(Or, training to Set Our Minds and ensure productive, helpful career and life choices.) Our mindset (belief systems and thinking patterns) impacts how we respond to every situation, and the behaviors we choose as a part of that response. Mindset impacts behaviors; behaviors impact outcomes; how we interpret those outcomes (based on our mindset) triggers …
Thinking into Hope (Jan 11, 2022)
#hope #selftalk #distortedthinking #reframing #removingbarriers The long, cold, and early-dark days of winter can be challenging in terms of staying motivated and focused. Our warm-blooded bodies may yearn to hibernate. Our ego-minds may start whispering negative, unhelpful thoughts that drain our already flagging willpower. Learning to talk to our distorted, negative, unsupportive, unhelpful thoughts with …
On Understanding Depression (or, at least, not shaming one for it) (Jan 10, 2021)
Depression, like malaria, is a physical and emotional condition where the body-mind-spirit is in dis-ease and distress. Some form of toxin (a disregulated neurochemical situation -may- be one part of this but is definitely NOT the only part) has upset the balance of our beautiful mind-body-spirit entities. Telling someone with depression to 'get over it' …
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Change (Jan 10, 2022)
Change. It sometimes sneaks up on us. It sometimes blows the roof off. But mostly, change is a silent companion in our lives, inexorably moving from moment to moment, fall to winter, summer to monsoon, birthing to dying. Change is really, truly inevitable. But HOW we relate to change (which, for a significant chunk of …
On Heroism (Jan 8, 2022)
We live in challenging times. Times when things that are difficult seem to take over things that are good. Times when loving seems to be much harder than hardening our hearts. Times when listening to the noise of the world wearies us, drowning out the soft rustle of our inner voices. Times when easy seems …
Perseverance (Jan 7, 2022)
'Perseverance' is a mouthful, as if, in the very length and breadth and depth of the word, the implication of the behavior it exhorts us to is being (barely) contained. Life is difficult. For everyone. In different ways, at different scales. Our modern culture feeds us the toxic narrative that others have it easy and …
On #Courage (Jan 7, 2022)
We live in a distracted, and distracting world. We live in a world of overwhelm. We live in a world of loudness, of seeking and wanting attention, of speaking more and #listening little -- even to our own, inner, quiet wise-voices. We live in a world that tells us that we must improve, must fix, …
Focusing on Focus: Success by Negation (Jan 4, 2022)
TL; DR: tune out to tune in. My dog, Boochie, teaches me daily how to practice focus by negation. He has this unnerving capacity to tune out lesser temptations to hyperfocus on greater temptations. If I'm eating green beans (which he loves) but give him a bit of regular bread, the bread sits right under …
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Challenging toxic narratives (Jan 3, 2022)
TL; DR: If it's easy, it's (almost always) suspect. Purposeful living -- building things (a career, a family, a boat) is challenging. We have been been conditioned to believe in the false narrative that life is easy for 'everybody else,' and if any of us finds growth to be challenging, it is a personal fault. …
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The Boochie Chronicles, Dec. 30, 2021: Now & Then
Dear Hoomans: It has been a long while since I visited here and said hello to y'all. Mea culpa. Time goes by and things happen before you can say 'treat!' But, I wanted to gently re-practice communing with you, so here are snippets of things that have happened, with some pupper wisdom thrown in: 1. …
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Informational Interviews
https://images.app.goo.gl/d4pEu2ydXLYgmhYn8 Career success musings, May 28, 2021 #careeradvancement #informationalinterviews On conducting Informational Interviews as a key strategy to make yourself ready for internships and full-time jobs. An underutilized strategy to prepare to succeed in your internship and job application, interview, and successful start is informational interviews. Most professionals like to talk about their own career …
Implementing Career Success: Strategies
https://images.app.goo.gl/zwJU8d1vQdEQzvTz9t Career success takes a long time -- months and years -- of planning and focused implementation. Are you practicing these steps in your internship, workplace, and classroom today? (If you haven't yet met with your FDU career coach, please e-mail me today at msanyal@fdu.edu). 1. Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses (self-awareness is KEY to career …
The Boochie Diaries, Aug 20, 2020: On Happy Dances & Finding Joy 🐾
The Boochie Diaries, August 20, Thursday: On Happy Dances & Finding Joy. Dear Hoomans, Today morning, mommy and her friend Ms. S had a conversation about how easy it is to feel that one is ‘not doing enough’ to fight the injustices so many other hoomans around the planet are protesting against. Ms. S mentioned …
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The Boochie Diaries, Aug 15, 2020: On Independence
Dear Hoomans: Mommy & I had a long discussion about what it means to have independence. The topic came about because today (Aug 15) is India's Independence Day. Mommy was born in Calcutta, India. When she mentioned this, I made it known to her that one day soon, I will visit her hometown and mark …
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The Boochie Diaries, Aug 13, 2020: The Eternally Hopeful Bird Chaser
The Boochie Diaries, Aug 13, 2020. Thursday, almost midnight. Dear Hoomans, Mommy claims I’m snoring but it’s actually the sound of my paw typing. 🐾 It has been a busy few days in the Boochie household. I have been a very hot dog every time I’ve gone out for walks. I have chased many birds. …
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Podcast with Perennials, part 1: How You Matter (8.13.20)
Part 1 of a two-part episode on the podcast ‘Perennials’ with my wonderful, whip smart, and deeply sensitive ex-student podcast producer, Victoria Russel asking me a range of questions and exploring answers together. It only took us two years but we had a really lovely time chatting about things that matter — purpose, success, money, and …
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The No-Kibble Movement (Aug 8, 2020)
The Boochie Journals, August 8, 2020. Saturday. 1 pm Dear Hoomans, I am posting this letter I sent today morning to the Puppers’ Worldwide Association in LOUD protest against kibbles on the weekend. I have behaved beautifully the last two days. Ate my kibbles quietly during mealtimes (mostly because I’ve been going on pretty long …
Boochie & the Bed Battle (Aug 5, 2020)
Boochie Journal, Aug 5, 2020, 10 pm (day 6) Dear Hoomans, It’s been a couple of days since I last wrote. Mom took this picture yesterday night. I had a big, exciting day when we got stuck outside in the nasty storm, and by the time I got home and had dinner, I was quite …
The early morning walk story (8.2.20)
Boochie Journal, Aug 2, 2020. 9.30 pm. Dear Hoomans, I wanted to write this entry myself but as you can see, I’m a little busy right now. I sent mommy an insta message before going off to chase squirrels in my sleep, giving her permission to post on my behalf. Mommy texted me back to …
Waiting for Midnight (8.1.20)
Boochie’s Journal, 8.1.20, 10.35 pm Dear Hoomans: I had a very exciting and tiring day. We went for 3 walks, and a car ride to the Indian grocery store. I couldn’t go inside, but smelled the delicious spices while mommy made a video of me hanging out in the passenger seat of the car. I’m …
The Food Negotiation, Part II (Aug 1, 2020)
Post meal happiness video: https://youtu.be/WEE9JW4Ar8Y I won. Mommy mixed me yummy chicken broth with chicken pieces and a bit of rice. I hadn’t eaten for almost 24 hours (except nibbles of kibble and yoghurt here and there) and she decided nutrition first, training later. Boochie: 1; Mommy: 1. In this video I am active, but …
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The food negotiation
Boochie’s Journal, 8.1.20 (day 2) Dear Hoomans, I’m settling in rather nicely as Boochie (or Booch) Sanyal. Mommy has discovered that I’m really, really, REALLY a puppy (barely a year old) and she finds this both wonderful, and a wee bit disconcerting since my older sister Brandi (who is now chasing squirrels in Happy Doggy …
On finding ‘drive’ (7.31.20)
On finding ‘drive.’ I didn’t have the drive and passion for living that I do today in my 20s & 30s. I was mostly deeply depressed, and just kept doing what was in front of me. Now, at almost 45, I’m in a very different place emotionally, and have the tools to create helpful stories …
How to counter imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome? One tool to counter this pesky internal challenge: Conduct informational interviews. Here are the baby steps (short video; 3:30 mins). ROI: (1) build domain knowledge, (2) grow a solid network, and (3) challenge, using data, unhelpful thoughts & beliefs about being an imposter. #careersuccess #removingbarriers #financialgrowth #alkadevikaprojectsolutions Click on YouTube video here: Information …
The need for career success & financial success training
Here’s the data from the INFORMAL polls I conducted in the last two days. We need to do a lot of work on training & educating our students in career success and financial success strategies through high school, college, and early adulthood. #alkadevikaprojectsolutions #careersuccess #removingbarriers #financialsuccess #firstgeneration Click here for YouTube video: https://youtu.be/iZZaGxs1krk
The price we pay for being financially illiterate
Lack of effective career success training, tools, strategy & preparation and lack of financial literacy tools & preparation in high schools and colleges is a massive barrier to our upcoming generations effectively pursuing wealth management and social mobility. I did an informal IG poll on financial literacy comfort level, & out of 74 respondents (students …
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Good night poem, 7.25.20
A good night poem for my wonderful, beautiful, strong, courageous students and friends. 💕💕 — Dr. Maya Click here for video:
Equity, not equality (7.25.20)
Let’s talk about what really matters: EQUITY. EQUITY is even more important than equality. Equality is giving all students in a classroom a pair of size 10 shoes. It’s equal resource but not of much help to a student with a different shoe size. The playing field isn’t made any better with an ‘equal’ resource …
Discomfort Tolerance (7.23.20)
Short YouTube video on Discomfort Tolerance (8:32 mins) Career success strategy: Discomfort tolerance and practicing learn to become comfortable with discomfort. Whenever we are trying something new, going out of our comfort zones, our primitive mind, whose job is to keep us physically safe and alive, might pipe up to say that it is important …
Know your skills. Own your skills. (7.17.20)
Career success hack, 7.17.20: 1. Know your skills. 2. Own your skill. 3. Speak your skills. Students will often walk into my office, plop down on the chair, and say with a heavy sigh, ‘I’m trying to apply for jobs (or internships) but I have no skills.’ My response: ‘I very respectfully disagree.’ As successful …
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4 words to use to keep imposter syndrome at bay: where is the proof?
7.15.20: 4 words to use to keep imposter syndrome at bay: where is the proof? Imposter syndrome (the false belief that one is an imposter, doesn’t belong where one is, and will be found out sooner or later) is emotionally exhausting and practically problematic in that it stops us from using our intellect and mental …
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Imposter Syndrome: What It Is and How to Address It in Baby Steps
https://youtu.be/WINkJnsGX6Y Imposter Syndrome can get the best of us, and take away from the quality of joy and effectiveness of effort as we build careers and lives. In this video, I discuss the role of "negative" emotions and why imposter syndrome can act as a protection in some ways, and also, and more importantly, how …
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Career & Life Success: Words Have Power
Words have the power to build us up and break us down. Self-talk is one of the most potent forms of accessing this power, whether we do it in helpful ways (which is rarer) or unhelpful ways (which is an epidemic). https://youtu.be/6vEPRHByQ9g Words Have Power In this video, I give examples of how we use …
Career Success Hack: Writing Kick-Ass Cover Letters
https://youtu.be/f8hQBxvxNh4 Writing Kick-Ass Cover Letters Cover Letters are often disliked entities in the world of job applications (as are resumes). In this video, I talk about (a) HOW to write strong cover letters and (b) WHY, philosophically speaking, writing strong cover letters is a significant part of building your professional brand and preparing for the …
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Career Success: Be Present in the Moment and Build, Build, Build Your Foundations
https://youtu.be/mNnhRE9FxxA Video: Building Foundations for Career Success One of the many (many) things I wish I had known in my teens and twenties that I know now is the importance of focusing on building on current foundations instead of despairing about all that may not go right in the "future." I wish I had had …
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Micro-micro-micro goals & strength development mindset (6.22.20)
My new (old) career success tool: taking life day at a time. It’s been rough times these days, for pretty much everyone. Having written many to-do lists and having failed to do anything much with them for days (weeks, really) now, my new strategy is to focus on micro-micro-micro goals & strength-development mindset. E.g.1: counting …
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Why, and how managing self-shaming inner talk is key to career success (6.9.20)
Managing self-shaming inner talk is key to career success. Our self-talk has power. Self-shaming stops us from healthy behavior. We can learn to process the shame with compassionate re-thinking and choosing behaviors that move the needle toward the goal. I made a faux pax on a Zoom meeting today. I always (well, almost always) have …
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Career success tool: intentionally cultivate nurturing thoughts and actions (6.3.20)
Self-critical, shaming, unhelpful thoughts do not help us nurture productive actions that move us toward our goals. We want to learn to listen to our negative self-talk and learn to gently, firmly, compassionately speak to ourselves with kind, hope-giving positive self talk. We set the base to be productive. Then, we DO, from a place …
Career Success: Addressing Thinking Traps
Career success toolkit, 6.2.20: What a coaching client of mine learned from today morning’s chat. 💃🏽 1. Addressing thinking traps (never/always; anything/nothing; should) and 2. Understanding the power of toxic cultural narratives and how they demoralize and demotivate is and keep us from taking action and working toward success daily. #careersuccess #removebarriers #mentalhealthawareness #everydayeffortless
Career success tool: Read job descriptions in an active, intentional manner to customize your applications well
6.2.20 Career success is about paying attention to details. When we read the job description carefully and comprehend it well, the customized resume and customized cover letter shows that. Actively reading job descriptions also prepare us for the interview. 'Strategies for Active Reading Circle and look up the definitions to words you do not know or …
Re-defining complex concepts (5.30.20)
I often think about the power of words to build or to tear down. Language is one way humans mediate experience. Thoughts mediate language. Mindset mediates thoughts. When our mindset is growth oriented, how we choose and use words is also growth oriented. I see a lot of focus on the word 'success' by young …
Career Success Strategy: Finding Your Voice & Kicking Butt at Interviews (5.20.20)
A colleague of mine has been prepping for an interview and reached out to me to ask for strategies. One of the many steps I have students practice is recording their responses on their phones and playing it back to: (a) learn about their favorite filler words (umm, like, basically, you know etc.) and practice …
On Being a Depression Warrior: Rules & Wins
Chapter 5: What Is the Question, Again?
I am not going to obsess here about the "why." Why my mind does what it does (i.e. house the D) is an absolute mystery to me. Today's obsession is more about, "What now?" Now that we have ourselves this situation, find ourselves in this pickle, facing what sometimes feels (as it has these past few weeks) like a fight to the death between sanity and non-existence, what the heck am I going to do about it? I don't diss the "why." I am a lover of "whys." But, at some points in life, we have to intentionally shift the focus from one line of query to another so we can keep breathing, feeling, and living.
The Paw Print Left Behind (5.13.20)
The Brandi girl went to doggy happy land on July 31, 2019. Looking back, I’m sure she knew that life was going to get pretty shitty (I ended up being quasi-homeless between October & December, 2019 due to a severe plumbing malfunction-related, forced, and eventually permanent relocation from my apartment to hotels, Air B&Bs, homes …
Thinking Traps (unhelpful thoughts): How to Identify & Counter Them and Choose Helpful Thoughts and Behaviors
tl;dr We can choose what to think and how to behave. (Almost) everyone has thinking traps (unhelpful thoughts). Unhelpful thoughts lead to unhelpful behaviors. Unhelpful thoughts can be noted and countered gently and compassionately with data and alternative scenarios, leading to more helpful behaviors. The Problem Thoughts have power. Our thoughts impact our behavior. Helpful …
Career Success Tool: Intentionality & Effective Networking
Image credit: https://images.app.goo.gl/N1oz11MXo5WqDKEMA TL;DR: Intention: goal <--> expectation <--> effort/action item Students often ask, "how do I network?" One networks by first assessing the intention (goal + expectation) behind the effort/action step and then implementing that action step. Intentional relationship and professional network development: Goal: to grow from the network's expertise. Realistic expectation: it will …
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Why, and HOW students might want to keep their foot on the career development gas pedal and continue to give 100% to internship & job search and applications.
Why, and HOW students might want to keep their foot on the career development gas pedal and continue to give 100% to internship & job search and applications.
Re-framing as a Career Success Strategy: How to Get Things Done in Baby Steps
"Re-framing" is one of the most useful tools in career & life success that I had the privilege of learning during my graduate studies in Counseling. It is now a tool I almost daily use to help students learn to implement concrete, doable action steps when they feel overwhelmed by the 'whole' picture and are stuck in decision-fear mode.
Finding Courage to Nurture My Voice
I have started an Instagram account. I have started doing short videos of professionals, students, and myself. I have started a YouTube channel. And finally, I have started requesting my friends and followers to subscribe, re-post, and connect their friends and followers. This is scary for me. I find it hard to put my voice …
Career Success: Finding Reasons to Say Yes (and then taking Action) (Feb 18, 2020)
Be a lawyer and make a case for saying 'yes' authentically, based on data points from your resume and life experience. There will always be reasons to say no. Find the reasons to say 'yes' (with facts).
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