Tripping On The Ladder

 By Jen the Catalyst
 (c) April 23, 2010

In my last post, I discussed the HIGH immediately following the Goodbye. 

 The Colossal High, the juicy, unbelievable, “Yes-this-can-be-attained-without-skydiving” high, lasted for five solid weeks. And what a five weeks they were… Action-packed and part of that leap forward I talked about last week.

Here are some great inspiration starters to get your juices flowing. 

Print off a copy and use it as your journal entries for the next week or two or three! (Hint: There are no wrong answers!)

My favorite things to do are:

My biggest dream is to:

When I am feeling my best, I:

My friends/family tell me that I am good at:

People seek me out to:

This especially jazzes me up:

The thing that drives me the most is:

I feel nurtured when:

I feel very confident when I:

If I were able to look at my life with perspective, I would reward this:

I WANT:

I NEED:

I am most at home when:

I feel most empowered when:

My biggest dream is to:

(What else can you think of to inspire the best when you’re in a HIGH place?)

If you’re tripping up in the place you are, it’s time to make a change, and I believe that positive thinking and an optimistic approach will lead to the best possible spot.  Only I can control how I react to situations and how I choose to navigate… and I decided to choose the path that would jazz me, nurture me, bring out my strengths, and take a leap to something fantastic.

What jazzes you up, and how can you get more of it?

 By Jen the Catalyst
 (c) April 2, 2010

In last week’s diary entry, I wrote about endings and departures. 

Once I had identified my “Goodbyes,” my mind and heart synchronized and I was able to say out loud that “I wanted to leave my corporate job.” 

What came next were waves of relief, freedom, positivity, excitement, anticipation and happiness. My work friends responded to that energy in kind, which made the high of leaving even better. My last three weeks of work were blissful, and I was at my peak. I didn’t feel the fear and the worry and the frustration that I had been struggling with for months.

JOY!

The world was new and shiny and different. Colors were brighter. Friends were friendlier. The house was homier. My husband was sexier. My appreciation of everything was… well, super awesomely appreciative.

(A word of unsolicited advice to readers who are contemplating taking the leap: CAPITALIZE on this transition high. It’s a great time to take gargantuan steps forward toward what you want in your life!)

I love people, and the people at my corporate jobs were no exception. I spent my last days at the company solidifying my relationships with my work friends. I connected with co-workers whom I had not previously met and received the gift of words of wisdom and encouragement—related to areas I was considering for my solo gig. I printed business cards with my contact information and made sure I always had a few in my back pocket to hand out to acquaintances and co-workers that I may not see again soon—or ever.

It was a great celebration and I enjoyed every moment.

What is making your glasses particularly rosy lately?  Share the energy!

 By Jen the Catalyst
 (c) March 26, 2010

I’ve come to the conclusion that “3″ is an important number when assigning order to the universe. 

In fact, the number three led me to jump off the corporate ladder!

How, you ask?

I had been working with Michelle Stimpson, a professional coach and owner of LifeShine Coaching, for about three months. My objective: to improve my drive and intensity and commitment to my work, my career. I expected to achieve the passion I felt when my adventure at the large Fortune 50 corporation was new, and to embrace my future there with more vigor.

In reaching out to Michelle and establishing our professional relationship, at a gut level I knew I was preparing to transition. I thought I was transitioning toward better personal synergy at this Fortune 50 place. What I found out, through one of the first exercises I did, was that I actually was preparing to transition…OUT.

That meaningful exercise was based on a simple three-part grid. 

I oriented my blank 8½-by-11 sheet of paper horizontally, and placed it in front of me on my empty table. I started with a clean slate.  I divided the sheet into three equal parts: ENDINGS, NEUTRAL, and NEW BEGINNING/DESTINATION.

It was easy to name the things I wanted to walk away from, what I wanted to say goodbye to. I started to believe that I should depart. 

But, I couldn’t figure out where to go next without first knowing and understanding why I was leaving. My brain started to shift toward the future… letting go of the endings freed me up to dream of my new destination.

What do you want to say goodbye to?

This article series “Diary of a New Entrepreneur,” which appears every Friday on Tripping on the Ladder, chronicles the journey of our newest contributor, Jen the Catalyst (known in real life as Jen Woods Antila), as she leaves behind her corporate life to embark on the road toward self-employment—and self-discovery. Visit her blog at  jenthecatalyst.wordpress.com.

 By Jen the Catalyst
 (c) March 19, 2010

Today we bring you the first installment of a new article series, “Diary of a New Entrepreneur,” which chronicles the journey of our newest contributor, Jen the Catalyst (known in real life as Jen Woods Antila), as she leaves behind her corporate life to embark on the road toward self-employment—and self-discovery. You can read her latest adventures here every Friday on Tripping on the Ladder and visit her blog at  jenthecatalyst.wordpress.com.

Hi!

My name is Jen (Woods) Antila, and I’m so excited to begin sharing my journey with you!

How did I come to Tripping on the Ladder (and to be tripping on my own career ladder)?  Well, it’s a long story: 39 years of learning, 18 years of career, and now here I am, trying something new.  I am going to start my own business.

I’ll be writing a weekly column for this site, sharing my experiences as I start my business.  Some days it’s a labor of love, other days it’s learning something new, most days it’s a gift.  If you’re thinking about jumping off the corporate ladder, or you already have, or some days you wish you would… this column is for you.

I have already learned that each person has a unique path in life and in career, and as a result, the way I establish my new company is a variation on a theme.  My purpose in this column isn’t to share how to set up a new business, but to give inspiration that it can be done, and to provide some food for thought.

My hope is that you’ll read this column each week and leave with affirmation that you can do what you set your mind to.  I’ll share the resources, books and tools that have propelled me; the way I set up my days; and my milestones along the way. 

I’d love to establish a dialog with you!  I need inspiration and advice, too.  So, please engage in the conversation and be a part of my journey!  From time to time, I’ll ask questions and solicit opinions from you.  Please participate–I’d love to hear your points of view.