Friday, August 28, 2009

I blinked... and then I missed it!

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So here it is...

August 28th and it definitley feels like Fall here in my little corner of the world. The Summer has gone by so quickly that I honestly think that I blinked... and then I missed it! Of course, the rainy weather for 5 weeks didn't help.

So... lots has happened with our family since I last posted... which OMG... has been in forever.

I've been so busy applying for new jobs, I totally haven't had time to write anything!!

Yes, you heard me correctly. I went for my first job interview in forever yesterday. I have applied for 12 jobs in two weeks. That's a full-time job all in itself! I forgot how tough it is out there in the "real" world.

This new position that I have applied for is a similar role to what I do right now, only selling different products... in a different CITY!! The products that I will be selling (if I get the job, that is) are those that people HAVE to have because the Federal Government says so. It's a bit easier to sell products that you are required by Law to have... or so I think.

So yes, you heard me right... another City!! IF all goes well and I land the job, our family WILL be moving. We have been looking at doing this for quite a few years... my seven yr old is scared to death about making new friends, which pulls at my heart strings, but all-in-all, things will be better for our family if we are able to make this move.

So... I apply for 12 jobs and get one interview... so far. It's not great when you have a potential employer on the phone, calling to set up an interview and your two and a half year old is standing beside you screaming "M-O-M-M-Y!!! GET OFF THE PHONE, I NEED YOU!" However, the employer didn't seem to mind. Phew!

Before the phone call I was reading over the job description that I have printed off of the internet and reading the name of the person that you have to send your resume to for this particular position. I recognize the name but for the life of me, can't remember from where? Considering it's been a long time since I've had any contacts with people in this particular city (other than family and friends). I give up. Then... the phone rings... and as I'm setting up the appointment with Baby O so nicely screaming bloody murder in my ear, it hits me... once I hear this man's voice, I know exactly who it is!! Funny!! Anyhow, I can't exchange this information with him due to my frantically trying to get the man off of the phone.

I arrived yesterday morning for my interview and have to wait for 10 minutes while another potential candidate is having his interivew. There's nothing worse than coming out of the interview (or going in) and staring your competition right in the face!! Anyhow, the guy leaves (who btw... looks like a baby) and it's my turn.

(Backing up just for a minute... the person calling for the interview wasn't actually the Employer, he is a consultant, hired by the Employer, to interview and hire someone for them... he also does sales training for the company, etc.)

Okay... it's my turn...

I walk into the room and automatically stick out my hand to give the man a handshake greeting... his first comments? "Oh, your a hand-shaker!" Then it hit me again... I know this man because I took part in a seminar that he was the guest speaker for just this past Spring for one of our Networking groups here in my little corner of the world.

One of the big things that he said in his seminar was that "people are fazing out the shaking of hands due to the spread of virus', swine flu, etc.," and that he never initiates a handshake anymore because it makes some people feel very uncomfortable. I think this is a little off-the-wall considering a lot of the training that I have had makes you think that you have the "seal the deal" with a hand-shake.

Anyhow, when he made the "hand-shaking" comment to me, I laughed and said, "OH, I forgot... it's just a habit... I remember you saying in your seminar..."

Ohhh... this grabbed his attention... "you've been to one of my seminars?"

"Why, yes I have actually... remember when you spoke at...?"

"Oh, yes... and you and I spoke afterwards, etc, etc."

What a great way to start an interview.

This set a very relaxed tone for the rest of the interview. He then provided me with information that is very lucrative to the position and after 2 minutes expressed that I would be "without a doubt moving on to the next step." YAY for me!!

I got a call from a very close friend the other day who knows that I am looking for a new position. She said, "you know Momof3... there may be a position here.... send me your resume and I will hand deliver it to my Manager, etc... in order to get a position in today's marketplace, it's all about who you know." I really believe this... it's sad but true!!

I left my job interview laughing, while bumping into the next two candidates who were sitting in the waiting area, shaking in their boots.

I think that it also helps that I am already accustomed to this business and how it 'works'. A lot of newbies don't really know how hard you have to work in order to be in a position like this... and... how rewarding that hard work can be!! However... being accustomed to the business can also be detrimental because a lot of companies like to train you to do things the way that 'they' want you to do them... it's hard to brake old habits!!

So, I'll just wait and see. Phase II was an online sales profile, which was sent to me and completed lastnight. Phase III is a meeting with the recruiter and the actual employer. If all went well with my sales profile, I'll move forward. The waiting game is sooo crazy!

I'm excited by the thought of moving somewhere with more opportunities for the kids (especially for S, since they have such a better program for him in this new City than what he is getting for services here!!!!!)... and more opportunity for us! It's a much needed change.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed that all goes well and that one of those young boys shaking in their boots doesn't get the position over me!! :)

Saturday, August 1, 2009

"You can heal your life," by Louise Hay

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For the first time since I read "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne, I finally finished another book. This is a big accomplishment for me!!

Having three boys, working full time and just being plain tired, I've had a hard time following through with anything for the last seven years!!

Last night, I finished reading "You can heal your life" by Louise Hay.

The teachings of Hay are much like the teachings in The Secret, however, she gives you more to work with. She has exercises that she recommends that you do on a daily basis and tells you exactly how to do them. I need someone to hold my hand a lot when it comes to stuff like this.

Her main message is that you need to not only talk positive, you need to think positive because "what we think in our mind, comes true for us." I know, I know... it's hard to do on a daily basis. Negative thoughts come into every one's mind at some point in time, but when they do, you just have to push them out and say to yourself, "there are no more negative thoughts coming into my mind."

Have you ever been sitting alone, thinking about someone that perhaps you haven't seen in a long time? Then, a day or two later, you run into that person on the street? Or they send you an email? Even call you on the phone? Our first response to this is "I was just thinking about you the other day."

What this really is, is the Universe (laws of attraction) bringing the two of you together.

This same thing happened to me not too long ago. I was thinking about S starting preschool in the Fall. I remembered that when A went to preschool, the teacher contacted me in the Spring to have him come and visit for a morning. Then, over the Summer, she hand delivered a welcome package to our home. When we were on vacation, I was thinking... "I hope that Mrs. Early Bird doesn't come to our house to deliver the package for preschool while we are away, I must get in touch with her upon my return."

The second night after my return from vacation, I was sitting, folding laundry when my phone rang. It was a friend who asked me if I had gotten a phone call today about preschool. I said, "no" and she continued to advise me that there was not going to be any preschool this year as the Teacher had been diagnosed with Cancer and was going to need to take this year off. However, there was another school who would be hiring another helper in order to accommodate some more children and that I should contact her right away. When I hung up the phone, I was stunned. First of all, to hear that this dear sweet lady has been diagnosed with Cancer. But second of all, to think that, "I was just thinking about her the other day."

I read The Secret in January 2007 after my third son was born. I was at a point in my life where I really didn't know where to turn. Here I was, at home with three kids and wondering if I should go back to work full time, or stay at home.

I love my children, but I really don't think that staying home with them is an option for me. I find that I am so quick tempered when we are together all of the time. One main reason for this though is that we live in a small community away from our family members who are at least two hours away. We (I) don't get a break from the daily chaos, unless I work outside of my home.

My children will most likely concur that mommy is much happier when she gets out of the house for a least a couple of hours during the day. However, I am still guilt ridden by the fact that I have these feelings of contempt when I'm at home. I really do love my kids.

Anyhow, I've gone a little off track.

So I read The Secret, put up a vision board and started to look at the world in a whole different way.

Having just finished this new book... I see things even more differently... which is really amazing because I didn't think that I could.

The main thing that Louise Hay tries to get people to do is daily affirmations.

Now, I can't say that I find it an easy task to get up in the morning, look into the mirror and tell myself that "I love you." It makes me feel kind of silly, but it also makes me feel much better about myself.

One of my daily affirmations is:

"There is plenty for everyone, including me."

Which is to help me remain more positive about my daily work. Instead of thinking that there is too much competition out there, I really have to think that "there is plenty for everyone, including me."

Another would be:

"I am a good mother/wife/friend. All is well in my world."

This helps me to remember to be more patient with my children, rather than become agitated so easily.

One more:

"I have everything that I need. Things come easily to me. I am prosperous."
This keeps me from saying, "I'm broke, I hate being on a budget, I never have any money for anything fun."

So what does DH think about this?

He's usually pretty supportive of this type of thing, but right now he's into a bit of a rut.

I'm finding that I need to be positive for the both of us right now... which makes it really hard to remain positive.

Things will turn around though, they always do!

Want to know what types of things have happened to me over the last two weeks since starting my daily affirmations? I'll tell you anyway :)

One: I won $125.00 from a challenge through my work.

Two: I have stopped clenching my teeth at night (stress related).

Three: I had a meeting with a client yesterday, who introduced me to a very influential businessman, who would like to sit down with me for coffee some day next week to discuss a possible career move.

You can say that I'm crazy. I guarantee though, if you try this positive way of life/thinking yourself, you will see that things around you will begin to change.

One important thing though... you have to be WILLING TO CHANGE or the cycle of old thinking will continue and you will not be open to the new opportunities that are staring you in the face.

In Louise Hay's book she tells a story of a man who came to her for help and in going through the process, he could see that his life was changing. He won $500 but couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe I won this money, I never win anything." He couldn't just be happy about the fact that he had won the money and be grateful. Instead, he dwelled on the fact that "he never wins anything." The next week, he was in a car accident and broke his leg... the doctor's bill was $500. If this man would have just been thankful and kept his mouth shut... what do you think may have happened? I can guess that he would not have broken his leg and would not have had to pay that $500 doctor's bill.

Something to think about.

Try it and see what happens to you. I'd be glad to help out in any way that I can. Just send me an email with any questions tljordan30@gmail.com

Life is good... all is well in my world.

(PS - I realize that the topics of my blog tend to jump around a lot. My blog is therapy for me, it allows me to release all of the tension in my life and talk to people who I don't have to worry about running into at the grocery store. Thank you for your support. And in the process, if I can make a little money at this, that's just a bonus.) :) "I have everything that I need. Things come easily to me. I am prosperous."