Sunday, May 2, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Don't Quit Your Day Job
I didn't. Instead, I got laid off today. I'm sharing it here because a few weeks or months from now I want to return and see in print exactly how I felt this day...surprisingly, pretty darn good!
Yes, there was shock. Being in a room with five others experiencing the same thing. My mind distanced itself from my body a bit and went into auto-pilot. It became difficult to write my information or hear what the outplacement guy was saying. My body just wanted to stay still and recover.
After that -- I felt free. My body recovered, my mind linked back and I started to feel almost--exhuberant. My mind was planning, checklisting...thinking, even as I packed my stuff and talked with the operations manager and my supervisor. No awkwardness whatsoever. It also seemed that each person involved was doing their part in a caring, thoughtful way. The only jarring note was the HR Director, who is always on-site during layoffs, was linked in by phone due to some plane issues (Icelandic volcano-caused, I think).
In the coming week, I'll be updating my LinkedIn profile and requesting the recommendations my managers offered (while the memory and the guilt of laying me off are still fresh). I may do a Youtube elevator pitch or introduction. I'll contact the outplacement firm and begin to update my resume. I already called my former life coach and asked her to work with me again for 3 months. And I have a spot reserved in an upcoming small 6-week peer support group of career changes/job seekers called Success Teams.
I will also be grieving the loss of the physical act of going to work and working with the wacky, strange and wonderful guys on my team. After almost 11 years of working for this company, I know I need to find or create a new structure, fast. It helps that I have a fast approaching deadline and an article to write. Check out my latest on www.Curlstylist.com -- I interviewed three rockstars of the curly world on curl highlighting techniques -- Christo, creator of the Curlisto haircare line, Denis Da Silva of Devachan, and Antonio Gonzales, master stylist at Orlando Pita Salon and a blogger and columnist for www.Curlstylist.com.
I got laid off, but I feel like life is good. I feel taken care of. It feels like God cleared the decks, gave me a soft landing and created a safe, open space for me to do...what? Follow him, and create whatever he tells me to.
Yes, there was shock. Being in a room with five others experiencing the same thing. My mind distanced itself from my body a bit and went into auto-pilot. It became difficult to write my information or hear what the outplacement guy was saying. My body just wanted to stay still and recover.
After that -- I felt free. My body recovered, my mind linked back and I started to feel almost--exhuberant. My mind was planning, checklisting...thinking, even as I packed my stuff and talked with the operations manager and my supervisor. No awkwardness whatsoever. It also seemed that each person involved was doing their part in a caring, thoughtful way. The only jarring note was the HR Director, who is always on-site during layoffs, was linked in by phone due to some plane issues (Icelandic volcano-caused, I think).
In the coming week, I'll be updating my LinkedIn profile and requesting the recommendations my managers offered (while the memory and the guilt of laying me off are still fresh). I may do a Youtube elevator pitch or introduction. I'll contact the outplacement firm and begin to update my resume. I already called my former life coach and asked her to work with me again for 3 months. And I have a spot reserved in an upcoming small 6-week peer support group of career changes/job seekers called Success Teams.
I will also be grieving the loss of the physical act of going to work and working with the wacky, strange and wonderful guys on my team. After almost 11 years of working for this company, I know I need to find or create a new structure, fast. It helps that I have a fast approaching deadline and an article to write. Check out my latest on www.Curlstylist.com -- I interviewed three rockstars of the curly world on curl highlighting techniques -- Christo, creator of the Curlisto haircare line, Denis Da Silva of Devachan, and Antonio Gonzales, master stylist at Orlando Pita Salon and a blogger and columnist for www.Curlstylist.com.
I got laid off, but I feel like life is good. I feel taken care of. It feels like God cleared the decks, gave me a soft landing and created a safe, open space for me to do...what? Follow him, and create whatever he tells me to.
Monet is the Winner!
Congratulations to Monet, the winner of the PhytoSpecific Revitalizing Oil giveaway. Her "Styled or Wild" photos submissions were exactly on point. And I plan on posting them in the coming week -- be sure to visit, subscribe, and judge for yourself.
Stay tuned for the next giveaway!
Stay tuned for the next giveaway!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Giveaway! Styled or Wild? Is it Pure Hotness or Just a Hot Mess?
Happy Easter, Curlies! Didn't find an Easter egg with a prize? Here's a bigger chance to win!
The lucky winner of the upcoming Styled or Wild? Is it Hotness or Just a Hot Mess feature will win the following prize:
PhytoSpecific Revitalizing Oil Pre-Shampoo (Retail value: $30.00)
Sephora.com has more information
To qualify: For a chance to win, submit 2 photos -- one of a hot natural do (curly, protective, Afro, locs, etc.) you'd wear in a hot minute, and one that is just plain out of control. I'll run the winning entry on my blog and you win the goodies! Styled or Wild is planned as a repeating feature. If you show your interest by send in an entries, I'll be doing another giveaway soon! Ya know?
Deadline for Entries - Extended to Tuesday April 13th.
Send your entries to suburbanbushbabe@gmail.com
The fine print: To be a valid entry, photos submitted in Jpeg format only must be included and the following terms must be met. By submitting content for this giveaway you grant Starry Elven Twins and Suburbanbushbabe all rights to use your submission. You acknowledge that the content you submit is yours to provide and does not break any copyright laws. If the photo's ownership is in question, your entry must include that information as well as the location of origin so that Starry Elven Twins blog can verify usage and/or edit the photo as necessary.
The lucky winner of the upcoming Styled or Wild? Is it Hotness or Just a Hot Mess feature will win the following prize:PhytoSpecific Revitalizing Oil Pre-Shampoo (Retail value: $30.00)
Sephora.com has more information
To qualify: For a chance to win, submit 2 photos -- one of a hot natural do (curly, protective, Afro, locs, etc.) you'd wear in a hot minute, and one that is just plain out of control. I'll run the winning entry on my blog and you win the goodies! Styled or Wild is planned as a repeating feature. If you show your interest by send in an entries, I'll be doing another giveaway soon! Ya know?
Deadline for Entries - Extended to Tuesday April 13th.
Send your entries to suburbanbushbabe@gmail.com
Friday, March 26, 2010
MakeupVixen is the Winner!
Actually you all are -- but MakeupVixen gets the giveaway - a copy of Thank God I'm Natural autographed by the author, Chri-Tia Donaldson. Congrats, curly! It was a tough choice, and I want to thank you all for participating. Great stuff!
Check back in on Friday, April 2nd for the next Giveaway!
Check back in on Friday, April 2nd for the next Giveaway!
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