usually start with my career coaching clients, so I thought it would be a great topic to share more about on the podcast, too!In this episode I’ll share:What strengths are and how to find yoursHow working in your strengths helps you to thrive at workWhy people who know their strengths and leverage them are happier and earn moreFind show notes, including a full transcript, here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/strengths-fulfilling-career

I hear push back from clients all the time about if spending their time writing customized resumes and cover letters is really worth it. Their past experiences tell them it isn’t, and I have to ask them to trust me. What they find is, learning to position themselves on paper is actually very rewarding, genuine and gets results. Compared to the average job searcher who sends out dozens of job applications, my clients, on average, only need to apply to two jobs before being offered an interview. And, maybe the best part is, when they get that interview offer they feel ready. The effort they put into their “paper” application prepares them to kill their interview and do so confidently. In this episode I’ll share:Why writing tailored resumes AND cover letters is worth the time investment in your job searchHow to identify resume-worthy achievements & write about themWhat a cover letter’s real purpose is and how to write one that stands outYou can find full show notes, a transcript + a FREE downloadable cheat sheet with template resume statements here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/positioning-yourself-job-search

I work with a lot of clients whose goal is to pivot into a tech role or join a tech company. They want to be on the forefront of innovation, and benefit from the salaries, flexibility and growth tech jobs can offer. Since you chose to listen to this episode, I’m guessing that you identify with these desires, too. Whether you see yourself as “techy” or not--if you’re driven, think outside the box and are motivated to make a positive change in your career and life, this episode will help you learn how to position yourself for your next role in tech. In this episode I’ll share:Why creative professionals are well-positioned to transfer into tech companies and roles The 5 most in-demand skills for creatives in tech How you can show you possess these skills, even without a background in techFind full show notes + a transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/5-top-skills-creatives-tech

I am loving today’s topic because it’s diving into a question that takes a lot of foresight to answer correctly for yourself. It’s the question of whether a job change, or a career change would best resolve the tension you may be experiencing in your work life.So without further ado, let’s get into it. In this episode I’ll share:How to know you’re ready for some sort of career transitionWhat questions to ask yourself to decide if changing jobs, or careers is the best route for youWhy career changing isn’t as daunting as it soundsFind full show notes + a transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/job-career-change

Over the past two weeks I’ve hosted a series of free calls for people who were struggling to get traction in their job search. I decided to offer these free calls after seeing post after post on LinkedIn from people sharing similar experiences. They had been applying to dozens of jobs without hearing back from employers or being offered an interview. I wanted to talk to people who were experiencing this to learn more about what they were doing and to see how I could help. Everyone I spoke with had a unique situation, background and specific areas that needed the most attention in their job search effort. However, there was definitely a unifying pain point, which is what I want to address in this episode. The pain point everyone mentioned was a feeling of chaos and frenzy related to their job search. Constant scrolling of job sites and applying to so many positions they couldn’t even keep them straight. Job searching is stressful. There’s little way to get around that, especially if you are currently unemployed or in an unhealthy work environment. But making tweaks in how you approach your job search to be more strategic and focused can completely transform your experience, and success, when applying to jobs. In this episode I’ll share:What most job seekers get wrong at the start of their job search Where to start a strategic job search that will yield maximum resultsA special resource to help you navigate job searching with more easeFind full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/start-strategic-job-search

I decided to tackle this topic after receiving a great suggestion from my friend Kirsten. To help frame today’s discussion, I’m going read what Kirsten shared she feels is missing in the conversations and advice regarding careers: I've been loving this idea of figuring out the skills and expertise you have, not just in your career but in your life, and how you can combine those and transfer into other jobs or careers you might not have known were a good fit for you. I think we grew up focusing on going after a specific career or job, but with as quickly as some types of jobs go away and new ones pop up these days, it makes more sense to me to focus on acquiring skills and expertise in a range vs. going after a specific job. Figuring out how to transfer those is sometimes tricky, especially if you didn't know an industry or career that needs those skills even existed! - KirstenI love this conversation because it touches on many elements of what building a creative career is all about! So let’s get into it.In this episode I’ll share:How to figure out the skills and expertise you have outside of your work experienceWays to apply “homegrown” skills to your careerHow to show you possess skills earned outside of your career when applying to jobsI’ll be sharing examples and some case studies from myself, friends and clients alike to help spark ideas for how you can do this, too!You can find full show notes, links and a transcript here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/building-holistic-career

This is a question I’ve seen posed a lot on LinkedIn and in articles during the Covid pandemic. When the effects of the virus reached the economy, many people lost their jobs and many companies put their hiring plans on hold. However, while the circumstances of the pandemic economy are unique, the experience of applying to jobs and not hearing back is a problem that people have experienced, and will continue to experience, despite there being a pandemic. I personally know how deflating it can be to experience this on the job market. So I am happy to be able to share some insight and tactics for overcoming this scenario from a career strategy and foresight perspective. In this episode I’ll share:What factors may be at play that are contributing to the “silence” you’re experiencing on the job marketHow you can adapt your job search strategy to increase your odds of hearing back from employers and landing an interviewHow to use your time in between employment to increase your career opportunitiesThen, I'm answering a listener question from Maggie about how people with “no” experience land jobs in fields or positions they’ve never worked.Find full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/not-hearing-back-job-applications

The past week I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this past year of starting and building my business has been like. Right now, I’m in a pretty good place. I feel confident in my role as a coach and have seen my clients succeed again and again.But it felt a little cheap to just call it all positive success when the reality is that most of the year was a struggle.I really wanted to celebrate this first year with you, but to do so in a way that was honest and beneficial for others who are on the journey of building something creative—whether it’s your own business, a passion project, your career, family or something entirely different.I chose to take a month-by-month look at what actually happened this past year, and how it all felt.I hope it encourages you to keep pressing on in your good work!In this episode I share:How long building momentum took for my businessA month-by-month breakdown of the experiments, challenges and wins I had over the past yearHow I found my footing in the first year of business chaosFind full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/first-year-business

Danielle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a podcast host, speaker, ballroom dance instructor and actor—to name a few of her titles. She fully embraces being multi-passionate and has built a diverse career. But it wasn't always that way. In this episode, she shares her journey of self-discovery and the role her career played in that journey. In this episode we discuss:Danielle's story of building her creative career and the process of slowly chipping away at the question, "What am I supposed to be doing?"The tension of being "in the middle" of a story that has yet to be resolved, and how to stay grounded in the midst of itWhy breakdowns have to happen before we can have breakthroughs, and how to recognize when you're getting close to having oneThis conversation was so special and delightful, I can't wait to share it with you!To find the full show notes, including a complete transcript, please go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/danielle-ireland

Rachel is the co-founder and CEO of Wethos, a platform that is transforming how freelancers find work, do work and earn a sustainable income. There are many things that make Wethos different from other freelancing platforms and networks, including their focus on working within teams, winning large contracts and how Wethos pays their freelancers. What Rachel and her team are building truly is revolutionary, and it makes me even more excited for the future of work.In this episode we cover:The challenges and limitations of how the freelancing economy typically works for creative professionalsHow Wethos is disrupting the industry by creating a platform that allows freelancers to work as teams on bigger, higher-paying projects What makes Rachel most excited about the future of work, and how Wethos is both creating and adapting to itCheck out the full show notes for more info, a transcript and links to resources: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/rachel-renock

Today’s topic and episode is blowing my mind. There are pieces of it that tie into every past season of the Career Foresight podcast as well as providing insight for the future of work.Saying, “I’m excited,” is an understatement. I’m going back to my podcasting roots on this episode by focusing the discussion on findings from a research article. In this case, it’s an article from the March-April 2020 edition of the Harvard Business Review. The article is titled, “What’s Really Holding Women Back? It’s Not What Most People Think.” It was researched and authored by Robin J. Ely, who is the Diane Doerge Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and the faculty chair of the HBS Gender Initiative, and Irene Padavic, who is the Mildred and Claude Pepper Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Florida State University. In this episode I’ll share:What most people (women, men, business leaders and subordinates alike) believe is keeping women from advancing to positions of powerHow the research and data on this topic disproves that assumption, and what is really derailing women's career trajectories  Why we need to broaden our views on the issue of workplace equality and check our biasesYou can find the full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/gender-inequality-narrative

The reason I decided to share this episode is because I have been outraged and extremely disappointed by some of the business I’ve worked with recently. I have learned a lot from these mistakes, and it has been humbling and embarrassing. As a small business owner who works primarily with 1-on-1 coaching clients, customer service and satisfaction is essential. I do everything in my power to help my clients be successful in their career transitions and to treat them with respect and understanding in the process. My clients get the results they were looking for, which is why my business has been able to grow quite quickly this past year. My business is built on past successes, not fancy marketing. When a prospective client is considering working with me, I do not take that lightly. I understand that it is usually a significant financial investment and I honor their decision whether they choose to work with me or not. If they do choose to invest in me as their coach, you had better believe I do what I can to go above and beyond their expectations. All that being said, what I will be sharing in this episode is my own rules for evaluating financial decisions for my business including things like business coaching, courses, services, contractors and technology. I challenge you to create your own rules for evaluating financial investments, or adapt mine. And, I welcome you to use rules like this to evaluate working with me if you’re in search of a career coach. I promise to run my business and offer my services with integrity, and with you in mind. In this episode I’ll share:Some background on my most regretted financial investmentsMy 8 new rules for evaluating my financial decisionsWhy we should be prepared for an onslaught of marketing messages encouraging to spend more post-COVID 19 lockdownFind full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/financial-decisions

There has been a lot of talk about what life will look like post-COVID-19 lockdown. Recently, what has been most compelling to me about the future is how  this experience will shape our relationship with control. The COVID-19 pandemic has been eye-opening for everyone. It has certainly provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate our expectations for how life “should” go, and what the implications of not having that type of control are. It’s my hope that this collective experience sparks an awakening in people. And that as individual people and as a society alike, we will stop letting fears and insecurities guide and govern our decision making. Rather, I hope to find that we become more intentional and at peace with how we choose to live our lives. I’m excited to explore this topic with you today!In this episode I’ll share:Why we are obsessed with control, but it’s always an illusionWhy confronting the reality that we always live in uncertainty is beneficialHow we can reevaluate what type of “normal” we go back toThen, I’m answering a listener question from Talia about the most important skills to possess to be successful in a start-up technology company.

I’ve made a lot of voluntary career changes in the past five years. But the first career change I made after graduating college was anything but voluntary. I was let go instantly, without any notice. I can still remember the feeling of panic that hit me when I heard the news. I wouldn’t have been able to recognize it at that time, but being let go from a dead-end job was the best thing to ever happen to me in my career. While so many people are dealing with hardships and changes in their work right now, I wanted to reflect on my experience being laid off and how it’s turned into good over the past few years. In this episode I’ll share:What my first job out of college was, and why I felt stuck thereThe fears and insecurities that kept me from considering making a career changeHow I was laid off, and what it made me realize about my potential, worth and professional goalsThen, I’m answering a listener question from Claire about how to know when it’s time to start planning for a career change. Find full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/laid-off

I saw a meme that said today was March 97th, and I thought, “Yes! That is exactly what today feels like.” The days are long when you’re quarantined. They’re even longer when your mind is anxious, you’re lonely, or you're juggling multiple responsibilities like caring for children and doing your job from home. I’ve talked with several people in the past week who when talking about their experience working from home have brought up the feeling of guilt. Immediately, I knew what they were talking about. I’ve felt that burden of guilt related to my work many times in my life, but especially so when I first started working remotely.When I think about what our world needs right now, I know that it’s definitely not guilt about lack of focus while working from home. So today I’m going to share some helpful tips about how to recognize & stop those feelings of guilt. In this episode I’ll be talking about:Why many people deal with feelings of guilt when they work from homeThe unique pressures contributing to these feelings of guilt because of COVID-19How to manage feelings of guilt, do great work and take care of yourselfThen, I’m answering a listener question from Mingi who asked for advice about improving his interviewing skills, after being offered several interviews, but now job offers. Find full show notes and links here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/feeling-guilty-wfh

I know this is a really difficult time, and everyone is being affected in some way by COVID-19 and it’s wide-ranging impacts. Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in and listen to this podcast. Your support during this time means so much to me, and I’m honored to have a bit of your attention that I know is spread pretty thin these days. I want you to know that I’ve updated my plan for this show, to make the content as relevant as possible. I have also been creating specialized resources to help people during this time the best that I can. I’ll be sharing more about what those are later on in today’s episode.In this episode I’ll share:Why now is the time to start thinking and planning ahead for your careerIdeas for working through fear and uncertainty in a productive wayHow I’m innovating and adapting my services to address people‘s most pressing needs Then, I’m answering a listener question from Kylie who asked for some tips about how to stay productive and focused while working from home. Check out the full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/future-work-uncertain-times

In 2020, I decided to stop using Instagram for both personal and business purposes. The main reasons were my pursuit of mental sanity and peace, and to focus on building my business in more sustainable ways.The reason I’m including this episode in this season focused on the future or work topics is because it’s pretty countercultural. As more technology, tools and platforms become available, there is going to be an even more increased demand on our attention and time. While technology can facilitate a lot of amazing opportunities for creative professionals, it can also distract us and dilute our ideas and efforts if we aren’t intentional about our use. I believe that the ability to assess and make decisions about where we spend our time and what we give our attention to is a crucial skill for creative professionals in the future of work. The hardest part may be being willing to give up something good for something that could be great. In this episode I’ll share:What led me to make the decision to leave Instagram in 2020What things I hoped to experiment, learn and test for my business during the time off InstagramThe benefits and consequences I’ve seen so far after almost 3 months off InstagramThen, I’m answering a listener question from Jordan about how to start embracing her creative strengths and leveraging them in her career. I can’t wait for that discussion!Find full show notes here: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/leaving-instagram

What should you do when you are pulled in multiple directions?! This question is at the heart of almost all of my work with career coaching clients. In some, it manifests as overwhelm from considering several options and wanting parts of all of them. In others, it manifests as apathy from the uncertainty they are confronted with when not knowing the best path to take. When you don’t know what decision to make, or feel like you have lots of options to pursue, do you tend to feel overwhelmed, or apathetic? In this episode you’ll learn:The situations and circumstances that tend to make us feel this wayWhy creative professionals tend to encounter these feelings frequentlyInsights and tools you can use to help you navigate challenging decisions and open-ended opportunities  At the end of the episode, I’m answering a great listener question from Toby about how to curate resumes for positions that aren’t local, such as out-of-state jobs, or remote positions. Can’t wait to get to that!For full show notes visit: https://www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/pulled-multiple-directions

Maybe you’ve heard the term “future of work” thrown around here or there, in news headlines or on LinkedIn. Or maybe, this is your first time hearing it and you thought I just made it up. Well, I didn’t. The future of work is a big concept that refers to all of the changes the working world is currently transitioning through. Typical talking points about the future of work tend to include globalization, online, remote work, automation, AI and things of that nature. With that in mind, people’s views and perceptions of the future of work can be wildly different, and it’s usually based on whether or not they feel like they have the skills to “keep up” in the future of work or if they will be left behind. There is no doubt that this topic could be scary for some people, especially if they’ve lived long enough to see whole industries change or become obsolete, or have personally experienced layoffs and difficulties finding work. But at the same time, there is a lot of fear-mongering and noise about the future of work that makes it seem like a dark force, rather than the opportunity it really is. Overtime, I want to get into a lot of the topics and nuances related to the future of work, but as a place to start, I want to focus on the basics of the future of work, and where I see great potential for people to thrive, especially creative people.So the basics of the future of work conversation include these three topics:Types of work available and how that will change (because of automation, AI, competition, etc.)The nature of work structures and how they will change (remote work, gig economy, entrepreneurship, side hustlers, etc.)Financial opportunity and how that will change (how wages will change and what will be required to make a living wage)For full show notes & resources, go to: www.jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/future-of-work-creative-professionals

I am so thrilled to introduce you to this week’s Career Foresight guest! Meet Dielle Charon.Dielle is a business coach and founder of School of Ambition, her podcast and resource website.Her sweet spot is helping coaches launch their programs and sign clients--even while they have a full-time job.What I love about Dielle is that she has structured her business in a way that minimizes stress and the “always-on” hustle. She aims to take both Saturdays and Sundays off from both her full-time job as a social worker and from her business. I love that! Do you know how many people work on the weekends when they only have one of those things (full-time job or business)?!Dielle has a history of being an ambitious, high-achiever.But unlike many who possess those traits, she is actually able to communicate the habits and mindsets she leverages to lead to her success. And that’s what makes her such a fantastic coach and podcast host!P.S. You can check out my interview on the School of Ambition here!In our conversation we discuss:How student debt inspired Dielle to start her thriving online businessHer “One Thing” method that helps Dielle and her clients build and manage their businesses with full-time jobs and other pressing prioritiesHow building a CEO mindset helps you reach your business goalsTo connect with Dielle & the School of Ambition, go to:Website: www.schoolofambition.comInstagram: @diellecharonWeekly Listener QuestionThis week’s listener question is from Kaitlyn. She writes:“I’m a military spouse. For the past 10 years, I’ve either moved or been preparing for a move every few years. I have a teaching degree, but each state’s licensing requirements are different, so I can’t just jump into a new teaching position when we move. Especially with the duty of solo-parenting while my husband is deployed, it hasn’t seemed worth the financial or time commitment to meet the requirements when I know we'll be moving again in just a couple of years.I’m ready to invest in myself and build a career I enjoy. But I’m not sure where to start. I know you have moved a couple of times recently. How do you approach building your network in new cities and finding opportunities that are a good fit?” For full show notes, go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/side-hustle 

In today’s episode, I interview Halelly Azulay. Halelly is the CEO & leadership development strategist at TalentGrow LLC. She’s an expert in leadership, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic networking, Halelly develops leaders that people *want* to follow.She is the author of two books, Employee Development on a Shoestring and Strength to Strength. She offers actionable leadership insights and advice as a sought-after speaker and workshop leader as well as on her blog and her leadership podcast, the TalentGrow Show.In our conversation, we discuss:The behaviors leaders need to demonstrate to be engaging & trustworthyHow to create & articulate a vision people want to followAnd how to seek out leadership opportunities to build your skills inside, or outside, of your jobWe’ve probably all had experiences with great leaders, and also with poor leaders--so we know how big of a difference leadership can make in our lives!What I love about Halelly’s work is that it underscores the importance of integrity, authenticity and vulnerability are to the leadership journey. Unfortunately, these aren’t the characteristics or behaviors that come to mind most often when we think of bosses or corporate leaders.I believe that it’s possible to change our expectations of what leaders look and act like. But part of that process is by stepping up to lead in the way we would want to be led ourselves.I’m grateful to have Halelly on the show to discuss some of the practical ways we can start doing this today!And after our interview, I have a fun new segment for you where I’ll be answering a listener’s question!This week’s question is, “What do I do if I got on my boss’s bad side by trying to draw boundaries and be transparent with them, but it backfired?”Let me know what you think about the show’s new format!Download Halelly’s free gift: 10 Ways to Become a More Engaging Communicator! Group Coaching Offer! To learn more & enroll in my next group coaching program, click here!For full show notes, go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/integrity-leadership

Valerie is one of the most dynamic people I have ever met. She exudes strength and presence. When she asks questions or shares her perspective, it's obvious it comes from a well of wisdom and thoughtfulness. She's the founder of the Vibrant Life Collective, an online yogic community for women of color, and I'm so thrilled to have her on the show!I was lucky enough to meet Valerie back in March when we both participated in a workshop to help launch our budding businesses. Immediately, Valerie's presence was captivating. Everyone in our cohort agreed that she had special kind of power in her voice. When she speaks up, you listen and you feel something.Valerie created The Vibrant Life Collective for women of color to have a space where they can come together and practice yoga and inner peace exercises.She has over 20 years of experience teaching yoga, and has traveled to and lived in cities and countries all over the world. She's lived in, or traveled to over 150 cities! Currently, she lives in a small, rural town in Canada. The vastness of Valerie's experience is fascinating to me, and it definitely plays into her knowledge of what a vibrant life means and looks like.Her desire to create an online space for women of color was inspired in part because of her own experience being the only black woman in her current town, but also because of the general lack of women of color in the North American mainstream yoga culture.In our conversation, we also discuss:The 7 pillars of living a vibrant lifeHow to befriend hard experiences, like shame, in order to embrace a vibrant lifeHow to be mindful of cultural appropriation, specifically related to yogic practicesWhy yoga and mindfulness is especially important and relevant for women of colorHow living in a town where no one else looks like her has informed how Valerie pursues her workI know you are going to be inspired by Valerie's story and perspectives on life. I can't wait for you to dive in!For full show notes, visit: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/vibrant-life

I went to my first real conference just over four years ago, and it changed my life. The conference was for female creative business owners and I had never felt so at home amongst strangers. It was the first time I felt that, “These are my people” kind of feeling and I’ve been seeking out those types of connections ever since.Conferences continue to be the places where I find I am most inspired and encouraged in my life and business. Especially since I’ve lived in smaller cities post-college, conferences break me out of what’s become “normal” to me and expose me diversity in thought, approach and style.I love conferences. And I approach them with a lot of energy and thoughtfulness because I want to make it worth my investment to be there.But I also know there are a lot of people out there that are not quite as excited about conferences as I am. They might not enjoy conferences because they don’t like the idea of networking, feel overwhelmed by a crowded room or feel uncertain about how to follow up after the conference is over.Whether you love conferences as I do, or you see them more as a duty than an opportunity, this episode of Career Foresight will give you the tools and skills you need to rock your next conference or networking event!This episode is a conversation with my friend Chad Clark from Koach Financial before he flew to Atlanta for the Bank Innovation Build conference. We structured the conversation like a coaching session to make sure Chad felt prepared to represent Koach, and find the information, people and resources he needed to take the company to the next level.I know you’ll be able to glean a lot of helpful tips from our Q&A format of conference networking tips!For full show notes, visit: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/conference-tips

I frequently think: Comedians are the bravest people in the world. I mean, to get up on stage and try to be funny—the vulnerability and courage it takes to do that simply blows my mind! I love watching comedians perform. And my intrigue usually leads to me wondering, would I ever be able to do that?I don’t know the answer to that question yet. But my fascination with comedians is just part of the reason I am so excited to introduce you to today’s guest on the Career Foresight podcast.I got to interview JJ Barrows, a comedian, writer, artist, and overall inspiring and persevering creative!Last month, JJ performed at Dry Var Comedy in Utah, a major milestone in any comedians journey. This past week, she performed several times for the Seattle International Comedy Competition. She’s earned these opportunities because she’s good.What stood out to me in our conversation was JJ’s grit and perseverance. Her comedy career is relatively new, she’s only been at it for three years. But building a creative career is something JJ’s been at for a while.This Fall, along with her noteworthy comedy shows she’s also celebrating the launch of her first book, It’s Called a Spade. The book has been six years in the making. One thing JJ said that stuck out to me was, “I’ve changed a lot since first writing that book. But I wanted to honor the person I was at that time and see the publishing through.”As we talked through JJ’s creative career we also discussed several topics that I know everyone can learn from and be encouraged by.For full show notes, head to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/creative-grit

Following up on last week’s episode about narrative foresight! The stories we tell ourselves and implicitly believe about work have huge implications on our day-to-day experience at work and our overall life satisfaction. Narrative foresight is the practice of choosing which stories you use to make sense of your past, present, and future to lead to better outcomes. In this episode, I’m teaching about two specific types of stories that tend to hold people back. “Disowned futures” and “used futures” stories are the most common types of thought patterns that hinder people’s ability to practice narrative foresight. Disowned Future StoriesA disowned future story is what happens when we disregard ourselves as full, integrated people. Instead of envisioning a future that allows us to thrive, a disowned future envisions a future based on a specific part, skill, or achievement at which we excel. When we focus too much on how we can capitalize on our assets, we disown our true selves and the deeper desires that may exist.Used Future StoriesUsed future stories refer to outdated stories and assumptions. Or, making decisions based on stories that seem solid now, but are bound to change in the future for economic, ecological, technological, demographic or cultural reasons.For full show notes and tips, go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/future-work

Foresight, in a nutshell, is about envisioning the future you want to create and then practicing prioritization to take action towards your goals. As you hone your foresight, you gain the ability to make decisions and pursue opportunities that work for you, for the specific reasons that matter to you.The practice of narrative foresightA whole body of research exists to expose our human tendency to make sense of our experience by placing ourselves within a storyline. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, my first book was about how to identify your life's storyline! Rather, the goal is to make you aware of how your brain naturally works so that you can make it work for you. Because if you don't actively contest the storyline, you will just follow the default.Narrative foresight is the practice of choosing which stories you use to make sense of your past, present and future.Narrative foresight has been studied and proved to be effective, but rarely practiced. The main reason for this is that the majority of the population doesn't recognize how significantly they are influenced by cultural stories and the status quo.If you don’t realize you’re living in alignment with a poor story, it’s hard to change it!That’s why this year on the Career Foresight podcast I’ve been asking every guest to speak consciously about the stories they recognize in our culture. Each guest that has been on the show has answered the following two questions:What is a story about our relationship to work that you would challenge people to leave behind in 2019?What is a FRESH story about work you challenge people to embrace in 2019?Full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/what-is-foresight

After a few months of building my career coaching business full-time, I decided to add a job back into the mix. In this episode, I'm walking you through all the career choices and changes I've made this past year and why I made each of them. You can find the full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/how-jobs-help-build-business

Today I am honored to introduce you to my friend, Josh Newton. Josh has an incredible gift of speaking encouragement and believing in other people when they might not be able to believe in themselves. I have been very blessed by this gift of his and his friendship over the past few years and I’ve learned so much from his example. Josh is a wedding photographer, storyteller and he helps companies with business development and marketing needs. But mostly, he’s an extraordinary human. I know you’ll enjoy our conversation!I met Josh about three years ago at a conference. I was in a weird headspace dealing with a lot of uncertainty and insecurity from having just published my first book.When we started talking, I was taken aback by how attentively he listened and encouraged me. And then he did something totally unexpected!Right then and there, he brought over people he knew that could help me answer my questions or help me figure out how to take my next step. I got to meet one of my biggest role models that night because Josh said, “Let’s do it! I’ll introduce you to her!”Josh has a level of sincerity and genuine care for others that’s rare in today’s hurried and self-focused society.Everyone who meets him gets a gift like I did. Being believed in is powerful. Somehow, even more-so when the person believing in you does so objectively (i.e. not a family member). Josh is a wedding photographer and he’s built an impressive business over the past 14 years. He’s travelled to at least 43 states and 35 countries! Traveling the world to incredible destinations with amazing clients is not a luxury that all photographers get. You had better believe that it’s the way Josh treats his people that has opened up these opportunities for him.His ability to connect with anyone has also helped him build meaningful relationships with companies he’s helped with their business development and marketing needs.In our conversation, we covered the following topics:How he’s built his photography business to shoot in 43 states and 35 countriesHow to walk the line between photography clients perceiving that their paying for your vacation, or their gratitude for you making the sacrifice to travel such a long wayHow Josh intentionally seeks out connections and opportunities to help people take their next stepHow Josh’s practice of saying “yes” to opportunities has opened up a world of possibilities for himHow making connections immediately for people helps people get over the hurdle of procrastination or uncertainty of how to make their dreams realityWhy Josh thinks that really believing in people is one of the most powerful things we can do as humansHow going through a season of restructuring his life gave way to a newfound sense of purpose and direction in his giftingsHow curiosity and genuine interest has led Josh to opportunities and relationshipsWhy it’s easier to say “no,” or stay in the background than to put yourself out there and pursue your dreams, and what to do about itHow Josh’s belief in a really great love shines through in all of his photographyHow Josh’s desire to create an impact has changed over time from being big picture “wanting to change the world” to focusing smaller on being a light to the people who come into his lifeHow Josh’s focus on showing up and putting the needs of others first keeps him from burn outThe story Josh challenges people to move beyond: That you have to have it all together to have an impactWhy the trend to be “vulnerable” on social media doesn’t come across that way, and feels like contrived authenticityFind all the show notes here! https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/believe-in-others

False decision points are when you feel cornered into making a decision. They are false because in fact, you may have misidentified the root problem that needs to be addressed, or because you have not evaluated all of your options.Even the most mentally strong, motivated and open-minded people can fall victim to false decision points in their life. It happens because we crave certainty. And making a decision (even if we haven’t done the work to be confident it’s the best choice) often leads people to believe they have regained some of that certainty they desire.False decision points commonly arise when:Your considering a promotionYou feel a lack of creativity or growthYou're under a significant amount of stressPersonal and professional goals conflictHow to recognize false decision points: “But that’s not possible because…”“Always” & “Never” statements“This is just how it is…”“I don’t have any other options.”For full show notes, go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/false-decision-points

Julianne is an aspiring global executive with a love for travel, creativity and personal growth. In fact, it’s her love for those three things that have influenced her professional goal to lead a global company.A lot of people doubt their potential, and this is something Julianne witnesses on the daily. But through her own life choices and the way she manages her team, she’s trying to change this. Her challenge to people is to “always raise your hand for a new opportunity, even if you’re not sure you’ll like it or be good at it right away.” This is important to her because she knows that’s how people grow and learn new things--which is what drive’s Julianne’s passion and determination.Julianne’s perspectives on work and building a long-term career are full of foresight. In our conversation she shares thoughtful ideas, her joy and helpful insights for people who may be questioning their capability to achieve their own big goals. The tension between sharing more “traditional” professional strengths & success and creative ones on social mediaOne of the top reasons I wanted to have Julianne on the Career Foresight podcast is that our relationship highlights an interesting aspect of how our social media society prefers certain types of work over others. I met Julianne back when we both lived in Tucson. Before actually meeting her in person, I’d known who she was because I saw the gorgeous photos she took on social media and local businesses’ websites.My assumption was that Julianne’s career was photography. I had no idea that she also building a career in the corporate world! But it turns out photography was just a tool she used to be creative, connect with her community and make some extra money.About a year ago, Julianne moved to Pittsburgh, PA to take on a new position with ADP (you know, the company that processes payroll for most of the world!). When she shared the news on Instagram, I felt this funny sense of shock and excitement. “How had we never connected about this?” I wondered. Pursuing multiple career and passion endeavorsI love talking with people who pursue multiple passions and professional interests. I love how there are so many opportunities to be creative and mix and match skills and passions in our professional landscape. But I do find it odd how social media usually only highlights creative or entrepreneurial types of work. Now, I do get it in part… What are you going to post about if you work in a typical office setting, or at a job with sensitive data or personal information? Or, maybe? Some people are so engaged in their work they don’t even think about sharing about it on social media! Just a thought to consider. ;)What I enjoy about Julianne’s approach to her work is that she sees each endeavor as fulfilling different aspects of her personal and professional goals. Photography is what she does because she loves it and it gives her a way to invest in her community. Her career at ADP is how she makes an impact on many people’s lives, grows professionally and gets to travel the world. You can tell from Julianne’s voice that she’s found alignment and purpose in her life and work, and that’s what foresight is all about!Listen to our full interview to learn about Julianne’s goal to become a global executive; how that desire came to be, what it means to her, and what she’s doing today to make that goal a reality.Full show notes: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/expand-yourself

I haven’t known Meredith for long, but we clicked so instantly it feels like I’ve known her for years. I was introduced to her via a Facebook group we both belong to that’s for authors preparing to publish and launch their books. Earlier this summer, Meredith introduced herself to the group like this, “Howdy! I am Meredith Noble in Valdez, Alaska. Valdez was developed by pioneers seeking gold. I am part of a new wave of pioneers. Instead of gold, we seek a high quality of life.” With her introduction, she included a few stunning photos of Valdez that sparked wanderlust in everyone, I’m sure. Instantly, I knew I wanted to meet her and have here on the show!What I could tell from Meredith’s short introduction is that she is a person of foresight and is willing to make intentional decisions to create an aligned life. Most people don’t move to the middle of Alaska to live in a town of fewer than 2,000 people. And most people don’t leave their well-paying consulting jobs to start an online business teaching people how to write great grants. But Meredith has done both. She is a member of a community called Geeks in the Woods which is a startup hub in the unlikely place of Valdez, Alaska. Their desire is to make “work and life seamlessly integrated.”For Meredith, this means taking full advantage of the surrounding her and enjoying the simpler lifestyle of living in the country. One thing that jumped out to me while interviewing Meredith is how rare the Geeks in the Woods and Meredith’s story is. For them, simple living does not equate to working less or working less hard. Rather, by enjoying their life more and making that a priority, their creative and productive output increases. The more typical story is that to gain opportunity or productivity in your work or business, you want to be where “the things” are happening. That’s why it’s so common for people to want to move to bigger cities when they feel they aren’t making the progress they should be. I admire how Meredith and her community are challenging that assumption and actively building the lives, community, and businesses of their dreams.In our conversation, Meredith shares how she got to the point in her life where she was able to make the decision to uproot and move to Valdez, why she cares about helping people write grants, and how she prioritizes and keeps herself accountable to her goals. She challenges listeners to leave behind the story that our current experience of work is how things have to be. Just because it’s what you know, doesn’t mean that it’s normal or how things need to stay.I promise this episode of Career Foresight will give you several things to think about and inspire you to take bold action in your life!Find full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/pioneering-high-quality-life

I’m excited to welcome Scott Knight to the Career Foresight podcast. Scott is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Mintor a new platform designed to reimagine mentorship. Through Mintor, entrepreneurs, startups, and industry leaders are able to find and build goal-driven mentoring relationships.Mentorship is a unique kind of relationship that I’d argue might be becoming a lost art.Reaching out to ask for advice or personal wisdom is challenging. For example, the fear of rejection and the uncertainty that you’ll get applicable advice hold many people back from seeking guidance.And what if you get locked into an agreement that isn’t really giving you value?These concerns are exactly why I’m so excited Scott is creating Mintor. First of all, only mentors who are seeking to give back and invest time in mentoring relationships will be on the platform. You don’t need to worry about trying to talk someone into a meeting with you.Secondly, you’ll be matched to people who are most likely able to be the most helpful given your situation. If it’s not a good fit, no hard feelings.One of the reasons I was so excited to have Scott on the show is because mentorship relationships exude foresight.Asking for help, seeking feedback and broadening your worldview are all important elements to building careers that are aligned, sustainable and successful. And all of these elements happen naturally through mentorship.Something I found compelling was how Scott and his co-founder, Kasra,r approached building it Mintor. They baked mentorship right into it! As they’ve been developing the platform they have invited eight mentors into their process. These eight people make up their Board of Advisors and each has experience in different aspects of building, launching and managing a business.In our conversation, Scott shares about what mentorship means to him and why he thinks lack of mentorship is a problem worth solving. He shares tips for creating healthy mentorship relationships and gives us a preview into his debut book!For links and full show notes, go to: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/mentorship

Genecia Alluora is former Miss Singapore and the Southeast Asia Woman of Excellence 2010. She is the founder of Soul Rich Woman, the #1 female entrepreneur network in Southeast Asia that connects more than 200,000 women across the region. Her network has a presence in 7 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.Genecia started working when she was 14 years-old to help support her family financially. Her first job was as a dance instructor, which is something she enjoyed doing. After a couple of years, her entrepreneurial leaning started to show itself.She wanted to solve the problem, “How can I get paid more while offering a service?” As a dance instructor, she was trading time for money and wanted that to change. Her solution? She hired a handful of friends and made them her teammates. Instead of just teaching one class per hour, Genecia was able to teach six and make a profit from each one.Her next business venture was creating and managing a retail coffee chain that had several storefronts. In fact, Genecia and her business partners had so much success that they were eventually acquired by a big brand name.During that time, Genecia realized her true passion. She wanted to help women build successful businesses so that they could feel fabulous, be free and find financial success. Her specific niche is helping women in Asia create and sustain business online, where everyone has a shot at success.Genecia has been so diligent in pursuing her vision and she has results to show for it. Her work is an overflow of her generous heart, and you feel it from the moment she starts talking.Because Genecia has an incredible record of successes, it might be tempting to think that they came naturally or without difficulty. But don’t be fooled into thinking that. What I appreciate most about Genecia’s interview is her willingness to share her mistakes and learnings. To her, there is so much connectedness between failure and success, but you need to channel it intentionally.Genecia talks fast, so we were able to cover so much ground in this interview. I learned so much, and I know you will too!Here is a quick list of what you have to look forward to:How to live beyond your self-doubtHow your mess can become your messageHow to forgive yourself for a business failure and move forward purposefullyHow to close the gap between your current situation and where you want to beHow to delegate tasks so that you can work in your zone of genius more oftenHow to build a team where everyone feels valued and gets to contribute their best workThe power of authentic storytelling onlineFor full show notes, visit: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/live-empowered

Theresa Delaney is the founder of Creative Kind, a place for people to come together for crafting, conversation and to support small makers and artists. Four years ago, Creative Kind started as a monthly pop-up workshop series and has continuously evolved ever since.In my conversation with Theresa, we discuss how crafting is a perfect avenue for making friends as an adult, lessons learned through the ups and downs of running the business, and so much more!Theresa is a great friend of mine, and I always learn something new from her. This interview was no different. I know you’ll leave it with at least a couple fresh ideas and perspectives.Growing up, Theresa had a lot of opportunities to explore her creative and business-oriented interests. She talks about her first business teaching her classmates handwriting skills, and other early ventures like sewing headbands and making business cards for her parent’s friends.She describes herself as a creative dabbler and liked the freedom of being able to paint for a bit, sew for a bit, and then move on to the next crafty thing.Knowing that background, It makes so much sense that Creative Kind was born by Theresa.Creative Kind provides a space where people can walk in and start creating. The barriers to creativity are low, you don’t need to plan the project and you don’t need previous experience working with a certain medium. This makes for an incredibly welcoming environment where true creativity thrives and real relationships develop.The problem that catalyzed Theresa to start Creative Kind was the struggle many adults experience: how do I make friends after college?Through my first-hand experience with Creative Kind, I know that Theresa is solving this problem in Tucson and I am so grateful for all her effort and intention to build genuine community.Beyond crafty creativity, Theresa shares a lot about the creative journey of business building. Her honesty about the ups and downs, challenges and growth opportunities are relatable and helpful for anyone that is on the entrepreneurial path as well.Whether your primary touchpoint to this interview is crafting, creativity, entrepreneurialism, friendship or Tucson, I know you will find the whole conversation helpful and inspirational!For full show notes visit: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/deeper-connections-through-creativity

Stephanie Hicks is a personal style and wardrobe coach. She helps people show up as their best selves, confident and well-dressed! Stephanie works with female entrepreneurs and coaches who what their personality and brand to be better represented in how they dress.By nature, first impressions are visual impressions. Therefore, it’s important your appearance communicates a positive representation of what it will be like to work with you. And a touch of personality always helps, too!One of the things that makes Stephanie so great is that she understands everyone has a style already. You may not like, it may not suit you the best, but what you have in your closet is a style. Stephanie works with her clients to build a wardrobe they feel great in, starting with what they already have. She is completely devoted to bringing each of her client’s unique personalities out and making sure they feel comfortable (and look awesome!) in all their outfits.Unlike my original perception of what it would be like to work with a personal style coach, Stephanie does not make her clients trash all their clothes and by thousands of dollars of new ones. Her practices are extremely practical and applicable. After she teaches her clients how to build a wardrobe that looks great and works for THEM, they are able to continue phasing items in and out moving forward.Stephanie is a true joy to talk with and learn from. She is obviously passionate about her work, which I love to see. You’ll fall in love with her and gain a new perspective on why it’s worth building a great closet in this episode!Find full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/personal-style

What do you do when you have a dream so big it overwhelms you?That’s the position you may find yourself in. You have an idea or a passion that’s hard to shake. The only problem is, you don’t know how to take the first step to make it a reality.As I mentioned in Episode #59 How Do I Share My Dreams With Others Well?, I think that we need to be more conscious about how we use the word dream.Dreams are beautiful and inspiring and generally wonderful. But they also carry a connotation that they are unrealistic. If you want to see your dreams come to fruition, the first step is to start believing they can happen and that you can figure out how to make them happen.You need to take yourself and your dream seriously.And that takes an incredible amount of courage, I know. I’ve been there. I was a young, 23-year-old working a very non-fancy job in a city where I only knew a handful of people when I admitted to myself that I wanted to be an author and speaker.The audacity! Who was I? How would I ever accomplish that?I didn’t have the answers. But once I owned up to my dream, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I told my husband and I started researching.For me, there have been two questions I have had to repeatedly ask myself when I encounter resistance related to acting on my dreams.I believe these questions have been pivotal for shaping my foresight over the past few years.The first question is, “Who will I be in the future if I do act on this idea/dream/goal?”And the second question is, “Who will I be in the future if I don’t act on this idea/dream/goal?”Those questions have made it pretty clear to me that most often, the resistance I feel is rooted in fear. 5, 10, 25 and 50 years from now, I don’t want to look back on my life and feel regret about things I didn’t do because of fear or insecurity.I want to create my future, live courageously, and use my gifts and skills to the best of my ability.I’m sure that’s what you want for yourself, too.There are several other things that you can do to gain clarity and momentum on your dreams, and I cover those in the podcast episode!Full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/dreams-overwhelm-you

We can’t talk about how to celebrate others without admitting the dark side of why this is such a challenge… Jealousy. Ew! No one wants to admit that they struggle with jealousy, do they? I think jealousy is a particularly challenging emotion to own up to because it feels like we’re showing all our cards. We expose not only our insecurities but also our pride and selfishness--all at once. Yikes! But I’ll say it to you straight: jealousy is an emotion I know well. I don’t know if I'm just more comfortable being honest about my struggle with envy, or if I actually do experience it more than the average person (supposedly Enneagram 8’s are prone to jealousy, and that’s my type). What I do know is that jealousy is a common emotion that can pop up very quickly if I’m not in a healthy place. I’ve experienced first hand how detrimental jealousy can be to personal success and genuine connectedness with others. And because I know how harmful it is, I’ve been working to fight against it for years. The first step? Admitting it. (That’s usually a good first step, it seems!) Once we accept that our emotional response is based on insecurity and comparison, rather than the excuses we use to mask jealousy, we can actually begin the work of finding true freedom from this limiting mental state. Doing so is what allows us to celebrate the success of others without doubting our own worth. It frees us to run our own race, full speed ahead. So in this episode, we’re talking about how you can move past jealousy and comparison so that you can spur others on towards growth and build genuine community. I’d love to hear how you have worked to defeat jealousy in your own life. Share your experience in the comments below! P.S. One of the main reasons we experience jealousy is feeling uncertain about our future or having a lack of clarity about our goals. We start to compare our progress to others and self-doubt creeps in. If this sounds like something you’re experiencing, career coaching is a great antidote! If you want to learn more about how career coaching can help you develop clarity, confidence, and success, reach out to set up a free consultation call! https://www.careerforesight.co/coachingcall

Even though our dreams and ideas tend to revolve around our biggest passions, it’s typical to freeze up when it comes to talking about those dreams with other people. You know what I mean, don’t you?!For example, “So, I heard you started a podcast?”“Uh, yeah... I just thought it would be a great way to share information and I think it will be fun and podcasts may be a bit trendy right now, but I think it’s the best way to reach people so I’m going to give it a try for now.”Good sell, huh? ;)Fill in “podcast” for the dream on your heart. I’m willing to bet you’ve stumbled while trying to talk about it at least a couple of times. Right?This reaction stems from fear and uncertainty.What if my idea doesn’t make sense to them? What if they think it's boring or cliché? What if they don’t think I’m capable of pursuing my dream to completion? Or, even, what if they steal my idea?When we let those fears take charge, they are disabling and sometimes can even extinguish our dreams. Since most dreams can’t come into existence without speaking about them, creating them or acting on them, this poses a problem.It means that we have to be courageous and face our fears at the beginning of our pursuit--even though that’s when we’re most vulnerable and don’t have all of the answers.I first attempted to answer this question of how to communicate my dreams to others about four and a half years ago when I started a series on my blog called the “Really Hard Questions”. It’s fascinating to me to look back on because only a month after publishing the post titled, “How to Share Your Dreams With Others Well” I announced to the world my biggest dream to date.I told the internet that I planned to write a book. It was the most courageous and vulnerable thing I had done at that point in my life. I was scared about what people would think, how they would respond and imagined what it would feel like to fail in front of an audience. But I did it anyways.Part of the reason I got to that point was by preparing for the potential conflict and uncertainty before it arrived (via writing said blog post). I had my plan in place for how I would communicate and respond whether the audience was cheering me on or skeptical and unsupportive.So no matter what dream keeps your mind occupied, if you want to be proactive about overcoming the hurdle of fear that may be in front of you, this podcast episode is for you!Find the show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/share-your-dreams-with-others

"Just because it's easy to believe, doesn't mean it's true," is a refrain I used to remind myself of constantly. When we struggle with feelings like fear of failure or doubting our own worth, they can become so strong that they seem like reality, not just emotional responses.In order to fight through these limiting beliefs, I challenged myself to remember that "just because it's easy to believe, doesn't mean it's true." Eventually, I was able to dismiss those negative thoughts quite quickly. I share that journey in today's episode!I hope that while you listen in, you will challenge yourself to audit the thoughts you are allowing to turn into beliefs.I know it's a lot holder to control your thoughts than it is to let them control you. But you owe it to yourself to do the work.Find the show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/just-because-its-easy-to-believe

The pressure we feel to achieve and produce--especially at an early age--can be intense. Our culture celebrates rising stars, young innovators and the exceptional outliers who find and create success at a very young age. This episode speaks the truth that early achievement, or lack thereof, does not define the rest of your life. You are not wasting your time if you are in a period of learning, growth and gathering information. This is the first of a handful of episodes I'll be releasing this summer that are inspired by some of my early writings on my blog. It's an opportunity to discuss how certain ideas, vision and hopes came to fruition, and how gained life experience has shifted or evolved my thinking. I first wrote a blog post titled "You Haven't Wasted Your Time" on January 14, 2015. Two weeks into the new year, and I was probably feeling the pressure of trying to be perfect by way of New Year's Resolutions. I often struggled to balance my ambitious appetite and goals with the reality I had very little money, influence or time. I spent a lot of mental energy that year focusing and re-focusing on making small, consistent steps in the direction I knew I wanted to go. At the time, that meant writing weekly blog posts, growing my network to interview a wider range of guests, and launching new blog series when I saw ideas catching on. I was being intentional, yet every day I struggled with the thought, "What am I doing?! Why am I wasting my time working on this website?!" What I didn't know when I wrote this, is that in just 6 short months, the opportunity to write a real book would come. And when I say "opportunity" I don't mean that a publisher came and asked me to write a book. Rather, I was able to recognize that writing a book was something I was capable of and could help jumpstart the career path I wanted to pursue. There is a challenge in this episode to get clear on the goals you have for yourself. And I know that's not an easy task for everyone. But without knowing what you're working towards and how you want that to look, there will always be a constant battle to prioritize measures of success that are externally defined. Knowing your goals, and why you want them, provides a buoy for you to come back to when you find yourself exhausted by the pressure to be someone else's version of successful. And when you know what you're working towards, there is freedom from the constant need to produce and achieve. You can learn and grow and build while you wait. **If you would like help gaining clarity about your goals and career, I'd love to help. I'm currently accepting applicants to my Career Foresight Coaching Program (1-on-1 career coaching). If you are interested in learning more, please check out: https://www.careerforesight.co/coaching

Decisions are at the core of every success story and every personal triumph. Isn’t it crazy then to think that most of our tools for making good decisions only include asking for advice, making pros and cons lists, or the trial and error approach? My goal is to help people make empowered decisions, and a place to start is helping them understand the strengths & weaknesses of their decision-making tendencies. Learn the 4 styles of decision making in this episode!BIG LIFE DECISIONS CAN BE VERY EMOTIONAL AND STRESS-INDUCING.Often, it feels like big decisions, primarily related to our careers, will either make or break our future success.THAT LEADS TO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF PRESSURE.While some people may perform well under pressure, pressure doesn't help anyone navigate the decision-making process better.Whether you're considering making a career change, starting a new passion project or relocating, learning more about what's happening behind-the-scenes as you process a decision will help you gain more control and clarity in times of uncertainty.Most decision-making resources and tools focus on group decision making. For example, how to make decisions from a corporate leadership perspective. While you can undoubtedly glean information about how to make decisions for yourself from those models, I wanted to provide a more accessible tool to help you confidently process the choices that impact your personal life most.WHAT ARE THE FOUR STYLES OF DECISION MAKING?You can think of decision-making styles as something similar to personality types. If you love the Enneagram or the Myers Briggs personality tests, then you're apt to love this as well. However, I do want to clarify that this is not a personality test.Instead, it is a tool to give you insight into how you process your decisions. The goal is to help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses so that you can become a stronger, more confident decision maker.The four decision-making styles include:AnalyticalDirectiveConceptualBehavioralTo learn more about your decision-making style, take the quiz here: https://www.careerforesight.co/decision-style-quizInterested in 1-on-1 career coaching? Reach out to schedule a free consultation call here: https://www.careerforesight.co/contact

Nechelle Bartley is a financial strategist and the CEO of MoneyBasics, a Toronto-based financial strategy company. She helps both entrepreneurs and 9-to-5ers develop a financial action plan to help them reach their goals.*Put another way, Nechelle bridges the gap between what’s on your vision board, and what’s in your bank account. *The job title ‘financial strategist’ might conjure up images of stock reports, spreadsheets or words like currency appreciation & depreciation. But I was delightfully surprised to learn that the focus of Nechelle’s work is actually very human.*Financial strategy and success start with knowing what you want and why you want it, Nechelle says. *It’s not just, “I want to own a house,” or, “I want to take a vacation every year,” but knowing what those activities really mean to you. What is motivating those desires? What will change by attaining the given items, experiences or wealth?It seems, the better you can answer questions about what’s motivating your financial goals, the better your relationship with money will be.Nechelle has found that most people she works with have an idea of what things they want to do, have or be in life. And whether we recognize it or not, all of those things eventually boil down to a dollar amount.Nechelle helps people work through the following foundational questions. While they may seem basic at first glance, they take an extraordinary amount of intentional work and mental barrier breakthroughs to answer in a way that will move the needle.What is the lifestyle you’re trying to attain?What do you need to do from an earning perspective to obtain that?What do you need to do once the money comes in?In a world that tends to revolve around money and constant advertisements designed to make you feel lack, people like Nechelle helps us stay grounded.Read more and in the episode show notes: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/why-your-money-matters

Vanessa is the type of person that is all in once she commits to doing something. She’s the owner of Albuquerque Moms Blog, which is a major force for good in the Albuquerque community. Not only does Vanessa’s work serve mothers, but it also helps local businesses gain exposure and customers.With a team of 38 people, Vanessa has a lot of content, perspectives, and new opportunities to manage, and she loves it. She believes that we each get to choose the perspective we’ll hold about our situation and that makes her such a joy to talk with and learn from.Whether you’re building on online business and want a way to give back to your local community, or you’re searching for ways to connect deeper with the people in your city, or you're a parent with entrepreneurial tendencies, you will love this episode!Find the full show notes and links here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/online-biz-local-community

For those of you that have been along on my journey for a while, you know that work is very important to me and it's something that I desire for people to find more joy and satisfaction in.One way I’ve approached this is by questioning the cultural trends and stories that elevates certain types of work over others.The biggest offender?The story that working for yourself, or being an entrepreneur is somehow more fulfilling or worthy than working for someone else.I’ve bought into this mindset myself, and found it lacking.It led to anxiety, frustration and an overall feeling that I was failing because I had a side hustle but not a clear path for how it would lead to a sustainable business.I started this podcast in large part to learn and share how to find satisfaction and meaning in work. What I discovered over the past couple of years has helped me to see that my mindset comes first when I want to change my experience at work.In this episode, I share my story of quitting my job way prematurely (out of stress), how I asked for it back, and found more joy working that job in the year and a half that followed that experience than I had before.I also share why and how I’ve officially decided that it’s time for me to go all in building my own business, despite being at a great point in my corporate career.I hope that you enjoy this personal look into my story, and find aspects of it relatable to your own career journey!https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/transitioning-out-of-corporate

We all go through transitional periods in our lives. However, many people misuse the term “transition”. They think it is interchangeable with “change” or use transition in a defensive way. But transitions can be so much more than that.Linda Rossetti is an expert on transition and has conducted thorough research on how transitions impact adult lives.In this podcast episode, we talk to Linda Rossetti about how transitions are opportunities for growth, what to do when you’re in a slump and getting through the “not enough” mentality.Find full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/how-to-transition-well

In the age of social media, images of people "living their best life" constantly bombard us. Often, this includes people showing off in the name of attaining self-confidence.But through social media alone, it can be tricky to decipher between confidence and egotism. The fact of the matter is, confidence is on trend right now. Nearly every brand sells you on the idea that using their product; you'll feel more confident and free to be yourself.While that sounds great in theory, it's just a sales tactic. Confidence is something that starts deep in the heart. You can't manufacture or sell confidence.Egotism, on the other hand, that's a lot easier to come by. I'm suspicious that a lot of people and brands online use confidence as a coverup for egotism.I want you to be able to develop genuine confidence (just as I want for myself). And I want the world to have less egotistical messages and people in it (for all of our sakes!).So I researched and analyzed the differences between these two states that can often appear remarkably similar. What I came up with is a list of five identifying differences between confidence and egotism.In this podcast episode, we compare and contrast the traits of confidence and egotism so that you can better interpret the messages you consume on social media, and so that you can protect yourself from getting stuck in egotistical thought patterns.P.S. There is also a fabulous free ebook version that dives into the five differences between confidence and egotism, and I'd love for you to grab a copy. Find it right here:www.careerforesight.co/confidence-or-egotismFind the full episode show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/confidence-or-egotism

From blogging to book writing, Alli Worthington has become the breadwinner amongst her family of seven. With her perseverance and the help of Google, Alli was able to build her own empire as an author, speaker, and the Blissdom Conference co-founder.The Blissdom conference is described as a “community of women who want to take their business and life to the next level.”In this podcast, we discuss the comeback year of Blissdom and what Alli’s experience leading up to the conference has been like. The joy and anticipation in her voice tell me its going to be an amazing event!P.S. You can get your early-bird priced ticket to Blissdom here: https://www.blissdomconference.com/ticketsAlong with chatting about Blissdom, Alli also shares some personal stories about getting her own business started, balancing life with five kids, and how she practices happiness even in the storms of life.There is so much to enjoy and learn in this episode!Find full show notes here: https://jenniferspoelma.com/podcast-feed/alli-worthington-blissdom