June 2002

Welcome to the second issue of The Monthly Inspirer. It is transmitted only to those who have requested it through my new website www.career-in-your-suitcase.com. If this is your first ezine, then you may like to know that all previous issues are archived on the website.

This newsletter will be brief, I know how busy you are. Each month, in addition to a short editorial from myself, I share information that I think will be of interest. If you know of any tips or inspiration that you think should be here, then please let me know. If you think you have any friends who might like to receive this ezine too, then just send them to http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com to request their copy. It's free!

Jo Parfitt

Let¹s Talk Passion
As you know, passion is one of my favourite words. I believe that until we have become aware of our own passions we cannot hope to reach our potential. Passion can really help us to achieve success in our careers, particularly if we share it with others.

Everyone knows that networking is the key to building a business. "It is not what you know, but who you know that makes your business grow,"is a phrase often used by international networking guru, Donna Messer (http://www.connectuscanada.com). As a rule we prefer to do business with people we know than with absolute strangers. We use the garage in the next village to fix our cars, not because it is the closest to our house, which it is not, but because we have befriended the owner on the sidelines of school football matches.

If you want to get to know the people who could become your clients then you will not achieve this by blithely handing your business card to everyone you meet. On the contrary, it is always best to make friends first, and talk business later. Get to know a little more about someone, and then wait until you are asked for your card.

One of the best ways to bond with someone and start a relationship built on mutual respect is to talk about issues totally unconnected with work. Try to find out what you have in common. Do you both enjoy golf, work for a certain charity, love to eat in Mexican restaurants? Talk about what you love to do. Discover where they choose to go on holiday, where they buy their fabulous shoes or their favourite brand of chocolate.

Of course it can be difficult to avoid discussing business in some contexts, particularly if you meet at a networking event or meeting, but consider starting conversations about issues such as diversity, authenticity or flexible working. Talk about the areas that inflame your passion. Your enthusiasm will shine through your eyes and your body language and will inspire others.

I remember hearing the male chairman of a large publishing company speaking at a Mothers in Management conference a couple of years ago. He told the audience how he encouraged his staff, both male and female, to take time off to support their children's school sporting activities. Despite his high rank in the company, he had not lost sight of the fact that his employees were human beings first and foremost. Employees have families, partners, homes, hobbies and a social life. These elements all serve to make us more rounded, interesting people. We should not attempt to hide who we are in order to appear more businesslike, or to conform.

So, next time you meet someone new, talk about passion not paperwork.

If you would like to read more about passion and how it can help with networking, you will find my article, Passion, Presents and Persistence and other articles in the Networking section of the website at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/resource/articles_index.htm.

News
On June 1 2002 it becomes legal for EU residents to work freelance. This is major news and not many people know it. The previous work permit restrictions made it impossible to pursue many freelance portable careers legally. Now this has changed. Hurray!

Read all About it
Some great new books have come out recently and one that I have been delighted with is Cosmic Coaching by Lorna MacKinnon. Published by Rider at Random House, this book examines each star sign in detail and explains how to motivate yourself and others accordingly. Now, I am usually a cynic about these things, but almost all of what I read about my own star sign was startlingly true. Lorna is an award winning lifecoach and a popular speaker. If you would like to find out more I can get hold of a copy for you, or you can order it from Anne Lovely at fourthbeach@aol.com. It costs £9.95.

Another super book is Nadine Kazerounian¹s Stepping Up, published by McGraw-Hill at £19.99. After much research, and inspired by WIN 2000, Kazerounian has discovered many of the reasons why women tend not to smash that glass ceiling. Packed with statistics and inspiration, she provides the tools that can help women to get up off that sticky floor and fly. Again, I can get you a copy, or you can order it from fourthbeach@aol.com.

This may be a career site, but I wanted to tell you about a book that has nothing to do with careers, but with children on the move. I met Hilly van Swol at the Global Living conference in Brussels earlier this year and was impressed by her vitality and humour. Her book, entitled When Abroad do as Local Children do, is a great example of an expatriate wife turning her passion into a published work. More than a diary, more than a workbook, this is a great tool for any parent wishing to help the kids settle into a new country and understand something of the moving process. It costs 15.90 Euros and can be obtained through the publisher, Xpat Media at http://www.xpat.nl.

SoulGoals is the name of Vera Nicholas-Gervais' coaching company. And if you go to http://www.SoulGoals.com you will find much to feed your soul and fill you with inspiration. Her experience both as a personal coach and as a mother, has led her to write some chicken soup for the new mother's soul. She calls her book Time Out ­ Soul Talk for Stay-at-home Moms. All the joy, the fear, the insecurities and excitement of new motherhood are here. Vera talks frankly about the reality and enormity of the task in hand and gently and coaches you towards sanity.

http://www.Career-Intelligence.com
Calling itself the smart women¹s guide to online careers, this site is crammed with inspiration and articles. Take a look.

May I introduce you to?
Paula Kugelman has done some fascinating research into the way our current situation can influence our moods and how they in turn can cause illnesses such as sciatica, urinary problems or even cancer. Find out more in her article the Mind Body Connection at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/resource/articles_index.htm.

Ricklin Echikson and Associates is a US based company who run a range of comprehensive spouse and career assistance programmes all over the world. Such programmes are seeing a growth in demand, as companies, at last, see the way that supporting the accompanying partners of their employees can favourably impact the bottom line. Galen Tinder, who works for REA as one of their managers has contributed a couple of chapters to the forthcoming Career in Your Suitcase 2. He has also provided two great articles for the website. One describes how telecommuting, the way we can live local and work global through our computers, has come of age. Another outlines the new rules we need to work by for career success. You can find them http://www.career-in-your=suitcase.com/resource/articles_index.htm.

Nathalie Brotchi is one of the founders of NetExpat, a career coaching consultancy based in Europe. The company offers one to one career coaching and job search to the employees of corporates. She and her husband, Alain Verstandig, who runs the business with her, are passionate about solving the dual career issue. Read her interview at http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/resource/articles_index.htm.

While both formal and informal career and spouse programs are on the increase, Johanna Renz, a trained psychotherapist, has had an ingenious idea. She offers email counselling and therapy to expatriates all over the world. Calling her company Up Sticks and Go, Renz, a South African, employs a pool of psychotherapists of different nationalities. In this way you can be assured that your therapist speaks your language. Find out more at http://www.upsticksandgo.com.

Watch Out For
26-29 September 2002
Lausanne
WIN 2002
The fifth Women¹s International Networking (WIN 2002) conference is in Switzerland this year, after four hugely successful years in Milan. I will be there speaking about portable careers in a special relocation workshop. Find out more at http://www.winconference.net.

NOTE. If there are any subscribers living close to Lausanne, please note that I am in discussions with a number of people regarding the possibility of running futher seminars in Switzerland directly after the WIN conference. If you would like to help or attend please contact me.

2-4 October 2002
Indianapolis
Families in Global Transition
People who care go to FGT. Robin Pascoe and myself will be speaking here, though separately this time. My topic is A Career in Your Suitcase and I¹ll also be running a poster session on getting published. Find out more at http://www.tckworld.com/fgt.

November 2002
Brussels, Belgium
I am currently talking to people at the American Women¹s Club Working Women¹s Group in Brussels about running a series of workshops there in November. We are discussing running courses on portable careers, networking and making a career as a writer. If you want to establish your interest please contact me.

And finally
I always encourage interaction from readers and was delighted to receive this from Fiona Cowan, a PR and marketing consultant. Fiona had read my suggestions about keeping a passion journal in the last ezine.

She writes:
I keep two journals.
The little one is neat enough to tuck into a pocket or overnight bag, or even a briefcase. It's not for recording events but for feelings, and observations about what goes on day to day. I don't feel any commitment to keeping it up to date - but I've noticed the more I write in it the more inspired I feel to write in it!

The A5 week-to-view is the Smart Diary. Every single day I try to find something worthwhile to put in it. This could be about my own personal growth, comment on current affairs, frustration with local politics, a really funny joke, an unexpected kindness from a stranger . . . over time I have become more instinctive about knowing what can go in. And I don't like too many days to pile up without putting something in. And reading it back, especially from a couple of years ago when I started doing this, I am impressed by how clever and perceptive I am! Your 'things to be grateful for' journal would fit into this - I'm just broadening the perspective in mine. How I'd love to share Smart Thoughts with other people trying the same experiment!

If you would like to contact Fiona you can do so at Fiona_M_Cowan@hotmail.com or at http://www.fifix.com.