Stop Identity Theft Before It Starts

Identity theft seems to be everywhere these days, from schools to banks to your corner grocery store. It's bad enough when you are lucky enough to have a full-time job - it can be a real pain to have to contact your bank, the credit reporting bureaus, and everyone else on your lunch hour when you are crunched for time, but for those people who have been victim to the current economy the effect can be devestating.

Luckily, there is a variety of services out there that can help. For a small monthly fee, there are many services to help you monitor your credit reports and other personal memberships to avoid any unexpected $50,000 purchases. Check out the comparison here.

A Spiritual, but Practical Approach to Working

I know that several of my posts may seem really spiritual lately, but I believe that your thoughts and feelings have the capability to play an important part in your success in the workplace, and consequently, in your life. But let's make sure that there is some reality with the spirituality...

"Do what you love and the money will follow"

I think that old saying has a lot of truth to it. When you're doing what you love, you're much happier and able to better focus on the task at hand. This leads to more dedicated work, which others will notice. Consequently, you will be more successful.

But, what if you need to have other jobs to be able to fulfill your dream? Nothing wrong with that. In fact, you may even learn something from a dead-end job (for example, what not to do in your own business!). Just go with the mindset that eventually you will be able to reach your goal.

Burned out? Read my previous post about being grateful in the workplace. Thinking about what you are grateful for in your life (and not just during the holidays!) makes you happier with it. This makes life's ups and downs a little easier to bear. It's not an instant fix, but over time, I guarantee most people will feel better about things and keep going long enough to realize their dreams.

However, notice I said most people. If things are impossible (like a sexual harassment situation for example), by all means, cut your losses and get out ASAP. But once you're out of there, try to take some time to reflect on who you are and where you want to go. In the meantime, I hope you keep dreaming!

A Hunting We Will Go . . .

Most people slow down their job search over the holidays because of the myth that things slow down, so no one is looking. Big mistake!

I have seen several articles that deal with this issue. The holidays are actually one of the best times to look, since a lot of people will be on vacation around that time, and a lot of people could use at least temporary seasonal help. If you're thinking about changing careers, getting your foot in the door for your dream company, or avoiding gaps in your resume, this is a great way to do it!

If you have (or haven't) been successful finding a job over the holidays, I would love to hear it! To your success!

Being Grateful in the Workplace

My previous post outlined my theory about how your thoughts make an impact in how you live your life. I built on that idea and think that I've found a more spiritual approach to the workplace.

Yes, we are close to that time of year where we start thinking about being thankful, and doing unto others. That's great, but what about the rest of the year?

Even if you can't stand your job and get the shakes every Sunday night because you know you have to go back in the trenches on Monday morning, it may help your frame of mind to figure out how to be grateful for the garbage in life.

For example, you can be grateful for:

• A Nasty Boss: Even if you think your boss is the devil incarnate, there are several things that can help the situation. First, even if you're miserable, you're getting paid for it. Just imagine if you were forced to put up with it for nothing! A bad boss can also "show you what you're made of." How you handle a bad boss situation says volumes about your character.
• The Bad Co-Worker: Whether your office has a "suck-up" or a "jerk," you can learn from the situation. Number one, it shows you who the team players are, and who you should stick with. Number two, it shows you what kind of person the boss values (i.e. Does the boss like the suck-up or hate the jerk?). Number three, it shows you how to be more adaptable to a work situation - everyone in your company is part of the same team. You need to learn how to get along with a variety of people.
• Office Politics: I think there are two sides to this. On one hand, observing the office politics will show you who gets ahead, and how they're doing it. On the other hand, office politics will show you who you can trust, and who you should avoid. Either way, watching from a distance for awhile can be beneficial to your career in the long run.
  
• If anyone else has other ideas, I would love to hear them!

I'm not saying that you should stick with a bad situation, no matter what. By all means, if your situation is absolutely intolerable, you need to change it. I'm merely offering a way of thinking to make things seem a little easier until you can find something better. Whatever the case, I wish you success in the long run!

A Cure for Burnout at Work?

I think I've found a solution to the burnout problem I discussed in the last post. I remembered a recent Reader's Digest article that talked about how you can improve your mood by being grateful and happy for the small things in life.

I also remembered a bit of a passage in Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsh. The book was very spiritual without being very religious. In the book, God discusses how the individual will always feel what he is thinking. For example, if you are thinking and saying to yourself something like "I want money," you will end up feeling a strong desire for more money in your life; the problem is, that doesn't mean that you have money, and the thought will leave you feeling desperate, disappointed and unfulfilled.

In contrast, if you say to yourself something like "I am rich," and you think about all you have in life, you will be happy. Richness isn't limited to money, you can be rich in other ways, and feel fulfilled. That's where gratitude comes in. Read on for more . . .

Burning Out At Work

Have you ever felt like this?

"I feel nothing. Totally numb. With everything going on right now - personal problems, work deadlines, and other obligations - I've gone beyond stress mode and into automatic pilot. I go to work, go through the motions, come home, and veg out. I think I'm heading for burnout if I don't do something soon. "

I recently Googled around for burnout cures. I know everybody has their share of bad days, or even weeks. But when it gets to the point where you feel exhausted all the time, become short-tempered and irritible with people around you, and you just "go through the motions," you may be in for it.

I once heard that doing something creative, like writing a short story, painting something, or taking an art class. Usually, I'll start to write and that works. But these days, I need to write documents for work. Even my outlet for relaxation seems to be going out the window!

Anyone have some new ideas?

A Different Problem With Health Insurance

Okay, so I know a name like "Working Stiff" conjures up images of someone hunched over a desk working into the wee hours of the morning, but I promise, even if my posts seem to come out of left field, they are employment-related in some way.

Almost six years ago, I decided to get Lasik surgery. After talking to people who've had Lasik, I chose a doctor who had performed the surgery for someone I know. This surgeon was (and is) highly regarded, with an excellent reputation. Although he felt my corneas were on the thinner side, he was confident that the surgery would be successful.

After I got the Lasik, everything was great! I could see! No more glasses! No more contact lenses! Things were going great!

And then it happened...

A year ago, I was diagnosed with ectasia. Ectasia occurs when someone with a pre-existing condition called keratoconus has Lasik surgery. Keratoconus (and ectasia) causes your corneal tissue to start thinning out. This causes the curve of your eye to change from a spherical shape to more of a beer belly, and causes an astigmatism.

What really stunk for me, was the fact that the symptoms of ectasia usually start to appear within a year or two of having the surgery. However, being the unique person that I am, I didn't get symptoms until several years after my surgery!

Right now, I have rigid gas permeable contact lenses that are specially fitted to the shape of my eye. This seems to be solving the physical aspects of my problem so far, but overall, this condition is costing me a fortune!

When I first moved up here, there was a Kaiser facility really close to me. So, I went with a $1500 deductible plan. My monthly premiums were lower, and I was in good health. After I was diagnosed with ectasia, I had to start seeing specialists. Instead of the normal $30 co-pay, I had to pay a $95 co-pay per office visit. It hurt financially, but I understood it was more specialized care.

Recently, I've been getting medical bills totaling several hundred dollars for doctors' visits that I had several months ago. After looking through my plan, I discovered that I am responsible for ALL SPECIALTY CARE COSTS up to $1500 (the level of my deductible). Plus, unless I get additional vision coverage, none of the health plans cover the costs of glasses or contact lenses. Because I need to get specially-fitted lenses, that alone costs several hundred dollars, which DOES NOT apply towards the deductible.

I contacted Kaiser to see whether I could switch to a co-pay plan. The monthly premiums would be higher, but doctors visits will only cost be about $50.00. A person in Member Services was very nice, but said I would have to re-apply as a perspective member. Now that I have a preexisting condition, THAT'S going to be tough!

My point is this - even if your employer takes care of your healthcare coverage, READ ALL YOUR OPTIONS CAREFULLY! Even if you're in excellent health, if you have a deductible plan and there is ANY inkling that a health problem could get serious, see what you can do about changing to a co-pay before it's too late! Otherwise, you will be working until you drop!