This Is Not The Career I Ordered™ Blog
Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
This is Not the Career I Ordered is read by thousands of careerists around the globe. With savvy tools, inspiration, and resources, this timeless book empowers you to enjoy your career, and love your life!
Design Your Future, so it Doesn’t Happen by Default

As a career development and executive coach, I work with individuals who are focused on making changes to their lives and careers to better align their values and strengths. But for some, their best plans often get stalled in analysis paralysis, which results in stagnation and a hard stop to forward momentum. Perfection is Impossible […]
Is Your Life Eulogy Worthy, or Resume Worthy?

David Brooks delivered a compelling TED Talk about living for your resume or your eulogy. According to Brooks, “The résumé virtues are the ones you put on your résumé, which are the skills you bring to the marketplace. The eulogy virtues are the ones that get mentioned in the eulogy, which are deeper: who are […]
10 Health Benefits of Quality Sleep

I’m delighted to showcase this awesome piece about sleep by Terry Cralle that originally appeared here. Check out the amazing resources on this site to help you experience optimal sleep for good health. In many cultures, a lack of sleep is seen as a badge of honor of sorts. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” people […]
Easy Hacks to Beat Zoom Fatigue

Before the pandemic, which necessitated working from home I had never spent so much time on Zoom. Meetings with geographically distant colleagues via Zoom were a great way to connect with anyone, anywhere but it was not the primary way I conducted business. Whether you are using Zoom, Teams, or one of the many online […]
Why You Should Limit Exposure to Digital Devices this Winter

Today people are living device-driven lifestyles—between your work life and personal time, you likely interact with digital screens throughout the majority of your day, whether it be through a smartphone, computer, tablet, or television. Now that electronics are so prominent in everyday routines, most people have begun using them subconsciously. Studies have shown that 66% […]
The Post-Pandemic Me Will Be Even More Successful

Many thanks to Lindsay Washington for this guest blog post. Even though most businesses have been able to adapt to the Covid-19 challenges, some workers feel like they are stuck in a professional rut. Working in a remote environment has been liberating in many ways, but you may also feel the impact of the pandemic […]
How To Reinvent Your Career During COVID-19

A special thanks for this guest blog post from Amy Honor. Unexpected events may create shock and disorganize our daily routines, but as the saying goes, ‘there’s a silver lining to every dark cloud.’ The Coronavirus pandemic disrupted the world and caused a cataclysm in the employment sector. Millions lost their jobs and are either […]
2021 Journaling For Health and Well-Being

I’ve always been a proponent of journaling on a regular basis. More than ever, journaling offers an oasis – providing a respite from the pressures and tumult of these scary and unnerving times. I find I’m journaling more than usual these days and I’m encouraging my clients to put pen to paper to record what […]
The Benefits of Exercise While Working from Home

I’m delighted to share this guest post which originally appeared on the Yanre Fitness blog. Yanre has awesome resources including a newsletter to keep you in the know about all things fitness – subscribe here. Advice from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) is simple: “Regular physical activity is one of the most important things […]
REFRAMING 2020: Finding Light In the Darkness

When it comes to our plans, life can often have “other ideas.” That scenario has certainly been playing out in 2020 as the whole world has been turned upside down by the Coronavirus Pandemic. So often we have very specific ideas about how our lives are supposed to unfold – feeling like we have control […]
Pace Yourself This Holiday: 5 Tips For Going The Distance

The holiday roll-out in the U.S. has gotten earlier and earlier – to the point where, anymore, Halloween is the official start of the holiday season carrying us straight through to Auld Lang Syne! The pandemic has incentivized people to get merry early as well, since we all need a little extra cheer this year. […]
Honor Your Body – It’s the Only One You Have

The pandemic continues to raise our stress levels and while the arrival of a vaccine is on the horizon, it will take a lot for us to navigate the next several months and beyond. I recently re-read Arianna Huffington’s book, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time, and it continues to […]
5 Ways to Give Thanks at Work

Back by popular demand, my friend and colleague, Kris Taylor has wisdom to share that will inspire you as we bring this year to a close. Kris is the founder of Evergreen Leadership and co-founder of LEAP. 2020 has been a tough year for you and your employees: You’ve had to adjust and adapt, often […]
The Hazards of Overworking During the Pandemic

With those fortunate to have work during this era of record unemployment, working remotely has led to blurred boundaries and burning the candle at both ends for many. In the beginning of the new work-at-home reality workers felt the need to be seen and heard more, albeit virtually in order to prove their value, especially […]