The art of self-reflection is an art that many will use for the wrong reasons.
Rather than looking at what you do not like, sometimes you have to look back so that you can look forward and achieve your wildest dreams.
Perhaps you are looking to start a new business, or you already have a business but the message is not clear. Either way, a bit of self-reflection can help.
I encourage everyone to start with a resume. If you already have a resume then I encourage you to look it over and make sure that it is fully accurate.
When writing a resume you can choose among whatever media is the most comfortable for you, though I strongly suggest starting with LinkedIn as this will also dip your feet into a pool full of great resources.
The steps involved for a LinkedIn profile are thus:
- Visit http://www.linkedin.com/ and create your profile.
- Add a professional photo. If your photo is too casual then you are not giving off the proper image for this particular format of social media.
- Next, you will visit “privacy & settings” where you will temporarily turn off notifications by clicking on “Turn on/off your privacy settings.” Uncheck the box and click save. By doing this, you can now quietly make changes to your profile without everyone getting a constant notification. Once you have your profile set up you will go back in and turn the notifications back on. Remember that this is a networking platform so you do want people to be aware of changes but not when you are going to be making so many at once.
- Start filling in all of your education and job experience. Use this opportunity to make sure that your dates are correct and to fill in any gaps. List all of the job skills and do not forget about volunteer work.
- Fill in the personal information such as the summary of your skills.
Now that you have a resume do not forget to turn the notifications back on.
Remember that you do want to be visible and make connections now that you have worked through this amazing self-reflection and gotten more clarity.
If you chose not to use LinkedIn than you may have used pen and paper, or a form that you have found online, but regardless of what method you have chosen you now have a resume. This means that you can begin to look back so that you can look forward. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the common thread between all of the jobs?
- What positions did I really love and flourish in? Why?
- Which positions did not nourish me? Why?
In answering these questions you will begin to gain focus on what really nourishes you and makes your heart sing.
In this is your future.
If you take a job or open a business, that does not excite you then you simply have… a job.
If you embark on a career that excites you then you have a passion.
With passion, you will be excited to work the long hours that are necessary for a successful business. With passion, you will be more than willing to go the extra mile. With passion, you will be excited to jump out of bed in the morning and embark on your day. Without passion, you will want to pull up the covers and go back to sleep.
Do not go to sleep, look back so that you can look forward.
Find your passion and live your passion; no matter your age!!!
Truly know that it is never too late to live your life with passion, purpose and fully in your POWER.
Resume Writing Resources:
Resume Tips for the Unemployed
Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer
Please let me know what has worked for you. Tell me about your career goals, your life goals, and your health goals. I care!
18 thoughts on “The Art of Self Reflection”
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Hi Elise,
Excellent post. I have two separate resumes but they have not been updated in a while. I have a LI account but I don’t really use it very much. I guess I should take your advice, update my resumes and put it out there even though I am happy working online.
Thanks again.
Being happy working online should not hold you back from updating your LI and your resume. These are both great tools for finding online work 🙂
Hello, Elise. Thank you for your post and I appreciate the information that you provided. I recently created me a LinkedIn account and I am filling it out to see what qualities I have to offer to the business world and what opportunities are available to me if I decide I want to work a full-time job while growing my business. The information you provided was very helpful, so thank you for sharing!
It was my honor. I am very happy that you have found it to be helpful.
Hi Elise,
You have some great points about the LinkedIn profile. Always good to turn notifications off when making changes. I’ve seen many at a time from one person and I think gives off red flags.
You’ve actually reminded me to update my profile although my business hasn’t changed my niche has been refocused.
Thanks for the reminder!
Lillian
You are most welcome.
Hi Elisa,
I am very grateful that I never needed to write
a resume in my life and will not need one in the future.
But I do what you call self reflection sometimes I am
amazed myself about the many things I did in life.
Maybe I use it sometimes to write a book about .
But now it is still to early ,because I am not finished yet .
Thank you ,you gave me an Idea
You are very fortunate in that, Erika. You should use your self reflection to write a book. 🙂 It is a wonderful idea and you are a talented lady.
Very good offering Elise, a resume although not always used is a great way of just really taking stock of your position and where you are at,like Donna says it is often easy to forget what we achieved in the past as we are not in that position presently and focused else ware
regards Dexter,
Thank you, Dexter. Taking stock in ourselves and giving credit where credit is due are two very important concepts to work on. Learning the lessons from the past as we experience our present and our future is a terrific thing to do.
I was going to do this exercise…But then I realised, I know what I truly want to do, I have worked as a painter, plaster, bricklayer, labourer, barman, and currently a factory worker and I have come to the conclusion working a 9-5 job is something I DONT want to do, I want to see the world, travel about, speak multiple languages, meet some amazing people.
I have fell in love with working online…network/attraction marketing and I know this is the job for me that will get me to do all the above.
Life is too short to wait for something to happen, you have to be the change and start taking action.
Thanks for the post 🙂
Sean, you are on fire. It is a joy to be watching you grow and step truly and completely in to your POWER.
Hello Elise, When I first lost my job in 2010 I did sit down and wrote out a new resume with all my qualifications and such, It was a great experience, but you know what?
I never used it, Nope I never sent out a one. This was my when my entrepreneurail journey began.. Wow I have never given this any thought at all.. This could make for a good blog post.. LOL
Great article.Thanks for sharing,,Chery :))
This would make for a wonderful blog post. You should absolutely do it.
Hi Elise,
Although I am not looking for a job, but do run a business, I find this a great way to go within and clarify exactly the following things: What we are good at. Sometimes we forget all the things we have learned and applied in our business.. we take it for granted. But, if you start writing a list, I’m sure it will be a long one!
When it comes to passion, We all need that self passion check within us. For as we grow and learn, sometimes our passions change. I know mine has a bit.
I think that this is a wonderful outline for ourselves to do weather we are seeking a job or not..
-Donna
Donna, I agree that self reflection is something that all people can benefit from. Reassessing our goals, desires and trajectory can help us to truly live the most amazing life possible rather than stagnating and missing out on life’s beauty.