Selling Ourselves

The past two weeks I have been looking for employment and trying to figure out what kind of career I want to get into.  In this process, I actually stumbled onto something rather surprising.

Sales plays a bigger and better role in our lives than we realize.  Each of us has to "sell ourselves" as a product on a regular basis.  We sell a projected image of ourselves to potential employers, to potential dates, to clients, to a future mother-in-law, to teachers as the great student or the terrible student and so many others.

From my interviews, especially with Verizon and my Media Sales class I have learned that salesmanship is often the difference between getting a job and being unemployed.

It is important to care about the people and make them feel important.  "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." -John C. Maxwell

Know about what you are talking about.  In this case, know about yourself.  What have you accomplished what are your strengths and weaknesses? Get to know about and believe in the product.

Finally, don't go overboard.  People don't like to feel like they're being pushed off an edge.  Sometimes all you need to do is talk, just tell people you know what you are up to and what your dreams are.  Often you will find someone else who is interested as well.

Blessings in Disguise

This past week I've been ill with a sinus infection.  Usually this would be seen as a negative, especially since I had to stay home from work and go to the doctor, thereby missing the revenue I would have made had I worked.  However, the time to rest and recuperate my body was also useful in recuperating my mind, and I came back rested, refreshed and ready to work.  Work then becomes far less of a boring task to be checked off and more of a pleasant experience.

What I have learned: be grateful for trials, they are often blessings in disguise.

Stress: treating the symptoms

In my previous post, I talked about how "stress-ers" are the disease, and stress is just the symptom.
Sometimes you need to treat symptoms till you can cure the disease, so here are some ideas of how to do just that:

Cleaning (I find sweeping/ scrubbing something to work best)

In home spa (get candles or a scented plug in if you can't have candles and take a bubble bath. Pamper yourself with a new hair style or do your nails)

(Pinterest.com has ideas on hair)
Pop Balloons (This really does work, stepping on them works best.) or get yourself a balloon.  this always brightens my day

Spend time with friends

Accomplish something (the feeling of success is euphoric)

Listen to fun music

Look up and smile (just doing this action sends happiness chemicals into action)

Paint (wear a smock and get messy with it)

Take a nap

Do something inspiring

And I recommend prayer.  In each of these or any activities you do.  Prayer will make it so you get more out of the experience.

Boundaries

I'm reading the book boundaries in marriage, and even though I'm not at that stage of my life yet, it is really insightful. For example, they talk about how boundaries allow us to take ownership (like property lines) they delineate who owns what. They allow each person to take ownership of their own feelings and attitudes. No one causes you to feel anything... they can create circumstances where you are predisposed to feel a certain way... but they can't force you to feel that way. You decide.
Here is the link to the book. 

I'm one of those people!

What I learned this semester, the most valuable lesson I gained, was about my self worth.

I learned that my entire life I have been suffering from serious self image issues and didn't even know it.
It has affected my behavior in negative ways for as long as I can remember.

I remember in high school, everyone saying that the cute girls think they're fat and...blah blah blah.
I remember thinking "that is so true...but that doesn't apply to me because I really am fat."

I have realized however, that although it wouldn't be unhealthy to lose weight, I am not "Fat" or ugly or...whatever.

I've realized that I may not look good in a bikini, but who cares?  I look really good in jeans and a nice shirt.

This realization had to come from me.  I learned about my own self worth and now I am able to begin recovery.

A bad image is like a drug... addictive, judgement impairing, damaging and resolvable.
The cure is the same...first you have to acknowledge you have a problem and then....fix it!

I am really amazed at what a good perspective can do to a person's life!

I hope they call me on a mission!

I have decided that I am going to prepare to go on a mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

I am so excited!

I've started keeping a schedule,

I made a budget

I played the piano (they need piano players sometimes)

researched the qualifications,

I already have my wisdom teeth out ;)

(mind you I can't even go for another two years)

I believe, however, that deciding to prepare for a mission could possibly be the best decision I have made yet!

I shall keep posting about my progress!

(wish me luck!)

Just Listening

I'm beginning to take Socrates ideas of finding truth to heart.  He believed that by deliberating with his fellow man he could come to truth.  I believe that just by listening you can come to truth.  People love to talk about themselves, their ideas, their days, their personality, their life and everyone has a unique spin, perspective and philosophy. So when you listen it broadens your horizons tyo things you may have never considered.  I have found that most of the answers (lately) that I have been looking for came out of the mouths of people who were pondering just like me.  With millions, and even billions of people in the world, we don't need to seek knowledge with blinders on, that would defeat the purpose.

loved this quote