How was your latest car wash experience?
Did you take your car to a do-it-yourself car wash where you could ensure that every spot that needed to be cleaned was clean?Did you approach the car wash cautiously, checking your windows 2 and 3 times to ensure that they were firmly secure so that no water could come inside? Then carefully ease your car up to the marked line and then wait - feeling powers beyond your control begin to move your car forward and then feel trapped inside when the thunderous rush of water, soap and brushes hit your car from all directions? Or did you cheerfully approach the car wash, deposit your coins and gently guide your car into the tracks calmly and serenely.
Did you wonder if you were going to get stuck in the middle and be unable to get out? Did you wonder if the machinery would break down? Did you wonder if your windows Or did you sit back comfortably in your warm cocoon, knowing that you were in good hands and that the machinery was there simply to wash away the dirt and the grime to leave your car clean and ready to go again?
I was at my mom's a couple of weeks ago. Mom likes her car clean, but doesn't feel comfortable doing it on her own - well, she is over 80, so I guess that's why. As I was taking her car through the car wash, I thought about the various car wash experiences, and realized how this experience applies to our daily lives.
Some people see their lives as out of their control. They feel buffeted about by the trials and tribulations of life. They approach it with fear and trepidation, wondering what will hit them next. They are constantly looking around, waiting for the next blow.
Others see that they have set things in motion, that they are on the right track as they pass through life, and that the forces that buffet them are simply there to clean away the debris, leaving them refreshed and ready to carry on with a clean slate.
For those that like the do-it-yourself car wash, and I confess, I am one, our lives are probably much more controlled. We are not content to be on a pre-set track. We may be highly competitive. We may have to be number one. We may have to, as Frank Sinatra said "do it my way." Some of us may not be content to work for someone else, we have to be entrepreneurs so that we can guide our life in the way that we want it to be go. And we ensure that all the specks are removed, that there is nothing hindering us, that there is nothing in our way. It's all in how we perceive our life.
The same situation is often viewed very differently by people in each of these groups. That's why even "eye witness" accounts vary so much. Everyone has heard the question - is the glass half full or is it half empty? Do we look at what's missing - what we don't have, or do we consider the benefits and blessings we do have? Now my oldest son likes to say - "It depends on whether you are filling it up, or drinking it".
However, most of us would have a set response. For those who have the scary car wash experience, they may see the glass and their life as half empty and out of their control. For people who see the glass as half full, they probably have a good car wash experience. They are content, calm, ready to travel on with life.
The way we look at things changes how we feel about what goes on in our lives, and how we deal with things. When it comes to employment, some people have a perception that a person without a grade 12 education is not worth hiring, yet there are a number of very successful businessmen, some even millionaires, who have less than a grade 8 education, but more smarts than a university graduate.
In the job search - if you think you won't get a job, your body image changes and the employer's perception of you and your abilities may be affected by this. Try this: Let your shoulders hunch forward, hang your head a little and say "I feel great". It's almost impossible to feel great when your posture says I feel lousy. Next, take a deep breath, put your shoulders back, your head up, a smile on your face and say, "I feel great". This time when you say it, you'll mean it.
When you change the image, you also change the perception - both for yourself and the employer.Our perceptions of events are coloured by the way we think, by the way we perceive life. I know a woman who has a beautiful home, an expensive car, fairly expensive clothes and she owns a company. People perceive her as being very rich. What they don't know is that her house is heavily mortgaged and that she has extensive credit card debt, and the clothes that she is wearing are probably 15-20 years old, purchased at a time when she had a little more money. But it is difficult to change people's perceptions.
Someone else might be seen as incredibly poor, living in a tiny shack of a house, not driving the latest car, but that person may be very, very content with what they have. So, while others perceive them as being poor, they may see themselves as very, very rich.
Think about your perceptions. Are you full of hope? Or hopeless? Even the worst situations can have a positive side if we look for the silver lining. For those with a hopeless perspective, this is much more difficult as all they can see are the storm clouds. These people may need help to see that the sun always comes out eventually and that there is always another day, another chance to change things, to wash away the troubles of life.It's up to the hope full people to lead the way.
I challenge you to view life with a positive perspective. To look for the lesson in life's difficulties so that you can share what you've learned with others, so they too can survive and grow from their car wash experiences.
Fran Watson "Expert Author" http://www.franwatson.ca http://www.mormunny4u.org http://www.diet-basics.org
If you decide to get a degree in nursing, there... Read More
As a former human resources professional it has always intrigued... Read More
Do these sound familiar?"I worked for?" "My responsibilities were?"... Read More
The mortgage industry accounted for $1,815,949,279,000 in loan transactions in... Read More
Imagine receiving a letter from a salesman who wants to... Read More
Creating a strong resume is a very important part of... Read More
A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts... Read More
It is important to prepare thoroughly for your telephone interview.Begin... Read More
If you are concerned that your company might be planning... Read More
Marketing shouldn't be limited to advertising companies. Finding a job... Read More
Submit a poorly written cover letter and the chances are... Read More
For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an... Read More
Cover Letters must grab the reader's interest so that they... Read More
Targeting your portfolio, (resume and cover letter) can get you... Read More
You don't want to stay in your current position forever...... Read More
When I got over the initial shock of being urged... Read More
Proof reading from home is an excellent way to make... Read More
So you've managed to secure a job interview for a... Read More
"Who is that hot babe in the picture?" isn't the... Read More
In this ever changing world, we need to think out... Read More
There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More
Enter into a state of relaxed concentration. This is the... Read More
Growing up on a Delaware farm was a wonderful and... Read More
"James is so restless and energetic. I wonder if he's... Read More
I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If... Read More
Do you want to continue your costly, time-consuming and exhausting... Read More
The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS)... Read More
"They say my résumé should be only one page long.... Read More
"If you always do what you've always done, you will... Read More
A part of you can't wait to dive into your... Read More
Set the stage for fantastic job fair follow-up while you... Read More
Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending... Read More
You can learn a lot about how to do something... Read More
Sometimes a hiring process will include having lunch with the... Read More
Are you in this situation? You and your boss just... Read More
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Career Opportunities for New GraduatesThis... Read More
Q. For my second career, I'd like to know "What... Read More
Despite what your grandmother told you, life is not supposed... Read More
A new resume can jump-start your career. Your network contacts... Read More
In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's... Read More
Today, I'm going to share with you the awful truth... Read More
A raise in your base salary is a permanent source... Read More
Whether you're a student job seeker or a polished and... Read More
As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is... Read More
You've had 3 interviews with a potential employer and they've... Read More
We often use the phrase, "Get Your Feet Wet" when... Read More
If you still picture a steady progression up the ladder... Read More
She was waiting for me when I returned from a... Read More
So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task,... Read More
Searching for employment is one of the most nerve-racking activities... Read More
To "sell" oneself on paper is not easy. Creating a... Read More
While identity theft is nothing new, the Web has opened... Read More
Writing a cover letter can be like cleaning your garage... Read More
The success of a business endeavor involves a concerted efforts... Read More
Many young adults flock to bars, lounges and clubs on... Read More
I was asked last week for an article about employment,... Read More
This is a question that you can almost count on... Read More
You don't have to look very far to find fascinating... Read More
Nurses wake up and take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity.... Read More
Imagine a huge river that has been flowing for centuries:... Read More
"Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by... Read More
Looking for an IT job is one of the easiest... Read More
Seminars dealing with "special topics" have actually been around for... Read More
Networking is still known as a great job-search strategy, yet... Read More
If you are not busy living, then you must be... Read More
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (No Child... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |