Discussing Career and Joy with Integrative Connection
Hello, hello! So as many of you know, I’m not only an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, but also have held a very long career in Human Resources as well. When I connected with fellow IIN graduate, Ashley Nemeroff, through a mutual business contact, it was a natural fit to discuss the health benefits of a career that you love and the holistic nature of the quality of your working life alongside the quality of your overall health and well-being. Ashley, along with her business partner, Stacy Schutte, have created a company called Integrative Connection, that truly approaches career coaching from a holistic perspective. I was so excited to sit down and chat with them! You can find our recorded Zoom call on my Youtube channel as well as a summary of tips below. Your working life makes up about 80% of your waking life, so it is SO imperative to be mindful of the impact your work has on your (positively or negatively) and adjust accordingly if necessary. This can be something as small as tweaking your morning routine and setting new boundaries in your current role, or completely changing careers, especially given the silver lining of the recent pandemic, in which so many companies are open to remote working, which opens up job possibilities in a whole new way. Let me know what you think and reach out to Ashley or Stacy on their website or on Instagram for additional information and free resources. Remember, career IS a primary food and should be a priority when balancing the different areas of your life.
Stacy explained their holistic approach to career coaching with questions that you can ask yourself now, such as:
– Are you eating well?
– Are you exercising?
– Are you taking care of yourself?
– How is your emotional health?
– What does your support system look like (or do you have one at all)?
If you are struggling in any of these areas, your work may be impacting your health and you can create a cyclical process of improving multiple areas by improving just one at a time. Let me know if you feel like you need some help coming up with some action items or just don’t know where to start. I’ve been through it all, from great jobs, to jobs that started great and turned toxic, to being let go from a job while pregnant, back to loving my job and I GET IT!
Remember the power of connection and saying “yes”. It may seem like we are more disconnected now more than ever, any perhaps we are, but there is also an incredible opportunity to connect with people that we wouldn’t normally find the time to meet. You can only do so many lunches or coffee dates IRL, but these days, you can schedule a quick Zoom chat over coffee without having to leave your house, or put on pants, really! I cannot tell you how many amazing opportunities have come from me just saying “yes” to a conversation that I might not have said yes to in the past. Connecting with others is a human need. We cannot survive without human connections and when you connect with people, not only does it feel good and get your endorphins flowing, it also makes people want to help you. The next time someone hears of an opportunity that would suit you, they’ll mention your name. There is such a magical domino effect that takes place when you continue to connect. There is also such beauty in being on the other side of that, and getting to help others connect with well-suited opportunities.
The Morning Routine
This always comes up when discussing careers with successful people. I have been in so many Clubhouse rooms where the conversation is about millionaires and their morning routines. Elon Musk and Oprah have solid morning routines. The secrets of success are so often attributed to a morning routine, and I am no stranger to that. Ashley and Stacy provided their tips and tricks for a morning routine that will get you motivated and productive, especially if you’re feeling stuck, like Stacy was only a short time ago, finding it hard to even get out of bed.
– Follow people who motivate you. In Stacy’s case, it was Tony Robbins! Remember your parents telling you that you are who you hang out with? Or Lauryn Evarts Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential saying that you are the content you consume? “Surround” yourself online with the people who are doing the things you want to be doing.
– Stop the Snooze. Don’t hit that button. Get up and start your day to establish a routine.
– Don’t look at your phone for at least 60 minutes after waking up. Give yourself a chance to wake up mentally and physically before bombarding your body and brain with all of the stimulation and stress. As Ashley said perfectly, “Peace ends when technology enters”. You want to begin your day with a clear headspace. This allows you to be intentional about your day, rather than reactive.
– Practice gratitude. You hear this often because it’s true; the more you focus on the positive, the more you notice and manifest positive things in your life. I have experienced the seemingly unimaginable by showing gratitude for them before I received them.
The WFH Environment (or even your company’s office if you’re going in these days)
– Create an environment that motivates you
– Sit near a window
– Keep your space clean and uncluttered (it will help your thoughts remain that way)
– Light some incense (I love Bodha’s smokeless incense in Refresh)
– Add a plant to your space
– Show up for yourself and get dressed (some days!), even if no one can see it
Virtual Interview Tips
– Remember that it’s still an interview even if you’re at home
– Do your research on the company
– Dress the part based on the company’s culture
– Pay attention to your background and use a virtual background if you’re in a cluttered or unprofessional space
– Plan ahead and ensure that all of your tech works and you’ve installed the video meeting software required so that you’re not late and flustered the day of your interview
– Practice and prepare for questions and your responses
If you’re beginning to realize that your current role doesn’t align with your values or goals or if you’re simply ready for a change, consider a reinvention. What are your passions? What are you actually really good at? How do you want to spend your day? Align your working life with your values and you will naturally begin to rebalance your primary foods, which impacts your stress levels, weight, sleep, mood, relationships, finances, and so many other areas of your life. If you’re not sure how to answer any of these questions, let’s chat! I offer a complimentary health history call, which you can schedule anytime here, and we can chat about all of the thoughts you may be having in relation to your career and goals. If you’d like specific career coaching, or to schedule a call with Ashley or Stacy at Integrative Connection, you can find them here. I hope this was helpful and as always, I’d love your feedback!
