Greetings!  

*If you enjoy reading this week's Personal Growth Gab, please be sure to share it with your friends and followers using the social media icons at the top of this email!*    

 NEXT WEEK: GROUP COACHING     

The Saturday before Sandy, I was at a Halloween party. The host went to town with decorations, and in several corners had massive floor to ceiling spider webs. Little did I know what foreshadowing that would be for the week ahead!

Four years ago this week we were on the eve of a historic presidential election, after a historic financial disaster. That Fall the unimaginable became imaginable on both fronts when we chose our first Black president and watched the implosion of the stock market and our banking system. This woke us up in more ways than one, and both divided and connected us.

Fast forward to today, and we are on the eve of yet another historic election, the outcome yet to be determined, and post another disaster, this time a natural one which at the end of the day is hitting us materially as much as anything else. And we are even more divided, yet more connected than ever.

After the financial crisis of 2008, because of the actions of a relative few that then rippled throughout the world, at the very least we were forced to deal with our addiction to credit and consumerism, and at the worst lost our homes and jobs because of it. Now it's Mother Nature aided by the man-made contribution to/ignorance of climate change who is now teaching us that lesson with a more visceral punch as we recover from power outages and gas shortages at the least, and physical destruction of our property and loss of life at the worst.

Since this hit the tri-state area, because of its special density of population and unique connection to the global as well as local economy, no one is exempt from this lesson, as everyone has been affected in one way or another - it's just who, what, when, where, how and level of gravity that varies. 

In the middle of the storm, the façade of an apartment building in Chelsea was ripped off, showing a dollhouse-like view of the inside, a symbolic representation of what is happening to us physically and emotionally as the walls and structures between and around us are being torn down in order to reveal the truth of our lives.

Our interconnectedness and vulnerability have been thrown in our face - not only through weather, power, gas, goods and services, transportation, and social media, but relationally too. How long can you co-exist in the disconnected dark, live back at mom's, stay at your friend's or sleep with strangers at a shelter 24/7? How many days can you work from home or miss it, or have three hour commutes or wait hours in line for gas without losing it ? Community is a funny thing in New York - we like the anonymity and self-sufficiency of living on top of each other and the illusion of togetherness that brings, but having to actually interact and be with each other and ask for or receive help, is another story.

People have mentioned how Sandy is too 'nice' a moniker for what she did, but just like the gentle soul of Frankenstein for which she was also named, there is goodness to be found underneath the external horror of her monsterous appearance. She is asking us to come together like never before and question the deepest meaning of our lives; she is forcing us not only to realize but to actually experience the ways in which we are now more connected, more interdependent than at any other time in history. And it is a gift because experience is usually the only way we humans learn, and that, as painful as it may be, is something to be grateful for if we choose to accept it as such.

Like big elections, these are the occasions when we focus passionately around something that impacts us all; they bring out the best and worst in us; we get to see people's true colors good, bad or indifferent; how flexible we can be; how generous and open-hearted we are, how we distill down what is vitally important; what is a necessity, and what is merely a luxury - or when suddenly those necessities become luxuries after not having them for a few days. It tests our patience, politeness, perseverance and willingness to exist in the present. It also shows us the incredible strength and spirit of humanity, our willingness to help one another, our capacity for leadership and organization, and our ability to rise to the occasion in times of crisis.

So remember, when we wake up tomorrow morning, no matter what the result of this election is, and no matter where you live in this country or on this planet, what we do know for sure, now more than ever, is that we are all in this together.

Kristina 

P.S. If you are inspired to share these thoughts and would like a 'cleaner' version from my blog, click here and use the icons at the end of the post. Thank you for reading, I know this was a long one!

Click on each link for more info an place to RSVP

"Listening to you once helped empower me to completely change my life for the better!" ~ Survey comment 

POSTPONED: Thursday, November 1st 6:30pm-8pm

 Authentic Branding: Letting the Real You Shine in Any Situation for PWICA/NAFE

Getting to know and accept who you are, what you have to offer and how you fit into any situation is your key to success - whether you're interviewing for a job, working towards a promotion, starting a new business or looking to meet new people.
Location: Pace University - 1 Pace Plaza

RSVP to bmiller@pace.edu  Free and open to the public 

 Stay tuned for new date 

Wednesday, December 5th  6pm-7:30pm 

Staying Motivated Throughout the Job Search Process

at SIBL

Click here for link with more info 

 Stay tuned for more upcoming events!   

In the meantime, book Kristina now for your company, organization, or ERG!   

Watch a video of Kristina's
Pink Slips: How Losing Your Job Can Be a Good Thing  

Watch of video of Kristina's

Thursdays at Three Group 

* I am looking for a sales/marketing intern to help me with my speaking business.  Please contact me for more details if you or someone you know may be interested.*  

Are you looking for structure and support as you go through your job search? 

Come to these small gatherings of like-minded people in career transition to share your experiences and information for brainstorming, encouragement and inspiration. Facilitated by Kristina Leonardi, the purpose of these meetings is to provide mutual support and resources as well as an understanding of and appreciation for personal growth throughout the job search process and create optimal work/life balance. Each attendee receives a minimum 15 minutes of individual coaching attention within the group context.

"I had just lost my job a few weeks earlier and I was a little out of sorts. I attended Kristina's breakout session entitled "How Losing Your Job Can Be a Good Thing". After listening and actively participating in the session, I was really able to put things in perspective. It allowed me to dig deep within myself and really determine what I wanted to do with my life. After the conference, I decided to have a one on one coaching session, which helped validate my career goals, and have also attended her Thursday at Three Transition Group meetings. Kristina is truly an inspiration and I recommend her to anyone who is feeling a bit lost and needs some career and life counseling."

- Justin S.