Meaning – Page 2 – Career and Life Coaching

Celebrate and Reflect

Published on December 23, 2013November 13, 2017 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

Christmas is nearly here and as we slow down in the holidays it is a good time to reflect and consider the year that has been. So here are some questions to ponder as you lounge on the beach, in the sea, on your back deck or on the couch:

What is the one thing you will remember of 2013?
What has been the most surprising?
What has been the saddest?
What has been the happiest?

and what do you want to CELEBRATE? Make sure you tell at least one person what you achieved for 2013. And make sure you celebrate really well. You deserve it!

If you would like to discuss what you would like to create in 2014 then give Allison Fisher, Career & Life Coach a call.

Life Coaching | The Joy and the Pain

Published on September 18, 2013 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

Allison Fisher, Career & LIfe Coching — The Joy and the Pain of Life

I recently read the singer Shania Twain’s autobiography. She grew up in a poor family and literally went hungry at times, lost her mother when she was young and had a terrible betrayal by her best friend and then husband. I loved this quote:

Even when life hits you like a Mack truck that’s come out of nowhere, there is still a chance that you will survive, and although the road to recovery may be slow , long , and even permanent, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the rest of your life and be happy again. (Page 397)

It really struck me what perfect words for pain and joy. Life isn’t perfect and often doesn’t deliver all we want. However it can be possible to live with both – the pain of what has happened and the joy of a happy life. In coaching I find people sometimes struggle to talk about the pain but the best way forward is to speak of it. Let me know your experiences of life struggles and being able to feel the joy again. Contact Allison Fisher, Career & Life Coaching.

Life Coaching | Is it a 10?

Published on August 29, 2013 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

Allison Fisher, Career & Life Coaching — Make it a 10!

Decisions can be so difficult at times and as a coach coaching clients, when a decision needs to be made by them it can be tough to decide what is the best decision in this moment, the best course of action or simply what do I really want? A useful way to make decisions is to ask yourself which of the options is a 10? 10 meaning the best possible option, makes you feel great, gives great satisfaction or excitement, a 10 means you really want to do it. It just feels right! For instance taking up a new hobby and deciding which one to choose. Choose the one closest to a 10. If your asked to go away with friends for a weekend but you also want to stay home with your partner. Ask yourself which is a 10? And if not what number is it? If the weekend was a 10 what would you be doing? Similarly performance in a job or career what does a 10 mean? What are you doing, being or achieving that will make it a 10? Is an 8 or 9 good enough? Sometimes there is so much to do in life and asking the 10 question can really help to reduce the options to the ones you really want to do. Ask yourself each morning what will make my day a 10? Find out more as I discuss this further in my recent newsletter Living from a 10.

To discuss your Career or Life journey give Allison a call today.

Top 10 Tips for a Career Change

Published on July 31, 2013April 25, 2016 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

Thinking about a career change but there’s some confusion, the should and shouldn’t I discussion going round and round in your head?

Is the Clash song “Should I Stay or Should I go Now” ringing in your ears?

Would a career change be better elsewhere?

Maybe these career advice tips will help you evaluate and reflect on the best career decision for you.

Top 10 Tips for a Career Change

1. Be clear about why you may want to change careers.
Make a list – write down those thoughts as getting them out of your head and onto paper helps the thought processes. Some common reasons for career change are:

Bored and uninspired
Dislike what the organisation does to people
No clear career path
Lack of challenge
Have gone as far as I can, time for a change
Unappreciated
Don’t get on with your manager or colleague

2. Explore thoroughly your reasons for change.
If it is one of the points above have you tried hard to find what you need within the organisation? Have you been able to have conversations with your manager about career opportunities and let them know what you seek. Is needing a change about moving out of the organisation or could you find it within a different area of the organisation? Or if tired of the company could you do the same job in a new industry or sector rather than begin a new career?

3. What kind of work do you want?
What will make your job more enjoyable? If you could choose what would be the top 5 things that you would love to do each day in your job? Are those things what you currently do and if not what needs adjusting or do these things require a new role? Obtain some career advice if you struggle to work this out.

4. Will the reason for change still be there in the next job?
Dig deep on this one. Even if you change jobs will that really make a difference? The fact you don’t get on with your boss is that their fault or yours? The job has no challenge – have you actually sought out new work, new projects and talked to people in the organisation who could help?

5. Don’t assume, engage.
It’s very easy to sit back and think you know what the company is thinking about you or assume there are no opportunities or a career path for you. Sometimes we don’t know what is happening in the wider organisation or changes that are a head from senior management or the company board. Conversations within the organisation are critical to ensuring you have all the information possible to make a decision.

6. Work with integrity.
Part of your brand as a person is about how well you are able to end your relationship with a company. Do it well you will have fierce supporters and continuing networks to pull on for years to come. Do career change badly, it may be difficult to get a good reference and you may be criticised with conversations spilling outside of the company. So take the opportunity when you are considering leaving to explore all options as openly as possible with your employer so that if you do resign you know you have behaved with integrity and they know you tried to explore all possibilities in order to stay.

7. How much money do you need to make?
If you change jobs and you may not get the same money or you’re looking at a complete career change make sure you do a budget and assess the implications!

8. What are your values?
Surprising how important these can be in a job. As a Career Coach I find 70% of the time people want to leave organisations because their values aren’t being met. Values such as being able to make a difference, doing work for the greater good, having influence on decisions, being appreciated, being creative etc. Find out what yours are.

9. What is your vision?
Where would you like to be in 10 years time in your career? What is success for you? Success is different for everyone, for instance for some the ultimate is being a CEO for others it is making a contribution to the world. Until you have clarity of vision it can be very difficult to make change and make an informed decision.

10. I wish I had?
If you choose not to change how will you feel in two years or five years time? Will you have the thought I wish I had?

Contact Allison Fisher, specialist in supporting adults & teenagers in career & life choices.

Life Coaching: What’s my Purpose?

Published on May 16, 2013May 16, 2013 by Allison Fisher1 Comment

Thoughts as shared by Allison Fisher your Auckland Career & Life Coach.

Ever wondered what your purpose is? Or asked yourself Who am I? Why am I here? I talk about these life questions quite a lot with people as a Life Coach. Of late I’ve been talking about the possibility that we don’t just have one purpose but a number of purposes. Or as in music some majors and minors, for a different metaphor. A friend finds purpose in the everyday things she does. Whether it’s a walk, meeting someone after work for a catch up, a delicious meal and so on. So focuses on what she really enjoys doing and enjoys it in that moment. I think that is a great starting point for the often too big question of what is my purpose? Sometimes that’s just too scary to contemplate. And it may seem a tough mountain to climb and even attempt. Start with what you are passionate about. What do you get excited about? As a career and life coach it is crucial for me that my clients are exploring this if they aren’t sure as without passion and purpose who are we? Looking out my office window just now I can see a beautiful Kingfisher sitting on a tv aerial and I smile. That is an enjoyable heart warming moment for me. So chunk it right down notice what you smile about, everyday at first, and build your list of enjoyment and likes.

Purpose can grow once we focus on what makes our hearts light up.

To discuss or define your purpose or life questions please connect with Allison Fisher. I look forward to catching up.

Life Coaching and Career Choices | Turning on to Social Media

Published on May 6, 2013May 8, 2013 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

As a life and career coach my day is busy as I focus on my client’s whether student or professional person assisting them with their career and life goals.

Yes I have been dragging the chain with Social Media communications but last week finally getting things sorted and got some help to progress this area, from Cathy Mellett at Netbranding, in both my business and personal areas. It gave me pause to think more closely about this forum, how I want to use it and how it can be misused.

I do think Social Media needs to be about balance. Let’s be clear Facebook or some other social media forums should not be a replacement for communicating with each other. It certainly can enhance and assist us to keep in communication, send photo’s of travels and fun times, keep in touch easily with people overseas and share stories. But good friendships are about intimacy – In-to-me-you-see – short comments on twitter or Facebook won’t enable people to really share what is going on for them. And also we can get it wrong! We can misinterpret what someone means or their intent in these quick communication flashes. I wonder if those growing up with social media understand the difference? I know of teenagers who think their best friend is someone on Facebook but they have never met them!

As a life coach and mentor to young teenagers and student, discussing their social media networking profiles as a future point for employers to review is an important element for a young adult to embrace. We often reflect on this during our one-on-one career and life coaching programs.

I will certainly communicate more often now through social media but I like nothing better than picking up the phone talking directly with people with all the subtleties, nuances and feelings that a voice contributes.

If you would like to connect with me regarding my one on one career and life coaching programs please contact me.

Allison Fisher

In a Rut?

Published on November 22, 2012 by Allison FisherLeave a comment

As humans we are creatures of habit. Generally we like having routines and a sense of pattern to our life. However sometimes this can be too much of a good thing to the extent that we just get a bit bored with the same old routine. So here are a few ideas to create variety and new energy in your everyday life.

1. Try driving a different way to work, try walking to work, try busing or grabbing a ride with a work colleague.

2. Try buying a magazine you have never bought before and usually wouldn’t dream of buying. For instance if you’re a female buy the M2 men’s magazine. If you usually buy the weekly gossip mags how about trying NZ Business or National Geographic – just something really new and different.

3. If you always get up and have a shower before breakfast try it the other way round – have breakfast then a shower! How about something different to eat for breakfast? If you always have a particular type of muesli try a different sort or make yourself an omelete.

4. Do you always drink your gin with lemon? Well how about with lime instead?

What is something you’ve always done the same old way? Time for a change or a new slant?