Delivering criticism, whether to your spouse, your staff, your family, or anyone else in your life, is never easy. I personally hate delivering any sort of criticism so much so that I’ll usually do something myself (or rather, re-do something) instead of telling a person it wasn’t right. Bad idea, right?

That’s why I was so excited when one of my favorite MindBodyGreen gurus Alexandra Franzen put it in perfect perspective for me. When you’re going to delivery criticism, you have to first ask these three questions.

1. How do I want the person I’m criticizing to FEEL?
2. What do I want the person I’m criticizing to KNOW?
3. What do I want the person I’m criticizing to DO?

If you answer those questions, you’ll be coming from a place that truly considers the feelings and outcomes expected not just for you, but for the other person as well.

To read the rest of Alexandra’s incredible article on MindBodyGreen, “How to Deliver Criticism Without Breaking Anyone’s Heart,” click here!

The post 3 Questions to Ask Before Delivering Criticism appeared first on Career Girl Network.

Sitting at her desk, Jill stared off into the clouds thinking about how much she wanted to go out for a run. Out for her evening run, she couldn’t help but think about all the laundry waiting for her at home that she’d been putting off. Doing laundry, she kicked herself because she could be out having a nice dinner with friends, and instead she’s home cleaning. Later out for a drink, her mind drifts off to the big presentation she’s got the next day.  And so the cycle goes.

Sound familiar?

If you’re having trouble being present, you’re not alone. Remember when life was simple? You might have to think back to when you were about nine years old. Popsicles and swimming pools were what you were focused on. Living in the moment wasn’t even a question; it was how you naturally went about your days. Fast forward to now: a complex life, full schedule, major responsibility, and lots of overwhelm.

It’s becoming harder and harder to be fully present in what we are doing in any one moment, because we have so many things vying for our attention. We are thinking about all the other things that we have to do, want to do, or should be doing. A simple life has been replaced by a busy one.

A hunger for success and achievement is driving this life style and it’s jeopardizing our peace of mind and focus.

When your mind is off daydreaming about something else you could be doing, you are not present. Your body might be there, but your mind and heart are somewhere else. It’s impossible to make the impact you want, or fully experience something if you aren’t even there.

Are you having trouble getting things completed?
Are you struggling to come up with solutions or new ideas?
Are you exhausted and simultaneously unfulfilled?

You might be struggling with being fully present.

The present is the magical moment that is unfolding right now. It’s not the second before, or the minute after. Being present is being fully engaged, involved, and attentive to what is happening with your body, mind, and heart. It is participating, observing, and sensing simultaneously. It fuels productivity and fulfillment.

One of the easiest ways to be present and gather your focus is to do a quick centering exercise whenever you need to get back to what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if you’re working, working out, or working on your beach body… centering, or meditation, can simply and easily bring your awareness and attention back to the moment. This allows you to show up more fully – meaning you are being your best, not that worried half-focused version of you.

When you’re present you get more done, have more fun, and experience less stress and worry.

Practice these 5 steps to bring yourself into the present moment. With more experience and mastery you can do this in as little as 10 seconds.

1. Heighten your awareness. Start to notice when you aren’t being present, but remove any judgment or guilt around that realization. With practice you’ll get quicker at catching yourself mentally or energetically drifting off.
2. Put the past and future aside. Stop thinking about what happened earlier and let go of the need to plan out the future. Those things will be there for you to return to later if you’d like. Repeat this phrase to yourself: “Be here now.”
3. Stop and breathe. Still your body, and focusing on nothing but your breath for a moment. See how long you can make your inhale and exhale. As you slow your breath more oxygen enters your body, making you more calm and alert.
4. Gather your focus. Close your eyes and imagine you have a magnet in the center of your body. Imagine pulling all of your energy and attention back towards your core. As you do this exercise feel yourself becoming more powerful.
5. Direct and go. Decide where you want your attention to go, and intentionally send it there. This will energize whatever you are doing in that moment, and allow you to engage fully.

Remember being present isn’t just something to apply to getting more work done, although it certainly helps! Be present while you’re taking care of yourself. Be present to being in love. Be present to making an impact in your community. Be present to how amazing you really are.

The post What does being present really mean? appeared first on Career Girl Network.

What is Hey There, Career Girl?

ABOUT CHRISTIE:

Christie has paved her own path, from bartender in London to analyst at NATO, from Principal Consultant to Director of the National Security Business Unit at a Fortune 500 company in Washington DC. And those are only the jobs she is allowed to tell you about! So you can trust her when she says: “I have absolutely been there, seen that, and worn those uncomfortable shoes.”

The post “Hey There, Career Girl” with Christie Mims appeared first on Career Girl Network.

Every Saturday, you get your weekly dose of “Stay in Bed Stimulus” – great reads, fun videos, and amazing podcasts and pieces of music that will make you want to stay in bed an extra hour, and get your much needed relaxation time in this weekend!

Read It!

Watch It!

Gabrielle Bernstein Interviews bestseller Daphne Oz

Gabrielle Bernstein (author of Spirit Junkie) sits down with Daphne Oz to speak with her about her bestselling book, Relish, An Adventure in Food, Style, and Everyday Fun.

Daphne shares her tips and draws on her personal experience to help others maximize health and happiness by making adjustments and keeping balance in our health, our home, and our daily lives. Our relationship with food can be healthy and delicious.

Hear It!

The Power of Planning

The Nutrition Diva (aka Monica Reinagel) wants to help people be healthier through simple health tips and actionable steps that are easily incorporated into daily life. She challenges listeners to take control of their health, and not to fear it because staying healthy can be pretty simple.

Her podcast “The Power of Planning” helps remind those of us that are extremely busy, that planning snacks, meals, and health activities are just as important as doing them. By planning, we set the foundation to achieve optimal health.

Want to Get “Stay in Bed” Saturday in Your Inbox?

Don’t worry, we’re going to keep posting it on the website, too. But if you want to wake up to “Stay in Bed” Saturday, sign up for Career Girl Network’s newsletter by clicking here now!

The post Your Saturday “Stay in Bed” Stimulus appeared first on Career Girl Network.

There has been a lot of “buzz” about the importance of having a personal brand, – what does that really mean?

Depending on what you read and who you talk to, it can mean many things, but one thing is certain: personal branding is a revolution in the way you manage your career.

As a professional, your brand is what makes you relevant, compelling and different from your peers so you can advance your career. It tells people who you are and what they can expect from you; and it definitely includes your appearance and personality.

Here are four simple questions to help you get started:

1. What am I known for? When people think about or talk about you what do they say? What do you consistently deliver? What is your reputation?
2. What am I good at? What are your strengths, talents? What do people come to you for, expect from you? What do you consistently do better than your peers?
3. What are my key accomplishments? Take the time to inventory your successes, achievements, awards and recognitions? What do these say about who you are and how you get things done?
4. What adjectives do people use to describe you/your work? Ask 2 or 3 of your colleagues for 3 adjectives to describe your personal brand. What did you learn, and how was it different from how you would describe yourself?

Answering these simple questions should provide some real insight into your personal brand image; then develop a statement that defines what that is – in your own voice – and see how that changes the way you communicate, work, and relate to others.

And remember: living your brand is a 24/7 challenge – it’s time to get started!

The post 4 Questions to Start Building Your Personal Brand appeared first on Career Girl Network.

We’re starting a new feature on Career Girl today that you’ll begin to see every Friday….Last Year on Career Girl! CareerGirlNetwork.com launched on March 7, 2012 out of 6+ years of blogging on numerous platforms including Chicago Career Girl and Minneapolis Career Girl. As we move into our second year, we’re looking back every week at the best articles from 365 days ago.

Last Year on Career Girl…

• Are you sick of getting advice from people who just don’t understand your situation? That’s OK! Read this article, and “Do What Works to Get Results“
• It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we welcomed the incredible marriage and family therapist, Monica O’Connell to our team. Check out her first article, “If You’re Afraid to Do Something….Do It Afraid“
• What are your motivations? If you’re not sure, Career Girls, you might need “The Agenda Cleanse“
• It was highlighted again in my new book, You Know Everybody!, but a year ago was the day we found “LinkedIn Maps: Map Your Network“

The post Last Year on Career Girl… appeared first on Career Girl Network.

I don’t know about you, Career Girls, but when I’m planning a vacation, I’m less concerned about the destination itself, and more concerned with two very specific things: the experience I’ll have there, and what it’s going to cost me. Last fall, when our family simply couldn’t decide between Portugal and Spain, we were informed by price more than anything. The same went for my husband and I planning our honeymoon. Sure, we ended up sweating like crazy during summer in New Orleans, but it was quiet and serene and inexpensive as well.

Now, there’s a website that will make those “either or” decisions even easier….GetGoing.com. Here are illustrations of GetGoing.com’s two main services:

• Flight Finder allows you to select a region and search for the cheapest flights in it. Want to go to Europe on the cheap and don’t care where, this is the right service for you.
• Pick Two, Get One lets you choose two destinations and go with the one that ends up being cheaper. GetGoing.com is able to get even better prices based on this algorithm. It’s genius.

So if you’re feeling a little adventurous in your travel planning, check out GetGoing.com and spin the wheel!

The post Get Going with the Coolest New Travel Site: Get Going! appeared first on Career Girl Network.

Today, students embark on internships during their college years to gain out-of-the-classroom experience prior to entering their industry. But just like the 11th century, internships are key to gaining the necessary experience to get hired in a full-time position.

InternMatch, an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers, compiled the infographic below which showcases the impact internships have had on our world. In the 80s, only 3 percent of college students completed an internship, but today, 47 percent of employers boast structured internship programs. Here are some key points to note:
37% of students say internships are a good job search resource
81% of employers find they have better experiences with new hires that have intern experience
33% of employers hire virtual interns, a 20% increase from 2011 to 2012
The average wage rate for interns at bachelor’s level is $16.21
Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What do you think? Do you think internships will continue to evolve into a mandatory aspect of every career?

About the Author: Catherine Julitz

Heather R. Huhman is the founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. You can connect with Heather and Come Recommended on Twitter and Facebook.

The post The Evolution of The Internship [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Career Girl Network.

Last year, Sara Blakely, the Founder of Spanx, became the first female self-made billionaire in the world. We wrote about it, and were so proud of Sara because not only was she self-made, she invented Spanx, damnit! It’s frankly, one of our favorite products here at CGN.

Last week, though, Sara racked up yet another incredible first by becoming the first female billionaire to join the Gates-Buffett pledge.

What is the Giving Pledge?

The Giving Pledge is an effort to help address society’s most pressing problems by inviting the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes either during their lifetime or after their death.

Why is Sara’s Pledge So Important?

• There are women who are a part of the pledge, but all of them listed are members of giving couples, giving families, etc. Sara will be the first who is giving based on her own wealth.
• Because Spanx is a privately held company, Sara is not committing some billion dollars she has in the bank. She’s committing money that is a part of her company and her legacy.
• She’s pledging, specifically, to invest in women! We love that, of course, but it’s important to note that she’s making this distinction.

Sara’s Pledge

This quote is taken from Sara’s actual pledge letter. Click here to read the whole thing:

“I pledge to invest in women because I believe it offers one of the greatest returns on investment. I am committed to the belief that we would all be in a much better place if half the human race (women) were empowered to prosper, invent, be educated, start their own businesses, run for office – essentially be given the chance to soar!”

The post The First Female Billionaire to Join the Giving Pledge appeared first on Career Girl Network.

You might notice we’re talking a lot about moms this week on Career Girl, naturally because it’s Mother’s Day today. Today, we’re paying tribute not just to all the moms in the world, but to the moms of the women who read our site. Why? Because your mom, Career Girls, is often one of the most important forces in your life, and therefore one of the most important forces in your career. Perhaps you’re a veterinarian and she bought you your first cat. Maybe you’re a lawyer who followed in your attorney mom’s footsteps. Perhaps you’re a teacher whose mom was a principal and you just can’t wait to be exactly like her.

Whatever career or path you’ve chosen in your life, your mom is usually one of the key people who got you there. Here are a few ways we recommend you might than your mom today:

• Harness what you’re most proud of. Think about that thing in your life or your career you’re most proud of, and tell your mom how it wouldn’t have been possible without her. For me, finishing my book is the most proud I’ve ever been of anything in my career, and I realize that without her support, I would never have had the courage to leave my full time job and pursue my dreams.
• Find a photo that you admire of her. We recommended in our last minute Mother’s Day gifts buying your mom a framed photo of the two of you. If you don’t have time for that, seek out your favorite photo of your mom, one that inspired you. My mom started her career working on a missile base in North Dakota. There’s an old photo of her sitting at her big desk outside the colonel’s office. I remember that photo as something that gave me drive in my career. I always wanted to sit behind a big desk in an important office like my mom.
• Remember a time you struggled to get through. Tell your mom about it. Perhaps it was a tough semester in college, or a divorce or loss of a family member. Did your mom stand by  you and make you better through it? Tell her.

The overarching belief here? That your mom and your career, your opportunities, and the foundation of your skill set, are closely intertwined. Take time today to thank your mom for the good things she’s given you that make you a great Career Girl!

The post Your Mother, Your Career: The Connection appeared first on Career Girl Network.