Somebody needs to read this, is it YOU?

While talking with a friend, I felt inspired to write this...keep reading, this one could be for you...

If you are stuck in neutral and feel like you don't know where to go, it's obviously time for self-reflection and creative thinking. First of all, know that you are not alone and we all have our moments when we feel that we are at a crossroad...question is, how do we figure out how to overcome this obstacle and get back on the right track. Everyone's resolution is different, I am surely not here to tell you a black and white answer that will magically provide you with the answers to your questions; however, what I am here to do is help you create a road map that will help you to strategize and create a tailor-made plan that works for you!

Things to Consider: from the Crossroad to the Finish Line!

***There are 7 major steps that I have found to be useful in trying to execute a personal and professional plan.*** I hope you will find these to be useful as well.

Note: It is not mandatory to do these 7 steps in the order listed, but it will help to provide structure and mental clarity.

1.) Personal Time: Your time for "BRAINSTORMING". Make a conscious effort to carve out a block of time where you have uninterrupted silence, a place of comfort that encourages mental stimulation. Use this quiet time for self-reflection and creative thinking.

• In order for this time to be effective, you should be thinking of: what do I want, what makes me happy, what are my strengths, what are my weaknesses, what frustrates me, what are my talents, what type of work experience do I have, how can I transfer what I have into what I want.

By answering the above questions, you will start to fully engage in your own thoughts and be forced to be self-reflective. Many times, we don't even know what we want. How can we move away from being stagnant if we don't know where to go? We have to have a destination in mind, before we start driving...

2.) Mental Playground: What is your thought process? Ask yourself, how does my brain work? By realizing what triggers effective thinking and actions helps us to understand ourselves. If we don't understand how our mind works, we will waste a lot of time making mistakes we could have avoided. A HUGE part of being fulfilled personally and professionally, is understanding what we need to be happy. Everyone's thoughts are triggered by different stimuli, therefore it is our own responsibility to get a better grasp on what our mind is really thinking and how that affects our actions and thoughts. What does all this mean?!

• In simple terms, it means we need to better understand our thought process so that we are personally equipped to make advanced, reasonable and strategic plans that will put us on a path of happiness and success. Note: this is not an exercise that will take 5 minutes, it is an ongoing task. We must challenge ourselves to make thoughtful decisions and create well thought out plans.

3.) Creative Outlet: What are your eclectic thoughts? If crazy and down-right weird was the new sexy, how sexy would you be? Everyone has various thoughts on what crazy and weird means. In this sense, I simply mean out of the box thinking, not worrying about what others may think - you're simply dreaming out loud and being you! To me, that's sexy!

• Having a CREATIVE OUTLET means...you have figured out a way to hone in your imagination, visualize your wildest dreams, and all those crazy thoughts and desires you never thought were possible - you're actually starting to believe they can happen...just when you really feel crazy, you take it a step further and build a dream that is so far-fetched that nay-sayers will never believe it can really happen. When you've reached this step, you're right on track. Success is the end result of having a far-fetched, crazy, weird, off-the-wall, dream that has come into fruition. So question is, just how WEIRD are you? Make being creative and different cool, don't let being a follower rule!

4.) Career Partner: Everyone needs one! Someone that supports your personal and professional aspirations. Career Partners hold us accountable for what we say we want to accomplish. Sometimes when we speak to the universe and say our goals, they get lost and we never see them again. But when we tell someone we trust, it makes our goals more tangible and more real. This person provides support, constructive criticism, and positive feedback. This person is not a yes man that tells us what we want to hear. Instead, our Career Partner listens to what we want out of life and helps us to stay on track to ensure that our GPS systems lead us to our designated destination. If you don't have one, GET ONE! For more information on career partners, read the post on February 16th.

5.) Career Journal: Our way of tracking our professional journey. A Career Journal is a book that houses NOTHING but information concerning your current career or future career. It is simply a safe haven for ideas, goals, thoughts, plan of action, to-do lists, contacts, and any and all professional related topics. Having a career journal forces us to be organized. For more information on career journals, read the post on February 18th.

6.) Professional Portfolio: Start building your portfolio of professional knowledge today! In today's world, if you don't have proof, you didn't do it or see it - so keep the proof! A Professional Portfolio houses projects, business contacts, contracts, budgets, marketing material - any and everything related to your career or future career. It is a snapshot of what your work experience and learnings. What's the point of working hard, if you have nothing to show for it, right?!

7.) Work/Life Balance: VERY important step to securing a healthy and fruitful personal and professional life. Work hard. Play hard. Heard this saying before, well it's because Work/Life balance is such an integral part of life. If either division is off track, many times we feel unfulfilled even if the other sector is booming.

• Key to having both in check is to maintain the following: time management, organization, and have priorities in order. We have to make a conscious effort to feed our personal and professional life with nutrients and the understanding that if we are not successfully balancing the two, we can't be our best selves. Personal happiness trickles down to our work and vice versa. If we feed our inner needs, everything else will fall into place, don't you agree?!

As you can see, there are many steps to becoming whole, in our endeavors to achieve personal and professional fulfillment - but it's really all about practice. Once we make these skills and steps a part of our lifestyle, it will become 2nd nature for us to think strategically and critically regarding our decisions and thought process. We have to be responsible for our lives and our futures. Don't let any obstacle prevent you from becoming who you desire to be, let that pebble of distraction be a stepping stone that makes you wiser and stronger. If you've completely read this post, you're taking the necessary steps to building a bright(er) future~ CONGRATULATIONS!