Why there will never be a 'right time'

If you want to bounce out of bed every Monday morning feeling excited for the week ahead.

And fill your day with tasks and activities that you love.

And go to bed knowing that you’ve made a difference.

And create a life that inspires and empowers you.

There will never be a 'right time' to do it.

You'll have to push yourself to try new things that scare you.

You might encounter criticism, jealousy or fear from others (and that could include people who are close to you).

There's a possibility it might not work out exactly the way you thought it would.

You'll have to dedicate time and money to getting your dream off the ground. 

You might have to re-arrange your priorities for a while (and yes the house may not perfectly organised for a few weeks/months).

But I can tell you this. This short term, uncomfortable, sometimes scary beginning, pays off BIG in the long term. That is, if you want...

Purpose
Direction
Motivation
Freedom
Confidence 
Authenticity
Balance 

Change isn't always easy. Which is why not everyone goes after their career dreams. And there never seems to be a 'right time'. 

But if you are willing to be brave. And do the work in the short term. And you have the right support system by your side. Then you CAN do it. I've seen it happen many, many times. 

If you feel the irresistible urge to create a meaningful career and life you love, then click here to learn more about my coaching programmes here.

I'll speak to you soon,
Juliette

Is your mindset holding you back from career success?

Sorting out your mindset is just as important as finding the right career.

In fact, do you spend as much time working on your mindset as you do looking for a new job or business idea?

If not, I would highly recommend that you do.

Because feeling strong and confident in your mindset can make all the difference between you actually going after your career dreams or just putting them off for another day. And another. And another.

Fear can really hold us back. It might manifest itself as not feeling good enough, or continually comparing yourself to others, or feeling like an 'imposter' and that you're going to be found out.

I can totally relate because I went through all of those feelings during my career change. One in particular was 'imposter syndrome' and thinking "who am I to start a business? I'm not an expert". Despite the fact that I had done my coaching training, that I'd had plenty of practice clients, and I was 100% ready to do the work. But those negative voices in my head kept knocking my confidence.

I've had to work really hard on my mindset since I made my career change, such as changing the way I talk to myself (those pesky little 'negative inner voices'), continuing to get support from a coach, keeping a journal, modelling confident behaviour from others etc etc. There are plenty of little mindset tools and strategies that have really worked for me, and that's why I include them in my coaching programme.

Often we can focus too much on the nuts and bolts of making a career change, such as trawling jobs boards, or fretting about making our website look perfect. But if your mindset is holding you back then your transition is going to be much harder than it needs to be.

I believe that a healthy mindset and career happiness go together.

Like strawberries and cream.

If you read about any of my clients, they will say the same, that they had to overcome at least some aspects of fear, low confidence, self-doubt, perfectionism or procrastination. And I have definitely experienced them all too. They still come up from time to time (to be honest they never 100% go away), but now I know how to deal with them and they affect me much less.

My coaching sessions contain lots of practical strategies for identifying new career paths or business ideas and creating an action plan for your transition, but what my clients often tell me is that the most powerful sessions are the ones where we deal with mindset. This is what gives them a solid foundation to build on when searching for their ideal career and being able to dream bigger than they ever allowed themselves to before!

Are you finally ready to tame those negative voices and make your dream career a reality this year? Then learn more here about my coaching programmes and book yourself in for an introductory 45min coaching session for just £97.

Speak to you soon,

Juliette

How to thrive at work as an introvert

A couple of years ago I read Susan Cain’s bestselling book Quiet and I can say without exaggeration, that it completely changed my life. 

I finally understood why I found busy open plan offices exhausting, why high pressure ’brainstorming’ sessions just left me tongue-tied, and I felt worn out after lots of social interaction.

Introversion has been greatly misunderstood over the years and introverts are often labelled as being shy or unsociable, which is simply not the case. The main difference between extroverts and introverts is how they manage their energy. Extroverts feel energised when they are around lots of people, whilst introverts simply need more downtime on their own to recharge. 

Since learning more about introvert characteristics, I’ve met more and more coaching clients who also see those traits in themselves and are looking for ways to adapt their work lives and social lives to fit them better. 

Often career advice is geared towards extroverted personalities, such as constantly promoting yourself and speaking up in meetings. But if that doesn’t feel right for you, here are some suggestions for how to navigate the world of work whilst making the most of your valuable introverted traits:

1. Manage your energy. If you work in a busy, open plan office, then use your breaks to get some quiet time for yourself. I would often head outside at lunchtime to a local park or walk around the neighbourhood near my office in order to re-charge. This wasn’t about being unsociable or avoiding my colleagues, but knowing that I needed that downtime to gather my thoughts.  

2. Introverts are very focused and great problem solvers. They often come up with great creative ideas when they are given a chance to go away, process the information on their own and come back with solutions. On the spot ‘brainstorming’ meetings won’t allow you to shine, so ask if you can take a brief and then feed back to the project leader afterwards and present your ideas via email or in person.

3. Don’t overcommit. If you’re being asked to attend a work event or networking event, space it out so that you have some recuperation time the next day. Don’t fill up your diary just because you feel guilty or obliged to, because you’ll end up feeling overwhelmed and burned out. 

4. Consider working for yourself. Introverts are well suited to being self employed because you can work at your own pace, work independently and set your own deadlines. You can also choose who you work with, and how you work with them e.g remotely from your respective homes, or perhaps together in a co-working space but only two or three days a week. It’s entirely up to you!

Think you might be an introvert but you’re not 100% sure? Take Susan Cain’s free test and find out.

Want to talk about finding a career which is a perfect fit, whether you’re an introvert or extrovert? Then book your introductory 45min coaching session here for just £97.