Life's Negotiations

With the holidays and the end of 2009 upon us, it's a great time to reflect and celebrate all that this year has meant to you.

Simply Leap has a lot to be thankful for, especially in the last month. In case you missed any of it, here's a recap of our appearances around the web:

• Planning a career change or to climb the corporate ladder in 2010? Find tips on choosing the right Career Coach or Mentor for your needs at the Women in Business blog, courtesy of Simply Leap's Lauree Ostrofsky.
• More career-related advice, this time to Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper. The classroom rule has been reinvented as a reminder to stay focused in this article on Examiner.com where Lauree is now the DC Career Coach.
• Feeling nostalgic? Responses poured in to: What Was Your Favorite Children's Book as a Kid? See the answers on the website for teachers, ReflectiveRenewal.com, and how their lessons relate to our values as adults.

 Thank you for reading and responding to Simply Leap this year! We hope you'll continue to provide ideas and inspiration.

Sitting on the fence about a big decision? So was I.

I'm writing from my new space in Bethesda, MD. I just relocated my PR consulting and life coaching businesses from Manhattan, NY after a long journey this year of sitting on the fence.

What helped me to focus and decide unequivocally that this was the time and place to move, were two things.

I came across this blog post today in the US News & World Report's On Careers section.

The author, Curt Rosengren, points out that if you are looking to make a change in your life, start by looking at the company you keep. The people you spend time with can either challenge you to grow, or keep you second guessing yourself into submission.

A client looking to change careers recently told me about negativity she is experiencing. Certain loved ones question her decision to jump now during a soft economy. Some of that is coming from their concern for her, and some is coming from their own limited (and limiting) beliefs.