Happy & Healthy U: The Monthly Message

Cash in on your value! Your professional worth is very important in boosting your career confidence. By knowing, honoring and asserting your professional work, you can leverage it to attain better opportunities, increased compensation and career advancement through obtaining improved positions. If you are seeking advancement opportunities, a salary increase or other work related rewards (i.e. bonuses in your current position), here are some strategies to help you cash in on your value and get what you want. 1.  Know your Professional Value What is your special expertise, skills, talents, abilities that you utilize in your work ? What contributions have you made in your workplace ? What does your manager or supervisor rely on you to do ? What are the positive qualities for which your are known and respected at work ? What is your level of training and education ? What achievements have you made in your workplace ? 2.  Test Market Your Professional Value Activi...

The Process of Progress While it is healthy to set and aim for goals, it is often difficult to sustain our momentum and motivation on the way to achieving them.  Sometimes, the goal appears so daunting and unapproachable that we lose steam and give up. It is also difficult to persevere and maintain our pace and momentum when we only focus not having yet reached our goal.  This is often demonstrated by expressions of frustration and doubt about the likelihood of accomplishment. No doubt, these experiences actually interfere with successful achievement of our goals. Sustaining our motivational energy, exercising patience with ourselves and persevering until we reach our goals requires a mindset that focuses on progress and reinforces healthy motivation.   Look forward to experiencing success in achieving your goals and remaining optimistic throughout the process in the following ways: Exercising reasonable and realistic expectations     ...

Building Your Career Confidence Presented by Diane Kern, Ph.D.           Career Confidence is Comprised of: ·          Having a Strong and Positive Sense of Professional Self ·          Having a Sense of Direction, Aim, Goals ·          Actively Moving Toward One’s Professional Goals                Having Confidence About Your Career Life is Predicated on: ·          Knowing What You Want to Do (in existing career or new endeavor) ·          What Purpose or Mission Your Career Aspiration will Fulfill  Ways to Increase and Reinforce Career Confidence ·          Recognize Your Professionally Related S...

Going to a Positive Work Experience Frees Us from a Negative Situation As a therapist and wellness workshop facilitator, I often hear persons bemoan an unpleasant, draining and toxic workplace situation. A frequently expressed sentiment is, “I have to get out of there”.   It makes sense that we wish to leave situations that are causing us distress. However, we will often get stuck if we only focus on the negative circumstances and pain of the present, without a sense of where we wish to head.   By becoming immobilized, we simply find ourselves in a chronic state of misery and desperation.   Another possibility of simply escaping a negative situation without a clear sense of going to a positive circumstance, is that we may find ourselves in a new workplace environment, dealing with similar negative dynamics and being just as unhappy.    This article addresses ways to transcend and getting in control of a distressing work experience, so that it become...

The Principles and Process of Healthy Forgiveness The Principles:   To "Forgive and Forget" is not healthy. Instead, aim to "Forgive and Remember". It is important to recognize the related circumstances and reasons why the hurtful event happened. Healthy Forgiveness is a process, not an event. It is not some instantaneous feeling that immediately occurs following a hurtful event Forgiveness benefits the person wronged, far more than the person being forgiven. It enables the person wronged to rid themselves of the burden of bitterness, resentment and desire for retaliation. This prevents the erosion of personal well being. Forgiveness of another can occur without the offending party being alive or present. It is a process that starts within the person wronged, then (if possible) offered to the offender.  The Process:   Acknowledge the Emotional Impact of The Perpetrator's Act Validate the underlying painful feelings that the hurtful or off...

Happy and Healthy U:  Relationship Repair Series The ability to provide an effective apology goes a long way in re-establishing relationship harmony and resolving conflict. Let's improve this important interpersonal communication skill to achieve happier and healthier relationships. Key Elements of an Effective Apology ·          Authentic expression of remorse           Ex. “I’m sorry”   or “I apologize” ·          Acknowledgment of responsibility for the behavior            Ex. “I was wrong to have yelled at you” ·          Expression of empathy, regarding the impact on the other Ex. “I realize that my actions embarrassed and hurt you” ·          Making Amends...