authenticity – Ruthann M. Wilson

Career Journey: Things I’ve learned along the way

I’m grateful for a fulfilling career across multiple industries. In this post, I’ve shared a few practical lessons that helped me grow, adapt, and lead with purpose.

Be where you are

Know what’s expected of you and do it well. Being present means making the most of your current role: learn, grow, excel, and enjoy the work in front of you. It has a way of opening doors and drawing people and opportunities to you that will enable you to grow into your next role.
Learn from the past. Plan for the future. Live in the present by making the most of where you are right now.

Develop transferable skills

Develop skills that are relevant across roles and industries (e.g., communication, collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, etc.). My career has spanned several industries including pharmaceuticals, telecom, consumer goods, and hospitality, made possible by developing and applying transferable skills.

Stretch Through Projects and Roles

Welcome assignments that help you stretch and grow. Growth doesn’t always come through promotion. Sometimes it’s a lateral move or a stretch assignment that helps you build new capabilities and prepare for what’s next. Embrace the journey of growing into your next role. Be as open to a lateral move or stretch assignment in your current role as you are a promotion if it will help you grow and ultimately achieve your career goals.

Listen & Learn

Feedback is a gift. Be open to constructive feedback from peers, managers, leaders, etc. Solicit feedback in a way that it is constructive and enables you to grow (e.g., behavior-based, example-based, suggestions for improvement, etc.). Ideally, leaders should include feedback gathered from business partners, peers, etc. as a part of mid-year and/or year-end conversations. If you’re not receiving regular feedback, ask for it, and be open to what you hear.

Surround yourself with people who want to see you grow

Spend time with people who genuinely want to see you grow. We all need inspiration, encouragement, reality checks, and people with whom we can be vulnerable in our personal and professional lives. Spend time with people who genuinely want to see you grow and be that person for others too.

Own Your Career by Knowing Yourself

Know your values, gifts, talents, passions, abilities, and areas of opportunity. Define what success means to you and revisit that definition as you grow. Your vision may evolve, and that’s part of the journey. Create a plan of action to bring your vision to life. Consider working with a mentor and/or coach. Know the difference between the two and work with them accordingly.

Thank you for reading. If this message feels true or timely, you’re welcome to share it with someone who may benefit by clicking on a share button below.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Career Clarity through Values: Charting Your Path Forward

Clarity is powerful, and it begins within. This post was inspired by a question: can my book, Be True to You: A Practical Guide to Pursuing an Authentic Path, support career development? The answer points us back to values, the foundation of both life and career clarity.

Thank you for taking the time to watch this video. If you know someone who might gain from the message, please share by clicking on a share button below.

Learn more and purchase a copy of Be True to You: A Practical Guide to Pursuing an Authentic Path through Amazon.com.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Embrace Your Career Journey: The Power of Being Present

In addition to being a writer/author, I’ve had a long and fruitful career in corporate America. I had an opportunity to speak with a group of graduating students about my work and experience growing a career in a corporate setting. The students were a part of intensive training program that provided them with technical and professional skills. I love new beginnings and the energy of new graduates about to embark on their careers. I recall graduating from college and being excited about my first job post graduation. I had a very supportive supervisor and transition into my career.

One of the six career lessons that I shared with the graduates is to be where you are. The lesson was shared through a corporate lens; however, it’s also a powerful life lesson.

My message as it relates to being where you are in a corporate setting is to know what is expected of you, do your current job really well, and be open to new assignments/opportunities that can help you stretch and grow into the next role. Oftentimes, when people are early in a career, the goal is get to the next level quickly. The focus often becomes getting promoted/getting to the next level instead of learning, growing, excelling, and enjoying their current role. Moving too quickly can be problematic when an employee is promoted and not prepared for their next role. I encouraged them to be fully present and embrace the journey of growing into their next role.

The bigger life lesson is to live in the here and now; not in the past or in the future, but where you are right now. You can make the most of where you are by cultivating habits and practices that enable you stay grounded and present in your life. A few things to consider:

Give thanks for your life, even if it’s not exactly as you wish it to be
Reduce multi-tasking and focus on doing one thing at a time
Give other people the gift of your full attention
Spend time in nature and literally put your feet on the ground
Be intentional with your time
Breathe deeply
Meditate/embrace silence

Being where you are is about making the most of where you are right now. It has a way of opening doors and drawing people and opportunities to you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. You can receive notifications of new posts by clicking on the follow button or click here to join my mailing list to receive email updates. If you know someone that might benefit from this message, please share by clicking on a share button below.

All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Unlocking Your Intuition: 4 Essential Techniques

Your intuition is a rich source of information that is always available to you. There are many ways to tap into your intuition. Here are a few:

Questions: Ask your wise self a question and listen [deeply] for an answer. You may receive an answer immediately or it may take a few days or even weeks. Be patient and trust the process. Link to Harnessing the Power of Questions for Personal Growth.

Silence: Give yourself the gift of silence on a daily basis so that you can cultivate peace and calm to hear your inner guidance. Link to The Power of Silence.

Keep a journal: Put your thoughts on paper without filtering what you are writing. Review and reflect on what you have captured in your journal on a regular basis. Link to Journal Practice: Tips and Benefits.

Take action: Taking action on inner guidance opens the door for you to receive more.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope you found it helpful. If you know someone who might benefit, please share it by clicking on a share button below.

All the best,

Ruthann

Reflect on Your Year: The Power of Gratitude

It’s been a tough year, to say the least. It may be difficult to see your blessings through all of the challenges, but they are there. If you keep a gratitude journal, take time to review and reflect on what you have captured over the course of the year. If you don’t have a gratitude journal, take time to reflect on the past year and note whatever you consider to be gifts, blessings, or life lessons.

Questions for reflection:

Who or what was my greatest blessing?
What did I learn? How did I grow?
How was I a blessing to others?

Gratitude is the key to creating a joy-filled and abundant life. Giving thanks for everything that has been provided to you will increase your appreciation for your life and help you cultivate a mindset of abundance that will take root and blossom in your life.

Wishing you peace and abundant blessings.

Ruthann

Shift Your Mindset: From ‘Have to’ to ‘Choose to’

Let’s shift & move forward.

Replace “I have to” with “I choose to”.

The power to choose what is best for our own lives is our greatest power and means of changing/transforming our lives. If your life is filled with “I have to”, it’s time to shift how you think about what you are doing or stop doing things that don’t enrich your life.

Exercise: Write a list of things that you are doing that are draining your energy and/or feel like obligations in a less than positive way. Reflect on why you are doing the things on your list. What is the benefit to you or those you love/care about? Write the benefit next to each activity that you have listed. It will serve as a reminder of why certain activities are important and why you are choosing to do them, even if they are challenging. If there is no real benefit to you or those you love/care about, consider eliminating it.

What will you shift or eliminate today?

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All the best,

Ruthann

Make Peace with the Past: Healing Old Wounds to Live Fully Today

Making peace with the past is a lot easier said than done. It requires a commitment to facing things that may be painful, regretful, or less than desirable so that we can live fully in the present.

The past can be a great teacher if we allow it to be or it can hold us back. If you look back on your past and feel emotionally charged with sadness, anger, or regret, it is a clue that there are parts of it that are unprocessed. Explore what you are feeling about your past and commit to working through what needs to be processed and healed. Do what’s right for you so that you can be fully present and not living in the past.

Questions for reflection:

What in my past is keeping me from living fully in the present?
Who or what do I need to forgive?
What steps can I take today to make peace with the past?

Thank you for pausing here. If my writing has offered meaningful insight or sparked a shift in you, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

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All the best,

Ruthann

Reclaim Your Power: The Impact of Daily Choices

Your ability to choose what is best for your life is your greatest power and means of evolving your life (i.e., relationships, finances, career, etc.)

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to operate on autopilot and forget that we create our lives one choice at a time and we can make a different choice, at any given moment, to change our lives. Sometimes we don’t realize we’re on autopilot until we suddenly ‘wake up’ and realize we’re not making progress on the things that matter the most to our lives. Busyness can sometimes give us a false sense of progress.

Indecision is also a choice that keeps us from making progress. Indecision begins with small things and can become a way of life. Do you find yourself saying “I don’t know”, “I don’t care”, “It doesn’t matter”, or “You decide” frequently? If so, begin to reclaim your power by making decisions for your life, even in small matters.

If this topic resonates with you, I invite you to create awareness of the choices that you are making on a daily basis and the impact they are having on your life. Keep in mind, not making a choice is also a choice.

Questions for Daily Reflection:

What choices did I make today? Why? Were they empowering or disempowering choices?

Empowering choices are in alignment with your values/what is most important to you, affirm your sense of worth and personal freedom, boost your energy, and help you move forward. Disempowering choices are the opposite. They may or may not be conscious.

Life is all about choices. Use the power of reflection to bring awareness to what you are choosing for your life.

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All the best,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Tapping into Your Heart’s Wisdom: Your Inner Compass to Truth, Values, and Guidance

Are you aware that you have a built-in guidance system? Your heart is your spiritual core, center of truth, inner compass, and guide to living your highest potential. You invoke the wisdom of your heart when you ask yourself questions like “What is true for me?”, “What do I value most in life?”, “What is best for my life?”. Your heart intuitively knows the answer.

We are all gifted with intuition; however, we are not always tuned into it or open to receive it. Your intuition is a rich source of information that is always available to you. There are many ways to tap into your intuition. Here are a few:

Questions: Ask your wise self a question and listen for an answer. You may receive an answer immediately or it may take a few days or even weeks. Be patient and trust the process.
Silence: Give yourself the gift of silence on a daily basis so that you can hear your inner guidance.
Keep a journal: Put your thoughts on paper without filtering what you are writing. Review and reflect on what you have captured in your journal on a regular basis.
Take action: Taking action on guidance opens the door for you to receive more.

A new way of living begins when you choose to live from the heart and guidance within. I’ve included a link to my Living from the Inside Out video for your reference.

Thank you for pausing here. If my writing has offered meaningful insight or sparked a shift in you, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

All the best,

Ruthann

Embrace Growth: Stop Shrinking Yourself

“Don’t shrink yourself to fit into places that you have outgrown.” —Anonymous

Life is always inviting us to reach, stretch, and grow. Sometimes we accept the invitation with a wholehearted yes, and sometimes we decline the invitation through indecision and inaction and stay in places (e.g., jobs, relationships, situations, etc.) that we have outgrown. Although these places may not be ideal, they are familiar, comfortable, known.

We usually know it’s time for a change long before we take action. Inner promptings for change are often experienced as restlessness, dissatisfaction, or a desire/longing for something more. If you relate to any of these feelings, take time to listen to your inner voice and be willing to find new places to grow. It might mean finding a more challenging job, new friendships, or new ways for you and your mate to grow.

Progress requires change, and change begins to happen when you leave your comfort zone.

If this post resonates with you, I invite you to reflect on the following questions.

Where in my life am I shrinking myself to fit into places that I have outgrown?
What do I need to believe and do to grow?
What is one thing I can do [today] to support my growth?

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All the best,
Ruthann