Happy Holidays

I have already started enjoying the holiday parties and time with friends. May all of you enjoy this special time of year and take the time to enjoy each precious moment with those you love.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Enjoy the Holiday Season

The holiday season is once again upon us. It seems it comes around more quickly each year. Perhaps that is a clue that our lives are too busy. This holiday season, take time to enjoy the companionship of family and friends. Children grow up and move away, parents and other loved ones pass on. Don't look back one day and regret not having enjoyed the precious moments.

Take time to enjoy the holiday season.

• Listen to your favorite Christmas carols and holiday music.


• Enjoy the festive decorations.


• Bake cookies and fudge.


• Instead of thinking about all you have to do, sit back and relax for a few minutes.


• Visit shut-ins and the elderly.


• Dress in your holiday attire and accept those party and dinner invitations.


• Spread cheer wherever you go.


• Adopt an animal from a shelter.


• Attend to your spiritual side.

Balancing work, play, spirituality, and health is the best way to enjoy the holidays and every day.

Tis the season. Slow down and enjoy it.

Time to Assess Career Accomplishments

As we begin the ending month of the year, it is a time to reflect on how our careers have progressed throughout the year. Your boss and your company will hold you accountable for your workplace behavior and accomplishments. Go one better and hold yourself accountable. Ask yourself if you have:

• Performed your tasks to the best of your ability, completing them in a timely manner


• Maintained a positive attitude daily


• Adhered to a strict code of personal behavior


• Kept skills up to date and learn new ones as required


• Became an expert in your field


• Used good judgment


• Spoke kindly and tactfully

Taking responsibility for your actions and words will preserve your value to the boss and company.

Thanksgiving - Family, Friends, Your Job and Success

As we draw closer to Thanksgiving, it is time to give thanks for those people and things for which we are grateful. Spend time in reflection and with family and friends. If you are one of the fortunate ones to have a good job in this turbulent economy, do all you can to make yourself valuable to the company and the boss.

• Take advantage of every opportunity to become an expert in your field.


• Establish positive behavior that gets noticed by supervisors.


• Develop excellent customer service and decision making skills.


• Be a self-directed worker who performs duties with proficiency.


• Take on extra responsibilities cheerfully and help others.

Don't forget to give thanks in all areas of your life--spiritual, physical, mental, and social. Include family, friends, pets, health, well-being, peace of mind, talents, and so forth.

Keep the Stress out of Thanksgiving--Be Grateful

Thanksgiving will be here in a couple of weeks. It's a good time to remember to take care of ourselves and keep stress to a minimum. Here are some stress-reducing tips:

• Be grateful for what you have. At the beginning of each day, reflect on your blessings and the people who complete your life.


• Don't let little aggravations overshadow the important ones.


• Count the things that are going right in your life, not those going wrong.


• Take a break when you feel yourself getting stressed. Don't wait until you are overwhelmed.


• Keep close to family and friends during this and other holidays.


• Burn a candle with one of the wonderful stress-reducing fragrances like lavender or vanilla.


• Take a mini vacation in your mind.


• Enjoy yourself.

Remember Thanksgiving is about being thankful.

Polish That Resume - Meet Employer Needs

The unemployment rate dipped slightly this week. Now might be a good time to dust off the resume and re-circulate it. Whether you are looking for a new job or hoping to snag a better one, you need to be able to bring value to the company in order to be considered for an interview.

Take a good look at your skills. What do you do best? What is the company looking for in a job candidate? Do you match the company's needs? You should concentrate your search where your skills match the employer's needs.

Think about your work history. Have you included all tasks you have completed that bring out your best talents and abilities? Did you receive any special recognition or awards? Were you promoted? How was your attendance and punctuality? Were you a team player? Can you work with little or no supervision?

By thinking about what employers want from their employees, you can better prepare a resume to fit those needs and perhaps score an interview.

Be Prepared--Create Positive Opportunities

It's still October, but snow has arrived in Pittsburgh, bringing with it a lesson--always be prepared. That's a good lesson for all of us to remember every day. Be prepared. You never know what opportunities or misfortunes might show up on any given day. I prefer to look on the positive side and think each day will bring new opportunities.

Many people miss opportunities they don't realize were presented to them until long after they are gone. Don't let that happen to you. Be on the lookout for opportunities that will improve your personal and your professional life. Here are some ways you can create your own opportunities or take advantage of ones presented to you.

• Help others improve their lives


• Bring happiness to others


• Assist coworkers with their tasks


• Assist the boss with special projects or find other ways to make his job easier


• Ask for help when you need it


• Reflect on the positives in your life and be thankful


• Focus on the important things


• Commit to being open to opportunities

With an awareness of what is going on around us, we can all be better prepared.