What is Your Dream Career?

 Almost every day I get a notification on LinkedIn about going back to school to learn something new or to get degree in a totally different field than what I knew. It made me think, "If I could start a completely different career tomorrow, what would it be?

The list keeps growing. Right now it's doctor, hair stylist, actor and research scientist.

At first glance, they seem to have nothing in common. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my choices weren't really about job titles at all.
A doctor helps people heal.
A hair stylist helps people feel confident and cared for.
An actor tells stories and helps people feel emotions.
A researcher asks questions, looks for answers, and never stops learning.

I think our career preferences align with our personalities as much as they do with our interests. They reflect how we see the world, how we connect with others, and what brings us a sense of purpose.

Perhaps that's why certain careers continue to appeal to us, even years later. They reveal something about who we are at our core.

Perhaps our dream careers reveal less about what we wanted to do and more about who we are.

All in all, at days end, I'm glad I had the career I did.

If you could start a completely different career tomorrow, what would it be? And what do you think that answer says about you?

Problem Solving on a Yoga Mat

 

Years ago, I taught problem-solving skills. The model had seven stages, but let's make life easier and focus on four: Understand, Plan, Carry Out, and Look Back.

I found myself thinking about those four steps today during yoga.

I'll admit it. Sometimes I get frustrated and even a little angry with myself when I can't move the way I once did. There are poses that used to be simple and natural that now require modifications, patience, and creativity.

I'll admit something else. Sometimes I get teary.

Not in class, and not because anyone says anything. It's simply the realization that there are things I could do a few months ago that I can't do right now.

Part of me still expects my body to move the way it did before surgery. When it doesn't, I feel frustrated, sad, and occasionally angry with myself.

Then I remember that problem solving begins with understanding reality, not wishing reality were different.

The first step is to understand the situation. Since returning to exercise after my knee replacement, I know my limitations. I can't kneel directly on my right knee, and deep bends and butterflies are still difficult. That's simply reality.

The next step is to make a plan. I bought a flat-bottomed bolster that I place under my shins during kneeling poses so my knees don't touch the floor. I've learned other modifications as well. My instructors are wonderful guides.

Then comes carrying out the plan. Some days I move through the modifications gracefully. Other days, not so much.

Finally, there's looking back and evaluating. Did the strategy work? Should I try something different next time? Is there another way to approach the challenge?

Sometimes it becomes downright comical.

Just when I get myself situated without putting pressure on my right knee, the instructor flows into the next pose and I have to scramble to figure out a completely new strategy.

Today there was a movement where we were asked to stretch to the right. I couldn't comfortably move that way, so I stretched to the left. Suddenly, half the class started following my direction instead of the instructor's. Everyone laughed at the mixed signals.

Some strategies work. Some don't. When they don't, I adjust, rethink, and try something new.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized this isn't just about yoga.

It's how we handle challenges at work, too.

We understand the problem. We create a plan. We try it. Then we evaluate the results and make adjustments. Sometimes the first solution works. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes we accidentally lead half the team in the wrong direction. That's what happens and then we pivot and try again. 

Maybe that's where some of our best ideas come from.

I've spent years trying new approaches, seeing what works, learning from what doesn't, and adjusting along the way.

The reality is that healing takes time. The goal isn't to do everything exactly as I did before. The goal is to keep moving forward, even if the path looks different than I expected.

Whether it's on a yoga mat, in a career, or in life, progress rarely comes from doing things exactly as we always have.

Sometimes it comes from being willing to try something different, evaluate the results, and keep moving forward.

The Power of People Who Believe in Us

 

Lately I've been spending time reaching out to libraries, bookstores, community groups, and organizations to see if they might be interested in a Caitlin's Star reading or presentation.

Some have responded.

Many have not.

Like most people, I prefer hearing "yes" or even "no" to hearing nothing at all. Silence can leave you wondering if your email was received, if your message was read, or if you’re being ghosted..

Then something interesting happens.

A friend asks, "Have you thought about contacting this group?"

Someone at yoga mentions a local connection.

An acquaintance suggests a bookstore I hadn't considered.

A neighbor knows someone who knows someone.

And I find myself smiling because for years I taught job seekers the very same lesson.

As a job search coach, I often shared that many jobs are found through networking and relationships rather than online applications alone. Depending on the study, as many as 70 to 80 percent of opportunities are influenced by personal connections.

The principle is simple: people help people.

A conversation leads to an introduction. An introduction leads to a meeting. Meetings lead to an opportunity.

As I work to share Caitlin's Star with new audiences, I realize I need to follow my own advice.

Sometimes we become so focused on sending emails, filling out forms, or checking things off a list that we forget the power of simply talking with people. We forget that the person standing next to us in a yoga class, sitting beside us at a community event, or chatting with us at the gym or doctor’s office may hold the key to a door we didn't even know existed.

But there is something else I've discovered along the way.

The people offering suggestions aren't gaining anything from it. Most have no connection to publishing, bookstores, or libraries. They simply take a few moments to share an idea, make a suggestion, or offer an introduction.

Why?

Because they want me to succeed.

As I think about it, that may be the greatest gift of all.

Yes, networking opens doors. Yes, relationships create opportunities. But beneath all of that is something even more meaningful: people helping people.

The older I get, the more I realize how much kindness exists in the world. Sometimes it arrives as encouragement. Sometimes it arrives as advice. Sometimes it arrives as a few simple words:

"Have you thought about...?"

And behind those words is an even more powerful message:

"I believe in you."

What a wonderful thing it is to discover that so many people are cheering us on.

Whether you're looking for a job, promoting a book, starting a business, volunteering, or pursuing a dream, don't underestimate the value of the people around you. Sometimes the next opportunity doesn't come from a website, an application, or an email.

Sometimes it begins with a conversation.

And sometimes it begins with someone believing in you before you believe in yourself.