Month: July 2014

How Can I Stay Fit While Working?

ASKELLEN

Dear Ellen,

Back in high school and college, I was always super-athletic. I did sports + competed — and even just running around campus to make it to all of my classes was a workout!

But now that I’m out of school, it feels like there’s never enough time to stay fit. I wake up at 7am, shower and get dressed, drive through traffic across town, put in 8 (really more like 10) hour days at the office, drive all the way home, prep some dinner, spend some time with my girlfriend … and before I know it, it’s practically midnight and all I want to do is pass out.

I know that it’s possible to “make time” for the gym if I REALLY commit to it, but for some reason, I’m struggling to make it happen. I can already tell that it’s affecting my body — and my mood.

Ideas? Tips? A kick in the ass?

Can you help?

Signed,

Not-So-Sweaty in San Francisco

Ellen Fondiler | Dear Ellen: Staying Fit

Dear Not-So-Sweaty:

We all have 24 hours in the day. Some people (think: Obama, Beyoncé, Richard Branson) manage to pack an awful lot into those 24 hours…including fitness. Others? Not so much.

Still, I can commiserate with your plight, Not-So-Sweaty. I love walking around my neighborhood and working up a light sweat in my garden, but when faced with the choice between (a) exercising and (b) anything else, I almost always opt for option b. Which usually means: binge-watching the latest scandalous HBO drama until I pass out.

But despite my couch-potato tendencies, I’ve realized, like you, Not-So-Sweaty, that having a sedentary lifestyle has a negative impact on my creativity and productivity at work…not to mention, my self-esteem.

So I make an effort to make physical activity a priority — even when it feels like I don’t have any time to spare.

With a little advance planning, I promise that you can do it, too.

Here are a few tips to make it happen:

: Look closely at how you’re really spending your time. 15 minutes on Facebook, here…30 minutes watching a Netflix episode, there…oops! You might have a lot more “free time” than you think. (I know I do!)

: Combine + conquer. Combine things you need (and want) to do … with exercise! Listen to podcasts while you’re jogging. Do lunges while you’re waiting for your laundry to dry. Hop on the treadmill while you’re watching TV. (I know a woman who does jumping jacks and boxing punches while waiting for the bus to arrive. Additional benefit: potential creeps leave her alone, because she looks completely insane!)

: Make it a game! Download an app or get a fitness device to help you keep track of your steps and workouts. Start a friendly competition with a couple of friends, and pool your cash to create a prize for whoever exercises the most!

: Bring fitness to work. Start a coffee-break walking club, or ask if you can use a spare conference room for a lunchtime yoga DVD (…and invite your colleagues to join in). Many companies are interested in getting employees more active — it reduces stress and sick days, so it’s good for their bottom line.

: Just SIT less. The latest studies show that sitting is almost as bad for our health as smoking. So if you have a sedentary desk job, be sure to stand at least 15 minutes every hour. Or, even better…invest in a standing desk!

It really doesn’t take much to start bringing fitness back into your life.

And yes, all the clichés are true: even ten, twenty or thirty minutes of movement is better than nothing.

So start moving, Not-So-Sweaty, and you won’t just feel better — you’ll be an inspiration to everyone around you.

In fact, you’ve already inspired me! In honor of you + your soon-to-be-active lifestyle, I’m going to close down my computer and head out for a brisk walk. My body (and brain) are thanking you, already!

Yours,

Ellen

Image: Willie Franklin

Andrea Scher: Blogger, E-Course Creator and Photographer

Ellen Fondiler | Pick My Brain

Ellen Fondiler | Pick My Brain

Ever wish you could sit down with a super-accomplished person and ask, “What does it take to break into your industry? What’s it like to be you? And when you’re looking to hire someone, what does it take to impress you?”

With Pick My Brain, that’s exactly what we do. Enjoy this week’s installment featuring author, e-course creator and workshop leader Andrea Scher.

Question:

You create highly-successful online courses (called “e-courses”) on topics like goal-setting, creativity and living courageously.

If I want to create an online course, what’s the very first thing I should do?

Ellen Fondiler | Pick My Brain

Answer:

First, hooray for you!

E-courses are a great way to take what you know about a particular topic (say, photography, writing poetry, or how to cook healthy meals on a college-student budget) and package all of that knowledge into a class that you can sell + teach online, at an affordable price.

With an e-book, people just read your ideas on a digital page. But with an e-course, you get to be a “teacher” and play a more dynamic role in your students’ learning experience.

You can create a forum where fellow students can meet one another, chime in to offer feedback, give congratulations, issue challenges … even dole out prizes!

It’s a beautiful way to distill your teachings into something really vibrant and alive.

First thing to do? This is a big question. When my clients ask me this question, we usually begin with the “helicopter perspective” of the e-course.

We start with questions like:

What is the journey you want to take people on?

What do you want them to come away with?

What will they be learning?

Once we understand what the big picture looks like, we can focus on the “how.”

How will you take them there?

Knowing “how” will help you create your table of contents, or “curriculum” — the exact steps that you want people to take as they move through the e-course.

And once you’ve done that?

I’m also a big fan of beta-testing your e-course before you release it to the world. Start by inviting a small group of friends or colleagues to take your e-course, first.

A few weeks in, you can check in and ask them questions like this:

What have you learned so far?

Is the pace too fast? Too slow? Or just right?

Do you have any requests for me?

They’ll give you valuable feedback that will help make your e-course even better!

Remember this: The beauty of online courses is that nothing is set in stone — or print. You can change things up right in the middle of class! You can take sections out, add new material, or decide to throw an in-person party for fellow students to meet, face-to-face … just for the heck of it.

Everyone has something to teach — whether you’re 10 years old or 100.

And thanks to all of the new technology out there, everyone (with Internet access!) can teach online, reaching dozens … hundreds … or potentially thousands of students.

What a world, right?

 

Excited to create your first e-course? Check out these neat resources: CourseCraft, Ruzuku and this article on how to make money with an e-course. And don’t miss this post on how to market + promote your new e-course.

Happy teaching!

Images: In Her Image Photography

As An Introvert, How Can I Embrace Self Promotion?

Ellen Fondiler | Advice

Dear Ellen:

I’m a total introvert — you know, the person who’s always tucked in the corner at parties, or reading a book alone at a bar.

I don’t have a problem with being introverted — I like quiet activities, I like being alone with my thoughts, and I like who I am.

But everyone keeps telling me that I need to “promote” myself more, and talk about my achievements. (My career counselor told me, “Don’t be afraid to brag!”)

I’ll be graduating from college soon, and beginning the dreaded job-hunt. All that networking, the phone calls, the interviews … it’s making me anxious, already.

Do you have any tips on self-promotion for introverts?

Or do I just need to buck up and try to be more extroverted — at least until I’ve landed a job?

Signed,

Allergic To Bragging

Ellen Fondiler | As An Introvert, How Can Learn To I Embrace Self Promotion?

Dear Allergic to Bragging,

We live in a world where extroverts rule. Workplaces are set up for maximum group interaction. Office settings often have no walls — and no privacy. People who prefer to stay out of the commotion are often perceived as “shy” or “under-confident.” But that’s not necessarily true, at all!

As a lifelong introvert, myself, I can tell you: there’s nothing wrong with preferring a quiet, peaceful or even solitary kind of life.

In fact, some of history’s greatest writers, thinkers and leaders have described themselves as introverts.

The poet Mary Oliver barely leaves her house and almost never does interviews — yet she is one of America’s bestselling poets. Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Bill Gates are all people who have made a significant mark on the world, and who consider themselves to be introverts.

But let’s leave “changing the world” aside, for the moment. Back to your question: What’s the best way to network when you’re hunting for a job, as an introvert?

It’s important to remember that networking + self-promotion aren’t necessarily about blasting your message (loudly!) to as many people as you possibly can.

Finding meaningful work is all about relationships, and when it comes to relationships, it’s about quality, not quantity.

If you have three people who trust you, believe in you, and would do just about anything to help further your career, that’s far better than three hundred people who barely remember your last name.

You can absolutely build professional relationships + impress people in a “quiet” way, and here are a few ideas on how to do it:

: Invite a potential mentor out for a coffee date or a walk in the park, instead of attending a boisterous happy hour event.

: Or, go to that happy hour event, but then give yourself plenty of alone-time afterwards to recharge.

: Leverage one of your introvert superpowers — deep listening — and ask plenty of questions while you’re having a conversation. Get the other person talking about themselves, so that the spotlight isn’t glaring on you.

: Send hand-written “thank you” notes after a job interview or coffee date. You’ll make a terrific impression … from afar!

: Throw an intimate party (whatever “intimate” means to you — maybe two people, maybe twelve) and invite everyone to share their career goals around the table. See how you can help others, and they’ll be inspired to help you!

: Work with a career coach or resume editor in a 1-on-1 capacity, rather than attending a massive job fair or gigantic workshop.

: Replace the word “bragging” with a different term that feels more comfortable. Try “sharing” or “stating the facts” or “celebrating my accomplishments.”

Most of all, be honest with yourself. Don’t pretend to be somebody you’re not — while you’re hunting for a job, or after you’ve gotten the job.

Think about the kind of career — and working environment — that will make you truly happy.

Just like a redwood seedling needs certain conditions in order to grow + thrive, so do you! Give yourself the conditions you need, in order to be your best.

The more you accept + celebrate who you truly are, the easier it will be for you to find work that you love.

And I know you will do just that.

Yours,

Ellen

Image: Willie Franklin

Marea Goodman: Apprentice Midwife

UNLOCKEDSTORIES

Unlocked Stories: Marea Goodwomyn

To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with 20 and 30-somethings who chose a path + made it happen.

A note from Ellen: I’m thrilled to spotlight Marea in this week’s installment of UNLOCKED Stories. She’s a woman who never intended to become a childbirth specialist — but after an unexpected request from a friend, she found herself deep in the world of birthing and wellness education.

Marea is an example of someone who didn’t really “choose” her career — it chose her. She trusted her heart every step of the way, and it never led her astray.

Even if your career has nothing to do with birthing babies, I know you’re going to be inspired by Marea’s story. I know I am. Read on, and don’t miss the powerful questions at the very end…

: What do you do?

I am training to be a licensed midwife at the National Midwifery Institute.

Right now, I’m working as an apprentice under the guidance of two fully-licensed midwives.

We are on call for births, 24/7. Some weeks we get called for three or four births. Other weeks, none at all. When it rains, it pours!

I just attended my 55th birth and I have delivered 10 babies all on my own.

 

Unlocked Stories: Marea Goodwomyn

 

: Where did the original idea for your work come from?

Several years ago, a friend of mine got pregnant and asked me to be her doula.

A “doula” is someone who supports you before, during and after the birthing experience. It’s not a medical position, like a nurse. It’s more like a “birth coach.” I enrolled in a six-week training course to become a doula — with no intention of making it my profession. Initially, I was just doing it to support my friend.

My friend’s birth was an amazing experience, and I was surprised at how comfortable I felt in my role as a doula. After coaching my friend, I began working with other clients as well.

And then, there was a beautiful moment of synchronicity.

About one and a half years later, the midwife who oversaw my friend’s birth called me out of the blue and told me her apprentice had quit. She asked if I was interested in becoming her new apprentice.

I knew right then and there that I wanted to do it — so I said YES!

Her invitation came at the perfect time. I applied to Midwifery school, got in, and began my formal training right away!

 

Unlocked Stories: Marea Goodwomyn

 

: What were you doing before you did Midwifery?

I studied Spanish and Portuguese in college. I love languages and I love exploring how people communicate, across cultures — the fact that I am tri-lingual has definitely come in handy in my work as a midwife!

After graduating from college, I co-wrote a vegan cookbook with my mom called Straight From The Earth. My parents started Earthbound Farm, the largest organic produce company in the world, and working on the book was a beautiful way to honor my upbringing and my parents’ legacy in the world. Nourishing and caring for people definitely runs in my blood.

A week before we sent the book to the publisher, I got that fateful phone call, asking if I’d like to become a midwife’s apprentice. And that was that!

 

What was you biggest “LOCKED DOOR” moment? Did you almost give up on your dream?

When you’re a midwife, going to work can feel like running a marathon.

You’re on call 24/7. You never know exactly when the baby is going to arrive. And when your client goes into labor, you might be by her side for up to 25 hours, straight.

It’s a very intense profession, and there have been many, many moments where I’ve thought to myself: Why am I doing this? There has got to be a better career choice!

But then, finally … the baby arrives. It’s a magical experience, every single time. And afterwards, I’ll get some sleep. Eat a good meal. Take a long bath. Hang out with friends. Have a good cry. Go on a long walk and just forget about midwifery for a while.

After I’ve taken some time to tend to my own wellbeing, I always feel better. And then I remember why I do this work: to bring new life into the world, and to give mothers the best possible birthing experience they can have — at home, in a space they love, surrounded by people they know + trust.

 

Unlocked Stories: Marea Goodwomyn

 

: What is the BEST thing that has happened since you UNLOCKED that door?

At a recent birth, the dad came over to me and said, “You did a really great job.” Compliments like that always feel good.

But the best part about this profession is the way that it pushes my boundaries — no two days at work are alike, and I’m constantly being challenged to grow, both as a midwife, and as a woman.

I don’t want my life to be easy. I didn’t sign up for that. I’m here to guide women through the most intense process of their lives, and watch people become families.

 

: What’s the next door you need to unlock? (And what’s the plan?)

After I graduate + pass my final licensing exams, I want to deliver as many babies as I possibly can!

I also want to become a speaker + educator. There are so many misconceptions about what midwifery is (and isn’t) and I’d love to help women make informed choices about where + how they choose to give birth.

Eventually, I’d love to have a thriving practice as an independent midwife, specializing in home births. Maybe even starting a Midwifery School — which is greatly needed in the Bay area. And later, starting a family of my own.

I love what I do, and I want to do it for as long as I can.

 

: Last but not least:

What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to stay motivated, do amazing work and unlock major doors?

Say YES to opportunities that excite you, even if they’re completely unexpected.

Don’t be depressed if your original plans don’t pan out.

Remember that you can always change your mind.

But once you do choose a path, be devoted. Put both feet in.

 

UNLOCK yourself

Three questions to think about, write about — or talk about with a friend.

1. Marea’s career began when a friend made an surprising request: “Will you be my birth coach?” Marea was surprised to discover how much she enjoyed birth coaching, which ultimately led to her decision to choose midwifery as a career.

: Has someone ever asked you to do them a favor, that left you thinking, “Hey! That was a lot more fun than I thought!”

2. A turning point in Marea’s career was when she received an unexpected phone call inviting her to become a midwife’s apprentice.

: When unexpected opportunities come your way, do you tend to say “yes” or “no?” Have you ever said “no” and then regretted it, later?

3. Marea’s work as a midwife is physically + emotionally draining — with long births that sometimes last up to 25 hours. She’s learned that by taking care of herself, first, she has more love + energy to give to others.

: How do you care for your mind, body and spirit, right now? Is there a part of your life that could use a little more nourishment?

 

For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!

UNLOCKED Links: July 11, 2014

UNLOCKEDLINKS

(Almost) every Friday, I curate the best links on how to find work that you love, be excellent at what you do, and unlock any door that stands in your way. Here’s your list for today!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

unlockedlinks_may3

FIND WORK YOU LOVE

Going for a job interview? Sometimes what you don’t say is more powerful than what you do.

Feel like your resume is getting lost in the shuffle? Here are 45 quick changes you can make to get yourself noticed.

How to score a coveted job at Google – part one and part two. (It’s really not about your grades!)

BE YOUR OWN BOSS

Feeling unimportant? Here are 10 famous rejection letters that got doled out to people who eventually succeeded, big-time.

This man walked away from Wall Street and founded an amazing non-profit. (Moral of the story: it’s never about the money. Even in business.)

Six women who created their own unconventional career paths. (If they can do it, so can you!)

NEAT TOOLS + INVENTIONS

Alexandra Franzen shares 100 questions to inspire self-discovery. Go through this list — you won’t believe how much you will learn about yourself!

15 productivity secrets from highly prolific writers. Don’t try this one at home: Sir Walter Scott preferred to write in motion, often while riding his horse!

Now you can follow other people’s dreams, stories, ideas and visions on your iPhone. (Way more fascinating than checking Facebook. Again.)

LIFE LESSONS

Stay at home this weekend with a bucket of popcorn and 10 films every entrepreneur should watch. (These classic — and educational — films are a great excuse to be a couch potato!)

Prefer the written word? Read the 21 best books for twenty-somethings. (Turns out: whatever you’re feeling, right now? You are not alone.)

Your body language doesn’t just affect how other people see you — it also impacts the way you see yourself.

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE

Constantly running late? Here are 4 habits of punctual people. (Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everybody on earth read this post, today?)

Here is a house so tiny that you have no choice but to leave…once in a while. Talk about cozy!

Easy conversation starters for networking events. (And a few tips on how to make a graceful “exit.”)

 

Find great work. Do great work. And have a great weekend!

—Ellen

Images: Paul Strand and Carolyn Allen Photography.

Alexandra Franzen: Published Author, Columnist + Writing Workshop Leader

Ellen Fondiler | Pick My Brain

Ever wish you could sit down with a super-accomplished person and ask, “What does it take to break into your industry? What’s it like to be you? And when you’re looking to hire someone, what does it take to impress you?” With Pick My Brain, that’s exactly what we do. Enjoy this week’s installment featuring author, columnist and workshop leader Alexandra Franzen.

Question:

I want to get a book published, but I don’t have a “fan-base” or a “following” yet. Will publishers be interested in me and my book, if nobody knows who I am?

Ellen Fondiler | Alexandra Franzen: Published Author, Columnist + Writing Workshop Leader

Answer:

Yes and no … but mostly, yes. Publishers LOVE when they receive a proposal from an aspiring author who already has a built-in fan-base, because that often translates into more book sales! But at the end of the day, publishers are looking for a book that is likely to sell, period. If you can prove that you’ve got a book concept that people are hungry for … or if your book is covering a topic that’s timely, topical and trendy … or if your novel is so page-turningly-delicious that nobody will be able to put it down … then you’re likely to catch a publisher’s attention. A good book is a good book, regardless of whether the author is “already famous” or not. Plus, certain publishers like to discover fresh talent — so that they can be the first to debut a breakout star!

Ellen Fondiler | Alexandra Franzen: Published Author, Columnist + Writing Workshop Leader

Bottom line: if you already have thousands of fans who adore everything you write + will buy anything you sell, terrific. But if you don’t, don’t let that stop you from pursuing your dreams of having a published book on the shelves. You can do it.  (Of course, self-publishing is always an option, too! But that’s a whole ‘nother Pick My Brain. 🙂 )

Images: Leslie Plesser and Thea Coughlin.