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	<title>find-your-lifes-purpose &amp;laquo; WordPress.com Tag Feed</title>
	<link>http://en.wordpress.com/tag/find-your-lifes-purpose/</link>
	<description>Feed of posts on WordPress.com tagged "find-your-lifes-purpose"</description>
	<pubDate>Sun, 19 May 2013 21:46:26 +0000</pubDate>

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<title><![CDATA[Finding Your Life's Calling: Here's How You Begin]]></title>
<link>http://alycevayleauthor.com/2013/04/26/finding-your-lifes-calling-where-to-begin/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:50:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>alycevayle</dc:creator>
<guid>http://alycevayleauthor.com/2013/04/26/finding-your-lifes-calling-where-to-begin/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I always envied people who were outstanding singers, if just for the fact that they probably knew “t]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>I always envied people who were outstanding singers</strong>, if just for the fact that they probably knew “their calling” from very early on. I first thought about this in the year 2007 when I saw a live Christina Aguilera concert; she was such an outstanding singer, and although I had never rushed out and bought her albums, the quality and power of her voice was undeniable.</p>
<p>I remember thinking to myself, “Well she probably never had any doubt in her mind what she was supposed to do with her life – she would have known her calling was to be a singer.” In a way I felt envious of this – I’m sure that I have many latent talents, but none so obvious as a giant, booming, perfect singing voice or killer hand-eye coordination that makes me a terrific tennis player.</p>
<p><a href="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/christina_aguilera_2_2012.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-783" alt="christina aguilera" src="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/christina_aguilera_2_2012.jpg?w=171&#038;h=300" width="171" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>I found <strong>a recent quote from Leann Rimes</strong>, someone who I am fascinated with for some odd reason. She (like Christina Aguilera) began singing at a very young age and said that she always felt like an “alien child” with her big voice, which was very mature-sounding even when she was thirteen. She said, “I remember my dad sitting me down and explaining the meanings of the songs I was singing and yet I was somehow able to convey those feelings, even though I was so young.”</p>
<p><a href="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/450px-leann_rimes_yahoob.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-782" alt="leeann rimes" src="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/450px-leann_rimes_yahoob.jpg?w=225&#038;h=300" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Can you imagine having to convey the adult feelings of being in love, before you had ever experienced those feeling yourself for real?</p>
<p><strong>“I was always one of those old souls I guess</strong> and working and travelling from a young age made me develop way beyond my years in some respects. But in others, I was still a real child. I always had my parents or someone around me so I had a real attachment to people and I always had to have someone around. The stage was where I felt most confident, but in normal life, I felt really out of my element.”</p>
<p>For most of us, it takes us years or decades to find our calling, and some of us may have multiple callings! I don’t think there’s an easy step-by-step process that a person can take to identify exactly what it is they should be doing with their lives, but after conducting some research I found some interesting advice.</p>
<p><strong>1. Make sure your calling is not someone else’s calling</strong></p>
<p>Be honest with yourself and live the life you want, not the life that was dictated to you by your elders, your society or external factors.</p>
<p><strong>2. Try to make use of many of your talents</strong></p>
<p>Write down everything you love and everything you’re good at. Finding your calling means combining your talents in a unique way that leaves you fulfilled.</p>
<p><strong>3. Don’t get stuck</strong></p>
<p>We can all find ourselves stuck sometimes, whether it’s in a bad job or a bad relationship, where we become frustrated and atrophied. Learn to let go of things and seek out new challenges to find your calling.</p>
<p><strong>4. Research!</strong></p>
<p>Wish that you could make a living playing golf? Wondering if you have what it takes to learn a new language and live in another country? These days there is no reason why you can’t find all the information you need right at your finger tips. Make friends online who are doing what you love and pick their brains as to how they got there.</p>
<p><strong>5. Trust your gut instincts</strong></p>
<p>Consider this quote from Sir Walter Scott, “We shall never learn to feel and respect our real calling and destiny, unless we have taught ourselves to consider everything as moonshine, compared with the education of the heart.”</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="color:#0000ff;"><em><strong>Have you found your calling? At what age did you find it? Have you had more than one calling? Please let me know!</strong></em></span></p></blockquote>
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<title><![CDATA[HERE WE GO 2013! What's in it for you?]]></title>
<link>http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/here-we-go-2013-whats-in-it-for-you/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:19:50 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ButterflyMoms</dc:creator>
<guid>http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/here-we-go-2013-whats-in-it-for-you/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Dearest ButterflyMoms, &nbsp; This is the first blog in 2012. It is also the 201st original Butterfl]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dearest ButterflyMoms,</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>This is the first blog in 2012. It is also the 201<sup>st</sup> original ButterflyMoms blog ever written!!! <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  I am super proud of that because I’m one of those people who starts so many things that many don’t get completely “done”.</p>
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<p><a href="http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/here-we-go-2013-whats-in-it-for-you/wonderful/" rel="attachment wp-att-2829"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2829" alt="+wonderful" src="http://butterflymoms.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/wonderful.jpeg?w=300&#038;h=298" width="300" height="298" /></a>Writing the ButterflyMoms blog “stuck” because I LINKED it to the memory of my daughter Sophia and used it as a way to honor her memory… in a way it’s a way I still get to be her mama&#8230; Over the years, because of this love she and I have for each other, I have been inspired to write at least once a week for the last four years, no matter what…pregnancies, wiping butts, deaths, illnesses, travel, lack of sleep, work, kids, housework, clients, business deals…somehow…. Because I attached a HUGE HUGE HUGE MEANING to my WHY of doing it. So inside my head it feels like this…</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Each Friday morning I have a plan to write the beloved ButterflyMoms blog… Some weeks my brain/ego kicks in and starts “reminding” me of all the “stuff” I “should” be doing. I immediately start feeling the pressure of how many things need to be tended to. Being overwhelmed creates a sort of shut-down process with me starting to move away from my task of writing and more into the JUNK OF LIVING from MY TO DO LIST instead of from MY HEART.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>The ButterflyMoms blog is different for me though because it as soon as a hit a certain level of distance from doing it, the FEAR of not doing it kicks in which OVERRIDES the downward decline. I feel a surge of adrenaline and move straight-away into energetically and psychically making ‘finishing the blog’ the number one priority of that day. Now sometimes it takes two hours and sometimes it takes thirteen but once I start I ALWAYS FINISH! I cannot even imagine not finishing, really. No two blogs are ever “birthed” the same way but the amount of energy I am given gives me the “fuel” to finish it EVERY time.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>It is a miraculous experience with so many gifts. I am deeply honored that soooooo many people over the years have read and loved the ButterflyMoms blog. You are obviously one of those people, so no matter where you are in the world, my deepest gratitude goes out to you! <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>How does today’s ButterflyMoms blog relate to you? Well, if you are reading this there is at least one lesson in here for you. What struck a cord for you? Expand on that to get your own specific answers that fit your own specific journey. I have seen enough to believe that EVERY experience is a guided one. EVERY path is the “right” path for what we need in that very moment. I don’t always embrace that when I’m living my life, but when I do I see the amazing wonderment in the world! It is fantastic! It is breath-giving! It is, above all, worth it! <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the most magical and amazing 2013!!!!! The ButterflyMoms blog is my gift to you. Each Friday throughout the year I will sit down, no matter where I am in the world, and GIVE YOU something yummy to feed your beautiful soul.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>Great big hugs,<br />
Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa</p>
<p> <img src='http://s0.wp.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><b>WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL TO START 2013 OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT!…</b></p>
<p><b>√  WORKSHOP:</b> Wednesday, January 8<sup>th</sup>.<b> HOW TO PROPERLY DEAL WITH THE  TOP FOUR DEADLY DREAM KILLERS <i>WORKSHOP</i></b>… Start 2013 with some powerful tools! Scientists now know that we are all made up of energy. As children most of us were never taught how to intentionally use our energy to magnetize and create the dreams we hold in our hearts. Are you curious as to how to better use your energy? Want stop bumping into the walls of your life and start living in alignment with your life’s purpose? Come get some respite from all that thinking and efforting! Get many of your why’s answered and feel better about living your happy life! Doors open at 9:45am. Starts promptly at 10:00am-12:00pm. Amazing ocean views at Quiosque Bar <a href="http://qb-quiosquebar.blogspot.pt/" rel="nofollow">http://qb-quiosquebar.blogspot.pt/</a>, Avenida Marginal, Praia de Paço de Arcos, 2770-210 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. Fee is 25€ at door. Sign up right now and get in for only 20€. Do it here..<a href="http://tinyurl.com/cslw7l4" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/cslw7l4</a> See you there!!!!!!! Please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly.</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><b>√  WORKSHOP:</b> Thursday, January 24<sup>th</sup>. <b><i>MAKING 2013 MY BEST YEAR! </i></b>… Every January there is a hope that life will get better yet life seems to take over and we lose control of our vision. Come to this amazing open workshop that will share some of the very tools you need to truly accomplish your life’s mission! Can’t build a house without a hammer and nails…so come get your energetic hammer and nails! Lots of laughing and learning! Doors open at 9:45am. Starts promptly at 10:00am-12:00pm. Amazing ocean views at Quiosque Bar <a href="http://qb-quiosquebar.blogspot.pt/" rel="nofollow">http://qb-quiosquebar.blogspot.pt/</a>, Avenida Marginal, Praia de Paço de Arcos, 2770-210 Paço de Arcos, Portugal. Fee is 25€ at door. Sign up right now and get in for only 20€. Do it here..<a href="http://tinyurl.com/cslw7l4" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/cslw7l4</a> See you there!!!!!!! Please RSVP so that we can plan accordingly.</p>
<p><b>√  COACHING:</b> For those who want a coach with a lot of heart, I’m here to help you get rid of your blocks and go towards your goal. I’m living what I have been teaching clients for nearly two decades. Whether you are curious or serious send me an email to <a href="mailto:maria@butterflymoms.com">maria@butterflymoms.com</a> to set up a time to get you to your first step. For those who want something to shift in their lives this is a great time!!!</p>
<p><b>√  INTERVIEW:</b> Here is the magnificent ButteflyMoms interview on Nancy L. Cantor‘s Dream Factory Television Show… I hope you watch it and that it feeds your soul! ! <a href="http://vimeo.com/30095902" rel="nofollow">http://vimeo.com/30095902</a></p>
<div id="attachment_2700" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/ever-met-a-four-year-old-hero/img_0574/" rel="attachment wp-att-2700"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2700" alt="My girls and our little old doggie." src="http://butterflymoms.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/img_0574.jpg?w=300&#038;h=224" width="300" height="224" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">My girls and our little old doggie.</p></div>
<p><b>√ BOOKS FOR SALE:</b> <b>“Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire” </b>See list below for all the places in the world where this book has been sold! Last year I co-authored the book ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE. If you have been thinking about starting a business or want to take your business to the next level this is a wonderful way to start. WAY cheaper than going back to school…and very helpful! To feed the soul of a friend, buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… <a href="http://bit.ly/gRxe4U. " rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/gRxe4U. </a> Feel part of the magic below and see where in the world people have bought this book…</p>
<p><b>BOOKS SOLD INSIDE THE UNITED STATES</b></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>CALIFORNIA<br />
Anaheim 1<br />
Fullerton 1<br />
Sacramento 1<br />
San Bruno 1</p>
<p>CONNECTICUT<br />
Cromwell 1<br />
Greenwich 1<br />
Yalesville 1</p>
<p>FLORIDA<br />
Fort Lauderdale 1</p>
<p>Seminole 1</p>
<p>GEORGIA<br />
Roswell 1</p>
<p>KENTUCKY<br />
Louisville 1</p>
<p>MAINE<br />
Biddeford 1</p>
<p>MARYLAND<br />
Chestertown 1</p>
<p>MASSACHUSETTS<br />
Ashland 3<br />
Blackstone 2<br />
Bolton 1<br />
Canton 1<br />
Framingham 1<br />
Holliston 17<br />
Hudson 4<br />
Medway 8<br />
Millis 1<br />
Millbury 4<br />
New Bedford 1<br />
North Easton 1<br />
Rutland 1<br />
Sherborn 1<br />
South Grafton 1<br />
Watertown 1<br />
Westborough 1<br />
Wrentham 1<br />
Worcester 3</p>
<p>MISSOURI<br />
Lee’s Summit 1</p>
<p>NEW HAMPSHIRE<br />
Laconia 1</p>
<p>NEW YORK<br />
Scarsdale 1<br />
Stony Brook 1</p>
<p>OHIO<br />
Dublin 1</p>
<p>RHODE ISLAND<br />
Newport 1</p>
<p>VERMONT<br />
Waitsville (Mad River Valley) 2</p>
<p><b>BOOKS SOLD OUTSIDE UNITED STATES</b></p>
<p>AUSTRIA<br />
Wien 2</p>
<p>IRELAND<br />
Dublin, Ireland 1</p>
<p>ITALY<br />
Rome, Italy 3</p>
<p>JAPAN<br />
Tokyo  1</p>
<p>PORTUGAL <b><br />
</b>Carcavelos 1</p>
<p>Lisboa 11</p>
<p>Ovar 1</p>
<p>Sintra 1</p>
<p>Santa Maria (Azores/Açores)  1</p>
<p>SCOTLAND<br />
Greenock 1</p>
<p>SPAIN<br />
Madrid 1<br />
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **To buy your copy Click now… <a href="http://bit.ly/gRxe4U">http://bit.ly/gRxe4U</a></p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p><b>WHAT IS BUTTERFLYMOMS?<br />
</b>ButterflyMoms is a community of people who realize they are souls first and human being second. They want to explore more about themselves, to find out what makes them happy and how they can lead a life of purpose. It is simply about FEEDING YOUR SOUL. Although it has the name “MOMS” in the title it is more about being nurturing to your own transformation, as the butterfly is to its own metamorphosis. This community is led by Maria Salomão-Schmidt whose transformation was ignited by the birth and death of her BELOVED thirteen month old daughter Sophia (Sophalicious), the original butterfly.</p>
<p>*Every Friday Morning, as a way of honoring her daughter Sophia’s soul, Maria writes the weekly BUTTERFLYMOMS BLOG. Hundreds of people read it every week to feed their souls. Maria started writing the blog in May 2009 and has written EVERY Friday since. Maria is a Reiki master and every time you read it you are showered with healing love.</p>
<p>Tell your friends… <a href="http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com/">http://butterflymoms.wordpress.com</a> and spread the love!!! FEED YOUR SOUL!!!!!</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>&#160;</p>
<p>PS… To learn more about the Maya people check this out… <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization</a> &#60;3</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Get Over a Personal Roadblock: Where to Find Your Life Purpose.]]></title>
<link>http://alycevayleauthor.com/2012/11/27/get-over-a-personal-roadblock-where-to-find-your-life-purpose/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 27 Nov 2012 04:09:33 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>alycevayle</dc:creator>
<guid>http://alycevayleauthor.com/2012/11/27/get-over-a-personal-roadblock-where-to-find-your-life-purpose/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[So &#8211; You’ve Reached a Road-Block. Maybe you’ve lost or quit your job, perhaps your relationshi]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><a href="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/roadblock.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-101" title="roadblock" alt="" src="http://alycevayleauthor.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/roadblock.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" height="225" width="300" /></a>So &#8211; You’ve Reached a Road-Block. </b></p>
<p>Maybe you’ve lost or quit your job, perhaps your relationship has gone belly-up, or your life has changed now that you’ve got a couple of kids and a mortgage. What if you just feel that something is missing – really missing?</p>
<p>How do you find your life’s purpose? What’s a good place to start looking for the dreams and goals you thought you had and what is just a total waste of time and energy?</p>
<p>We’re often being told to identify our life’s purpose and our inner passions, but when you look within, do you come up with a blank canvas? It comes easily for some people, but many of us really need to do some work to identify what we really feel passionate about. This could be about your career, your personal development or simply the next step on the path.</p>
<p>There have never been so many options out there to help you discover your inner drive, but workshops, courses, counsellors and coaches can cost a lot of money and take up a lot of time. Here we examine the options out there.</p>
<p><b>The “Where-To-From-Here”?</b></p>
<p><b>Life coaches</b></p>
<p><b>What Are They?</b></p>
<p>Life coaching is a practice that helps people identify and achieve personal goals. Life coaches assist clients by using a variety of tools and techniques, many of which vary greatly from life map planning to hypnosis and mentoring. Life coaching was first taught in the late 70s and early 80s and it is now a growth area with thousands of practitioners in Australia. As well as this, thousands of people are currently studying to become life coaches, which is in itself a booming industry. Life coaches generally have a Certificate IV or a Diploma, or in some cases psychology or counseling qualifications.</p>
<p><b>What Do They Cost?</b></p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.lifecoach.com/">Lifecoach.com</a> most life coaches working with individuals charge about $200 to $1,000 per month for a 30 to 60 minute call 3 or 4 times a month. In Australia, you can find a life coach to work with you in person on a per session basis, or via a designated program. Prices vary greatly, but three 60 minute sessions cost approximately $850, but as with many things, the more you pay upfront and the longer the package, the cheaper it gets.</p>
<p><b>What Sort of Timeframe is Needed?</b></p>
<p>Again, this varies greatly. Some people get coaching for a year or more, some people only a few sessions. Most of the research I did showed that life coaches tended to recommend at least a few months of coaching, in weekly or fortnightly sessions, allowing the client time to see the results in their lives. Coach <a href="http://www.tamramercieca.com/coaching/">Tamra Mercieca</a> says, “While each person has different needs, it is recommended we speak to each other fortnightly for three months to cement these learnings in place.”</p>
<p><b>Do They Work?</b></p>
<p>Results are as varied as the people that try life coaching. Some say, “Absolutely they work,” and others have less exceptional results. <a href="http://www.lcia.com.au/Default.aspx">The Life Coaching Institute</a> of Australia promises that some clients experience “immense financial and emotional rewards,” but <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2008/04/life-coaching/">Steve Pavlina</a>, a personal development expert writes a great review of his results with several life coaches, including one who just wasn’t a great fit for him, who he requested a refund from.</p>
<p><b>When Should You Try Something Else?</b></p>
<p>Decide in advance how much time and money you want to spend and stick to your plan. Life coaching could be a good option for you, but only if you are willing to devote several months to it, and you must be prepared to do homework that is set. It may be exercises like, “smile at 10 people a day,” or a comprehensive personality quiz. It’s imperative to find a coach you ‘click’ with, so be prepared to shop around and ask lots of questions.</p>
<p>It’s time to move on if you feel that you are not being listened to, your budget has been blown or you’re not seeing any results. Have a good idea of what you want to get out of your coaching, and come armed with a list of areas you’d like to work on, whether it’s personal growth, help with your career or self-confidence. There are many life coaches who also specialise in particular areas, so do your research.</p>
<p><b>Workshops</b></p>
<p><b>What Are They?</b></p>
<p>Career and personal workshops are designed to help participants establish their personal, professional or career direction and give ways of achieving these goals, as well as the motivation to try. <a href="http://www.katieroberts.com.au/index.html">Katie Roberts</a> says, “Many people have preconceived ideas of the career path they wish to take. Often, they enrol in a university course for the wrong reasons and become discontented, changing courses after six or twelve months. It is important people understand the career choices that are available to them and the future opportunities to which these may lead.”</p>
<p>Katie tells a great story about wanting to be a chemist when she was aged 7 because she liked the carpet in the pharmacy! Often our motivations when choosing a path are not in line with our true purpose. Workshops can give us a crash course in working through our motivators and issues.</p>
<p><b>What Types of Workshops are Out There?</b></p>
<p>Again, do your research! You’ll find workshops specialising in careers, changing paths, relationships and personal growth. <a href="http://www.theartofbeingsexy.com.au/">Alina Berdichevsky</a> runs many workshops, promising to help you “liberate yourself from societal pressures and develop healthy boundaries&#8230; transforming you into the person you deserve to be.” While <a href="http://www.circularsounds.org/">The Circular Sounds</a> group in Melbourne uses “the six elements of language, colour, shape, sound, movement and feelings to access different parts of the brain, which allow new ideas to present themselves.”</p>
<p>You can certainly find courses that have a more business-oriented focus, or a more creative scope. Workshops can run for a single hour, over a weekend, or over a longer period. They can also be a great way to meet other people in the same boat as you, to share learning and experiences.</p>
<p><b>Who Are They Suitable For?</b></p>
<p>Workshops are a great idea if you don’t want to spend months of time on coaching and you need a quick burst of inspiration. The challenge is sustaining what you’ve learned over a long period of time. Workshops suit people who are busy with work or family commitments and can only spare an hour or a weekend, rather than committing to a longer program. They’re also great if you prefer to work alongside others, and if you like group work and exercises.</p>
<p><b>What Do They Cost?</b></p>
<p>Just about anything. You can find plenty of free workshops and those that go into the thousands of dollars. Expect to pay between $80 and $300 for an hour or a half day course.</p>
<p><b>How to Know if They’re Going to be Useful, or a Waste of Time and Money? </b></p>
<p>Again, researching is the key. Don’t always rely on a friend or colleague’s recommendation either, as what works for one person, may not work for the next. If you can, start with a shorter course and see how you like the teaching style, don’t sign up to something that’s hundreds of dollars if you’re not sure about the workshop leader or the company. Read testimonials and be wary of anything that is asking an inordinate amount of money upfront. Go with larger organisations or a person you feel that you ‘click’ with, who understands your style and what you want to learn.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>New Study Options</b></p>
<p>Career and personal sea changes are becoming much more popular as almost no one stays in the same job these days for their whole life. People today can expect to change careers 3 or more times in their lifetime, so don’t be afraid to investigate adult learning opportunities.</p>
<p><b>How Many Careers does the Average Person Have in a Lifetime?</b></p>
<p>&#8220;The problem is career change is tricky to define,&#8221; says Solomon Polachek, a professor from a New York University. Most experts don’t count switching temporary jobs in your youth as a ‘career change’ but most studies seem to put the number at around 3 or 4 careers, with over ten different jobs or employers. This means that in most cases, additional study, learning or training will need to be undertaken at some point in your life.</p>
<p><b>Can you Study Online? At University or Tafe? </b></p>
<p>There has been a massive surge in the number of people studying online, in Australia and in just about every single country. In the US there is “an almost four-fold increase in students taking courses online (representing) a compound annual growth rate of 18.3% over the nine-year period. By comparison, the overall higher education student body in the US has grown at an annual rate of just over 2% during this same period,” Elaine Allen from <a href="http://www.dehub.edu.au/us-online-education-growth-dwarfs-overall-enrolment/">DE Hub</a>. Similar figures are reported here in Australia.</p>
<p>This is partly due to more people with access to technology, internet and computers but also to the fact that more reputable institutions are now offering courses online, including <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/03/education/harvard-and-mit-team-up-to-offer-free-online-courses.html?_r=0">Harvard and M.I.T</a>. The technology for online education, which may use videos, YouTube, and online student chatrooms, is growing so fast that many people say that education has changed forever. “My guess is that what we end up doing five years from now will look very different from what we do now,” said Provost <a title="Bio page." href="http://www.provost.harvard.edu/people/bio_agarber.php">Alan M. Garber</a> of Harvard, who will be in charge of the university’s involvement.</p>
<p>In Australia more and more TAFEs and universities are offering online courses, but there are also many Certificates and Diplomas available online via registered training organisations or distance learning facilities such as Open Colleges or Seek Learning.</p>
<p>I<b>dentify What You Should Study – for Love or Money?</b></p>
<p>One of my favourite bloggers, <a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2008/02/25/steps-to-figuring-out-your-next-career-move/">Penelope Trunk,</a> says, “You line up all the stuff you like to do and you figure out which one will pay best. Don’t complain to me that I’m too focused on money. Really. Just do the exercise.” However, you should really weigh up your needs first. Are you changing careers to make more money, or because you feel unfulfilled?</p>
<p>It might be your dream career to work as a graphic designer or a photographer, but if you won’t be able to find work or cover your bills, you’ll be back to square one. It’s important to be realistic with yourself, “we find by doing, not philosophising,” says Trunk. It’s OK to begin some adult education if it’s a general interest course, and this can be a great way to work out whether or not you’ll be able to take your interest into a career.</p>
<p><b>Finding Communities</b></p>
<p>One of the best ways to work out which direction to go is by immersing yourself in the culture of those that are doing it and meeting the people who are doing what you think you love, and talking to them. Find out where you’d fit in the scheme of things. I have a great friend who wanted to become an actress, until she spent a year in an immersive, year-long acting course and decided that she couldn’t stand the pompousness and self-importance of the industry (her words). Another friend who was doing the same course felt that she had finally met her clan, and is now working in Los Angeles.</p>
<p><b>Finding a Mentor</b></p>
<p>For some lucky people, their passion is also their paying job, but for most of us, realistically our jobs are made up of tasks we love, loathe and feel neutral about. So how do you discover if what you love to do can make you enough money to live on? By talking to people who are doing what you want to do and finding a mentor.</p>
<p>“Look for someone that has done what you want to accomplish, maybe not on the grandest scale but who has consistently succeeded with innumerable challenges. Look for this person in a company similar to yours that is not a competitor,” Mary Lee Gannon of <a href="http://www.StartingOverNow.com">StartingOverNow.com</a>.</p>
<p><b>Making Contact with Other Communities </b></p>
<p>Alicia Banister from <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/05/finding-your-people-the-importance-of-community-alicia-banister/">Elephant Journal</a>says, “When we engage with others, and namely with community, we are reminded that we are not alone… to others gives us an opportunity to be met, to be seen, to allow someone else to meet us as we are.”</p>
<p>Become part of groups, read blogs and connect with others via social media in the areas you’re interested in. This can make you feel like you are moving towards achieving your goals. If you are interested in starting a small business, check out the government resources available and ask plenty of questions. If you want to be a fashion designer, read industry publications and find Facebook groups linked to your interest. Make friends with people, or sit back and watch the conversations happening and put in your two cents when you feel confident.</p>
<p><b>Easier Than Ever to Find Communities, or Harder?</b></p>
<p>Thanks to social media, it’s pretty easy to locate people doing what you want to do – but some believe that it’s actually getting harder to make real contacts, because we’re all so busy. According to <a title="View all posts by Jonathan Slonim" href="http://jonathanslonim.wordpress.com/author/jslonim/">Jonathan Slonim</a>, “Social media, at its worst, becomes the new definition of “community” and our default form of social interaction. This technology, once meant to aid individuals in communicating, becomes the sole means of communication. This inhibits real thoughts and friendships from forming. Our thoughts are becoming dangerously limited in scope and depth.”</p>
<p>Try to also make real face to face contact with people when you can. This is where getting a mentor or joining clubs or beginning adult education courses can be useful.</p>
<p><b>Identifying Inner Issues</b></p>
<p>When you’ve done everything else, and you’re still confused about your life’s purpose, consider what’s happening on the inside</p>
<p><b>What is Holding You Back?</b></p>
<p>Write down your fears and worries, think about the times in life that you’ve perceived that you’ve failed. Have a look at personal issues that keep cropping up – do you feel like you’re always the underdog, that you can’t build successful relationships, that you’re always struggling for money?</p>
<p>It’s going to be impossible to find your life’s purpose with the weight of your past hanging over your head. Look inward and see what comes up. This will probably be a lifelong process, but when exterior steps fail to bring forth a solution, all you can do is look inside.</p>
<p><b>What To Do About It</b></p>
<p>Once you identify an issue that may be holding you back, you need to work on it. “In our heart of hearts, we know what our obstacles and fears are. “These are the things we need to do but don&#8217;t do (or don&#8217;t do well) because they make us uncomfortable or fearful,” says Timothy Stratman of <a href="http://www.supplychainquarterly.com/columns/20121001-what-is-holding-you-back/">Supply Chain Quarterly</a>. It’s really impossible to summarise a method of detangling your fears and issues, but there’s one thing that can be said, you need to take small, positive steps towards changing; you won’t get anywhere by doing nothing.</p>
<p><b>Could You Be Depressed? </b></p>
<p>Another possible problem we encounter when looking for our life’s purpose is depression, or getting over past hurt. Acknowledge that you’re not perfect and that you’ve made mistakes. Get professional help if you feel you need to. <a href="http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=89">Beyond Blue</a> says, “Depression is more than just a low mood &#8211; it&#8217;s a serious illness. People with depression find it hard to function every day and may be reluctant to participate in activities they once enjoyed.”</p>
<p>The good news is that more and more people are acknowledging depression as something that many people experience from time to time. If you constantly feel hopeless or down, it’s probably time to put seeking out your life’s purpose on the backburner until you feel mentally stronger. Taking small steps is the way to go.</p>
<p><b>Identifying Exterior Issues</b></p>
<p>When you’ve checked off your personal list, look outwards: what else could be holding you back? This is the final step towards getting to the crux of your dreams and goals for your life. Be brutal, be honest, be leave space in your heart for forgiveness and understanding.</p>
<p><b>Who/What is Holding You Back?</b></p>
<p>It could be circumstances, it could be illness, it could be your partner or your parents. What’s the solution? According to Cathie Brunnick of <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/inspiration/2012/05/are-other-people-holding-you-back/">Patheos</a>, “Refuse to be held back by the opinions of others. After all, what harm can someone’s opinion do to you? What power does it have over you? Only the power that you give to it.”</p>
<p><b>How Can This Be Managed?</b></p>
<p>Time to ditch the wife or husband? Sell the kids on eBay? Sometimes you just have to learn how to deal with the things that you feel are holding you back and make the decision to not let them stop you. Or it may be a physical circumstance that can’t be avoided. Understand that you can’t and shouldn’t put your life on hold for these things, you need to learn to work around them.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.getstoried.com/three-ways-to-turn-obstacles-into-gifts/">Get Storied</a> has a great article about turning your obstacles into gifts. “Obstacles are Critical to the Hero’s Journey… Your greatest source of untapped power is in the parts of your story that remain unreconciled.” You can’t expect your life (and the people in it) to be perfect. Decide to use your personal challenges as a driving force.</p>
<p><b>Don’t Make Excuses – Everyone Can Live a Fulfilling Life</b></p>
<p>Discovering your life’s purpose means committing first of all to the idea that you DO have one and you CAN achieve it. Acknowledge that what you consider to be a personal goal or ambition may not even be on someone else’s radar. Remember that your life’s purpose does not have to be one single thing, and it can change and shift as we get older. The dreams you have in your twenties are more than likely going to be different to your dreams and goals at fifty.</p>
<p>Start today. Begin right now. Create an action list and make things happen. Create a worksheet of all the things you want to achieve and all the things you are currently happy with and want to maintain. Aim for achievable goals, then throw in some big dreams for good measure. Want to be a musician with a number one hit? Add it to your list but also add smaller goals such as creating a website for your music or making 3 promoter contacts.</p>
<p>Doug Hall says, “Don&#8217;t make excuses. Make things happen. Make changes. Then make history.”</p>
<p><b>The Final Thing</b></p>
<p>When we reach a roadblock it is essential to do something – not to do nothing and hope for the best. By putting in the work (in one or more of the areas identified above) you can shift that block and come closer to what your life’s purpose is – or at least be on the road to it. Don’t be afraid to reassess constantly. Talk to people, look within and around you, and most importantly – believe in yourself, but do the work.</p>
<p>Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellobear/1283302796/sizes/m/">Explorer Bjorn</a></p>
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<title><![CDATA[New Find: "Personal Development for Smart People" Blog]]></title>
<link>http://janelleodorico.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/new-find-personal-development-for-smart-people-blog/</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:01:31 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Janelle Odorico</dc:creator>
<guid>http://janelleodorico.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/new-find-personal-development-for-smart-people-blog/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[So I found this personal development blog, with tons of interesting articles on it, ranging from how]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So I found this personal development blog, with tons of interesting articles on it, ranging from how to train yourself to get up with just one alarm (I could do that&#8230; once!) to how to figure out your true purpose in life.</p>
<p>Sounds ambitious to be writing about that, I know, but I tried it and I actually got somewhere. It definitely helped me see what I needed to prioritize in my life and what to look for in terms of a career (for those of you who don&#8217;t know or can&#8217;t tell by my picture, I&#8217;m a recent college graduate).</p>
<p>So here&#8217;s the link to the article: <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/how-to-discover-your-life-purpose-in-about-20-minutes/" target="_blank">&#8220;How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes.&#8221;</a> I hope you find his website as useful as I have : )</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Helping others live life to the fullest]]></title>
<link>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/helping-others-live-life-to-the-fullest/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:57:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wildieck</dc:creator>
<guid>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/helping-others-live-life-to-the-fullest/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[“To live is the rarest thing in the world – most people exist – that is all.” – Oscar Wilde A farmer]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/157-horace-800x600.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-209" title="157-Horace-800x600" src="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/157-horace-800x600.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><em>“To live is the rarest thing in the world – most people exist – that  is all.”</em> – Oscar Wilde</p>
<p>A farmer had an old mule that he had named Slim that had helped him  faithfully for many years. One morning the farmer woke up thinking about  old Slim and decided that he would put him out to pasture to enjoy the  rest of his life. So the farmer put on his clothes, went out to the barn  and looked at old Slim and said, “You’ve been a good mule and I’m going  to put you out to pasture. From this day on all you have to do is eat  and sleep.” The farmer removed the mule’s halter, opened the gate and  slapped the mule on the backside and told him, “Okay Slim, get out of  here.”</p>
<p>For the next few days the farmer would see the mule wandering the  pasture from time to time, but a week or so later he didn’t see the mule  anywhere. He searched his farm from end to end but still couldn’t find  Slim. There was an old, abandoned well in the far corner of his farm so  he decided to search for Slim there.</p>
<p><a href="http://wildieck.com/helping-others-to-live-life-to-the-fullest-by-living-life-to-the-fullest-yourself/" target="_blank">For the rest of this articel follow this link&#8230;</a></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Developing a winning attitude ]]></title>
<link>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/developing-a-winning-attitude/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:47:38 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wildieck</dc:creator>
<guid>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/developing-a-winning-attitude/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.” – Dr. Wayne W. Dye]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><a href="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/137-taylor-800x600.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-206" title="137-Taylor-800x600" src="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/137-taylor-800x600.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your  state of mind.”</em> – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer</p>
<p>Have you watched the movie “Yes Man”? If you haven’t I highly  recommend it. It’s about a guy named Carl, (Jim Carey) who is stuck in a  really bad place in life. In fact he’s so badly stuck that he almost  drives away all his friends. After having an epiphany, Karl decides to  attend a seminar that is built around saying “Yes” to everything. The  first thing he says yes to is a homeless man that wants a ride to a city  park on the other side of town. After allowing him to make phone calls  on his cell phone and running down his battery he ends up out of gas and  without a way to contact anybody in the middle of a far away park. He  walks to the gas station and then his new life begins.</p>
<p>Now I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, and although it’s not  for everyone, I do recommend that you watch it. It goes through Karl’s  transformation by saying yes to life’s opportunities. By saying yes his  whole attitude toward life changes, which in turn changes his life.</p>
<p>So what can you do to boost your attitude? Do you have to say yes to  everything? That’s probably not a great idea, but changing your attitude  about life might be just what the doctor ordered. Saying yes to life  more of the time might be a good start. That’s because saying yes to  life or having a positive mental attitude is one of the most important  factors for success. A bad attitude gets you nowhere, while a good one  can provide you with enough positive motivation to succeed beyond your  wildest dreams.</p>
<p>Maybe you think that you already have a positive mental attitude, and  maybe you do. However, if you begin to say yes to more in life, if you  go about finding ways to help strengthen your attitude you can even soar  to even higher levels of success.</p>
<p><a href="http://wildieck.com/5-methods-of-developing-a-winning-attitude/" target="_blank">For the rest of this article follow this link&#8230;</a></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Boosting your attitude for success]]></title>
<link>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/boosting-your-attitude-for-success/</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:45:56 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>wildieck</dc:creator>
<guid>http://wildieck.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/boosting-your-attitude-for-success/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[&#8220;The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.&#8221; - Dr.]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>&#8220;The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.&#8221; </em>- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer</p>
<p><a href="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/137-taylor-800x600.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-73" title="137-Taylor-800x600" src="http://wildieck.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/137-taylor-800x600.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Have you watched the movie “Yes Man”? If you haven’t I highly recommend it. It’s about a guy named Carl, (Jim Carey) who is stuck in a really bad place in life. In fact he’s so badly stuck that he almost drives away all his friends. After having an epiphany, Karl decides to attend a seminar that is built around saying “Yes” to everything. The first thing he says yes to is a homeless man that wants a ride to a city park on the other side of town. After allowing him to make phone calls on his cell phone and running down his battery he ends up out of gas and without a way to contact anybody in the middle of a far away park. He walks to the gas station and then his new life begins.</p>
<p>Now I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, and although it’s not for everyone, I do recommend that you watch it. It goes through Karl’s transformation by saying yes to life’s opportunities. By saying yes his whole attitude toward life changes, which in turn changes his life.</p>
<p><a href="http://astressfreeyou.com/?p=1195" target="_blank">For the rest of this article follow this link&#8230;</a></p>
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