7 Ways to Put Our Best Foot Forward in 2016!
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator type=”transparent” position=”position_center” thickness=”1″ up=”20″ icon_pack=”font_awesome” fe_icon=”arrow_back” icon_type=”normal”][vc_column_text]I believe that every situation and every person you encounter presents a teachable moment. With every year brings new situations that teach us and help us grow. 2015 presented many lessons that helped my friends and I navigate through tough decisions and sticky situations. Here are some career hacks and life lessons to help you put your best foot forward in 2016.
Stop downplaying your successes. I recently had dinner with a high school classmate who told me that I was the only person from our hometown that she felt comfortable sharing her accomplishments with. I told her not to be ashamed of her successes and to be proud of herself. Not less than two weeks later, someone asked me what I do for a living and I left some important things out. My friend, Stephanie, stopped me and finished my sentence by sharing all of my successes with this person. Later she told me that as women we have to start being vocal about our achievements because this passive behavior leads to women being overlooked for promotions and raises. She’s right! As the conversation about gender equality in the workplace continues to increase, the first behavior that needs to change is the downplay. We also need to have people in our lives that we can share our wins with, and in 2016 let go of those who show envy. Teresa Hassara shares some great advice about sharing your achievements on Fortune.com.
Side hustles are the new black. When I moved to New York, everyone I met including my cousins had side hustles. It’s the way of life in the Big Apple, but now the notion of having two jobs has become a national trend that is growing. It’s an unfortunate thing when your 9 to 5 doesn’t align with your passions, or it doesn’t produce enough income to enjoy your passions. Some of us are lucky to have one job that meets all of our needs, while others find fulfillment working on the side. The side hustle will set you in the right direction to make your wallet fatter or get you closer to living in your purpose. I started my side hustle journey this year along with many of my peers and it has been rewarding. For the first time, I don’t feel that lingering void that something was missing in my life. I’m motivated and inspired each day as I learn how to grow my side hustle. Here’s some tips to help get you started with your side hustle.
Keep a private record of sticky situations that arise a work. Do your job well and make your contributions to the company, but make sure you look out for yourself. When your employer hits hard times financially, you are vulnerable to being laid off. This is also true if a supervisor doesn’t like working with you. If you make a mistake at work, write it down along with the interactions you had with your managers when dealing with the situation. Keep record of when you meet with your managers, save and print out emails and if your employer mentions financial information record it, too. Note all of your achievements and how they contribute to the financial success of the company. All of these documents will help if you ever have to take your employer to court in the future.
See some world. Americans don’t take advantage of their vacation time. We waste so many unused hours that should used to explore the world. Lie on a beach, tour a historic home, try an exotic spa, zip line through the jungle or try an exotic food. Traveling opens your world with new perspectives and can enrich your life in many ways. In order to be our best selves at work we need to rest our bodies and minds by disconnecting from work to keep us healthy and productive. I, also, find that well-traveled people bring an unique element to social settings and work activities. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive and if your PTO is limited there are ways to stretch it out. Utilize your paid holidays, travel during offseason for a cheaper experience, set up travel alerts with TravelZoo and AirWatchDog and create a yearly budget for travel. Here are some great hacks to get you started on your 2016 travel plans.
You are more than your job title. “What do you do?” is the question that I despise the most since graduating from college. There was a time when I was underemployed and my job title wasn’t aligned with who I was and what I wanted to be. Many cities’ social crowds are fueled by one’s title and the only way to join the cool kids circle is by what you or your company can do for the person who asked this question. It took me a while to figure out that I didn’t need to chase a title, but instead I need to chase my purpose. Here are some ways to tackle this question in 2016.
Don’t let one person’s opinion of you dictate your future. Sometimes we hold on dearly to what people think of us. We loose ourselves while holding on to the negative words and give them life, which is not a good thing. I almost let someone’s words waver my confidence when they told me that I was a horrible storyteller. Months later I had an article published in a national magazine. Storytelling and content development is actually my strongest skill and has been an asset in helping to build my side hustle and succeed at my full-time job. If I had let that person’s words take hold of me, then this year would not have happened the way it did for me. Take what people say to you or about you with a grain of salt. Trust in who you are and you will go far.
Bet on yourself. No one will believe in you more than YOU! This year four of my colleagues made a brave decision to quit their jobs to discover their purpose and to work on their passions. Sounds like a crazy thing to do when bills need to be paid, but each person made a plan and decided to take a chance on themselves. We spend most of our days and most of our lives working, but sometimes your employment isn’t an environment that is conducive to happiness. What happens when you have to choose between work and happiness? There are several stories out there like Tristan Walker’s or Kiah McBride’s when they decided to bet on themselves. If you meet this crossroad in 2016, make sure you make the best decision for YOU.
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