Summer Reflections: Finding Your Brand New Beat

By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC

Summer vacations and weekend getaways are often something we look forward to as a chance to relax and recharge. But what if this summer could also become an opportunity to reflect, reset and better yourself?

Stepping away from the constant demands of work, family, technology and our daily routines gives us the rare gift of time to think. It allows us to consider the changes we might want to make to enhance our lives, whether they’re major career decisions, improving our health, strengthening our relationships, or finally taking that dance class you’ve been meaning to sign up for. Sometimes the smallest step toward something new can lead to the biggest transformation.

When I sat down to write this article about the first step of the Faremouth Method, Do a Self-Inventory, a song kept popping into my head. It was the song made famous by Martha and the Vandellas called “Dancing in the Street.”

I suppose my Detroit roots are showing, but I’ve always found the artists of Motown to have some pretty powerful words in their songs that made me stop in my tracks and think. Especially right now, with so many people thinking about reinventing themselves in one way or another, this song spoke to me through some of its lyrics:

“Calling out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer’s here and the time is right
For dancing in the street…”

The word dance, as a metaphor, evokes connection, creativity, improvisation, beauty, emotion, and meaning. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been thinking about all of those things a lot lately, especially when I get calls from applicants, clients, relatives, and friends who are struggling with their own challenges. They’re trying to find a new job, hire the right applicant, or decide whether they should spend the money to take that summer vacation. I think we are all going to have to reinvent ourselves in one way or another. I think we are all ready for a “brand new beat.”

Amid the chaos and loss of control, our own sense of self is one of the few things we can control. Taking that summer vacation or weekend getaway gives us a unique opportunity for personal observation, self-reflection, introspection, and evaluation. It’s the perfect time to slow down, clear our minds, and reconnect with what truly matters.

The first question a lot of us get stuck on is: Where do I start? Having gone through several personal and professional reinventions myself, I have found great value in doing a self-inventory of my own hierarchy of values. The following questions have helped me, and many of the candidates I have worked with through the years, navigate major change and transition. Take a look at these and see if they might help you as well:

• What’s important right now for my personal and emotional development?
• What’s important for my financial situation?
• What’s important for my community, interpersonal, and social needs so I don’t feel so isolated and alone?

Before we can make any real changes that will have important consequences, we have to go within and do our own inventory. All three areas are equally important and should be viewed in a three-dimensional, holistic, and practical way.

We can evaluate what our lives have been like over the past several years and examine whether we were truly happy. Our lifestyles have led us to be in perpetual motion, yet the rapid pace of today’s economy and ever-changing work world has encouraged many of us to pause and think more carefully about what is truly important in our lives.

I know, for me, the many workplace challenges have encouraged me to exercise more. I now work out with a trainer in my building during the week, try to walk at least five miles a day three or four times a week, get outside in the sun to soak up that good Vitamin D, and more. I’ve even made myself sit still long enough to listen to meditation tapes that help me appreciate the present moment. How does that list look for you?

Getting clear on our financial situation is also a good thing to do.

Taking the time to evaluate your spending habits might allow you to identify non-essential expenses that you could eliminate in the future. Do you really need another pair of shoes? Maybe you’ll find that rather than investing in material things, it’s more important to invest in yourself by taking a class or attending a workshop.

Additionally, reviewing your social and community habits is so important to creating balance and fulfillment in our lives.

• Have all the challenges in our work world caused you to read more good books or practice more mindfulness techniques such as yoga or meditation?
• Are there hobbies like painting, gardening, or cooking that you didn’t have time for before but now bring you more joy and fulfillment?

Perhaps taking your own summer break will allow you to review areas of your life that you may have had to ignore because of the many responsibilities you carry. This might be an opportunity to examine the strength of your relationships with family and friends, and to gauge how you are performing as a wife, mother, friend, professional, student, writer, or whatever role is important in your life.

While considering the answers, it is important not to undervalue your career goals. It’s a real balancing act, but we need to be reasonable about what we have to do to survive, especially if we are a single parent or have a family depending on us to put food on the table.

To adjust your career path, take advantage of a summer vacation or break to learn new skills and pursue interests that have been on the back burner. The internet is full of instructional videos, coaching programs, and training platforms that are just a click away. With lifelong learning more accessible than ever, there are countless opportunities to develop new skills, explore new interests, and prepare for whatever comes next. Use them as tools for REINVENTION, not just as ways to pass the time. Every new skill you learn and every new perspective you gain is an investment in your future.

We should all be looking at our lives as a whole and reflecting on the changes we can make to create a better future. In all of the constant motion of the past, it was easy to lose track of what was truly important.

Take this opportunity to get ready for “a brand new beat.” Do your own “Dance in the Street.”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
It’s an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet”

DON’T FORGET THE WORDS OF MOTOWN!

Mary Ann is a global career consultant, award-winning author of Revolutionary Recruiting, Revolutionary Reinvention, and Revolutionary Results, which you can purchase on Amazon today! You can learn more about her work at faremouth.com.

Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.