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5 Free Professional Development Courses you can take on yourself

Professional Development Courses

Sometimes a book or a class doesn’t have the answers you’re looking for. Maybe professional development courses can be as simple as dedicating your time to self-reflecting on different areas of your life. This post lists the 5 avenues you can go down on your path to self-reflection and how you can treat it as a course.

I’m a sucker for motivational speakers and I was desperately trying to become like them. Highly motivated and totally confident. But the more I focused on them the less human I felt. We’re not robots that can just magically work with no internal struggles or conflicts.

What I came to realize is that my discipline and work ethic are driven by what I’ve discovered about myself and my environment through the questions below. After reading this post you’ll have a mirror to look into. One that says this is what you need and this is how to reach your highest potential.

This post is all about the free professional development courses you can take on yourself.

Professional Development Courses

5 Free Professional Development Courses

1) Look at your parents’ habits

Whether you believe in nature or nurture. One thing is for sure. Your parents influence your development. Take a moment to look at your parents and really assess them. You may be able to discover things about yourself that you were trying to deny.

First look at what they are both naturally good at. Is it a skill, a subject or do they have a way of being that really lends them to a specific industry.

Next it’s important to figure out if there’s any wasted potential there. This topic always breaks my heart because, as a first generation American, I can Cleary see the opportunities my parents missed out on just because of what they were born into.

Last consider how you and your parents are alike. Is there something that you are naturally good at? Something that you’ve seen your parents excel at, that you can see yourself taking on?

When you analyze your parents, you’re almost able to predict what your future will be like. See what skills they have developed and which ones they tossed away. It can act as a barometer that you can use when figuring out your role on a team or in an office.

Also it’s important to see what skills your parents haven’t fully developed and how that’s hindered them and their opportunities. What can you do to be different?

Take advantage of this information by leveraging it in a way that’s personalized for you.




2) Look at what others say about you

After you analyze your parents, take a step back and observe what others think of you. How do people behave around you, what do they say and what do they ask you to do?

We are prisoners of our own minds so it’s impossible to analyze ourselves without being biased. That’s why we need those who we trust around us. Obviously we don’t just want to accept anyone’s opinion.

After you find your trusted confidents take note whenever they use the following phrases or anything similar:

  • You’re so good at _
  • Can you help me with _
  • When are you going to _  again
  • I remember when you used to _ what happened?
  • How do you _
  • People always come to you for _
  • You look excited when you _
  • You look happy when you _
  • No don’t give up on _

With phrases like these people will tell you where you’ll hurt yourself and where you’ll flourish. They’ll be able to see what’s coming before you, before you even have a chance to lookup. And it’s not that we’re not paying attention. It’s that we only pay attention to what we’re aware of.

We get so caught up in everyday life that we don’t stop to ask why we’re always asked to take care of a specific task or why no one else is doing it. It’s important to look at these interactions because sometimes we don’t have to look very hard to find what we’re meant to do. Sometimes it’s as simple as just giving the people what they want.

3) What was school like?

Yes school is meant to teach you and for you to learn a variety of things. However one thing that is not spoken about that may be even more important than the knowledge you attain is – how do you absorb information?

When you figure out your learning style then you can learn anything, as long as it fits your needs. Here are some different learning styles for you think about:

  • Auditory – you only need to hear the information to understand it.
  • Visual – you need to see the information broken down into visual elements to make sense of it.
  • Abstract – you need metaphors and stories to help you break down large concepts.
  • Time – you need to marinate with the information and activity in order to make it your own.
  • Manual – you need to actively participate in a task or equation multiple times to really understand it.
  • Combination – you are not a one trick pony. You need this information in a combination of the above in order to make sense of everything.

And I’m sure there are plenty of other learning styles out there. What’s most important is figuring out what yours is so you can dominate any challenge.

Besides your learning style make sure to take note of which subjects were the easiest for you or that you liked the most. Maybe there’s further exploring to do. Maybe it can help you understand why somethings are more engaging for you than other things and see how you can leverage this information to help you.

For example I never liked math but I’m a sucker for a passionate teacher. I got an A in my AP calculus class in high school just because I liked my professor.




4) What are your relationships like?

Now it’s time to analyze the relationships in your life. They say a happy wife equals a happy life and that can be used as a metaphor for any relationship. Once you have happy relationships in your life you’re able to strive and diligently develop yourself into becoming better and greater.

First ask yourself – who are your friends and how did you get there? Is it just mere convenience? What do you both get from each other? Understanding what makes up your friend circle lets you understand how you structure your life. They say you can tell who someone will become from who they hang out with. So answer for yourself – do you like where this is headed?

Next think about who you dislike intensely and why. They say the people you dislike are a representation of your insecurities or what you don’t like about yourself. If you’re able to pinpoint what you dislike about others, you can better yourself by working on it.

Then you want to think about who has the halo effect on you and why. We all naturally gravitate towards some people. Ask yourself why certain people make you feel more comfortable than others. Is this something you can bring into future relationships? Or is this a trait you need to be aware of in order to avoid someone taking advantage of you? There’s power in being liked make sure this information is used in your favor.

Last but not least ask yourself, how do I behave when I don’t get along with people? The last thing you want is to not be in control of yourself and your emotions when interacting with others. Make sure to understand your personal behaviors when put into difficult situations. This can help you with future negotiations and interactions.

5) What is – Me time?

As important as it is to work on your professional development and think of life as a course it’s also important to give yourself as much energy and attention. So let me ask you the following questions:

  • How do you recharge and do you recharge?
  • Are your self care routines toxic or nurturing?
  • Are you giving yourself everything you need?

Sometimes we work so hard and are so passionate about the things that we do that we do not allow ourselves a moment of rest. Don’t be that person!  Make time to recharge and find out what recharging looks like for you. Is it meditating, working out, cooking, cleaning, reading or watching tv? There’s nothing wrong with taking some downtime. In fact, it’s imperative.

However you want to make sure that these self care routines are nurturing and not toxic. Make sure one good moment isn’t going to hinder you in a different way. Toxic self care routines could include treating yourself when you’re in debt, going out for drinks if you’re addicted to alcohol or smoking which can give you lung cancer. These activities may make you feel better but they’re not self care, you’re hurting yourself in the long run.

Last we all know what it feels like when something is missing. Listen to your intuition and see if you don’t feel refreshed after your activities. There may be something else that would work better for you.




This post was all about the 5 free professional development courses you can take now.

Professional Development Courses

Categories: All Blogs, Goals

5 Professional Development Goals you need to set to move up the Corporate Ladder

Professional Development Goals

When you start a new job, what’s the first thought that comes to mind? Mine is, “I wonder how long it’ll take before I rule these halls.” And that is not a farfetched thought if you have professional development goals that will lead you to those opportunities. This post will list out the 5 goals you need to achieve in order to get noticed and have doors open for you. 

I’ve worked at two different offices where I started as a receptionist. I was surrounded by other receptionists but for some reason, they were never able to get the opportunities I got. That is until I realized what I was doing differently. And soon my friends started finding themselves in different positions once I shared my secrets.

After reading this post you’ll know exactly what you need to do to get someone to notice you and give you an opportunity at your workplace. Believe me, it doesn’t matter what position you hold, you have as much of an opportunity as anyone else to get promoted or poached by a different department.

This post is all about the professional development goals you need to set in order to get promoted at work.

Professional Development Goals

Professional Development Goals

1) Win your boss over

Let’s face it. Your boss can either be your greatest enemy or your biggest ally. They’re the ones who decide how you spend your time and what your job entails. And there are bosses that push for their employees to be better and greater and there are those that give them busy work.

Whatever the case may be, it’s imperative that you win your boss over. Only then will you find yourself with new and exciting tasks that develop you into reaching your highest potential. Your boss will become your spokesperson and they’ll tell everyone how much they love you. This is the best way to construct a solid reputation in a company.

Here are some super easy ways to win your boss over:

  • Remember the things they tell you
  • Let them know when you complete a task or when you’re running behind
  • Take initiative and share how you’re working through creating solutions for you and your coworkers
  • Be empathetic we all have good days and bad days
  • Do not speak badly about them – to anyone

Now let’s say you’ve tried to win your boss over but you just can’t. Hey, sometimes it’s a clash in chemistry. Then sadly I encourage you to get another job and find another boss. This is literally why people get stuck in dead-end jobs. It’s because their boss won’t help them become better and who wants to do their best work when they don’t like their boss?




2) Win your coworkers over

Your coworkers are not your competition. The only person you can compete against in this world is yourself. You carry your hopes, dreams, and fears and no one is the same as you. Obviously. But really you can’t compete against someone who is on a different journey.

What you can do is learn how to work with others. Your coworkers are your team and teams are what win the Super Bowl. Life and work are not a one-man show.

Besides learning how to work with others I cannot stress enough how small this world is. You never know when your coworkers are in a position where they can help you move on to the next level. And would you recommend or refer someone you didn’t like? Absolutely not.

Protect your relationship with your coworkers and win them over by:

  • Supporting them when they need it
  • Acknowledge their strengths and ask them for advice
  • Share any knowledge you may have that could be of use to them
  • Be empathetic we all have good days and bad days
  • Do not speak badly about them – to anyone

Also, who doesn’t want to work and spend their days with a friend? Sure coworkers can help you in the long run but you also want to enjoy your life today and tomorrow. And if you have a positive relationship with your co-worker in a positive environment then that truly is the breeding ground for greatness.

Again sometimes you just can’t make it work and if you love your boss and your job then all you can do is limit your interactions. Or work with your boss somewhere else.

3) Get friendly with other departments 

This post is starting to feel like a post about getting people to like you more than getting promoted. But that’s the thing. People work with who they like. Qualifications are important when it comes to promotions and opportunities but it doesn’t seal the deal. Also, I’ve had multiple occurrences when I wasn’t qualified for a job but I got it because they liked me.

If you’re a good person and you’re around good people, that’s basically networking in a nutshell. And that’s the kind of behavior that actually gets you places.

So after you win your boss and your coworkers over, it’s time to win over the whole company. Become friendly with other departments. And when I say other departments I mean every single one, not just the one that holds prestigious titles.

This will allow you to stretch outside of your comfort zone and find opportunities that you didn’t know were available to you. You become incredibly resourceful because you’re more knowledgeable about how things operate. Lastly, someone may end up poaching you because of your slight interactions.

My favorite thing to do, when I interact with others is share how proud I am of the work my team does. This allows your team to gain recognition and you look like this amazing person who is a total team player.




4) Find your champion

As you become friendly with other departments, you’ll eventually cross paths with different leaders within your organization. And then it’s time to strike the perfect balance. You don’t want them to feel like talking to you is work so you don’t want to ask complex, detailed questions. At least not at first. This is something you can do after you’ve had a few conversations where they’ve initiated the conversation.

But you also want them to be aware of the work that you do and how you think about work. Basically, you want them to become a fan of your development and work ethic. You could briefly mention some of the work you’ve completed, and why completing this work is so important to you. Again you don’t want to go into the details unless they ask. The more they ask the more you’re able to gauge how much they want to hear. It’s a backward way to ask permission to share.

And you want permission. When people go on and on about their work and all they’ve done, it’s very easy to come across as arrogant. Arrogance leaves the picture once people want to hear you.

Slowly you’ll begin to share your progress and someone will undoubtedly take a liking to you. That person will either hire you or recommend you. So make sure that you’re always working on something or learning something new. Otherwise, you won’t have much to share and you’ll become boring. And nothing is worse than boring when it comes to networking.

5) Take their advice and keep in touch

At this point, everyone in the world should love you. You’re surrounded by supporters and everyone is speaking highly of you. Now it’s time to not mess it up.

As you have different conversations people will have different recommendations for you. Follow all the legal ones 🙂

There’s nothing worse than running into someone you gave advice to and then you find out they never took it. Well if you don’t take people’s advice, people will stop advising you and doors will start closing in your face. No one is going to hold the door open for you if you don’t walk through it.

After listening you have to also remember to keep in touch. This is the toughest one but remember that keeping in touch doesn’t have to be a weekly occurrence. You could check on someone once a year. Just be mindful of the kind of relationship you have and your level of proximity. If you work with someone all the time but they’re not on your team you want to make sure you check in with them. On the other hand, if there’s someone you never see but they’ve reached out then you need to respectively reciprocate and put in some effort.

You need to demonstrate that you’re dependable and loyal. Once you do someone is bound to hire you.

Also, you want to build a connection with people that withstands minor interruptions. Building a network gives you the experience you need to have effective, efficient, collaborative, and fun working relationships in the future. The goal is to make your team so large, it includes everyone.




This post is all about the professional development goals you need to set to get promoted at work.

Professional Development Goals

Categories: All Blogs

2022 End of year review

End of year review

Congratulations. Absolutely no one asked for this. However, this blog is not just about my desire for power but how I hope to achieve it and the things I’m doing to get there. This end of year review will share my successes, failures, and the things I’m working on for 2023. 

Who doesn’t love to have a midlife crisis at the end of the year? This is the perfect time to think, “Where did my vision board go?”,  “Did I lose any weight?”, and “Am I better?” So, join me as I overanalyze my life and contemplate whether I’ve done enough. Without this behavior, no one would become obsessed enough with their life in order to want to change it.

Sure this can sound pretty toxic but I’m a workaholic and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Hey, it fuels capitalism and it’s only as negative as it makes you feel.

After reading this post you’ll see where I am in my path and if I’m worth listening to. Also, you could use it as a blueprint in case you’d like to dissect your own life.

This post is all about my end of year review as a blogger, corporate office worker, and awesome human being.

End of year

End of Year Review

Classes

I started the year with a lot of enthusiasm. I was taking Spanish classes and French classes. I love the idea of learning a new language. I did all my homework, attended every class, and had a lot of fun.

So why did I stop?

I was not dedicating myself enough to my studies. In fact, I didn’t study at all outside of class. Instead, I spent my time working overtime at the office, working on my book, and working on this blog. My time was limited and I decided that learning a language is not a priority for me at the moment.

However, I am ending the year with a class that is a little less demanding of my free time and that is swimming classes. Also note I spend all my free time working on this blog, strategizing on how I want to enter social media next year, and researching self-publishing. Self-publishing a book is a major beast and there’s a lot for me to learn there if I ever want to release my books. So that’s where my priorities have taken me.

In 2023 my goal is to focus on this blog and my book. Any classes or courses I take will be related to those two things or they’ll be a physical activity that will keep me balanced.

Work

My job is completely different from what it was at the beginning of this year. First and foremost I have a very supportive manager who allows me to take initiative and encourages me to find something that I can specialize in within my role. Second, within my position, I partner with people across different lines of business. So I’m not necessarily doing the same thing every day. Every partner has a different need and they all need me to assist them in a different way. Third, my job is a support function so I have some flexibility on how and who I assist.

All that being said I’ve come to realize how good I am at organizing, tracking, and bringing people together. Also, I’m lucky in the sense that there was a need for this. So I’m pretty much-creating processes and executing them based on my team’s goals.

In 2023 my goal is to find a way to automate a lot of the admin work that I do so that I’m able to continue to develop my skill set and have enough time to complete my work without feeling too stretched. This will also help me free up my time outside of work so that I can focus more on my book and blog.

Blog

I am so happy with where this blog is today from an infrastructure and strategic point of view. I took a blog course earlier this year, as well as a Pinterest course and those classes have really allowed me to create some structure. Without structure, there’s no way to be consistent and that’s where I had previously been failing with this blog.

I have a process for how I content plan and execute my posts and it’s allowed me to have an average of 30 views per month and 5k views on Pinterest. This may not seem like a lot but it means the world to me because it’s consistent and slowly growing. I’ve also done a lot of work to ensure that this blog is legally compliant and performing as an LLC and that was not an easy feat.

In 2023 my goal is to start a newsletter for this blog and to start welcoming readers to learn more about the books that I’ll be releasing.




Book

This is the whole reason why I started a blog in the first place. For the self-publishing journey, I’m going to start taking. I have a book and I finally have a pretty close to a final draft that I’m incredibly proud of. That took all year and it was very worth it.

In 2023 my goal is to get the book reviewed by an editor and finalize the illustrations. I’ve been working on a strategy to get there and you have no idea how many steps it takes. Sure there are self-publishing courses available but I haven’t found one that I believe in enough to purchase. Plus there is so much information available online that I’ve only started to go through. Here are some of the specific items on my list:

  • Getting an editor to review the book
  • Formatting the book
  • Getting a book cover artist
  • Finalize the marketing plan (One for before release, one for during release, and one for after the book is released)
  • Publishing the book

And as I go through every one of these steps I’m creating a template for myself so that I can fine-tune and repeat the process.

Social media

I am not currently active on social media with my company. My goal in year one was to create the structure for this organization. Now that I’m happy with my foundation and because I’d like to release my book in 2024 it’s imperative that I start having an online presence.

I’ve been spending the last few weeks debating which platforms to get on and trying to figure out a cadence that is manageable for me to maintain. After much deliberation, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m unable to get on Youtube at this moment. It’s just too much for one person to handle and again my book takes priority. With that being said I found an alternative that will allow me to better connect with you all.

In 2023 I’m going to start posting regularly on Instagram and Tik Tok. On January 1st I’ll start with my first post on both platforms.




ROI

Return on Investment is everything. And obviously, with a new venture I haven’t achieved much this year but what has been accomplished that I am so incredibly proud of.

Although I’ve only been posting consistently for the last five months I started investing in this company in 2021. In 2021 I spent $848.33 and in 2022 I spent $928.71. I’ve dedicated an average of ten hours a week to my business and I have a blog and Pinterest account that receives new content every week. My google Adsense account has a total balance of 37 cents, I have 4 followers on Pinterest, 33 followers on Instagram and 15 on Tik Tok.

In 2023 my goal is to start working on creating a community now that I’m happy with my foundation. It’ll be exciting to see what the numbers look like at the end of the year and how much my content changes once I connect with all of you. And if there’s no change in attendance, then that’s just hilarious. Also now that I see exactly how much I’ve spent I definitely plan to go into the new year with a budget.

Looking forward in 2023

This post has really left me pumped up. Sure I failed a bit but this new year is going to be beyond exciting.

I absolutely love social media and I’ve already been dreaming up how I want to brand myself so that’ll be fun to have another creative avenue for me to get into. Like seriously I’m thinking of Instagram as an art installation and TikTok as a reality show. My goal is not to fit into trends. My goal is to see how I can perform as a creative director with these tools.

I’m beyond excited for the day that I announce when my book will be published and when I reveal the cover and a little bit about the story. My book is going to be like a magazine/ adult’s children’s book. I’m pretty sure you can tell from my blog that I like to draw. So my book is going to be packed with illustrations.

Lastly, I’m excited to see if my blog strategy works. As I mentioned we’re going into 2023 with around 30 views a month so we really can only go up from here.




This post was all about my End of Year Review.

End of year review