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What are the negative effects of technology? Poor relationships.

Social media and other forms of technological communication strip away the ability to have a decent face to face conversation. Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In broaden your network, but provides minimal depth of community.

Your brain sharpens with experience, so if your definition of friendship lies behind a computer screen, that becomes your context. Computers can’t read emotion and facial recognition, so the more time you spend on your laptop and texting, the less socially aware and empathetic you become. 

My work is primarily with Gen Y/Millennials and what I notice is they are highly educated, but lack people skills. They’ve been taught instant gratification, but the problem is relationships don’t work like that. We are getting closer to the days of eHarmony as the way to meet others because there’s too much risk in real life dating.

Instead of getting depressed, here are some proactive ways to improve your interpersonal skills:

• Practice having conversations with family members and friends
• Attend networking events and focus on getting to know one or two people well
• Invite a social media contact to grab coffee together  

Let’s not let the “art of conversation” become extinct. Social media and technology is not the enemy (I’d be a hypocrite because I use them), but merely a means to an end. Don’t substitute “contacts” for relationships.

Business is relationships. Your network is your net worth!

What will you do this week to build or strengthen a relationship?

There are several products on the market to cleanse your body of harmful toxins, yet what if there was a way to do the same for your mind? Since your thoughts trigger feelings that initiate how you act, here are three ways to shift your negative thoughts into positive ones:

Shift: Away > Towards – In golf if there’s water ahead and you tell yourself “Don’t hit it in the water”, you’ll overcompensate and aim 50 yards clear of it. Usually it avoids the water, but still ends up being a terrible shot. Instead of telling ourselves to “stay away” from something, try “going towards” what you want. For example, instead of avoiding networking because you don’t like large groups; meet up for coffee one-on-one. It’s still accomplishes the goal of building your network, just at your style at pace.

Shift: Subjective > Objective – Your natural reaction is to take things personal, but what if you stepped back and looked at the big picture versus just your perspective? Simply looking at the situation from a different angle can change the way you react. Managing your emotions is a step towards maturity. 

Shift: Control > Choice – The faster you can grasp how much control you don’t have, the less disappointed and frustrated you’ll be. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can choose how you respond to it. When things don’t go your way don’t dwell on what happened; figure out what you can do about it. In business, no one wants to hear complaining about problems, people want solutions. 

Detoxing your mind is ridding it of negative thoughts and replacing it with positive ones. Perspective is one of the most powerful tools for your mind. Just a slight shift in view can turn a pessimist into an optimist. Shifting your mind produces hope and hope is what we need to fuel positive change. 

How can you detox your mind this week?
 

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Every time you get in your car, you have a chosen destination. What if you applied this same principle to your career? Despite the economy, you want a career you love (not just work a job). What if there was a career GPS to help you find the way? Good news, there is…

Goals – What do you want to do? Start at the end. Your goals are the steps to accomplishing your vision. You wouldn’t get in a car without knowing where you were headed, so don’t look for a job without knowing what field you desire to be in. Only you know what your dreams entail. Write them down so you can see them daily. 

Passions – What do you love doing? What are your hobbies? If all jobs paid the same, what would you choose? You should love your career. It shouldn’t feel like work. The more you love what you do, the more focused and committed you will be. People who are passionate about what they do become positive catalysts for everyone around them! 

Strengths – What are you great at? (Notice I did not say “good.”) In what areas are you way above average? What stands out about you? What have others complimented you about multiple times? A strength is a natural talent developed over time. You can be passionate about something, but you also need to be skilled at it. Figure out what you do better than anyone else and get better at it! 

Your career GPS consists of your goals, passions and strengths. Finding it is your responsibility. Don’t settle for just a job. Create a career that you love and thrive in. The most successful people identified their career GPS and followed it. Form a Vinn Diagram of your goals, passions and strengths. Your answer lies in the overlap. 

What is your career GPS?

There’s a lot of talk about physical wellness, but what about your mental wellness? Think holistically. How do you take care of your brain?  

When driving your car, you have blind spots. In life, it’s the same. Working with a coach brings new perspective into your life. A coach cannot change your circumstances, but he/she can help you change the way you view them. 

• Increased self-awareness 67%
• Lower stress levels 57%
• Self-confidence 52%
• Productivity 53%
• Job Satisfaction 61%
• Reduced Conflict 52%