July 2002

Spring Clean in Summer!
Summer may be upon us, but despite my list of tasks that keeps on multiplying as the end of term gets closer, I do not find myself bursting with quite the same energy that dominated my Spring. Do you find that too? That it is Spring, rather than Summer, that gets those creative juices flowing? And that as Summer comes along, bringing with it all that extra plant watering and lawn-mowing, together with the lure of lazy evenings outside beside a barbecue, that the motivation that gripped us in March, now drips away?

Many of my friends comment that they lose some of their drive and determination at this time of year. I am sure that many of you will be able to empathise with this and I know that most of us will take the time when we are away on holiday to examine our lives and the choices we have made during the last 12 months. It was on one such trip more than 10 years ago, that my chosen holiday reading was "Do What You Love The Money Will Follow"by Marsha Sinetar. I guess that it was the first book of its type I had ever read, and to this day I can remember lying in the sun beneath a palm tree at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel on the Island of Penang as I read paragraphs out to my husband. This was one of the Defining Moments that the ""prah Doctor¹ Phil McGraw talks about in his books "Self Matter"¹ and "Life Strategies." A moment that stands out in my memory apart from many others. A moment that I can recall in detail by all five of my senses. To this day that book smells of suntan lotion and frangipani.

A few weeks ago I met a lady called Val Plummer, who had a similar Defining Moment, one Christmas holiday a few years ago. She was in bed ill and suddenly realised that feeling too weary to get up was becoming increasingly frequent. She had a good, well-paid job that she loved, but it seemed as if her body were telling her something. She had lost her motivation and enthusiasm and this appeared to be affecting her immune system. A short while later, while Val and her husband were on a reviving walking holiday, they decided to write themselves a life plan. They would write a blueprint for the life they truly wanted to lead, including where and how they wanted to live, what they needed and which parts of their lives they could leave behind. Rather than deciding how to change what they had right now, they would start with a clean sheet of paper and plan a brand new life. It took them over a year to write their plan. Over time Val gave up her job and went freelance, they moved to a small village a hundred miles or so north of where they had been living and Val began selling Forever Living products and working as a life coach. Feel free to contact her on valplummer@ukclc.net if you would like to find out how she did it.

If you are lacking in motivation right now, the chances are that when you go away for a few days you will start to recognise which elements of your life could benefit from a spring clean. It is highly likely that when you start to relax you will realise which aspects of your life do not fit any more and you will vow to make some changes on your return. It is no surprise that recruitment agencies are at their busiest in September. This comes as a direct result of all those people deciding to resign from their jobs while they were on holiday.

So, before you go away, anticipate that you will find yourself in a reflective mood. Be prepared. Take along a couple of inspiring books, such as "Work With Passion"by Nancy Anderson, or "Be Your Own Career Consultant," by Gary Pyke and Stuart Neath. One of Dr Phil¹s or audio tapes would be a good idea too. Take along a large, lined, spiral bound notebook in which you can jot your thoughts and treat yourself to a pen that you would enjoy to hold. Last year I bought myself a bright orange A4 notebook of this type and a multicoloured pen. In your idle moments promise to set yourself some speedwriting exercises. Speedwriting refers to the non stop stream of consciousness writing that Nathalie Goldberg describes in her book "Writing Down the Bones." Don¹t take your pen off the paper, just let the ideas flow. Some topics that could get you thinking could be:

Write for at least three full pages or ten minutes without stopping or thinking. You may be surprised at the results.

If you start the summer prepared with something inspiring to read and a notebook by your side you will be well on the way to an inspiring break. But don¹t forget to pack some items that make you feel good too. A guitar maybe, or a songbook? Your favourite music, your watercolours? Maybe this is the time to have a go at painting for the first time? You may discover a passion that has lain dormant for the last year. A passion that could later find its way into the new life you may prepare for yourself.

Jo Parfitt

Read all about it
As a regular reviewer of careers based books for the Weekly Telegraph, I receive a constant stream of new titles on my doorstep. I was particularly excited this month to find out about an imprint called Momentum, which comes from the Pearson Education stable (http://www.yourmomentum.com). Its newest title is "Be Your Own Career Consultant (how to unlock your career potential)" by Gary Pyke and Stuart Neath. The Momentum series uses the slogan Othe stuff that drives you¹ and inside the flyleaf of this book you will see the inspiring line: "Work out where you want to be ­ and get there."Written by self-confessed sceptics, this book is a good follow-on to Raymond Bolles "What Colour is your Parachute." It promises to allow readers to ask the right questions and learn from the answers. Also from Momentum come such titles as "Managing Brand Me," "Brilliant Interviews," "Soul Trader," "Reinvent Yourself" and "Mental Space ­ how to find clarity in a complex life." All titles are perfect for Career in Your Suitcase followers such as yourselves.

You can find any of the reviews I have written for the Weekly Telegraph on http://www.globalnetwork.co.uk on the virtual Bookshelf, which can be accessed from the sidebar.

For those of you who are more interested in the nuts and bolts of working abroad than self-development, then you will be pleased to know that Godfrey Golzen and Jonathan Reuvid¹s book "Working Abroad"has just been released in its 23rd edition by Kogan Page. Over 40 country profiles are included as well as information on career management, finding work, financial planning, partners, children and repatriation.

The status of Career in Your Suitcase 2
Thanks for asking! While the last few copies of "A Career in Your Suitcase"can be purchased online at www.career-in-your-suitcase.com, for just $16, which includes postage and packing, the second edition is well on its way. Right now the manuscript is with the editor, then I just have a few rewrites (I wish!) before it goes off into production. As I am going to the WIN conference in Lausanne in late September, this is the perfect launchpad for the book, particularly as Gail MacIndoe and Mary van der Boon, who have supplied two of the chapters will be co-presenting with me there. From WIN I go to Families in Global Transition to speak on A Career in Your Suitcase. Another contributor, Robin Pascoe will be there as will members of the Ricklin-Echikson and Associates (REA) team, who are the book¹s main sponsors.

May I introduce you to?
Women's International Networking conference
I know I am always harping on about the WIN conference, but there is a reason why this annual event is known as "magical"and a "spa for the soul." I have attended three times now, and each year return with a Filofax full of new friends and a mind full of inspiration. This year the conference takes place in Lausanne, and the theme is Building Partnerships Across Boundaries. Speakers include: JoAnne Freeman, who founded Strengthening Women in Mastery (SWIM) and Louise Mita, founder and creator of Tao Energy, and me, of course! Find out more at http://www.winconference.net.

Women Connecting Women
About four years ago I decided to start an informal networking group for women who were working or wanted to work. The group has grown from strength to strength and while I no longer act as the co-ordinator, I am still very much involved. The current co-ordinator is Nadine Taylor and thanks to her amazing drive, vision and design skills, Women Connecting Women is now in a position to help other women set up local branches anywhere in the world. One of the group¹s unique features is that it is both informal and inclusive and committed to helping women to connect with each other while developing their skills. Take a look at the brand new website at http://www.wcw.eu.com if you would like to know more.

New on the website
We are constantly adding new links and articles to the website, and I welcome contributions from any of you, of course. Please look out for a case study of Karen French, who has turned her passion for fashion into a thriving business in Singapore. Then there is a Careers to Go feature on careers in the health field, kindly compiled by Luitgard Holzleg who is based in Switzerland. Galen Tinder of Ricklin-Echikson and Associates has given us a piece that explains the difference between recruiters, careers consultants and career management companies. Donna Messer has provided three pages of tips on how to network at a conference. Remember, Donna's site (http://www.connectuscanada.com) is crammed with free information like this. There is a brand new piece that lists all the services that human resources companies have come up with to help their dual career accompanying partners, and finally, Alison Clements-Hunt of Odyssey has written about how one spouse and her husband's company worked together to formulate the perfect spouse career assistance policy.

You can find these pieces and many more at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/resource and remember that there is a search engine on the site that you can use to find exactly what you are looking for.

And you can find more careers articles, including many written by me, at http://www.globalnetwork.co.uk in the Careers section. Right now my article, entitled Find Your Passion heads the page.

Wishing you all happy holidays ­ and don't forget to Spring into Summer!

Jo