Introduction to Positive Minds Calgary

October 7th, 2009

Have you been thinking about joining a networking group?

I recently joined a local Meet Up Group called Positive Minds Calgary http://www.meetup.com/positivemindscalgary/ and I am now the co-organizer (along with Jeff Fisher) and facilitator of the group. The group is an educational and social community of positive thinkers and doers, committed to empowering people and bringing positive change worldwide. We believe that everyone, regardless of background, age, location, or situation, deserves an incredible and abundant life. As a member, you have an opportunity to attend fun and interactive events on a regular basis at Ceilis in Calgary. We hope to help you to move forward in your life, whether it’s discovering your higher purpose; strengthening your relationships; growing your business; or improving your health. Positive Minds has something for everyone.

I believe that this group will be a fun group where like-minded, positive people can connect , learn and grow.

See our October line-up of events at Ceilis…

Oct. 15th-Positive Power As our world continues to shift and we become more aware of ourselves and our gifts, the next step is to connect with others and expand our positive energy. As your Facilitator for Positive Minds Calgary, our first event will provide a forum for each of you to share your challenges and aspirations in a fun and interactive setting. The event will also provide an opportunity to learn the dynamics of a group, and how we can move forward and improve our lives in all areas. Each member will have an opportunity to share their present situation (self, family, job, education, leisure, community).

OCT. 20th-Movie Night “Celestine Prophecy” Both ancient wisdom and modern science tells us there is something more to the universe – that we are all connected in this journey. On this special evening, we are going to watch one of the most thought-provoking, ground breaking movies of our time, The Celestine Prophecy. Our venue Ceilis Irish Pub in downtown Calgary is providing with our own private area which includes a large 42” TV!! The event will include an opportunity to make friends and schmooze with other Positive Minds members in Calgary, as well as an in-depth discussion about the film and how it relates to our group and how we are becoming closer and more connected as a society.

ABOUT THE FILM: Based on James Redfield’s worldwide best-selling novel, The Celestine Prophecy is a spiritual adventure film chronicling the discovery of ancient scrolls in the rainforests of Peru. The prophecy and its nine key insights predict a worldwide awakening, arising within all religious traditions, that moves humanity toward a deeper experience of spirituality.

Oct. 22nd -“The Art of Listening: Essential Skills to Enhance your Interpersonal IQ”  Have you ever wondered how some people seem to attract positive energy just by walking into a room? In this 2 hour interactive evening, I will be sharing with you the Art of Listening. Using professional life coaching exercises, you will have the opportunity to expand your interpersonal IQ – the ability to connect with others, through improving your listening ability. You will learn the FIBER method for listening as well as complete interactive exercises with other Positive Minds members.

Oct. 27th-”Imagine your Bliss Now “ Positive Minds Calgary is pleased to welcome Russ Small, Imagination Coach to share How to Achieve REAL Results in Your Life Through Your IMAGINATION:

- Learn about 7 “Imagination Misuses” that Plague Your Potential.
- Discover the 6 Most Common Tricks Your Brain Plays on You.
- Find out the Top 5 Reasons People Don’t Live Their Dreams.
- Learn about The 4 Types of Energy and How to Get More Into Your Life.
- Start to recognize your 3 Imaginary Friends and the Pitfalls and Positives when “Playing” with Them.
- Take home 2 Powerful Visualization Exercises to Stimulate Your Success Mindset.
- Uncover 1 Quick Way to Find Your Ultimate Passionate Purpose.

If interested, please go to the website http://www.meetup.com/positivemindscalgary/ , become an on-line member and RSVP your attendance at these events.

Also, please feel free to let others know about Positive Minds Calgary. Thank you.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Happy Thanksgiving weekend

Coach Ann

ABC Life & Career Skills

contact me at annhogan@shaw.ca or  403-519-2179

 

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How to prepare to attend a Career Show

October 29th, 2008

This year, Calgary’s Career Show runs FRI Oct 31, 10 am – 4 pm and SAT Nov 1, 10 am – 5 pm and is located at the Calgary Round Up Centre.

A career show or fair is a great opportunity to gather educational & career development information as well as an opportunity to meet face to face with many potential employers/recruiters if you are in job search mode.

So how does a person prepare to attend a Career Show as part of their job search?

1. Do Your Research

Before attending the career show, identify which of the participating employers booths are of priority interest to you and conduct a preliminary research about the companies products and services. Most participating companies have websites you can check out ahead of time. Being knowledgeable about the company portrays a genuine interest. Be sure that the type of job position you are seeking is related to what the company may hire for.

2. Resume Writing

Update and polish up your resume. You may choose to get professional assistance from a Career Coach in either developing your resume and/or having it checked over before making many printed copies to handout to various employers. Where possible, customize your resume to meet the specific needs of each company and position better. It’s important to be honest on your resume, to include accomplishments without embellishing. Also, ensure resumes are free from grammatical and typographical errors. Print resumes using quality paper.

Note: The Calgary Career Show offers a resume critique booth for quick critiques

3. Dress the Part

If you are attending the career show as part of your job search then you need to dress the part. Wear clothing appropriate to the type of position you are seeking when you are meeting potential employers. The rule of thumb is to dress a notch above what you would normally be expected to wear on a day to day basis while performing the job duties.

4. Allow Enough Time

Get a good night’s sleep before attending a career show so you have enough energy. Arriving first thing in the morning may be better as the exhibitors will not have tired from meeting with so many people yet and may have more time to spend with you. Allocate enough time to meet with everyone on your priority list.

5. Display a Positive Attitude

It’s important when you are meeting with the booth’s representatives that you appear confident that you can make a positive contribution if you were to be hired into their company. Show up prepared and enthusiastic. Greet people with a smile, a direct greeting and a firm handshake. Be courteous, remembering common courtesies such as please and thank you.

 

6. Practice Good Communication Skills

Introduce yourself using eye contact while greeting the booth’s representative. Note the representative’s name from their name tag or ask their name and use it in your conversation when possible. Be prepared to introduce yourself in as little as 30 seconds in the case of a busy booth . It’s important that you clearly relate how your education and/or experience and accomplishments match with positions the company may be hiring for. Given more time, talk about the main points regarding what you know about the company and ask pertinent questions related to your career interests and goals/position you are seeking. Ask if you may leave your resume.

7. Trade Business Cards

It’s a good idea to develop business cards to hand out along with your resumes. Also request one from the booth’s representative before you leave so you can follow up with them. Close by shaking hands, thanking them for their time and reiterating your interest in working for their company. Let them know that you look forward to hearing from the company in the near future.

8. Follow Up

Send a thankyou note or email to the company representative, preferrably within 48 hours to one week after meeting with them. The sooner the better to ensure that they remember you. Besides thanking them for their time in meeting with you, you can reiterate your strong points (skills etc.) and emphasize your match with the specific needs they are looking for. Send a customized resume if you did not already submit one . Finally, check in with the company in a couple of weeks for any new opportunities.

9. Maintain that Positive Attitude

Maintaining self-confidence is important during a worksearch. Keep your thoughts positive, take care of yourself and continue to network until you are successful.

Enjoy the show!

Calgary Coach Ann,

403-519-2179

www.abclifecareer.com

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Life-Work Balance

July 11th, 2008

Summer greetings from Coach Ann

In this blog, I’d like to address the Balance part of my company name, ABC Life & Career Skills (Awareness, Balance, Change)

With Calgary having lots of job opportunities, a skilled employee can be fairly selective about which employer  they  want to work for.  Also, employers are wise to keep a productive employee happy in order to retain them.

One of the  modern day values that many employees are looking to satisfy is Life-Work balance. Life-Work balance is a phrase that seems to be used quite a bit . So, what does Life-Work balance mean? To me, Life-Work balance means that a worker feels productive and challenged at work and still has the time & energy to attend to personal matters of importance that relate to self, family and community outside of work. Some ways that an employer can consider assisting employees in this matter is to offer shorter work weeks i.e.) three or four vs. five days per week where requested or by allowing flex time schedules. The flexibility results, for the most part, in improved morale, improved productivity, better customer service, increased profits and reduced employee turnover.

Thus, Life-Work balance can be a win-win situation for both the employer & the employee.

Wishing you Balance in your Life-Career!

Calgary Coach Ann,

403-519-2179

www.abclifecareer.com

 

 

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Q & A re: Meaning, Passion Purpose Part II

April 27th, 2008

Welcome back!

In this week’s blog I will share 5 more questions from the readers of The One Question site that is linked via Coaching Links on my website (about tab), along with my answers. The One Question offers assistance to you in determining Meaning, Passion & Purpose in your life.

Here is questions and answers # 6-10…

Q 6. How can I find more purpose in my job? It’s easy to feel that all I do is make more money for the shareholders.

ANSWER

I would encourage you to take the time to re-evaluate a few things at this point.

I wonder…What were the reasons that you took the job in the first place?

What attracted you to that field of work or to that company or to that particular position? Is that attraction still present?

Were you aware of the company’s mission statement and values when you took the job? Were you aware of your own values? Did they match? Do they now?

What are the strengths that you brought to the position? Do they still apply? What duties/tasks /assignments do you still enjoy? Can you better apply your strengths in other ways in the company i.e.) take on new challenges or make a move within the company to a new position?

You can update yourself about what’s important for you to be and do & find meaningful ways to apply yourself.

If your values match the company’s values & you enjoy what you are doing and are working towards a common purpose, then it will feel better to contribute towards the company’s prosperity. It’s a win-win situation where you are likely to enjoy in the profits as well.

Q 7. I want to pursue a career in philosophy, but I am worried about the financial security of such a pursuit. What should I do?

ANSWER

The short answer is …I believe that if you do what you love, then the rewards will follow.

Philosophy students learn to be critical thinkers/problem solvers and communicators, among other skills. Those highly transferable skills may not pay off in a big way at the entry level positions in business, however those leadership skills will assist a person to eventually move ahead into positions which will provide more financial security such as the management and executive positions.

Worry is a form of FEAR (False Expectations Appearing Real) about the future.

Do what you can in the present to plan the pursuit of your preferred career.

There are a variety of career options open to graduates with a philosophy degree.

If philosophy is your passion, then you may consider earning a PH.D. and work directly in the teaching or research fields.

Q 8. If my only passion is for learning how do I apply this in my life as the benefits seem to rebound to myself only. How do I make a career out of learning?

ANSWER

What a great passion to have!

Continuous learning is an essential skill to have in this day & age of constant changes and rapid information, regardless of what career you prefer to pursue.

As far as how do you make a career out of learning? I can brainstorm many options. A researcher is constantly looking for new information/learning. Or, you can chose to share/teach your learning with others as a traditional teacher, tutor, facilitator, public speaker, trainer, coach etc. You did not mention what you love to learn about. Depending on that answer, other options include being involved in an offshoot of the learning industry i.e.) creating learning aids/materials, inventing, writing, illustrating etc. or marketing / selling learning materials, programs, workshops etc.

Depending on what subjects are the objects of your passion, there are many related options that will benefit both you and others.

Q 9. Is there a surefire way to choose a career that will give me satisfaction?

ANSWER

Yes. In the first step of the the seven step career planning process that I use to assist clients in deciding on a preferred career, there is a process that aids a person to find career satisfaction.

The first step is Self-Information. It’s important to determine your main interests, skills, personality traits, values etc.

An additional process here to ensure career satisfaction is to develop your True North, a personal compass which acts as an aid to move forward in the right direction for you. You decide on 5 of your 20 priority skills, interests, personality traits and values that you want to honour in your preferred career. Ideally you want to find a working environment that matches all 5. However, realistically if you can find a match for 3 of the 5, then you can still enjoy career satisfaction.

10. Does my life purpose have to be my job? Why?

ANSWER

No, I do not think that your life purpose has to be your job. Your job is only part of a balanced life and you may honour who you are by applying your life purpose in other life areas; with your family, in your community (the one you live in or the community at large) or in your leisure life etc. If you are living on purpose in any of these areas then you will reap the rewards of feeling positive emotions i.e.) satisfied, joyful, energized, fulfilled etc.

Having said that, if you are working fulltime, then the majority of your day (generally 5 days a week, 40 or more hours a week plus commute time, overtime etc.) is concentrated on your job. Ideally then, if you were able to honour your life purpose in your job, then you would have more opportunity to make a difference and feel those positive emotions more consistently.

Remember, the most important point is that you honour who you are meant to be in some way, in some area of your life and/or career and enjoy.

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Questions & Answers re: Meaning, Purpose & Passion

April 20th, 2008

Hi there,

I have what I think is a valuable Coaching Link on my website called The One Question.

You’ll find it on the About tab, under Links & Resources. When you select Coaching Links, you’ll see Helpful & Related Coaching Sites. The One Question is a website dedicated to helping you find the Meaning, Passion & Purpose in your life. Readers can send in questions & I have participated in a project to answer 10 of those questions.

This week I will share the first five of the questions along with my answers.

Q1. Have you found your life purpose? How?

ANSWER
Yes-I believe that my life purpose has evolved to the point where I know I am meant to be a coach, to assist other people to find their life-career satisfaction/success as well.

I did a spiritual gift inventory after I became a professional coach and the results indicated that my top 2 gifts were compassion & teaching. I felt very validated by that process.

I found my purpose as a coach through a series of processes. The most important point, I think, is that I took the time to reflect on my life experiences.

After raising our children in partnership with my husband and after working as a medical laboratory technologist for over 20 years, I came to a point of feeling “ burned out”. That negative state was a strong sign that something needed to change.

So, I took a leave from work and also attended a 3 day Career Planning workshop. The reflection process in the work shop was where I asked myself such questions as;

  • What activities were meaningful for me throughout the years, both personally & professionally?
  • When did I feel proud/ have a sense of accomplishment etc.?

We did many activities including visualization in that workshop.
I came away from the workshop knowing that I wanted to work directly with people, probably on a one to one basis so I could get to know people at a deeper level and to assist them in some way. However, I remained unsure of what my preferred career would be.

Then one day I planned on attending a Power Within seminar. I set an intention that day as I entered the conference room that I would meet someone who would somehow assist me in moving forward with my career choice. I chose a row to sit in and a lady to sit beside. When I struck up a conversation at break time with that lady, she informed me that she was a Life Skills Coach. I loved what she had to say about being a coach and the rest is history. I found out where to get the education/training and I went back to college and earned a two year Life Skills & Career Development Coach diploma.

When I pay attention to my feelings, thoughts, and insights and when my experiences are in alignment with my purpose, I feel fulfilled.

Q2. What is the best way to find what you love?

ANSWER
I think the best way to find what you love is to take the time to reflect on the experiences you’ve had throughout your life. Do this by asking questions such as;

  • What did I love to do as a child?
  • What jobs have I had and what did I like about them?
  • What leisure activities and hobbies have I enjoyed? What’s the reason I enjoyed them?
  • What volunteer work have I been involved in? What are the reasons I got involved?
  • What have I been doing when I have lost track of time?
  • When have I felt a sense of pride and/or accomplishment?
  • When you take the time to reflect on different positive experiences in all your life areas, you’re likely to discover a common thread that will lead you to what you love.

Q3. I am often torn between following my passion and having a job that pays well. Is there a right answer?

ANSWER
If you are feeling torn, you likely think you are being pulled in two opposite directions, like a tug of war. In other words, you believe you have two choices to choose between; following your passion or having a job that pays well.

I think the right answer is a third option. You can have both and feel whole.

The important part is that you honour your passion in some area of your life. If not in a well paying job, then do it for yourself, with your family, in your community or in a leisure activity. If you break down the word Passion, it means Pass I On. When you pass part of who you truly are on, then there are many rewards to enjoy.

Also, when you follow your passion, it just may turn into a career that pays well.

Do what you love and the rewards will follow.

Q4. Can I trust my intuition? Sometimes I have a gut feeling as to what path I should pursue, but my logic tells me many reasons why it could fail. Should I follow my intuition or do the safe thing?

ANSWER
Your feelings are your primary learning domain, your guideposts through life.

If your intuition or gut feelings are guiding you towards a path to pursue, then there are probably many reasons that would promote you along that path. It is very important to consider the pros along with the cons presented by your logic.

Also, it’s probable that what you consider as logical reasons to fail, are fear based.

I would encourage you to have a look at which fears are not realistic, also known as False Expectations Appearing Real (F.E.A.R.) and let them go.

I would also encourage you to take some time to problem solve & create an action plan. Then, you can safely take step by step forward in the path that you are being guided along.

Q5. I have to make a choice what to study in college. The only problem is that I don’t know what I want! How can I make a smart decision?

ANSWER
This is a very common problem situation for students & it is my opinion that not enough students ask that question. Good for you for asking.

Remember that once you know what to do, you actually have to DO IT!

Making a smart decision involves taking the time to follow a career development process. When you decide what field of work or specific occupation you want to pursue, then you can figure out what courses you need to get there.

I partner with clients in a seven step process. You would decide on college @ step #5

1. Self-Information; It’s important to determine your main interests, skills, personality traits, values etc.

2. Identify Career Alternatives- through various means, it’s important to generate career options that fit for you

3. Research-also through various means, it’s important to research the top career options that you are considering along with labour market information

4. Decide- Follow a decision making process to pick the career option that will match best for you

*5. Prepare- Determine specific action steps required to pursue your preferred career.

This is the point where you’ll determine which subjects/courses are required and then you can …

6. Do it- apply/register at an appropriate institution

7. Follow Up/Evaluation-it is always good to set a date/time when you will evaluate how things are progressing in your plan. i.e.) What’s working? What’s not?

Tune in next week for Questions and Answers six (6) through ten (10)

Have a great week!

Calgary Coach Ann

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How Personal Development Results in Change

April 14th, 2008

With spring arriving, my thoughts turn to new growth, to change.

I shared in last week’s Blog that my company is called ABC Life & Career Skills for a reason.

I wrote about the A standing for Awareness & how awareness is key in self-development and briefly provided some of my reasoning for that statement.

Today, I’d like to write about the importance of the C in ABC. The C represents Change.

Another one of my favourite quotes is based on Change…
“You have to Be the change that you want to see in the world”.  ~Ghandi

The result of self-development is change and change can be a scary proposition for some folks. How many times have you decided that you want and or need to make a change in some area of your life-career and put it off until tomorrow or the right time and the right tomorrow and time never happened?

Procrastination can take on many forms. It can look like doing nothing or it can look like being very busy-doing many less priority items so you don’t have time to tackle that change you “want” to make. My point being, procrastination is a coping mechanism that a person uses to avoid making that change they say they want or need. Just like I avoided the new task of Blogging and had many excuses for why I was not doing so. Then, I decided that it was important for me to do and I broke the task down into bite-sized manageable pieces & started by making a weekly entry.

You too can decide what changes are important to to make for you, for your relationships, for your life-career. When you choose to do it, you can follow through by breaking the task down into baby-sized first steps. You’ll find that step by step, your changes/goals are eventually achieved.

Of course if you have difficulty being self-motivated and find it hard to hold yourself accountable for your actions, then partnering with a coach can assist you in many aspects of making changes such as…

 

  • Identifying what areas of your life/career are important for you to make change in
  • Looking at how change will affect you, your life, your relationships, your career
  • Planning & deciding what specific change you will make
  • Identifying skills you may need to develop to implement the change
  • Determine Action steps and timeframes for change

Time for a change? It’s springtime. Start now.

Calgary Coach Ann

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How Awareness is the first step in Personal Development

April 6th, 2008

Too early to plant flowers, Will start with seeds…

Spring is here & it’s time for me to breathe some new life into my website.

Time for me to get with it and use the latest tool in my technological tool-kit — my Blog. I’m planning to step up the pace to blog at least once a week and then progress from there. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

In my last Blog, I talked about the steps that I would follow when partnering with a client to help them identify & attain their preferred, sometimes dream career.

Step #1 is to assist a client towards self knowledge; sometimes through the administration of assessments and sometimes through the art of storytelling on the client’s part & active listening and questioning on my part. More probably, through a combination of both.

My point here is that self awareness is key in any self development endeavour. I call my business ABC Life & Career Skills for a reason. The A stands for Awareness.

One of my two favourite quotes is, to me, about awareness…
You cannot teach a person anything, you can only help them to discover what is in themselves. ~Galileo

Assisting people to reach a new level of self awareness is my favourite part of coaching.
According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, Self-awareness is an awareness of one’s own personality or individuality. I would like to expand on that definition to include awareness of individual feelings, thoughts & behaviours.

Sometimes people are so busy racing through life that they ignore their feelings (if they know how to get in touch with them) and/or don’t give matters much thought before they act. In other words, those people are reacting to life vs. managing their life. They are probably not aware of how their behaviours are impacting self and/or others in their life or career.  Without awareness, the same old problem situations continue to perpetuate. How do you see yourself in regards to the above?

With awareness, a person can chose to tune into their feelings and thoughts in balance and respond/act accordingly. People can change. The resulting actions one takes can change, affecting both self & others. Imagine the possibilities!

So, wake up folks! Spring is here. Slow down & become aware.
‘Til next week…

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Happy New Year from Calgary Coach Ann

January 1st, 2008

Wishing a Happy New Year to all!

I am often asked what I do as a coach to which I reply that coaching is a process where it is best to experience what I do (coach) vs. just hear about it. If you would like to experience coaching, feel free to contact me for a complimentary half hour getting- to- know-one- another session.

Having said that, I will provide a brief summary of how I might coach a client through a typical career plan to determine their preferred career.

For starters, I would use various assessments to assist a client towards self knowledge regarding their personality style, interests, skills and most importantly-values. Some of the assessments, along with brainstorming, help to generate career options in the labour market that fit for the client. After some research of the career options using various techniques, a decision making process would be utilized to narrow down then choose a preferred career. A further plan including specific action steps would be developed in preparation to attain the preferred goal/career. Then comes the “Do It!” stage where the client carries out the action plan, keeping in mind that they may need to access support including skill development along the way. Of course, every good plan includes a follow up period for evaluation of the outcomes.

Ready to develop your plan?

Contact:

Calgary Coach Ann
403-519-2179
annhogan@shaw.ca

 

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Calgary Life & Career Skills Blog Introduction

August 8th, 2007

Well, hello everyone. Welcome to my first ever blog on my newly developed website, designed by Calgary Web Designer Michael Tighe.

I’m excited to get it launched!

The way I understand a blog, I tell you a story about whatever I think is significant at present.

Having said that, the idea that comes to mind is exactly that-the present.

How many of you are feeling overwhelmed with all that you think you need to get done for the future (feeling pressured, distressed etc.)?

AND/OR How many of you tend to dwell on thoughts and feelings of the past ( loss of time & opportunity, guilt, resentment etc.)?

How healthy is it to live in the past or the future? Hopefully you understand that it’s not a healthy way to live. Dwelling on the past can lead to depression and worrying too much about the future can lead to anxiety. So, while it’s great to learn and grow from the past & it’s great to plan for the future, all you really have is the present to decide what you’re going to do with it.

I decided to get started with my blog as it fits in to the plans for marketing that I set for myself at the beginning of 2007. What about you? What have you planned to do with the second half of your year? There’s no better time to start than NOW! If you need help from a coach, say to assist you in determining your life-work values, then I’ll be happy that you contacted me. When you do, I’ll be present! :-}

P.S. Order your copy of the Ultimate Guide to Success E-book for $47 Canadian.
Just email me @ annhogan@shaw.ca to let me know that you are interested.
See http://ABClife.interfaceias.com July newsletter for table of contents

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