| -link"> | | | | find the stud in the wall, how to determine the right |
| Acquiring a new skill can be empowering and can give | | | | type of anchor to use and how to use the tools |
| you the courage to try other things. We’ve all | | | | needed. Sara said that she was so excited about the |
| been told that one should never stop learning, but so | | | | lesson that she went home and ran around and hung |
| many times this concept is placed in the framework | | | | things in almost every room of the house afterwards. |
| of fear. Keep acquiring skills so you’ll | | | | Not only had she acquired a new skill, but also she |
| remain marketable is a frequent refrain for this | | | | felt more confident about tackling other things in her |
| generation’s workers. Stop learning and | | | | life. |
| you start dying is another example of selling the | | | | Sometimes acquiring a hobby can lead to new |
| idea using a fear tactic. | | | | opportunities as well. At another seminar, John |
| What would it feel like if you acquired a new skill as a | | | | shared his experience. A company had downsized him |
| way of doing something positive for yourself with no | | | | after working there for most of his life. He had |
| fear factor involved? What if you did it for the sheer | | | | started the process of looking for work but had a bit |
| pleasure of something new and unknown and | | | | of a cushion in the form of a severance package, so |
| mastering it gave you a boost of | | | | he started spending time in his backyard garden as a |
| self-confidence?When my clients tell me that they | | | | way to stem the depression and rejection he was |
| feel stuck or feel like they aren’t | | | | feeling. |
| accomplishing anything or are afraid to take chances | | | | John had always done things like mow the lawn, trim |
| in other aspects of their lives, I frequently encourage | | | | the bushes, and gather the fall leaves but had mostly |
| them to acquire a new skill. The skill doesn’t | | | | left the decorative aspects to his wife. He decided to |
| even have to be justifiable or add another | | | | try his hand at a small vegetable garden and |
| notch to their resume. I simply ask them if | | | | discovered that he had quite the green thumb. |
| there’s anything that they’ve ever | | | | Always the type to thoroughly research topics that |
| wanted to try or learn. | | | | interested him, John developed a keen interest in |
| At one of my seminars, Sara shared that she | | | | organic produce farming. This skill, originally taken on |
| had just moved to town two weeks previously and | | | | as a way to deal with the stress of his downsizing, |
| that one of the reasons she had attended was just | | | | became a full-fledged business that John now runs |
| to meet new people. Sara said that she had recently | | | | with his wife and two sons and their families. Talk |
| divorced after more than 20 years of marriage and | | | | about a confidence builder!New skills don’t |
| had left all of her friends and family to move | | | | have to take the shape of power tools and farming, |
| hundreds of miles away as a way of starting fresh. | | | | though. Clients have done things like take music, |
| Although she initially found it to be quite challenging, | | | | dance and language lessons, learned to swim, gone |
| she said that she felt empowered when performing | | | | parasailing, joined book clubs, learned a craft, etc. |
| some household tasks that her ex-husband had | | | | And almost every time, the outcome has been the |
| routinely done. She was inspired to attend a | | | | same: the feeling that if they can do this thing, they |
| workshop at a local hardware store on how to hang | | | | can do anything they set their minds to do. What |
| pictures and frames, which included learning how to | | | | thing have you ever wanted to try or learn? |