March is Women's History Month, and this issue is full of great info from great women. Quick-Start Coach Maria Favata shares her "Top 5 Books to Read If You Are In A Career Transition". We also have links to Marie Boyum's "Smashing Writer's Block" and Erica Miner's "Joys of Journaling" freeview teleclasses from the QueenPower Institute.

Audiences With Queens continues to attract women experts in many fields. This issue provides you with the complete scoop on who's talking about what, and why you should listen.

Wishing you all a marvelous March,

P.S. If you haven't visited my personal blog lately you may want to check it out. Recent posts include My Hero Today:  Ann Curry, I Love My MomAgenda, and Rules for Leaving Your Business Home Alone.

The Five Best Books to Read if You Are in a Career Transition

by Maria Favata

Making a career change is similar to putting a puzzle together:  you have a vision or a dream, but you create it step by step, one piece at a time. 

Though most of us would like to wake up one morning and know with absolute clarity what we want to do with our lives, making a career change is a process—something you surrender to with a rhythm and timing all its own. 

Here are my favorite books to help guide you during this period in your life: 

Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes by William Bridges

Start with this book! A must read for anyone trying to understand the transition process. A book of great comfort as it helps you realize that personal transitions are fairly universal and common (and that, no, you are not going crazy!). By taking you through the stages of transition, the author demonstrates that what you are experiencing is actually very natural and normal.

Developing Intuition by Shakti Gawain

Many times a career transition signifies that it is time to start listening to your own inner guidance, your intuition, and time to turn away from what the outside world is telling you to do. Shakti explains what intuition is, how to tap into our intuition, and how to trust and act on this inner source of wisdom. Shakti teaches us we can rely on our intuition especially when we feel confused about what to do next (which happens often in a career transition!). 

Embracing Our Selves: The Voice Dialogue Manual by Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone

Wonderful book for anyone who is feeling stuck. Hal and Sidra Stone explain we are each made up of many “selves” and often these selves are in conflict with each other; thus, causing deep confusion. They also talk about “disowned” selves—selves which we need to be made aware of if we are to reach our full potential. Read the opening Prologue, “The Awakening”, and see if it does not deeply resonate with you. 

Do What You Are by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Baron-Tieger

The goal of this more traditional career guide is to help you find work which is more naturally suited to your personality type (Myer’s Briggs). A most helpful book, it provides you with concrete examples of careers which might be personally satisfying to you. The authors also provide detailed career profiles of people, common threads and characteristics of satisfying careers, and helpful tips for conducting a search—all tailored to your specific type. 

Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra

Excellent book written mostly for mid-career professionals, particularly people who have invested a lot of time and money in their current profession. The main premise is that traditional career assessment models do not work since they recommend “figuring out” what you want to do before taking action. Herminia suggests that the “knowing” actually comes from stepping out--crafting experiments, trying different jobs on for size, and expanding your network of resources and people. She also offers in-depth profiles of people who have made dramatic (and not so dramatic) changes in their lives.

Maria Favata is a "Quick Start" Coach:  she specializes in guiding others who are at the beginning of a Career Transition.  You can visit her blog at mlfavata.wordpress.com or e-mail her at mlfavata@yahoo.com.

Audiences with Queens

There are five "Audiences" available now, with several more on the way! These Queens are experts in public relations, home business marketing, fine art, humor writing, and empowerment. Here are just some of the great tidbits from these Audiences:

• How to avoid getting whacked by cosmic two-by-fours
• Five inexpensive ways to market your business
• Why humor writing is harder, easier and downright different from other types of writing
• How to make a living as a full-time freelance writer
• Why and how women get multiple chances to re-create their lives

You can listen to a short preview of each "Audience" immediately, or download the full version for later listening. You can even sign up for a lifetime membership and receive every "Audience" as soon as it's available.

Coming soon:  Queens share how to discover your inner goddess queen, and why effective credit and collections practices are key to your business.

Listen now...

Freeviews at the QueenPower Institute!

On February 22, we held our Smashing Writer's Block freeview teleclass. We had a blast, and instructor, Marie Boyum, really loaded the hour with useful tips to help you smash through your writer's block. And when we say "smash", we mean it! Listen to the preview to find out how smashing dishes can help you smash your blockage.

If you enjoyed the preview, you're sure to love the full five-session teleseminar series, which which begins with additional information on what causes writer's block and how you can identify whether or not you are suffering from it. The next series starts May 3!

Find out more...

And on February 7, we had a freeview teleclass of the Joys of Journaling e-course. Our instructor, Erica Miner, got us all inspired to start, re-start and keep going in our journaling practices. One attendee said:

"...let me thank you for your teleclass. I believe many exhausted wandering souls would benefit from your experience and insights. I am writing to let you know that Tuesday's call was very enjoyable and satisfying."

If you're at all interested in journaling, you're sure to love the full six-session e-course, which includes a bonus seventh lesson with additional tips on starting and maintaining your journaling practice.

Learn more...

Get Involved, Get In Touch

If you’re interested in exploring more about life transformation, personal power, and cage rattling, or just about tiaras and the really cool women who wear them, here are just some of the ways for you to connect.

Visit my blog, Creating An Ideal Life While Wearing a Tiara. I post all kinds of musings, questions and general craziness here, and you’re welcome to join in and comment on any and all postings.

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©2006 by Barbara Bellissimo. All rights reserved.