After an unsettled year, a bit of personal and professional reinvention may be just what we need

Finally: the world is reopening, and the economy is showing strong signs of recovery. For most people, this is a time to return to pre-pandemic “normal” life, for better or worse.

But others are using this time as an opportunity for renewal and personal and professional change.

LinkedIn offers powerful ways to expand a professional network if you learn how to master its possibilities

LinkedIn is the global leader of professional social networking platforms. Chances are you are on it but are you using it to its capacity?

LinkedIn turns 18 years old this year, and it’s grown to 256 million members in 200 countries and regions in the past (almost) two decades. Another fun statistic: “Three people are hired through LinkedIn every minute.”

There are new considerations for handling phases of the job search—post-pandemic, or at least post-vaccine

COVID-19 changed the world of work in ways we are still discovering. Companies have had their cultures upended and their fortunes altered, and many employees and job seekers are still struggling to adjust.

Why writing it down matters, and other proven guidelines for defining and attaining professional goals

Naming clear and measurable goals is typically the first step of any business initiative, and it’s often the easy part. Many objectives will be quantifiable, such as hitting a revenue target or obtaining a legal ruling. Victory is clearly defined.

Letting your imagination run wild might be the first step toward attaining the life you want

Neuroscientists have shown that daydreamers are tapping into an underutilized power.

Sir Ken Robinson, the late great TED Talker, often spoke of the “inexhaustible power” of the human imagination and its role in creating art, scientific discoveries, and technology. The answers to most problems live in our imaginations. And Albert Einstein believed “imagination is more important than knowledge.”

If the lockdowns and social isolation of the past year made it difficult to maintain and grow your career contacts, take steps to reemerge and reconnect!

The pandemic played havoc with our social and professional networks. And it’s time many professionals up their networking game to counter the damage.

According to Yale management professor Marissa King, “If we talk about what’s happened to our networks in the pandemic—they've become more closed and sealed off… more of an echo chamber.” Her work showed that during the crisis, networks had shrunk by 17%.

It’s time to resurface from pandemic exile and get your professional life back on track

Many careers were impacted negatively by COVID-19, and the pandemic changed how all of us worked. The Pew Research Center found that one in five workers surveyed said they had “less job security” and “fewer opportunities for advancement” now than a year ago.

It's time to reemerge from pandemic isolation and rebuild a social life while continuing to take necessary precautions

It’s spring, and the season is blooming with added excitement in 2021. After more than a year of being shut in, getting out and about a little is a welcome change.

If you are feeling somewhat anxious along with a bit of spring fever, take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. About half of people surveyed by the American Psychological Association face anxiety about what is being called a “return to normal.”

Experts and leaders in numerous fields believe this mental tool can lead to goal attainment—if you put in the work

Creative visualization as a life-changing tool is promoted by many successful people, from Olympic athletes to business titans like Oprah Winfrey. The “vision board” has even become a recommended career-planning tool.

A positive outlook is a proven contributor to career success and maintaining one is even more critical when seeking a new job

The search for a new position can be unsettling and stressful, even in the healthiest economy. Whether you lost your job or decided it was time for a change, conducting a job hunt during a pandemic and recession demands fortitude and resilience. The idea that putting on a happy face will help might even seem odd.

Perspective-taking is critical for effective leadership and success, but that’s only half the story. Here’s why getting perspective is equally essential

The ability to see things from another’s point of view is an important life skill. Perspective-taking is a cognitive phenomenon closely related to—but not to be confused with—empathy, the ability to feel what someone else is feeling.

A professional life benefits from maintaining both a healthy, long-range perspective and an ambitious, strategic shorter-term plan

Five-year plans are valuable and essential. But if you are truly serious about getting ahead in your chosen field, also apply strategic thinking to a much shorter time frame.

One secret to a meaningful and successful career is broadening your views and optimizing your long-run outlook

Most people have within themselves the ability to adjust their perspective, particularly if their professional path is unsatisfying. Whether you are a company leader or just beginning to climb the corporate ladder, considering things from a different, more-expansive viewpoint can significantly aid progress.

Making a career change is a bold act. But it doesn’t have to be terrifying.

Job changes happen frequently. Even Baby Boomers, members of a generation associated with more stability than their successors, averaged over 12 jobs in 34 years. Nostalgia for “cradle-to-grave” employment has been replaced by inter-company ladder climbing and the gig economy.

If you are stuck in an unproductive rut, train yourself to adopt new mental habits. Here are some tricks to making them last.

William James, echoing Aristotle, wrote, “All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits.” Our actions and thoughts reflect ingrained patterns of instinctive and learned behavior, for better or worse.

Difficult times call for an abundance of positivity

Uncertainty breeds many emotions, and happiness is typically not one of them. But visible, uninhibited joy is the very thing that can lift some of our collective unease during unsettled times. Even if your small display of exuberance does nothing more than shift your mindset a bit, it’s a start.

Finding focus can lead to a longer and more fulfilling professional life

In its simplest form, mindfulness is the practice of freeing your thinking from distractions and negativity. It’s a way to train yourself to pay attention to the present moment with calm self-awareness and acceptance.

Your attitude could be holding you back. Here’s how to reset yourself.

Our general outlook has a powerful influence on what we achieve and the way we live. It’s been proven and written about excessively: happy, successful people believe in themselves, maintain a positive vision of their future, are grateful, and are passionate about what they do.

A defining negative event does not have to redefine your career. Here are ways to pick up the pieces and move on.

The history of corporate America includes many stories of personal redemption and career resurrection. The business world has repeatedly proven F. Scott Fitzgerald’s observation that “there are no second acts in American lives” wrong.

Use the momentum of a significant event to make changes with impact

There are many examples of one event being a positive turning point in professional life. The key is recognizing the opportunity—and seizing its power.