Chris Guillebeau starting his talk at Books & Books in Miami!

The other night I went with a couple of good friends to a local bookstore to hear THE Chris Guillebeau (as in The Art of Non-Conformity)  give a a talk at his book signing. Now, if you’ve read the About page on this blog then you know his first book was what propelled me to start living my life on my own terms, even if it was just little by little. In case you haven’t read it, I figured this would be a good time to go into a little more detail of how Chris Guillebeau pretty much changed my life. So here goes…

Back in July of 2010 I was a hot freakin’ mess. I had just graduated, was back from a European escapade that left me flat ass broke, had no job and the market in Miami was an absolute nightmare. And by nightmare I mean we had one of the worst local economies in the country and there were literally no jobs to be had. In the pits of unemployment I started freelance writing as a means of making extra money. Or, more accurately put, I tried to freelance as a means of extra income. I really had no idea what I was doing and managed to make only $5.00 the first month of this endeavor only because it was the sign up bonus for joining a content mill.

Needless to say I was pretty down in the dumps, not just over my unemployment, or the fact that I now only had $5.00 in my bank account, but also over the fact that I was having a hard time with having moved back home after college. It was weird. It was different. It was certainly an adjustment. I had no real direction. No purpose. No understanding.

Despite the hardships I remained optimistic and kept thinking there had to be a better way, that I couldn’t just be another statistic of an economic downturn. I started thinking that if I could just figure out a way to make money on my own then I would at least be on the right track. As a result I dabbled in a few different things, including starting a Green Living blog and taking on way too much work for too little pay. I was completely spent.

I guess my friend Jose noticed this and one day while we were out for coffee he handed me a book saying “I think you’ll really enjoy this. It’s right up your alley and it might help you.” And well, he was right. Spot on actually. So right that it wasn’t until earlier this week that I gave the book back (Two years later. Timely, I know.)

Since then I have made it my sole mission to create the kind of life I want to live. I have found ways to create extra sources of income without driving myself into the ground, I’ve taken risks to position myself to someday become a full time entrepreneur, I’ve started trying new things like yoga and most of all I’m helping others do the same. So in reality, it’s almost like I have Chris Guillebeau to thank for this blog, my current job and all the exciting things I’ve got going on. I also, in a way, have him to thank for the fact that I have acquired enough balls to have slipped him my business card LOL.

Have I fallen along the way? Yes. Have I made mistakes? Absolutely. But that’s life and since we do live in an imperfect world we’d better start getting comfortable with living on our edge. After all, if we don’t we run the risk of wasting our lives away in jobs we hate and situations we’d rather avoid.

I’m sure that most of you side-hustling, traveling, dreaming, kick-ass millenials of you have read The Art of Non-Conformity. If you haven’t, make sure to pick it up because I promise it will rock your world.  If you’ve already read that then I HIGHLY recommend $100 Start-Up. I haven’t finished it yet but what I have read so far is pure gold.

What books have inspired you? Changed your life?

Feel free to share in the comments!

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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One of the reasons post grad anxiety and quarter life crises occur is because of our fear of the unknown.  For the first time in our lives, no one is really telling is what to do and we’re not really sure where our next steps will lead us.

Sure, you’re supposed to find a job. But hey, we inherited a crappy economy.

Sure, you’re supposed to move out. But there’s no work to be had that will give you sufficient funds to do so.

Sure, you could go to grad school. But that’s a lot of student loans and still no guarantee of work when you’re done.

Sure, you could go abroad. But of course that’s not free (or cheap).

Our futures are uncertain, and no matter how many plans we make, a piece will always remain uncertain.

Scary thought, isn’t it?

Of course, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t do the things you want. If you want to go abroad, go to grad school, start a side business, move across the country etc., figure it out and do it. People have been figuring it out for centuries and you won’t be the last ones in this position. However, you will still have to deal with a little uncertainty.

This is where some people prosper while others fail. You can either let it control you and turn into a nervous wreck, or you can take on a new perspective and enjoy the present.

5 Ways to Overcome Fear of Uncertainty

1. Make plans, not expectations.

Expecting a fantastic outcome without actually planning for it is a major faux paus when it comes to this kind of stuff. You only end up setting yourself up for disappointment if things do not match up to your expectations. And let’s face it, when does life ever go according to anyone’s expectations?

Focus on what you can do in order to create the experience that you want. Do you need to save money? Can you start looking for jobs before you graduate? Do you need to find roommates? Of course, sometimes life throws us some curveballs, which brings me to my next point.

2. Prepare for different outcomes.

A true sign of maturity is being able to gracefully handle a situation that does not go your way. Make a list of the different outcomes of your plans, that way if you are met with a curveball, you’ll at least have an idea of how to handle it.

3. Focus on what you can control.

The fact of the matter is that we cannot control everything. I know this may be hard for some of you (including myself) to swallow, but you are only fooling yourself if you think you can control every single aspect of your life.

There are some things which you can control. For instance, let’s say you have moved across the country and can’t find anything because you have a ton of clutter lying around from unpacking. Rather than freaking out because you can’t find your favorite coffee mug, start organizing the space little by little.

4. Become confident in your ability to adapt.

As human beings we are very capable of adapting to different situations.  I mean, come on, we’ve been adapting since the beginning of time. The problem lies in that we are not always very confident in our ability to do so.

Ask yourself “What’s the worst that can happen if x, y, and z don’t go my way?” Unless it’s a life or death situation, I’m sure you’ll be fine.

5. Balance.

Ok, this may be kind of out there, but hear me out. One of the biggest problems I had in dealing with the uncertainty of the future is that I spent every waking hour trying to figure it out. If I had to read X Book about running a business, I would stress out about it as if my life depended on it.  What eventually ended up happening is I never took any time to relax anymore. Sometimes I thought I had even forgotten how to relax.

Balance is key no matter what stage of your life you are in, but I think it rings particularly true as a 20something trying to figure their lives out for the first time.

The fear of uncertainty doesn’t have to control you. YOU are the creator of your own life, and although we tend to forget this, WE are in the driver’s seat. WE have the freedom to make our own choices and really design the lives we want to live.

This is an excerpt from the Personal Development and Happiness chapter of GMW Ultimate Guide: The First Year Out of College. If you’d like more inspiring writing concerning life design, personal finance, entrepreneurship, career and wellness make sure to grab your copy today! It makes a great gift for the recent grad or someone who just needs to get their stuff together.

Image via  sacrifice_87

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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I can’t stress enough the importance of personal development. Sure, it has that whole stigma behind it, i.e. “self-help is cheesy”, “self-help is for people who don’t have it together”, “self-help is for people who read stuff like ‘The Rules’”, “self-help is for single people” the list goes on and on and on.

I have a response to people who think that way: Do YOU have your life totally figured out? Do YOU have it together with relationships, career, health, personal finance and above all yourself? Do YOU go after what you want on a daily basis? Do YOU live a fulfilling life?

Chances are there’s something you can work on, because here’s some straight up truth for you: NO ONE has it all figured out. Not your mom, not your friends, not your favorite motivational speaker, and not your role models. Here’s some more truth: EVERYONE is afraid of something.

That’s not a bad thing though, after all, we’re all human and no one is perfect. What’s bad is when things get off kilter and you don’t do something about it. Because you see, there’s a difference between people who try to better their situation and those who scoff at such a thought: the former know that their lives are in their own hands, the latter simply accept defeat. So if you know there’s some aspect in your life where you can improve, do your best to improve it.

Is it easy? No. In fact, true personal development takes a lot of work and commitment because it’s a life long process. But think of it this way, you’ve got one life to live, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to live it as fully as possible? Don’t you want to have a great relationship with yourself? Don’t you want to go after what you want in life? Don’t you want to really live?

I know I do. And I know many of you do as well, or else you wouldn’t read my blog. So here’s your chance to start taking some action:

I’m giving away 12 free coaching sessions.

A part of my ICA coursework is to take on a couple of external clients. I decided all I could handle for time being was 3 clients, 2 of which found me pretty quickly. That means I have one spot left for 3 months of free coaching.

Here’s what you will get for FREE:

A safe environment where we can discuss your fears, your goals and whatever is coming up for you.

The support system of having a coach to keep you accountable.

Action plans with tangible goals to help you reach your milestones.

3 months of free coaching valued at $840.00

Here’s what my other clients have to say about coaching with me:

As a recent graduate, I had to decide what direction I wanted my life to go in. Having so many interests was proving to force my life into a standstill. During my weekly sessions with Amanda I have been able to make strides in my life plans. It is during our sessions that I have been able to fully analyze the nature of my future career paths.

- Melanie Gomez, 24, FIU ’11

I loved working with Amanda! She’s really personable, and knowledgeable about the things she’s talking about.

Tatiana Christiana, 24, Hollins University ’10

So how do I get in on the free coaching?

There are some easy ways to get in on the free coaching giveaway.

1. Sign up for the Life Coaching Email List. That way you can stay up to date on other free coaching giveaways, discounts, courses and snazzy free coaching stuff.

2. Make a 2 minute Youtube video describing who you are and why you need life coaching. Make sure to link Grad Meets World in the description and then simply post it either in the comments section or on the Grad Meets World Facebook Page. Get bonus points by sharing your stuff on Twitter and Facebook (i.e. “I’m trying to win free coaching from GradMeetsWorld via @amandaabella”)

You must make a video in order to participate and the deadline is May 30, 2012.

Happy shooting! Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Many of you may already be following her amazing blog that tackles all aspects of personal finance, or you may have run into some of her mentions on Brazen Careerist, The Consumerist, Business Insider and Life Hacker! Seriously, this girl is everywhere!

Her common sense personal finance blog has picked up quite a following as she shares her love of personal finance, her own struggles with money and tips for those of you who are getting your finances in order.

Listen in below as we discuss the story behind the blog, some gen y money tips and how bloggers can get some media mentions for their work.

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Today we have a guest post from Cait McNamee. She’s a freelance writer, blogger and social media enthusiast based out of the UK. She also runs a personal style blog that by far has some of the cutest clothing I’ve ever seen. Check out her great tips on how to boost your productivity!

4 Simple Changes to Boost Your Productivity

I always marvel at people who seem to do everything all at once, who achieve so much in a short space of time. We can’t all be Superman, or woman, when it comes to productivity but I think most of us could use a boost to get the most from our days. There will always be changes we can make and sometimes a small change can have a big effect.

So what can you do to boost your productivity and creativity? Here are four ways you can change your routine and make yourself more productive:

1. Change your workspace
I work at the desk in my room and one day I finally got around to mounting my TV on my wall. How is this related to working productively you may ask? Well moving the TV shifted around my whole workspace, my desk was clearer, I sat differently and I immediately felt more focused.

It isn’t always obvious what needs to change as something unrelated can have a big impact. Changing things up from time to time is a great way to stop things getting stale. If you have fallen into bad habits or your routine is lacking then have a look around. Maybe you need to change the way you sit at your computer, tidy your workspace, move to a different room altogether. Don’t mistake this for procrastination, a change up like this can shift the way your mind approaches your work.

2. Get up earlier
Yes, this is easier said than done and it can take time to get into a routine of getting up even an hour earlier and you shouldn’t get disheartened if you sleep in one day, just try again the next day. Eventually you can edge the day around until you are gaining an extra hour or two in your day.

This may not quite work for everyone, if you work at home like me and set your own schedule you need to discipline yourself but it can take a bit of experimentation. Work out what works for you, what is your optimum time to get up, when in the day are you at your most productive? You can only find the answers by trying different things. If your current routine isn’t working, work out why and change it. If I get up too late not only to I lose precious hours but I am also sluggish for the rest of the day. If I get up too early I have plenty of time but progress is slower. It is just about finding what works best for you.

3. Step out of your routine
We are creatures of habit and most of us like a little structure and planning to focus us on the tasks at hand. It is important to step outside of your daily work routine from time to time and relax. Learning to put aside stresses and clear your mind of thoughts of how much you have to do can be difficult and it takes time to form the habit.

If you can take some time to go for a walk, do some exercise, or be creative in a way that is unrelated to work you can go back to your desk feeling rejuvenated and full of creativity. Letting go of the guilt of taking time for yourself can be difficult especially if you are self-employed, but it is essential to let your imagination and creativity soar.

4. Just write
If you are a writer like me or your job involves writing in any way you will know how daunting it is staring at a blank page. We have all been there, sat for hours in front of our computer screen waiting for the words to appear. But they don’t, they aren’t going to appear unless you start typing.

The most important thing is to get words down on a page even if they are unrelated to what you are supposed to be writing about. Writing is a snowball effect and the more you write the easier it will be to write. So gain some momentum. Early! Get something written, I usually draft a couple of blog posts to get into the flow or even write a personal diary entry just to get going. Soon you will be unstoppable.

What hints and tips do you use to keep motivated and maximize your productivity?

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Upon checking my bank account I realized that I didn’t spend all that much money on my latest trip. In fact, I barely spent anything at all!

Here I was worried that a trip would be a huge financial burden on the bank account when in reality all I really paid for was a plane ticket ($196 isn’t even that bad), a day pass for DC public transit ($9) and some food here and there.

So how did I do it? The same way I always do it. Cheap lodging, having a kitchen handy, rewards cards and good planning.

Aside from using my savings plan to be able to afford a plane ticket, I also use some other techniques to ensure that a trip won’t burn a hole in my wallet.

1. I couch surf. In fact, I’d say after Nicole (hilarious blogger!) I’m the queen of couch surfing. From gym floors to convents, I think I’ve slept almost everywhere. I don’t need a hotel room, usually I just need an air mattress and a blanket.

2. I don’t check baggage. I don’t want the hassle and if it wasn’t for my airline miles loyalty program I’d have to shell out some cash for checking. I was taught to travel light as a kid and I take it rather literally. Having to move all your shit (in addition to helping your roommates move all their shit) twice a year when you’re in college also helps you realize the beauty of having less crap.

3. I love airline miles. Once I realized I would be taking a trip at least once a year I realized I needed to make it as cost effective as possible – or at least have it doing some work for me!

Although I haven’t fully experienced the beauty of airline miles I did get a taste of it when I had priority boarding on my last trip. I also learned that in some airports I can go through security much faster because of said priority boarding. Oh and if I did ever have to check baggage I wouldn’t be paying for it which is a nice chunk of cash when you consider that you’re probably on a round trip. In addition, eventually you can cash these miles in for free flights and upgrades. Seriously, I have a couple of friends that just went to Japan using airline miles.

You can also rack up miles in ways that won’t drown you in debt. For instance, I just got a boat load of extra miles for buying my mom flowers for Mother’s Day, purchasing a dress from Nordstrom with a gift card I had leftover from my birthday and shipping a package with FedEx. Oh and this was in addition to the extra miles I got for my trip.

Usually I stay away from loyalty cards because of the ridiculous interest rates but I do believe you can benefit from airline miles. Now, for those of you who still need some convincing consider this – would you rather save 10% on some bra from Victoria’s Secret when you can get a decent bra at Target or would you rather save 10% or more on a plane ticket to Europe? No brainer.

While I am an airline miles enthusiast, I am by no means an expert on this subject so I highly recommend checking out The Frugal Travel Guy and The Points Guy if you’d like to learn how to really make this stuff work for you.

4. I use public transit in the city. I use public transit everyday at home and it’s no different when I’m on vacation. Or well, at least not if I’m in a city. If your destination offers safe public transit then I highly suggest using it. It’s cheaper than renting a car that requires you to put gas in it.

On a related note, don’t even think about filling up your tank near an airport! If $5.00 for Regular isn’t price gauging then I don’t know what is.

And those are my tips for traveling on the cheap. Since I have a trip to New York in the fall I plan on finding even more ways to travel light and cheap.

What are some of your travel tips?

I know many of you travel because of your jobs, businesses, personal development or even for leisure. Feel free to add any of your own tips in the comments section!

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Thanks to my ICA coursework I’ve been doing a lot of work with my own Peer Coach. My homework as of late was to really think about the things I fear, why I lack trust, why I tend to play it safe and how to start overcoming these things in order to move my business (and my life) forward.

It’s getting to that time of year again when I start looking back on how much progress I’ve made since graduating from college. It’s been two years. Holy Moly!

While I know that I have come a long way in terms of creating awareness, forging my own path and helping others do the same – many times I still feel stuck or like I’m not moving fast enough. I’m sure it’s a feeling many of you are familiar with as well – you have an inkling of where you ultimately need to be but you’re not quite sure how to get there. I also get stuck in my own uncertainty.

The back story to all of this  is simple and all too familiar for many of us: spend way too much money on a degree, move back home, can’t find a decent job to save your life. If you do find a job you’re either putting up with a lot of corporate B.S. or find out very quickly that it’s just not working out for you (in my case it took 6 months).

Your life comes at a crossroads very quickly upon graduation these days: put up with a lot of crap at a job where you probably didn’t even need a degree or forge your own path, make some work out of your passions, create the life you know you are meant to live.

Most of you already know what road you would take. After all, it’s a no brainer. Obviously you want the latter. You want to wake up excited every day.

So what’s stopping you and countless others from taking any action?

Fear.

Crippling, nauseating, heart wrenching fear.

The fear of things not working out. The fear that comes from not being able to trust that things will work out. The fear that comes from making the wrong decision. The fear that comes back from our past to haunt us. The fear of repeating our mistakes. In my case, the fear of not even being able to say the word “trust” out loud.

It’s natural. Our fear is there to protect us, to make sure we don’t do something stupid. But there comes a time when even fear oversteps it’s boundaries. There comes a time when fear is no longer protecting us and instead is only harming us.

As someone who has been there and still gets the occasional visit from the fear train, I’m here to tell you a few things that I’ve come to know through the process of creating my brand. Things that I need to start reminding myself of on a daily basis if I ever want to succeed in creating a business that will sustain me.

1. Get over it.

You’re never going to have everything planned out, you’re never going to see the future and there’s never going to be “a perfect moment” to get started. If you’re too busy fussing over your logo instead of actually putting the word out there, you have to rethink your priorities. If you’re too busy waiting for the perfect partner to come around instead of getting ballsy about sharing your feelings, then you’re going to be waiting a long time.

2. Every step you take is a step in the right direction.

Slowly but surely I have made progress and I know from the emails that I get that many of you have as well. We have to take the time to enjoy our little victories. Two years ago I had no job, no direction, no passion and a hell of a lot of heartache weighing me down. Now at least I have found my thing in personal development and I’m slowly turning it into a brand.

Just yesterday you may have written your first blog post or landed your first job, that in and of itself is progress!

3. It’s all about baby steps.

While some people are completely comfortable with taking big leaps, most are not (myself included). That’s why for some of us baby steps may be our best option.

You don’t have to quit your day job tomorrow. You don’t have to pack up your shit and move to the other side of the country tomorrow. You’re not going to make a huge business overnight.

But you can set up that website and you can start putting the word out there. As Danielle LaPorte says in her book The Fire Starter Sessions (paraphrasing here), slowly stop doing the things you don’t want to be doing and start replacing them with things you actually enjoy until you reach your ideal.

4. The time to start is NOW.

You need to take small steps starting today. Don’t wait until tomorrow, next week or next year. When inspiration strikes start immediately. Otherwise it’ll get put on the back burner and it will never get done.

On a totally related side note…

I’m uber proud to announce that I have been invited to contribute to Matt Cheuvront’s (Life Without Pants) latest project! It’s a 100% free ebook to help aspiring entrepreneurs, personal development junkies and anyone who wants to take a big leap live in the now.

He’s collecting stories from people, bloggers and entrepreneurs that he admires to show the world that the time for you to act is NOW! He’s also giving anyone a chance to be a part of the movement by allowing up to 50 submissions.

Check it out here for more information and your chance to be a part of the ebook!

Annndddd….if you haven’t already done so make sure to check out iBlog4Me for a ridiculously awesome community of like-mnded bloggers! If you’re looking to make some awesome online connections I highly recommend stopping by! You can also follow my blog with Bloglovin!

Sound off!

What is fear stopping you from doing? Feel free to share in the comments!

Image via Pepe Pont

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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One of the coolest things about having gone away for college is that I met people from all over the place. As such, I find myself taking a trip at least once a year to attend some sort of wedding or reunion. Last year it was beautiful Southern California, this year I paid a visit to some Virginian country side and Washington D.C.

If you follow GMW over on Facebook then you know I recently (and by recently I mean last weekend) took a trip out to Virginia for a dear college friend’s wedding. I always like to do recaps of trips because I  think they make interesting writing pieces . I also don’t get to travel as often as I would like, nor do I get the opportunity to see my college friends that often, so I cherish the moments I can do some exploring with people I went to college with.

Since I went to such a small school these trips are usually extra fun, simply because we have a ridiculous bond as classmates, room mates, and friends. In fact, the bond I share with many of my college friends even borders on family.

So below you’ll find some of the highlights from my trip.

The Wedding and the Reunion

Weddings serve a double purpose for those associated with my alma mater; celebrating the nuptuals of a young couple and college reunions. What usually ensues is a crazy weekend full of adventures and this one was no different. Not only did I get to witness my lovely room mate who I hadn’t seen in three years get married to a great guy, I also caught up with friends from all over the country.

I was staying at the bride’s house which is already an adventure in and of itself. I also got to enjoy some beautiful country side, rolling green hills, quaint old towns, cows and all. Usually I can only handle the country in small doses,  however it is nice when you need a break from a concrete jungle like Miami.

Hitting Up the District

Many of us had an extra day before flying out so we took advantage and went into Washington DC for the day. I personally love DC and was happy that I got to go explore some more of the city seeing as how my last visit was over three years ago. This also paved the way for more reunions as many of my college friends now live in the area.

In no particular order here’s how the day went:

I met Newt Gingrich. I personally didnt vote for the guy but seeing as how he is a former Speaker of the House I thought it was pretty nifty that we got to meet him by a completely random chance. There’s also no denying that he’s quite the debater and has a long history in the politics of our nation.

I went to the monuments I didnt get to see the last time I was in the area. The last time I was in DC was for a march, so we didnt have too much time to acually enjoy the city. This time I got to play tour guide for a couple of friends who had never been. Of course, there’s no way you can see all of DC in 2 short trips so obviously I’ll have to come back someday.

College reunion #2 was at a bar called The Dubliner. Its a tradition to visit this bar for those of us who went to Catholic colleges and we always have a good time. All you need is some Newcastle accompanied by Irish drinking songs and you have ingredients for a stroll down memory lane.

I met a blogger buddy in real life for the first time – not via Skype but in person! I met blogger buddy Patrick Pho which further emphasizes how the power of the internet and social meia is so freakn’ cool! Check out his blog, I swear he is just as cool in person : ) (PS if you’d like to see the camera that took these pictures check out Patrick’s Twitter. And yes, it is indeed being held together with tape lol)

And that was pretty much my trip sprinkled with adventure, memories and laughs. Now its back to work and back to my life coaching certification classes so that someday I can be location independent and take trips whenever I want. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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Need Help Finding Your Voice? Check out the Better Blogging Jam Sessions!

Finding our voice is something that we all struggle with at one point or another.

We don’t pipe up at work.

We get scared to let people know we have a business.

We don’t know how to express ourselves in job interviews.

We can’t muster up the courage to tell the cute guy at the print shop that we think he’s adorable (maybe that’s just me).

Etc., etc., etc.

We just aren’t comfortable with what we have to say. We lack the confidence in ourselves and in our message.

It’s not completely our faults. We’re kind of trained to think this is humble and that “putting it out there”, so to speak, can come off as conceited.  Many times it can, but there is a huge difference between confidence and conceit.

Take it from someone who does job interviews all the time – you can tell in 2 minutes whether someone is coming from a conceited place or from a place of confidence.

Conceited people over exaggerate the story. They act like they have something to prove. They suck at making a connection with the person interviewing them.

Confident people lay it all out on the table. They say “This what I’ve got. This is what I’ve done. This is what I bring to the table. And I am totally okay with that.” They make a connection from the get-go, they seem very comfortable in their own skin, they have a calmness about them.

This week, make it a point to start getting comfortable with your own voice. If you’re still trying to figure it out write your thoughts in a journal each day. If you’d like to kick it up a notch, publish it online for an audience to read.At the end of the day finding your voice and getting comfortable with it can open up a myriad of opportunities – from meeting new friends to acing a job interview.

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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After all – I’m in career development up to my eye balls all day long and I believe there are some valuable lessons to be learned here for those who are job hunting, for those who want to make your current job work and for those trying to run a business. Hell, there are valuable lessons here just for living!

So without further ado…

20 Lessons Learned from Conducting 200+ Job Interviews

1. There is an over abundance of average people in the world. They have a lot of potential but they don’t act on it.

2. Many people have become their own worst enemies. They stand in their own way. They are their own obstacle.

3. People like to blame outer circumstances for their problems.

4. Many people let their lives be run by money.

5. Very few people actually take the initiative to take matters into their own hands.

6. Some people would rather stay miserable where they are right now than take a risk toward a better future.

7. People have forgotten how to adapt to the world around them.

8. A good percentage of people I interview have the entrepreneurial spirit – they’re just too scared to act on it.

9. People don’t give themselves very much credit. You ask them what they did and they get very shy.

10. Many people have no idea what their marketable skills are.

11. Many people wander around life aimlessly. No purpose or passion in the picture.

12. Many people are dissatisfied with their current work situations but don’t do very much about it.

13. Many people feel trapped or pigeon-holed by their degrees.

14. You can feel someone’s energy after 2 minutes of interviewing them. Maybe less.

15. Very few people express their drive, motivation and passion for something.

16. People overanalyze the shit out of everything.

17. Too many people are playing the compare game.

18. Too many people equate success to a fancy new car.

19. Most people feel stuck. Lost. Confused.

20. Some people are truly exceptional. They stand out, they are confident, they have passion and they know their worth. Unfortunately, it’s not very many of them. Although I have noticed it’s usually the people who work out and really take care of themselves.

I’m sure some of you are probably wondering whether I conduct job interviews or therapy sessions. I assure you it’s job interviews, it’s just that some people seem to confuse recruiters for therapists. That, however, is beside the point. The real point I’m trying to make is this:

Our lives don’t have to suck. If you don’t like something, change it.

We are in control of our situation. Sure, there are some things you can’t control, but you can control how you react to them. Are you going to hit the ground running or fall back and allow yourself to be defeated?

We have to start  loving ourselves. There’s a lot to be happy about and there’s a lot you should be proud of yourself for. Accept yourself. Embrace it.

We have to stop blaming outward circumstances for our problems. The Recession happened. We now have to deal with it. Get over it , move on and take some action.

People can feel your energy. I’m not trying to get all woo woo yogic new age here. I’m simply stating that people can feel your vibes. They know when you are coming from a good place. They also know when you are coming from a bad one. There’s a difference between someone who is vibrant and positive and some who is well…not.

Honor your decisions. Regrets are for suckers. Sure, there are things we probably shouldn’t do again, but take it as a lesson learned instead of brooding over it. You did the best you could do at the time.

Find your passion and follow it. Things will start falling into place. Life will become easier. Your world will start making sense.  You may not know exactly what you have to do at that very moment, but you’ll have an idea. Pursue it.

Did I mention our lives don’t have to suck?

Seriously. They don’t.

Take a look around your life right now.

Figure out what needs to go so you can start living the life you were meant to live.

Figure out where you can make changes.

Figure out the places where you can be more positive.

Figure out what makes you truly and wholly happy on the inside. (Note: this usually does not involve chasing an outward experience)

Once you start removing the blocks to your happiness you can start living from a better place. Your perspective changes. Creativity, drive and motivation come naturally.

Start living the life you were meant to live today.

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a Gen Y blogger, freelance writer and recruiter in training based out of Miami, FL. She is also the author of Grad Meets World: The First Year Out of College and can be found writing for Brazen Careerist, SheNow and more. To learn more about writing services visit Amanda-Abella.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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