SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 7

I have tip #7 ready to go for you! It's a fun one too!!! It is…

BRAIN FOOD

This has nothing to do with zombies, what I mean by 'brain food' is games, drawing, playing music, etc.

If you have a hobby that has been sitting on the back burner, move it to the front! For example, if you play the guitar but haven't actually played in a while, that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about.

In my case, I like to draw so my Drawn & Delivered card project and my Daily Intention series were great ways for me to dust that hobby off.

I know a lot of people like games and it helps them stay more alert and happy. My mom, for example, loves word searches, which is a great way for her to exercise her mind.

When you engage in an activity that you find great joy in and that challenges you, your brain will grow.

So don't for a second think that working on that sudoku, crossword or jigsaw puzzle is a total waste of time. The added bonus to playing games and solving puzzles is when you finish one you get a huge boost in confidence and when you are looking for a job, every ounce of confidence is valuable!

You know the expression 'if you don't use it, you loose it'? Well don't let that happen to your hobbies. OR don't let little experience keep you from trying. When you try something new new pathways are opened up in your mind.

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What kind of activities or hobbies do you enjoy the most? Is there something you've always wanted to try but haven't yet? Especially if you are unemployed, now is the time!

I've got the final tip coming to you tomorrow! I hope you've enjoyed this series so far :)

See you tomorrow!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4 | tip 5 | tip 6

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 6

Hi! It's me again with another tip perfect for anyone between jobs. This one is great for those with a job too and it is to…

READ

I read for 5 to 10 minutes of non-fiction every morning. 

When I was unemployed, my non-fiction favorites were self help books. What non-fiction can give you is real perspective on how other people live their lives. It can teach you a new perspective and give you inspiration.

Reading these kinds of books in smaller chunks works out well because it gives you the rest of the day to digest what you just read.

For me, reading calms me down and stops me from feeling overwhelmed with to-do list thinking first thing in the day. I think this same principal would apply to spiritual texts too, basically anything that resonates with you on a deeper level. So break out your Bible or the Quran if that's your thing, anything that lifts you up will serve you well.

What I love about this tip the most is that I'm pretty sure you'll never get bored with reading. There are just waaaay too many good books out there, and more being published all the time. My Good Reads list is exploding with great books that I'm excited to get to eventually!

Here are my top book suggestions for empowerment and balance:
The Miracle Morning
The Power of Now

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Do you read as a way to connect with yourself? Have you read anything recently that spoke to a very deep, true part of who you are?

Another tip is coming to you tomorrow! See you then!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4 | tip 5

BOUTIQUE & ART SUPPLIES

not pictured: the paint brush. oops!

Hello! So this is an unplanned post that I decided to publish!

I spontaneously decided to film a video of what I picked up yesterday! My thought behind this is to just share the things I'm excited about and to be a little less formal around here in general. I'm not a very formal person so yeah! Sharing stuff like this feels pretty excellent to me :)

If you are in or visiting Minneapolis and love women's fashion, check out Proper & Prim (located in Uptown). They have a great selection of unique, fun items and really great prices, IMO. 

Secondly, if you are into creating art and needs supplies, check out Art Materials! It has everything you would need for art projects. ALSO, it is a local business with locations in Minneapolis and Fargo. So if you want to support local retailers, check them out. I think they will be my go-to for supplies from now on! 

Both of these stores are pretty close to where I live so that means those long treks out to the burbs can be minimized a little! Woohoo to that!

With that, enjoy the video!

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 5

Hello! Hello! I'm back with another tip for all of the unemployed folks out there! This one is a great one if you are starting to get cabin fever and it is to…

CONNECT

Introvert or Extrovert, people do well when they are with other people.

Humans are social animals. Some more so than others. So in order to establish who you are you have to make an appearance, make your name and presence known. You don't have to be everywhere or do everything. Actually, you probably shouldn't even attempt that. Just choose wisely and have faith that the people you meet, you are meant to meet.

You will find that not only will connecting with people be good for possibly a job connection, but it also helps you practice talking about yourself and really listening and getting to know others.

Since I had no choice but to meet new people because I was new to the state, I bravely put myself out there. I turned to places like Instagram, I followed local hashtags and then I emailed some people with shared interests to see if they wanted to meet. That might sound scary, but to be totally honest, I've had nothing but great results from being friendly.

I also joined a few professional design groups in my area through AIGA Minnesota so I could meet others in my field. That has been majorly helpful for getting a sense of the creative culture in my area.

Finally, I enrolled in an online class! I love being able to meet and collaborate with people face to face but connecting online has been rewarding too, I think that's because you already have something in common with your fellow classmates, the subject you're learning together!

I joined the winter class of Life with Intention Online and I loved it. I was even able to meet some local girls who were also taking the class.

Since that class wrapped up, I'm now taking Marie Forleo's b-school and I'll be taking Hilary Rushford's class Elegance Excellence after that! The communities that are built into these courses were a huge pro when I was deciding on if I should take these classes. 

No matter how social you think you are, it is beneficial to just try going to at least one event a month. Think of it as an opportunity and know that so many people want to connect with others too. If you are nice to others, it is almost a sure thing that you will feel it coming back to you!

Now get out there and meet some rad people! Or connect with an old friend!

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Do you have any examples of times when you put yourself out there and it went well maybe even in the face of fear or new people? Also, if you have an off night, don't take it personally. It almost never has anything to do with who you are!

See you tomorrow with tip #6! It's my favorite of all of them and I do it every single day :)

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 4

Hello and welcome to tip #4 on how to be successfully unemployed! This one is truly a service, it could be a hard one for you to swallow, but hear me out…

CLEAN

I took on 99% of the cleaning and operations of the household when I didn't have an office to go to every day.

This was because I had the time and I didn't mind doing it.

I didn't do every thing every day, I made a rotating schedule and I tried to stick to it.

The way I saw It was that it was my own way of substantially contributing to the home Christopher and I share.

During this time I had a lot of resistance pop up as I noticed myself taking on the cleaning and cooking, I could almost feel all of the 'modern woman' of today roll their eyes at me acting subservient to my husband.

In reality, no one anywhere was rolling their eyes and the only people I would be hurting by letting the dishes remain unwashed was my husband and me. 

This change of heart is a perfect example of ignoring the ego and doing what needs to be done anyway. If you find yourself in a similar situation, feeling resistant, a great way to check-in with yourself is by asking 'if I lived on my own, would I be responsible for this?'

For anyone who is currently unemployed, I want you to try not to look at doing the cooking and cleaning as punishment or pointless chores. This is a hard one because a lot of people have negative associations with these tasks from their childhood. 

I would instead challenge you to look at doing this kind of work as a service, or adding a different kind of value to your current situation. The great thing is that these tasks have tangible results when you are done.

I'm also pretty sure that you will feel awesome. Don't do it for the reward of praise, do it because it is for something that is greater than you.

In my own experience, when I am cleaning and cooking it can be another opportunity to clear the mind and focus on one distinct task. If it helps, use nice soap and put your favorite music on.

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I hope this tip didn't scare you off!

I hope it helped you feel really great about doing the laundry and making dinner. Know that if you are looking for another job that you don't need to keep doing all the housework when you get a new job. Things can and probably will change!

I'm really excited to share the next tip with you! It made the biggest impact on me during this time.

See you tomorrow!!!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3