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WELCOME!!

WELCOME!!

HELLO and welcome to my new and improved website!!I am so excited to finally share it with you, it has taken many months of preparation because I wanted to make sure that it is exactly what I envisioned it to be and I am happy to say that it is 🙂

My mission is to make this a safe place for you to come and be 100% YOU. I want you to feel inspired and motivated to be the best version of YOU. My passion is to help people discover their true purpose and passion so that they can lead a successful, happy and fulfilled life. My aim is to help people find the balance between having a great career, personal growth, family life and not only look good, but more importantly feel good about themselves too.

I will be writing about all things career and purpose, personal development and passion as well as topics such as fashion, beauty, fitness and wellness. I invite you to join my network by signing up to my newsletter (sign up at the bottom of my home or contact page) where you will be the first to receive my news. I hate spam so please know that I won’t share your details further and I won’t spam your inbox either 🙂

I have also added a FREE DOWNLOAD to anyone that is feeling a little uncertain of their future career path or current career situation. We certainly are all going through uncertain times, more so now then ever before I think, and this may be overwhelming and very stressful. I hope that my free download will give you some clarity and a positive outlook on the way forward. (You can click the download your free career discovery guide button on my home page here.)

 

 

 

I would  love to hear from YOU. Please let me know what you would like me to cover in future posts? Please comment below 🙂

XXX

Are You Making Demands Or Thinking Flexibly?

Are You Making Demands Or Thinking Flexibly?

The inflexibility of the demands you place on yourself can make you unadaptable.

Our thoughts and beliefs shape the world that we live in. The inflexibility of the demands you place on yourself, other people and the world around you may mean that you don’t adapt as well to reality as well as you could.

If our thoughts and beliefs contain firm words such as ‘must’, ‘need’, ‘have to’ or ‘should’ they leave little room for the ability to adapt to what life brings our way and they may just be adding unnecessary pressure.

Do these sound familiar?

  • I must have the approval of my friends and colleagues

This thought may lead you to feel unnecessarily anxious in many social situations, leading you to put pressure on yourself by trying to get everyone to like you-often at a very high personal expense.

  • You think that because you are kind and considerate to others they have to be equally kind and considerate to you.

Our value systems vary drastically and therefore are not one and the same. Our values are shaped by our upbringing, social experiences and society,  just because you feel this way unfortunately does not mean that others do too. Other people are governed by their own value system and this may end up leaving you feeling hurt or betrayed even by the closest of people around you.

One of the most common misconceptions that I have discovered in my private practice (and from personal experience ) is that people often judge others based on their own belief system. Many of us assume that our friends, colleague and family members have the same values as we do.  My advice to you is don’t assume and always keep in mind that we are all individuals with out very own subjective nature.

  • You should have a senior managerial position and earn a certain figure by the age of 30 in order to be successful.

Creating goals for yourself and judging yourself and others by them can create massive pressure on you as well as may cloud your vision of other factors that may be equally viewed as successful. There is nothing wrong with setting goals as long as you can be mindful of the fact that your goals are subjective and what the word success means to you may mean something completely different to someone else.

Therefore, having flexible preferences about yourself, others and the world in general will pave the way to a healthy and less rigid way of life. Rather than making demands on yourself, the world and others. Try the following tips:

1.Limit approval seeking:

Acknowledge that you can have a fulfilled life even without the approval you seek from others.  You will begin to feel more confident in social setting and begin to enjoy  people instead of being purely focused on receiving approval as if it were an absolute need. (This goes for social media too but thats for another blog post ).

2.Pay attention to your internal language.

Replace words like ‘should’, ‘must’ and ‘need’ with ‘would like’, prefer’ and ‘want’. It will take a lot of pressure off and allow you to focus on your goal and look forward to achieving it.

3.Understand that the world does not play by your rules.

We all have our own set of life rules, and as long as you try to judge other peopleas actions by your own set of guidelines, you’ll most likely be setting yourself up for disappointment. We have to acknowledge that we all have our own set of values and those of our friends or colleagues may differ greatly to ours. Give others the right to not live up to your standards and you’ll feel less hurt when they fail to do so.

4. Love yourself for who YOU are.

Have high aspirations for yourself, set goals and dream big. But do this for YOU, never forget who you are, then you will be able to set the right goals and be flexible in your demands for yourself.

5. Preserve your standards, ideals and preferences and let go of your rigid demands about how you, others and the world have to be.

Rather than becoming upset or depressed about things not being the way you believe they must be, keep acting consistently with how you would like things to be and design and adjust your journey accordingly.

By holding onto rigid demands of how things ought to be you leave no margin for any change or error, which is completely unnatural to our human nature.

 Success comes with growth and growth happens when you become adaptable.

With love,

xxx

Karolina Sky

PS. I’m here to help if you need me, just click on my coach page and we can chat further ?

I giver all my subscribers a complimentary introduction call. You can go to the bottom of my web page and sign up, I would love to have you as part of my network. I also promise not to share your email address as I myself really dislike spam, I simply wouldn’t do that to you.

I also send out monthly free career and personal developments tips to my online network, oh and discounts on my programs too ?

5 Career Hiccups and How to Fix Them

5 Career Hiccups and How to Fix Them

Careers don’t always go as smooth as you might hope. There are sometimes unexpected set-backs, changes, disappointments and tough decisions that need to be made. Always remember that challenges help you grow – both personally and professionally. So the next time you experience a career hiccup, embrace it and try to see the silver lining wherever you can in and you’ll no doubt walk out stronger than before.

1. A Nightmare Boss

I’m sure almost everyone has had a difficult boss at some stage in their career. This can be both emotionally and physically draining. A nightmare boss can come in different forms: The Demanding Boss, the Disorganised Boss, the Clueless Boss, the Know-It-All Boss, and the Poor-Communicator Boss.

Whichever boss you have, keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to like him or her. Successful people rise to the top by learning how to deal with difficult personalities. Try to find a way to peacefully coexist by managing your reactions and work within the conditions you face. Do your work as best you can, act with professionalism and show your boss (and those higher up), that you won’t let their poor management or behaviour affect your success.

The silver lining here is that a bad boss can teach you which behaviours to avoid and help you envision the kind of manager or leader you want to become.

(Of course, all of this is assuming your boss isn’t violating human resources laws, in which case you should chat to your HR department.)

2. No Work-life Balance

Are you finding yourself overwhelmed and overworked? This is a very common challenge that people face. When you’re not eating properly, getting too little sleep and living off adrenaline, your performance will start to suffer and eventually cause burnout. 

Make an effort to log your daily tasks and keep a record of the overtime that you work and which projects are taking up a lot of your time. When the time is right, you can present this information to your manager or boss to discuss a solution that will help streamline and alleviate some of your workload.

In your personal life, you can reduce your stress significantly by incorporating these quick, easy daily habits: Meditate for 15 minutes in the morning before work; go for a walk outdoors and get some fresh air; workout at the gym or at home to burn off some steam; do some deep breathing exercises at your desk to reinvigorate your mind. There are some great meditation apps and videos on YouTube that will help guide you with de-stressing.

3. Change of Career

Often, we choose a career that looks good on paper, is highly paid or is what we thought we wanted to do many years ago. If you feel like you’re in the wrong job role or industry entirely, it can feel hopeless and daunting at the thought of starting over. No matter your age, it’s never too late to change careers and follow your passion. If you already know which direction you want to head in, then it’s simply a matter of doing the research for study courses best suited to your current lifestyle. If you’re feeling unsure about taking the leap, consider setting up a job shadow or two to ‘test the waters’. If you’re not sure on which direction to go in, consider booking an appointment with me as a Career Development Coach to help you discover and understand who you are and embrace your unique talents.

4. Retrenchment

Being retrenched can have a major emotional effect on your self-esteem. Unfortunately, in today’s tough economic times it’s becoming more and more common. Retrenchment can catch you off-guard in a seemingly stable and secure job, and come at a great shock when you least expect it. The most important thing to remember is not to take it personally. Embrace the change, see it as an opportunity to move on to something better or perhaps take the bold step to start your own business. While you cannot control what has been decided in the past, you CAN influence your future. 

5. You Made a Mistake

Mistakes happen to absolutely everyone in this world – we’re only human after all. The best approach is to own your mistake: admit it, apologise and then move on. This shows integrity, maturity and professionalism. Instead of making excuses and passing blame, offer solutions to fix the problem and ways to minimise the damage. Most importantly, forgive yourself and use it as a learning curve on how to prevent a similar mistake from happening in the future.

I hope you found this advice useful in navigating your career path. There will no doubt be bumps in the road every now and again, but this when we rise to the occasion and learn from life’s challenges to help build our character and self-esteem.

If you’re feeling unsure about your career or future path, and are considering a career change or career coaching, please email me on info@karolinasky.com, I’d love to help you.

If you’ve signed up to my newsletter that means you get a free 20 minute coaching call on me to see if we have a good “coaching fit”! All member of my newsletter and  growing community will be able to receive program and coaching discounts, career and personal development tips as well as early bird and inside  info on upcoming events and workshops.

If you’d like to join please fill in the “join my newsletter form” at the bottom of my website page. I look forward to having you onboard!  ?

xxx

Karolina Sky
8 Life Goals Every Woman Should Have

8 Life Goals Every Woman Should Have

What are your life goals? Are they stuck up on your vision board somewhere? Or perhaps it’s something you haven’t really considered before


Life goals are a little bit different to short-term, or even long-term goals, in that you don’t really “tick” them off. They are big, unchanging dreams that follow us through the years, that help us to become better, happier and more positive people in life. Here are 8 life goals I believe every woman should have, along with a beautiful quote on each for a bit of inspiration.

  1. TRAVEL MORE

See as much of the world as you possibly can – it’s one of the best investments you can ever make and the memories will last a lifetime. You don’t need to travel far or spend a fortune to have your mind blown by experiencing different cultures and seeing different perspectives. Even better? Travel alone, at least once in your life!  

“Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind, and fills your life with stories to tell.”

– Paula Bendfeldt

2. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH STRONG WOMEN

Surround yourself with strong, inspiring women. Passionate women. Motivated women. Grateful women. Open-minded women. Create a tribe that you can rely on for advice, lift you up when you’re down and challenge you to try new things and think differently. These women help you tremendously in your journey to being the best person you can possibly be.

“Empowered women, empower women”

3. CONTRIBUTE BEYOND YOURSELF

It’s true that the more you give, the more you get in return. Giving doesn’t need to mean donating money. It’s about helping others in a way that you can and seeking opportunities to do good things to others. Perhaps it’s dedicating your time to an organisation. Giving advice to a friend in need or reminded them of their potential. Sharing your sandwich with someone less fortunate sitting next to you. Give where you can and be kind to everyone you meet, and you’ll not only make a difference in the lives of others, but in your own life too.

“Your greatness is not what you have, but in what you give.” – Alice Hocker

4. TRY NEW THINGS

Explore life! Say ‘yes’ more often and try new things – from food, to skills to experiences. It broaden your horizons, gives you a sense of adventure and gets you out of your comfort zone. After all, if you’re not taking risks and trying something new, you’ll stay right where you are. 

“You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things.” – Nate Berkus

5. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

Don’t let self-care become a luxury; it’s a necessity in life. Make a conscious effort to look after your body, mind and spirit – they work together and all three need to be in alignment for you be happy and healthy. Nourish your body through healthy food and exercise often. Meditate. Breathe fresh air. Laugh, often. Remove toxic relationships. Give yourself permission to stop, relax and do nothing. Forgive yourself. All of these things allow you to give the world the very best of you.

“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.”

– Sophia Bush

6. NEVER STOP LEARNING

Never let your magical, curious spark die out. When we stop learning, we stop growing. Whether it’s taking a study course, learning a new language or reading about a subject that interests you, knowledge take us out of ourselves and helps us grow as human beings to become wiser and more open-minded.

“Keep watering yourself; you’re growing.” – E. Russell

7. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

The beauty of life is that we all have dreams – in some form or other. Why else are we here if not to pursue them?  Sometimes it feels as though ‘life’ can get in the way of our dreams, or that you’re waiting for the perfect moment. But if not now, then when? It all starts with one small step.

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey

8. ENJOY LIFE & THE PRESENT MOMENT

How often do you find yourself saying, “I’ll be happy when
”? If you choose just one of these goals, make it this one! Take pleasure in every day and treat it as your favourite. Practise gratitude on a daily basis and draw your attention to the power of now. You’ll be amazed at how life-changing this is. Stop and smell the flowers. Marvel at the butterfly floating past. Enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face. Enjoy life now, in this present moment, as that is all we ever have.

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” – Walter Hagen

Are there any life goals you would add to this list? Leave a comment below
 I would love to hear from you!

With love,

xxx

Karolina Sky

 

My truth about finding a good Pediatrician

My truth about finding a good Pediatrician

I was approached and offered to go to DR Maraschin for my 6 week check up with Viktoria. As you all know pediatricians cost a small fortune which not even  the best of medical aids cover the full cost, so of course I accepted the lovely offer and was curious to see what Dr Maraschin was all about. Being an overprotective mother (if that even exists) I did some research prior to going in for the visit and saw that he has some lovely reviews and so I felt comfortable to take my little Viktoia for her 6 week check up.

Viktoria fell ill with the awful  flu that we all had a few days earlier to our scheduled appointment with Dr Maraschin and she was struggling to feed with a blocked nose. I frantically called the pediatrician I used to take Gabriel to with no avail

 the story of a moms life is to try get a non scheduled appointment with a pediatrician on the day or latest a day later
.. it’s pretty much impossible. It not like we schedule an illness so how can we wait 4-5 days for an appointment?After being turned down by 4 pediatricians in my area, I remembered about my appointment with Dr Maraschin and quickly called his office to see if I could somehow get in?!

When I called the doctors rooms I was pleasantly greeted by a very friendly receptionist who calmed me down and said that they keep open spaces in their appointment book for emergency appointments such as mine. I was booked in for an appointment immediately for that same morning.

Upon my arrival at the Sandton based offices, I was offered to weigh Viktoria with the nurses while I wait for my appointment, but Dr Maraschin had just come out to call me in so he said he would weigh Viktoria.I really love that they make use of time like this.

Dr Maraschin’s office makes you feel like a kid again, it is filled so many with colourful mobiles, toys and little tables and chairs, it look like a toddlers dream come true! I was instantly drawn in by his friendly, warm and concerned approach as he immediately picked up on some of my concerns with Viktoia.

Before we even went into the examining room the Doctor noticed her watering eye, he started to explain to me in detail what the cause is and showed me on a diagram on his wall where the tear duct gets blocked and what I should do to treat it. He then picked up on Viktoria’s baby acne which he explained is actually a form of eczema and prescribed a cream for her which would also prevent the onset of cradle cap, something he also picked up on before I even did.

We spoke for a while discussing any concerns or questions I may have, Viktoria’s feeds, her sleeping routine etc. I for the first time really felt like a pediatrician was LISTENING with concern and not just looking at his clock to get me in and out. I was not rushed at all which I truly appreciate as it gave me time to think of any other questions that I may have had. I always find that I leave the doctors rooms feeling rushed out and on my way home I remember all the questions that I had forgotten to ask, or should I say wasn’t really given the opportunity to ask.

From there we went into the examining room where the doctor would do the 6 week check up, from head to toe Viktoria was checked in detail. Instead of crying or moaning Viktoria was amazed by all the glass and colorful mobiles that the Doctor had in his pleasantly heated room. It was the first time I had seen mobiles like that so I was like a kid too.

He lay her down on the examining bed and with a warm smile and started to twist and turn all the glass mobiles for her to look at. My little angel was in awe, not a moan or a peep out of her. She couldn’t get her big blue eyes off of the mobiles. It’s such a clever way for Dr Maraschin to keep a baby calm while he examines her thoroughly.

I left the Doctors rooms so happy, I had a script for Viktoria to sort out her blocked nose and her eczema. I was also offered a follow up appointment and told that I can call the rooms and speak to the nurses at any time should I have any concerns or questions. A week later I cashed in on that offer and really appreciated the world of advise I was given by the nurse (free of charge) which saved me an unnecessary trip to the pediatrician.

What started out as a sponsored post ended up being one of the best choices that I had made for my children. I believe that things happen for a reason and am so grateful that I was approached to go see Dr Maraschin because most importantly I left knowing that I now truly have a preferred pediatrician that I will whole heartedly recommend to my family and friends.

If you would like to contact Dr Maraschin here are his details:

His offices are based in Sandton at Block C, Rochester Place

173 Rivonia rd

(011) 784-2729

Also have a look at his Facebook page :

Dr Maraschin

 

xxx

Karolina Sky