September 2002

Inspiration
Inspiration is one of my favourite words. Today's entrepreneur cannot survive and thrive without inspiration, information, and of course perspiration. If it is true that there are only 35 short story plots in the world, and that writers merely recreate old themes with new characters and new settings, then it is probably safe to surmise that there is a similar rule for business.

We can sell our products to businesses or consumers. In this way we can sell the same product to one market, the same product to a range of markets, a range of products to one market, or a range of products to a range of markets. Of course there are other examples, but basically, the story is the same. Without inspiration we are sunk. Without inspiration we run the risk of simply being the same as everyone else. The successful stand out from the crowd because they have shown initiative and innovation and been inspired.

So, how do we manufacture this inspiration? To continue the short story analogy: writers suffer from writers' block. Everyone has days, weeks or even months, when they fail to feel inspired and motivated. When the ideas dry up we start to doubt ourselves and wonder if we are pursuing the right career path at all. Recently this happened to me. I am a writer and make most of my living from writing and selling articles and books. But I am also a careers consultant and a speaker. I was suffering a double whammy. Not only did I have writers' block - I had everything block! The bills still needed paying and I started to panic. Was I on the right path? Was that why my motivation had come to a standstill? Driven and determined as I am, I decided to open myself up to any opportunity that came my way. I decided to seek out new ideas and follow up old leads. Within a few weeks I had work opportunities coming at me from all directions. I spent hours brainstorming with friends and family, writing proposals, creating spreadsheets and surfing the Internet. I made charts that compared each of these opportunities with my values and I did a lot of thinking. But I could not make up my mind which to go for.

When it was time to go away on holiday with my family I decided that I would take along the notebook and pen I told you about in the July Inspirer, and write myself into a decision. After that fortnight away my decision was made. I did not want to do any of them!

While I was away it became clear to me that I had been "clutching at straws'. I had been so desperate to earn that I had forgotten to follow my heart. While I had been spending time chasing what turned out to be false rainbows, I had forgotten my own advice - trust your gut instinct. Listen to your heart. No amount of calculations and spreadsheets can compensate for the lack of natural enthusiasm that you will feel if an idea is simply "right." Does what you want to do make your heart beat faster? If it doesn't, then the chances are it is not for you.

Doc Childre and Howard Martin have worked together to produce a book on what they call "HeartMath," which teaches you how to use your heart as a compass. Look heartmath up on the Internet and you will be inspired by the amount of research that has been done on the subject. Childre and Martin say that stress destroys coherance. This was clearly true of my own experience. For while I had been desperately seeking income, I had failed to recognise one major stressor in my life. A stressor that would limit my coherant thought considerably. It was the school holidays! I had a houseful of small boys, extra (usually fussy) mouths to feed, double dishwashing, double laundry, child friendly (and adult unfriendly) activities to arrange. All this and still a business to run, a book to complete and a husband who works in another country. Now why didn't I think of that?

So, don't beat yourselves up if you are feeling less than inspired right now. Like anyone suffering from writers' or everything block, you will find it impossible to be creative unless you give yourself a large, peaceful space in which to think. The summer holidays may be a wide open playground of bliss to your children, but I bet I am not the only mother praying for tomorrow when my kids go back to school!

But let's return for a moment to the story of my own inspiration failure. Ironically, once I had made that decision not to do the work that felt wrong, I discovered a space had appeared in my life after all. The space I had been using for panic had become, instead, one of peace. And from that moment work opportunities that I truly relish have started to appear. And it took not a second's thought nor a spreadsheet to say "yes' to them. The busier I become the more inspired I feel. And the more I feel inspired, the more new opportunities come my way. I wonder now whether these attractive opportunities were there all along, but that I had merely failed to see them? Unless we give ourselves some space in which to think and dream, what hope do we have of finding that elusive inspiration?

Still on the theme, Donna Messer has given us a piece of her own inspiration for the website. Read it now and get your professional life back on track after the summer! Find it at: http://www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/articles/inspiration.htm.

And now it's your turn to inspire me! Career in Your Suitcase 2 is out in two weeks! I always try to get myself some free advertising by supplying articles on the theme of portable careers to magazines and websites. I give them a free article and in exchange they give me a byline that includes a mention of the book and where to buy it. It is often the free newsletters that you can pick up locally, and locally based websites that are most keen to receive them. Though, of course, I'll be happy to send a press release to the biggies! Can you think of anywhere that I could send an article like this? Can you think of any publications that might like to review it? I'd be glad to be inspired!

Jo Parfitt

Read all about it
I know I am supposed to recommend career books here, but I have to tell you about a book I read while on holiday. Have you read Memoirs of a Geisha yet? Because if not, then you must. Written by Arthur Golden, it tells the story of Chiyo, who was taken from her family to become a Geisha in the 1920s. She was nine years old. We have just read this at the reading circle I belong to, and we all agreed that it was superb, gripping and beautifully written. I compared the experience to "reading chocolate'. So I apologise for a slight digression, but it was about a career of sorts!

Next, try Soultrader by Carmel McConnell, who used to be a Greenham Common activist and is passionate about the environment and the underprivileged. It is published by Momentum and contains lots of information on the theme of finding your values, your passions and your drivers. It shows you how to find your soul.

SPECIAL OFFER ­ Career in Your Suitcase 2
I am delighted to offer you a discounted price for your own copy of my book, which is due out on 25th of this month. It is priced at £12.99 or $20 and the postage costs me about another $5, at least and that's without the cost of the packaging. If you would like to receive your own copy, still warm off the press and signed by me, then I will waive the postage charges. You will see the same deal advertised on the website too and can order via PayPal, but I am finding the service inordinately difficult to use and so far all the money I have earned this way seems to have fallen into a big black hole!

Reviews of the book have been fantastic. One reader said it was the best thing I have ever written, another said that it gave her a warm glow to realise there was a huge supportive network out there. Packed with new tips that do not appear in the first edition and over 200 pages of inspiration, support, information, contacts and ideas, you will find it of value to anyone, male or female, who wants a career that works for them.

To order your copy (or copies ­ it makes a good present, one person has ordered 20!) please email shop@career-in-your-suitcase.com

Things you say about the Monthly Inspirer
Fiona Cowan, A Scot abroad in England enjoyed my comments about asking for feeback in the August Inspirer and emailed to say:

The world is buzzing with potential these days - thanks to you and your introductions. I thought this month's Inspirer was particularly apposite

... I have been thinking lately about the almost spiritual quality of favours, and feedback is one of the easiest cheapest most loving favours around. I read somewhere recently that there is no such thing as failure, only learning ... I think the trick is to choose carefully which kinds of feedback we will take personally, rather than indiscriminately accepting it all like a whale sucking in plankton.

"Yes please' to feedback given with love, that feels like it's true, that helps in some way ... That's personal and I'll take all I can get. But "no thanks' to the other kind which says more about the person giving it than about me.

Geri Carlson, who is based in St Pauls, in the US told me:

Thank you thank you thank you. For the inspiration. I was beginning to think there was something "wrong" with my "the world is my oyster" paradigm . . . sigh. . . It is soooo refreshing to meet you - even via cyberspace. YOU GO GIRL!

May I introduce you to?
This month I am going to tell you about three of the clients I have connected with since that "aha' moment after my summer holiday.

Johanna Renz is a South African, living near London. She is a trained social worker and psychotherapist and has had the ingenious idea of offering therapy by email! Her website is called www.upsticksandgo.com and is beautifully designed. She offers many other services in addition to this one, but it is the email counselling that I find most interesting. With associates fluent in a wide range of languages, Renz can offer help to people wherever they are in the world, and if they are more local, then face to face and telephone counselling are available. Great idea.

I have also been impressed by the work of Going-There. Brainchild of Diana Busk, a long term American expatriate in London, Going-There has grown out of her success with the American Agency, which offers settling in services to Americans arriving in London. The website www.going-there.com offers locally sourced information on more than 12 expat cities (this number is growing rapidly) and a local contact to help settle you in. Busk is looking for people to work locally for them in the new cities they are adding to the list, so do get in touch if you feel inspired by the opportunity.

Only this week I have had the pleasure of experiencing the enthusiasm of Delores Palmer, who is the chair for the WeWrite Corporation. The group is involved with producing and publishing books by kids for kids. They now have 50 books on the list, with titles such as "You're Moving' and "War ­ I'm Scared!'. The topics are typically those that concern children and the stories are designed to help ease the worries that can often be so hard to articulate. Take a look at www.wewrite.net to find out more.

New websites
Try these new websites to help you find that perfect job:
http://www.execappointments.com
http://www.thejobsearchdirectory.net
http://www.searchfirm.com

Find me at:
26-29 September
WIN 2002, Lausanne
1500-1800, Thursday 26th September
Creating a Moveable You - A Relocation Workshop for women living and working internationally (yes, we changed the title!)
Mary van der Boon, Jo Parfitt and Paula Kugelman
http://www.winconference.net

2-4 October
Families in Global Transition 2002, Indianapolis
A Career in Your Suitcase workshop with Jo Parfitt
Poster Session on Story to Tell ­ Make it Sell with Jo Parfitt
http://www.tckworld.com/fgt

4-5 November, London
Corporate Relocation News
euroNorthAtlanticGlobal HR Congress
World Trade's Impact on Company HR Policies,
Strategic Localization and Cross-border Employee Mobility
Presented by CRNNEWS in association with The Wall Street Journal, Europe
I will not be presenting here, but will be selling copies of A Career in Your Suitcase 2 and giving out copies of Expatrium. Alain Verstandig of NetExpat will be hosting a panel on dual career issues.
I have attended and spoken at many of these conferences, which are held all over the world several times a year. They cover issues that are of burning interest to relocation service providers and HR and are an invaluable source of great networking.

Discount: CRNNEWS is offering a deep-discount to corporate HR Directors and individual spouses of just £100 (100 Sterling) per person for the entire conference, or a 1-day option at only 60 Sterling. The special fees cover education classes and available speaker materials, the trade show component, and conference-related food and beverages.
Find out more at: http://www.crnnews.com/crn/crnconf.asp?cid=3

Belgium
Yes, I should be in Belgium 22 November for more details click here

Dubai
23rd January has been pencilled in the diary . . . keep it free!

Free seminars
October 1st 2002, London
The Relocation and Repatriation Conference and Exhibition
Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, SW1
Assunta Mondello and Helen Elliot of The American Hour and The Expatriate Adviser (http://www.theamericanhour.com) are again hosting an expatriate conference and exhibition in London. Free seminars run throughout the day, with:
10.30 - Growing Up Around the World ­ Surviving and Thriving with Mary Langford of Southbank International School
11.45 ­ the Dual Careers Issue with Patricia Keener of Keener and Associates
1.30 - Repatriation ­ Return of the Prodigal with Sian Ellis of Training Across Culture Ltd
2.45 - Global Trends in International Assignments with Siobhan Cummings or ORC
4.00 - Improving Productivity of your Mobile Employees sponsored by Crown Relocations.
To book your place please call Helen on 0020 8661 0186 or email helen@theamericanhour.com

October 19th and 20th, Excel Docklands, London
Business Startup 2002.
Two days of 65 free seminars and hundreds of exhibitors. Big name speakers and topics including how to set up a franchise, know your market, cope with tax, starting out and many more topics. The organisers say that 50% of last year's attendees went on to start their own businesses!
Find out more at http://www.b-startup.com. It's completely free. I'm going myself to gather some information and inspiration!

New on the website
Over the next few weeks Kelly will be working hard to put up all the material that is complementary to Career in Your Suitcase 2. So watch out for examples of CVs and cover letters as well as lots of other information that I decided to put on the web rather than in the book itself.

For starters you will find some useful tips to consider when you are creating an electronic CV. This was given by Ricklin Echikson Associates, who, as you know, are the major sponsors of Career in Your Suitcase 2 and for whom I now work as a careers consultant. The quality of their service has really impressed me. Find the piece.

Then, if you want help with making an effective job search on the Internet you might like to look at another REA offering.

Meanwhile, keep yourselves busy looking at two new case studies. Denise Beurskens is a Dutch spouse in London, who has set up her own recruitment agency, just perfect for other expat spouses. Read her story. Renee von Paschen has made a career out of translating, so find out more about her at: . I would like to thank Rebecca Ponton in Abu Dhabi for this article.