Learning a new skill

In this economy it is more important than ever to keep your skills up-to-date.  It also is important to keep learning new skills to keep yourself valuable and able to handle new tasks.

I’ve been experiencing the roller coaster of learning new skills for the last several months.  I’m trying to become adept at the technology involved in creating and running an online business.  There have been moments of sheer frustration.  And there have been moments of sheer exhilaration.  I’ve learned to insert products in my shopping cart.  I finally figured out how to create my own website templates.  The long hours of trying to understand Joomla, WordPress, Dreamweaver, blogs, squidoos, article marketing, linking and much more is finally starting to make sense.  I feel like I’m trying to learn a foreign language and living in a foreign country.  I’ve had major meltdowns. I’ve had to walk away from it all to regain my perspective.  I’ve had celebrations to acknowledge mastering a task.  I’ve gotten excited to see articles I’ve submitted to directories being viewed by website and blog editors.

And to my surprise, I kept coming back to try again and again.  There were many times I thought about just walking away from the frustration and expense.  But every time I walk away, I come back, try it again, and make small gains.

So what’s the lesson in this?  Persistence?  Try and try again?  Don’t give up?  If it is your passion, you will prevail?

What do you think?  What experiences have you had as you try to learn a new skill or job? How does the “trying” affect the harmony in your life?

Crossing my fingers

Questioning why I am not further. And much, much more. And crossing my fingers.

You see, I’m no different than everyone else who is working on achieving their goals, building the life they desire, and family harmony. We all want to reach our goals.  We all want to have the life we dream about.  But I know from my own life that sometimes it just feels like “I’m the only one struggling with this.” or “Why is this so hard?  Everyone else seems to get it so easily.” or ” How come I am not getting what I want as fast as others get what they want? or “Why do family or work needs keep taking priority over what I want to accomplish?”

Being Authentic is Important

I want this blog to be authentic and a place where readers can find resources that help them on their journey to strengthening the harmony in their life, family and work.

You see, I believe that the people we believe are successful — business owner, celebrities, happily married folks, etc.  — have all experienced their own personal demons and difficult times.  They just stuck with it and figured out how to get through and get better.  That is what this blog is all about.  Helping you to get through whatever is holding you back and get better at strengthening the harmony in your life, family and work.

I don’t know where this journey is taking me.  I only know that I was given the idea — somehow it floated into my head and at least I was wise enough to “hear it.”  Up until now, I have been reluctant to truly embrace it and take action to take the idea to the world.

But now I am taking action.  I hope “the world” will welcome the idea and use the resources to take action in their own lives.

Judy Whalen

I finally took the leap, mastered the technology (well, almost mastered) and launched this blog.  Let me tell you, it was a leap.   I hear so many people talking about how they write, read and comment on blogs.  I’ve had internet marketing coaches tell me to just put up a blog and start interacting with people.  Well, it seemed to take me more time than most people.  You see, I needed to develop the strategy of how the Strengthen the Harmony webinar and this blog and fit into my overall business.  In my offline world (whalen.com), I am a consultant working with businesses and nonprofits to help them develop strategies to be successful.  So I needed time to get the strategy piece to come together.  But I also needed time to convince myself that I could master the technology and learn the interaction piece. You see I am “old school.”   My professional life started long before computers were on every desk or before you could research your marketplace or get feedback from your customer by “tweeting.”   Back in those days we developed elaborate plans about getting feedback.  Today you get feedback instantaneously.  So that is the leap!   I am jumping off the “old school bus” and hopping on the “new school bus.”   I’m opening myself and my ideas up for comments and instantaneous response.   I have to be honest, I have a bit of trepidation.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  So here I go.…. Welcome to the Strengthen the Harmony blog.  I look forward to this adventure.