Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Career Inspiration

Have you ever noticed that if you learn a new word, you suddenly start seeing that word everywhere? It's not as if the word suddenly popped into the consciousness of the entire planet, you just begin to notice it.


That pretty much sums up how I'm looking at career stuff right now. I see advice (and inspiration) everywhere. Now - if this is not a classic Jenn outlook on life I don't know what is: the economy is tanking, all the wise folks advise against taking financial risks but no, no, no....Jenn is seeing career advice in everything. And...all the advice seems to be saying: "Go for it, girl!!!!" (Now...what that "it" is remains to be seen.....so don't ask me just yet...)


I thought I'd share some of my latest career inspirations, because I'm nothing if not a sharing kind of girl:

- Joann's Book (a.k.a. Fourteen Buttons): You can read about it at the bottom of my blog later, but I have to say I really enjoyed reading her book! This was actually a two-fold career inspiration. For one thing, I'm an unfulfilled and undisciplined writer. Because of that, I'll probably never be published. I was so impressed that I knew someone who had the discipline to complete a novel and get it published. It made me think: "Maybe some day..." The main character in Joann's book, Annie, was also a real inspiration to me. She started out as a pretty meek woman who just wanted to be a housewife and mom, but ended up raising her kids on her own and creating a successful business. Really cool - especially since it happened right after WWII.

- The Brazen Careerist: I just discovered this blog. I am hooked. The woman who writes it is so irreverent and I feel like such a spy when I read about her life but it's GREAT. I mean - you read about everything from sex to interviews in there. (Not necessarily in the same posting...one would hope...) Obviously she wants to share her life with the world, or she wouldn't have this really popular blog. (Now, maybe her ex-husband didn't feel the same way about having his life shared all over her blog....considering the fact that he's an EX-husband now. Ouch.)

- My dad. Really - I think Dad was my original career inspiration (probably the case for a lot of kids, don't you think?) and the older I get, the better I understand him. We're cut from the same cloth in a lot of ways. He made some really good, but really difficult career decisions during the 1970's and 80's based on what his family needed. I don't think that was a driving factor for as many men then as it might be now. He also started his own business when I was in high school (or maybe Jr. High - I lose track of time...) and it's only in the last year and a half that I've truly understood the allure of being your own boss. I'm really glad that I have Dad as a model so that if I ever take a big leap like that some day, I'll know without a doubt that it's do-able.


So there you go. These are the thoughts that are making me tick lately. Well - those thoughts plus the fact that none of my pants fit the way they did two months ago and I'm COMPLETELY annoyed by that fact...ugh. It seriously is SO discouraging. At least I'm encouraged professionally, right? We'll just go with that for a while...

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