Boomers for Hire – We’re Not Getting Older, We’re Getting Better

As a Certified Business and Life Coach, I focus on Career & Life Transitions, Leadership, and Positive Self Talk which form the foundation of my coaching. As an expert in life and career transition, I have been working with many Boomers, (as well as younger people), that seek a second or third career for many reasons such as finances/economics, life purpose and boredom.

Let’s clear up some myths about mature workers:

Myths vs. Facts About Mature Workers

Myth
Mature Worker’s are Less Productive

Fact
Productivity Rises because-

Greater Dependability
Good Judgment
Accuracy
Excellent Work Ethic
Loyalty
Appreciate Their Job
Care About Doing a Good Job

Myth
Hiring Mature Workers Provides No Benefits to Employers

Fact
Mature Workers Provide These Benefits to Employers-

Less Likely to Change Jobs
Lower Absenteeism
Punctuality
Experienced
Committed to Quality
Superior Customer Service Skills
Eager to Learn New Skills
Positive Attitude

Tips for job seeking-

• Network & Build Relationships
• Be Positive
• Focus on the tangible contributions you have made and the experience you possess.
• Give examples of measurable results and your accomplishments.
• Broaden your pool of targeted employers
• Stay current with skills and technology
• Update all information (resume, bio)

I also recommend having a business card made with your contact info on one side and your strengths and skills bulleted on the back of the card.

For workshops on life/career transition, job seeking, interviewing, and more … contact Ms. Samakow at susan@selftalkcoach.net or call her at 301-706-7226.

How Our Beliefs Shape Our Reality

I remember a story about Roger Bannister, the first runner to break the four-minute mile. The belief was that no one could break the four-minute mile, and for a long time no one did. Our thoughts were our reality. Roger Bannister made a conscious and intentional decision to release that limiting thought that shaped the world’s reality.

Roger set out to break the record. He ran the next mile in 4:02. He persisted. On May 6th, 1954, Roger ran the mile in 3:59.

The following year, and the year after that, runners kept improving on their times. New records were set. Roger had broken the barrier, the dream mile that changed the belief for so many who were thinking with constraints and limits.

Try this exercise:
Sit back, get comfortable, and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. You can meditate on these inquiries or just take a quiet time and think about the following:
Think about a time in your life when you felt self-imposed limits were holding you back. How did you get past them? What did you say to yourself? What inspired you to break down the barriers that you or someone else set? How good did you feel when you succeeded?

As Buddha so eloquently phrased it, “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.”

You are capable and competent. Shape your thoughts and your reality in a positive way. Internalize your success.

Benefits From Positive Emotions

There are so many benefits when your thoughts come from positive emotions. It’s my belief that what we think is what happens in the outside world. Our beliefs and thoughts become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Here are a few benefits when you come from positive emotions:

· Improving physical health

· Increasing creativity

· Overcoming negative emotions more easily

· Looking at obstacles as stepping stones

· Turning hardships into challenges

· Shifting failures into success

· Increasing motivation and energy

· Internalizing success and growing from it

Next time you notice negative thoughts and emotions, remember that our mind determines the outcome. Be aware of your Self Talk. Our beliefs shape our reality.

Aim High for Your Retirement Transition

When I present my Retirement Transition workshops, I always close with a few quotes. The one that really grabs me, as well as the audience, is by Michelangelo, “The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it’s too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo is the perfect reminder for baby boomers, or anyone, to take a second look at life and ask, “What’s next for me?”

Michelangelo was 71 when he became the chief architect for St. Peter’s Basilica. At 81 he was still working every day. Louise Hay, famous publisher and speaker, began her publishing company in her early 50’s. Last year at 81, Louise released her first film.

And then there are the Beach Boys. Every year my husband and I go with friends to see them perform. It always takes us back and makes us smile! When Mike Love, who is now 69 years old, was asked when he and the Beach Boys would retire, he responded, “Retire? Retire from what?”

How you view retirement, what your mindset is, will make a tremendous difference in how you’ll live your life. Retirement is a major transition. And although people tend to resist change, even when it’s positive, this is a great time of life to do those things you put off when you were younger.

I view retirement as an opportunity and not an end. That we are retiring to something as opposed to from something. No longer are we living a traditional retirement like that of our parents or grandparents. Today we are living 30-40 years in retirement, a lifetime from generations ago.

Baby boomers are looking for a life purpose and a deeper meaning, whether in the form of a second career, volunteer work, leisure activities or helping out with grandkids. They are interested in more than just the money. Boomers want to live a more satisfying and fulfilling lifestyle. And why not? We’ve gone from school to work to raising families, paying mortgages, bills, and other responsibilities. Isn’t it time we put more of our personal hopes and dreams back into lives...things that may have been pushed to the side because of our responsibilities. Not that there’s anything wrong with being responsible…but now’s the time to shift the focus back to ourselves!

The average boomer wants periods of work mixed with periods of leisure. Boomers want to work “when they want to work and with whom they want to work”. They feel the same way about their leisure activities. Today’s boomer is the most tech savvy, educated group in our country’s history! In fact, even with the shaky economic situation today, boomers are spending more money on leisure goods.

So what type of retirement do you want? Today there are many choices, options and possibilities. For some, it can even be a little overwhelming. In that case, take baby steps…that will keep you moving forward and toward your dreams.

An important tip is to make sure you are coming from a positive mindset. Your Self Talk (your inner dialogue or thoughts) is very important here. It is the determining factor for how you live your life. We all base our lives on our thoughts. Our decisions and judgments are based on our thoughts. Therefore, our thoughts will greatly influence the relationships we’re in and the careers we choose. Therefore, if you are looking into a second career, volunteering, or deepening your relationships and making new ones, you want your Self Talk to be positive.

And when you’re thinking about what legacy or imprint you want to make, aim high!

Will Baby Boomers be needed in the job market?

• Will Baby Boomers be Needed Soon in the Workforce?
• Does Experience Count?
• Will Federal Experience Transfer to the Private Sector?
• What are Transferable Skills and Strengths?
• Benefits of hiring mature workers

I discuss these topics in my recent interview on Federal News Radio 1500 AM

Listen here

Learning How to Balance Our Energy Houses – The “Being” House

In my last entry I talked about the energy houses. Today I want to focus on the “Being” House. Anyone who wants to deepen their learning about “Being” read Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now” and The New Earth…Tolle masters being present. You can find them on my book suggestion list on my website. (link to your site)

“Being” is our heart space. It is all about relationship, connection, and being engaged…with ourselves and with others. “Being” teaches you to engage from the heart and leaning into whatever you are doing. For example, when you come home after working all day you have a choice about what to do. You can go into the “doing” house and clean out a closet. You can work on a hobby or do a chore...or you can engage in conversation with your spouse, play and connect with your kids, take some quiet time and read a book or take a bubble bath. If you choose to do an activity, make it a holistic experience…enjoy and be present...experience the being.

What’s important is to balance your energy houses…don’t hang out in one place too long…shift from one energy house to another and experience the calming feeling of balance.

For more info contact:
Susan Samakow, PCC, CPCC
Certified Business and Life Coach & Speaker
Susan Samakow Coaching, LLC
www.selftalkcoach.net
susan@selftalkcoach.net
301-706-7226

All excuses are misalignments

Check out Dr. Wayne Dyer on his most recent PBS special for insights into...what would it be like if you were free from the excuses that are holding you back from the life you want to live? Or, as Dr. Dyer will tell you, "all excuses are misalignments." For more video and additional information, visit Wayne at his web site.

The Shift

We all come to places in our lives when we want to make a change...a Shift. In the movie trailer Wayne Dyer introduces us to an awesome expression of his life's work only this time he offers us a movie instead of a book or one of his many PBS specials. Now you can see Wayne's work illustrated on the big screen with a moving account of his, always passionate and practical, advice.

Positive Structures Work Well With Goals!

You have set your goals. What else integrates well in helping you reach your goals? Try a few of these – there is little to no cost.

Strengths and Skills – use them to reach your goals…play to your strengths…maximize and utilize your strengths and skills – they are transferable
Vision Board – buy a piece of foam board at a craft or variety store…think about what lights you up. What makes you happy? Cut out photos of people, places or things. Also cut out words that have meaning to you…that light you up or that you want in your life. Thumbtack or paste them on the board and keep it out so you can see it daily. It keeps your wants, desires, and dreams in front of you.
Gratitude Journal – write a few items down each day that you are grateful for (preferably in the morning)…it’s a great way to start your day! Gratitude puts you in a positive mindset. When you feel positive, when you’re happy, when you’re grateful, you are more apt to accomplish your goals and be productive.
Create a Positive Mindset - replace old limiting thoughts that are not serving you with new positive thoughts that do serve you. Be aware of your self talk.
Positive Affirmations – make it a daily practice to think and say positive things to others and yourself! When’s the last time you said something positive to yourself? Looking directly at yourself in the mirror and saying positive things speeds up the process of feeling the effect of the positive affirmations. Start with “I believe in myself!
Exercise and Laugh – both send off natural endorphins which make you feel better; they also keep you healthier.
Meditation is another healthy idea; focus on your breathing. Mediation is a huge stress reducer.
Support – get the support you want from others
Don’t be critical of yourself (or others)

Set Those Goals!

In the past several weeks clients have wanted to focus on goal setting. So whether I am brainstorming with them to come up with the goals or they come to me with goals already set and need a partner to hold them accountable to endure successfully reaching them, this is perfect time to get going and pursue them.

Setting goals will make you feel more focused, give you more clarity and can get you the results you desire. Make sure your actions are aligned with the goals you’re setting and take action steps to reach them. Take the time to internalize your achievement so that the goals set are not just about chase and conquer.

Here’s a few tips when goal setting. Make sure they’re:
Intrinsic - meaning to YOU and not somebody else
Detailed and Specific - gives you more clarity, makes it more real and attainable
Realistic - set yourself up with realistic goals or else you’ll be setting yourself up for failure. Aim for goals you can reach and will have to stretch out of your comfort zone a bit;
Stretch - out of your comfort zone…realizing goals that are too easy to reach won’t feel as meaningful and satisfying as something that you had to step out of your comfort zone to reach
Accountability - to jump start your success, be accountable to another person.

Are You a "Benefit Finder" or "Fault Finder"?

After listening to Tal Ben-Shahar lecture on “Benefit Finders” and “Fault Finders” I am very aware of the impact this perspective has on our lives. I’ve noticed with clients, friends, family, and business associates that they generally tend to look at situations, and at other people, and either find faults or benefits. So do we see stumbling blocks or stepping stones? It’s a choice we make daily.

Do we look at the stars each night or take them for granted? Do we appreciate our family, our work, our every day? Do we take people, our health, and life for granted or do we celebrate them? Are you embracing life or living by avoiding?

“Benefit Finders” focus on the positive. When you focus on the positive, the good appreciates. If you choose to focus on the negative, the good depreciates and the negative is accentuated.

What we focus on in our relationships matters a great deal. What we focus on in our personal and business lives determines the quality of our lives and those close to us. It’s up to us to create our experience…it’s your choice!

Remember to see the good, the difficult, to see the potential in the seed…to be a “Benefit Finder”.

"The David" WIthin Us

Finding “The David” Within Us

How we view life is all about the perspective we have. Since being snowed in for days with no electricity, I started to look through books I hadn’t looked at in a while. I came across the photo of Michelangelo’s statue “The David”.

As the story goes, Michelangelo was given a huge slab of granite and asked to create something from it. After working on it hour after hour he created this magnificent sculpture that he named “The David”.

Now there’s two perspectives here…One way is that Michelangelo chipped away at the stone and created David. And the way I view it is that David was always in their and he had to chip away at the excess stone to get to him.

I believe “The David” is within all of us. We are all Magnificent ! We just sometimes have to chip away at the layers, the outside sources and influences that have us looking at ourselves with limited thoughts as opposed to unlimited, unused potential that we all have.

Unleash your Magnificence….See “The David” within you and the people you’re in relationship with.

The Power of One

The “Power of One” is an incredible phenomenon. Each of of us can make a difference. Think of this, a person can light one candle and with that one flame thousands of other candles are lit while never diminishing the light of the original or any other. That one candle can light up the world and so can you!!

So how would you like to make a difference? What’s your vision?
Now it’s your turn to light the flame!

How Resilient Are You?

After taking a wonderful course with Dr. Tal Ben-Sharar at UPenn, and since taking on the position as President of the International Coach Federation Metro DC Chapter, I have been thinking and visioning what I’d like to see for the year, for my clients, for my chapter, and for you. There’s a few things that pop that I’ve learned so much about that I want to share with you because I know it will be helpful. It’s about Resiliency…because resilient people pick themselves up when they’ve stumbled. They don’t let anyone or anything keep them down for long.

Resiliency can profoundly change how enthusiastically we approach challenges. Resiliency can transform hardship into challenge, failure into success, helplessness into power, victim into survivor and allows survivors to thrive. Anyone can master resilience and from that you grow – you grow personally, you grow your business, you help your client grow.

Everyone has that resiliency factor…you have to work it like a muscle and build it up…it will make a tremendous difference in your life!

Who Out There has Clutter?

HOUSE OF POSITIVITY– Who Out There Has CLUTTER?

Anybody got clutter? So what do you see when you open the door to your house or office? Boy does clutter give you a bogged down feeling. And it’s such a common issue amongst people. I’ll tell you what I tell my clients…start with a small project like de-cluttering the medicine cabinet in your house or your night table. Then move on to bigger projects and schedule some time on the calendar so you get it done. Put on some music or the tv and make it more fun! After all, what are you holding on to? Memories? Waiting for something to come back into style?

Clutter can be in the form of piles of paper, old clothes, or negative thoughts/negative self talk, and more. When you look at the clutter, rather than sticking it in a drawer or closet so you can’t see it, you may have a feeling of heaviness. Clutter can make you feel like your head is swirling with a lack of clarity. And negative thoughts keep you stuck. By de-cluttering you are freeing up your physical and mental space. Those negative feelings will begin to diminish and you’ll begin to gain some clarity. By shifting to positive thoughts, cleaning up the area you live or work in, you’re taking a positive step forward by getting into action.

For more on clutter and positive self talk, visit my website or feel free to contact me.
For more information:
Susan Samakow, PCC, CPCC
susan@selftalkcoach.net

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Doesn’t it feel like you’re constantly asked to make decisions? Whether it’s at work or home or even at the grocery…was that a turkey or tuna sandwich? Potato salad or cole slaw? Rye bread or wheat bread?

To better focus in this world of decisions, I tell my clients to ask themselves these questions:
1) Do I want this for the right reasons?
2) Do I realistic expectations?
3) Do I have a plan to succeed?
4) Do I have a plan for failure?
5) Have I considered the impact on others?
6) Did I weigh my regrets?

"Thoughts Point The Way"

I want to share this poem by Ralph Marston with you because it shows how important our self talk is for how we live our lives. Enjoy and please share your thoughts with me.

“Thoughts Point Our Way”

What you think influences what you see.
What you think influences what you do.
What you think influences what you learn.
What you think influences how you feel.
What you think has an enormous impact on the way
you experience life.
What you think determines the very nature of the world you
you create for yourself.
Thoughts have no physical mass, yet they do indeed have power,
and there are no restraints or limitations upon what you
can think.
Consider all the main places to wish your thought have carried you.
Imagine the limitless possibilities of where your thoughts can now enable you where to go.
Choose positive, creative, loving life affirming thoughts, and where those thoughts point the way, you can fill your world with value.

Intentions

This is the perfect time of the year to set out what your intentions are...what you want to accomplish this year. I usually start my days by thinking what are my intentions for the day or week and at the beginning of the year, I take extra time to look at the year...the big picture.

When we are intentional and mindful (conscious and aware) of our thoughts, we get the focus and clarity we need to make decisions, set goals, and to take action. I know how important that is in helping us navigate through life. In fact, I have taking a quiet time, which is when I set my intentions each morning, as my first strategy for Positive Self Talk. That's how important I believe this is....it sets the tone for the day. I am not allowing life to just happen and then reacting to it. I am being purposeful and clear on what I want, personally and professionally, and then taking the action steps that align with that.

Before you set your intentions, notice your self talk (our thoughts, inner dialogue)
and make sure you're coming from a positive mindset so you get the results you desire.

Reflecting on 2009

Greetings and wishing you all a Happy, Healthy 2010 and Always!!

Reflections
We live in a society based on accomplishments, let’s get things done, and chase and conquer. And yet when we do reach a goal, how many of us take the time to reflect and internalize our accomplishments.

Yes, it’s great to achieve our goals and get the results we want AND it’s equally important to take the time to “fill ourselves” with each success that we’ve worked so hard to achieve. I find that the more I fill myself with the positive, the more my life is positively affected…it influences my self esteem, self image and self confidence. You can feel the same way!

So before you set out to accomplish your 2010 goals, take the time to reflect on 2009 – breathe it in!