Today’s women, now more than ever before, want to be the change they wish to see in their own lives and for the world they live in. Women now are taking more chances with their careers, making the kinds of changes that will help them grow professionally and personally.
Here are a few bits of advice from SheShatters for any woman who is ready to take their dreams and aspirations to the next level.
First, Be Happy With Who You Are
Step number one for any woman wanting to make a positive change in their personal and professional life is to make peace with who they are. As women, we may need to rethink how we take care of our bodies and our souls. We encounter so many negative messages that it’s hard to not internalize at least some of what we hear. Begin with positive affirmations. And before you dismiss these as fluff or insignificant, know that there is science behind this practice. Positive Psychology notes that affirmations allow us to develop and support a positive narrative about ourselves, which helps us to adapt to different situations without embodying self-blame.
Putting good food in your body can also help, as nutrients affect our bodies in more ways than weight loss or gain. Healthy eating patterns are linked to increased mood, and unhealthy food can increase anxiety, and make it hard to focus.
Sometimes we need a little more than healthy eating and self affirmations to get ourselves in the right headspace. Seeking therapy is a healthy way to process your emotions, find out why you respond in particular ways, and move forward.
Getting Promoted in Your Current Job
Sometimes, it makes better career sense to stay with your current employer than to switch to a new company. There may be benefits to staying, such as stock options, or because the opportunity for advancement can mean a great job title and an increase in salary.
Though there are many different ways that you can approach asking for a promotion at work, it’s all about having confidence and sticking to your principles as well as being persistent. Being assertive, confident, and vocal about asking for your promotion can go a long way in boosting your own confidence as well as making the person you’re speaking to feel confident in you as well. Doing your homework before meeting with your boss can help you identify key qualities in the job you’re applying for that are most important to you, and then be able to articulate them. Most people will ask for a promotion at the time of their annual performance review, as it is a normal time to discuss career advancement. And make sure that you portray your promotion as something that will be in the best interest of your manager and your company.
Changing Jobs to Advance Your Career
According to a survey conducted by In Her Sight, women identified the top three reasons for a career change as the need for more pay (32 percent), followed by the desire to find a career with a mission they believe in (16 percent), and burnout (13 percent). And nearly half of the women surveyed felt they were very confident in their ability to make a positive career change.
If you’re ready to take your business knowledge even higher, an MBA opens up opportunities for leadership positions and a higher salary. Online degree programs are available that let you take classes around your work and personal life schedules, and you can earn them faster that way, too.
Starting Your Own Business
Women are the fastest-growing demographic for business ownership. More than 80% of women prefer starting their own business over working for someone else as compared to just 60% back in 2002. Women are starting their own businesses for many reasons. One reason is that they want control over their work-life and business life. In some cases, they also need a more flexible schedule in order to take care of their children and other family matters.
The great thing is that, even as an entrepreneur, you are neither the first nor the last woman to blaze her own trail. Take opportunities to learn from other women who have tried and succeeded, whether it be through a mentorship or inspiring books.
The first step before investing in entrepreneurship is to do some research, starting with this great how to guide on starting a business. The next step is to create a business plan. It will be a blueprint or guideline for how you’ll obtain capital, what your marketing strategy will be, what your competition is, and what you see as your long-term goals. Your business plan should describe your company, detail how you’ll sell your services, and describe how your business will be structured. This era has proven to be the ideal time for women to start businesses.
Use these tips to take you to the next level of success. Be happy with who you are and what you can accomplish, work toward promotion at your current job, or even consider launching your own business. And finally, in the words of Oprah, “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is a stepping stone to greatness.”
Photo Credit: Kindle Media via Pexels
SheShatters helps women facing burnout create a life that restores their most precious resources. Connect with us today to find out more!
Written By Alyssa Strickland of millennial-parents.com
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