Become Your Dream

There is a homeless man who parks his shopping cart on the corner of my street. He's friendly and well loved on the block. He has his dog and sits there all day and night, while people pass by, leaving him food, some loose change, or even just a warm smile.

All over his cart are the words "Become Your Dream". The other day, it was written in chalk down the sidewalk. It got me thinking.

I have spent countless hours trying to figure out what I want to do, where I want to be, what my dreams are and how to achieve them. Others have spent their entire lives trying to achieve these same things. And here, in his shopping cart on the Upper East Side, I truly believe this man is living his dream, believing in himself more than many of the people who pass him believe in themselves.

So is the answer to simplify things? I think it might be. Why over complicate, competing with everyone else, including ourselves, for dreams we may not even want. There are dreams that have been laid out for us, without even realizing it. Our parents want us to be successful. Universities preach achievement and success at any cost. Jobs feed the competition further, with the knowledge that if we can't keep up, the unemployment line awaits. The stress that comes from this is probably not what we dream of. After all, can't success mean different things to different people?

The solution? Take a minute, figure out what your dream is. Take a risk, become a clown, travel the world, bake cookies all day, who cares? If it's your dream, it's worth a shot! If it does not work out, at least you tried.

The morale of the story from this homeless man's writings? Believe in yourself and become your dream...

Why the corporate world needs more social workers...

As I am working towards finding a new position outside the traditional roles of a social worker, I have realized that there are so many needs for a social worker in the corporate world. I see it as an excellent investment for a company, and I'm not just saying that so someone will invest in me. Which of course would be wonderful. Thinking outside the box of tradition, where people may get rigid and stuck, adapting the social work values within a corporate setting is genius, and in my opinion, under utilized. Yes, someone who has graduated with an MBA would be fabulous, but what about a MSW? A Human Resource professional can provide similar services, but the clinical skills and professional training of a social worker are far more valuable, and can provide better outcomes in the long run.

The NASW Code of Ethics list the core values of social work as follows:

* service
* social justice
* dignity and worth of the person
* importance of human relationships
* integrity
* competence

This is a unique set of values that the profession of social work encompasses, training a social worker with the concepts dressed up in every business psychology book on the shelves. I don't need to take a Dale Carnegie course, or read endless volumes to perform the jobs that other may do, while my resume gets tossed atop a monster stack in the recycle bin.

My background and training provides me with transferable skills to thrive in corporate America. I have worked with unions and disgruntled employees, recognizing the challenges that can arise and the need to find solutions that can continue to best benefit both employee and company. I am skilled at counseling and mediation, which has been a bulk of my practice until now. I talk and listen for a living, and am well versed at “selling” concepts and ideas that promote productivity, wellness, and increased quality of life. I am familiar with resistant populations, working within the prison system in some capacity since I was nineteen. I have had to work hard to get others to recognize that my services are needed and will be beneficial in the end. And am not stopping now...

Someone told me to refrain from promoting myself as a risk. I say, let's change the operational definition of a risk. Risks can be healthy. I believe there is value in being a risk taker in business, leading to further innovation and success. If it's all about strategy, this seems to make sense.

What Are We Hunting For?

I was thinking about the process involved in searching for the next career venture. Someone spoke of the analogy of job hunting versus job farming. It stuck with me. I thought back to my recent travels, and the lioness. She is patient, yet calculated, on the prowl, to sustain her for the time being. Then there is the farmer, who demonstrates the same patience and calculation, but for a more sustaining and long term goal.

In the past, I feel that I have been that lioness - the hunter, going in for the kill and getting the "desired job". But has it led me to the right career? Is it bringing me to the path that will ultimately fulfill me? Or is it just sustaining me for the time being. I think as we matriculate through higher levels of education, the focus is on getting the job. Long term career goals can get lost somewhere in between the need to pay rent and the desire to out shine the competition, even if it's at the cost of your own well being. The lioness may get the kill, she may intimidate others, but is there long term satisfaction? Can she continue to live and sustain herself if the hunt is no longer gratifying, simply a means to an end?

Today, I'm creating a farm in between sky scrapers, knowing that with hard work, diligence, and patience, I will reap my rewards. I will gain that satisfaction of taking the time to seek the job that will satisfy me beyond the immediate. Some say it is a risk. And I'm not going to lie, it's scary! I say, more people need to take this risk and take the time to really seek out work they enjoy, that drives them. After all, what are we really hunting for?

Breaking Through

I was having a discussion with some peers and realized that in our jobs, we can easily become domesticated, like animals. We become used to the routine, know when to expect whatever may come down the pike. Complacent. It's a dangerous spot to get into, but common. It happened to me. I became complacent, robotic, like that bean counter on the assembly line, not focusing (or caring) about the job in front of them, but still able to "get the task done" and do it well.

I needed a shift. I missed the drive, the passion, that I knew was somewhere inside of me, but had gotten lost in a stack of paperwork and a dark office. I had become that domesticated animal. The animal that knew what to expect and lazily accepted it, instead of taking a risk and breaking through, releasing myself back into the wild.

I quit my job as a social worker. I left all the comfortable things that I knew - my friends, family, apartment, and my city! I went to Africa. I worked with incredible social workers, who broke down barriers, putting their blood, sweat, and tears into what they believed. Without money, just support and willingness to make a difference. I became alive. I started to feel something burning inside (and it wasn't my heartburn that plagued me in the City)! It was desire, it was freedom, it was the strength to know I can make a difference, and do so outside of the box, in a different role. Breaking through.

Yes, I rode an ostrich, walked with elephants, hiked mountains, jumped out of an airplane, boarded down sand dunes, camped in the desert for two weeks, got fleas, swam with Hippos, white water rafted in the Zambezi River, and saw more stars that I though even existed! I didn't do it to feel alive, I did these things because I am alive. I have truly allowed myself to experience everything that is out there in the "wild".

As I settle into the urban safari that is New York City, I realize the safety I felt in the African bush is wavering. My reality is daunting, but I'm ready for it and willing to do whatever it takes. I won't allow myself to be domesticated again, needing the energy that comes from allowing yourself to be unleashed, outside of the barriers and into the wild.