Kori Linn Kori Linn

Like a cup of coffee for your career

Last week, I got a text about a team that needs coaching support.

They're looking for someone with my exact skillset - a person who knows how to help folks achieve huge results, on a tight timeline, without burning out. 

The leaders want to help the team develop resiliency and manage their stress during this tough (but exciting!) project. 

Sign me up!

There was just one thing. 

They wanted to see my coaching resume. 

While I've created dozens of resumes in my career, I've never made one specifically to capture my coaching achievements. 

Usually prospective clients just check out my website. 

But it turns out, I didn't know what I was missing.

While building a resume can feel like a slog, reviewing and compiling all my coaching accomplishments reignited my enthusiasm for my work and gave me a huge boost of confidence. 

It may sound silly, but it had been a while since I'd thought about some of these things.

I've been featured on local TV, not once, not twice, but three times. 

I've given talks to employees at household name companies, like HBO, Zillow, and Bank of America. 

And I've coached some of the most spectacular, brilliant people. 

No matter what happens next with that team that's looking for support, I am so glad I made this resume. 

I'm still feeling energized by it today, and it's there to review on those days when I'm struggling. 

And that surprising and delightful sense of lift I got from this activity - I want that for YOU too.

When was the last time you catalogued your accomplishments? 

When was the last time you really took a look at the hard work you've done and the wonders you've created with it?

When was the last time you felt impressed with yourself?

It doesn't have to be in the form of a resume, but I invite you to take some time to remember how amazing you are, how far you've come, and the big and small ways you're leaving your mark on the world. 

Don't think you have much to discuss in this regard?

Look again. 

Even if you aren't where you thought you'd be by now, chances are, you've done some really cool things. They deserve to be seen. You deserve to be celebrated. 

Even if there's more you want to do, you've already done so much. 

All the best,
Kori 

PS Big shout out to my partner, Alex, who helped me create the coaching resume that changed my day, week, month, and year! You can check it out here if you want to see it

PPS Don't stop at your career! Take some time to appreciate your personal wins too. 

PPPS As always, you're not alone in this. Coaching can help you achieve big wins and it can also help you enjoy the wins you've already achieved. Just hit reply on this email to learn more about working together. 

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Kori Linn Kori Linn

Take a chance on yourself

A few days ago I saw a delightful LinkedIn post.

Basically, the author was laid off and put up a post inviting folks to book a 20 minute call where they can ask questions, get fresh perspectives, and have an authentic chat. 

The post I saw is the 100 day follow up, and guess what?

At this point, the author has had 100 conversations (and is now aiming for 1000), he got a new job, and he's writing a book, all because he took a chance on an idea he had. 🎉🎉🎉

As someone who supports job searchers and knows first hand what a tough hiring market we're currently in, I was impressed.

What a fun, interesting way to proceed in an unfortunate situation. 

And of course, it wasn't just that he had the idea.

It was that he took action and put himself out there. 

That took courage and a willingness to be disappointed. 

He had to be able to withstand the uncertainty of not knowing how his post would be received. 

It was a risk ... and it paid off big time. 

After reading the post, I was inspired

It didn't just get me thinking - it made me want to take action

I thought that you might feel the same way.

Impressed. Inspired. And ready to take a chance of your own.

Maybe you want to shake up your own career.

Or maybe you're ready to start dating again after your divorce. 

Or maybe you're dying to set some firmer boundaries with your family.

No matter what your secret desire is, I hope this email helps you move forward towards it.

Go to the networking event.

Send the email.

Follow up.

Make your dating profile. 

Swipe and say hello. 

Tell your family members what you're available for (and what you're not). 

The difference between getting stuck and getting what you want is the ability to take risks, put yourself out there, dust yourself off when things get tricky, and keep going.

And I know you can do it. 💗

ALSO: I'm doing my own 20 minute conversation initiative. 

The short version: I’m opening up my calendar for free 20 minute calls for anyone who wants to chat. We can talk about coaching, running a business, career transitions, or anything else you’d like. 

The long version: I’ve been in business as a life and career coach for 6.5 years and it’s been an incredibly wild ride.

I’ve had some of the most delightful, satisfying moments of my life building my business and serving my beloved clients.

And I’ve had some of my most difficult, painful moments too, managing every element of a small company and trying to maintain momentum, motivation, and morale when things weren’t going well. 

In the past year or so, I’ve felt an itch to change things up professionally.

I’m making myself available to new opportunities, and I want to provide opportunities, too. 

That’s why I’m opening up my calendar for the rest of March for anyone who wants to chat. We can talk about coaching, running a business, career transitions, or anything else you’d like. 

Why? Because magical things happen when people have meaningful conversations. 

And I want that magic for both of us, especially right now. 

Know someone who’d benefit? Feel free to share the link.

All the best!

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Kori Linn Kori Linn

You can if you do

Even though Alex and I start getting ready for bed at the same time, she almost always beats me there, often by 15 minutes or more.

The rule is: if her eye mask is on when I get in bed, it's too late for talking, and she's in sleep mode.

Last night, I nearly made the cut off.

I came in and the mask was on top of her head! I was pleased, because I wanted to talk a little before going to sleep. 

But one quick trip to the bathroom meant that upon my actual arrival into bed, the mask was in place.

Because I knew she'd just pulled it down, I allowed myself to bemoan this development aloud (technically in violation of our agreement), saying: now I can't talk to you!

Alex's sleepy voice ventured a response.

She said: you can if you do.

She meant, you can still talk to me even though the mask is on. 

But I laid in bed thinking about how profound this statement is overall, as an approach to life. 

You can if you do. 

How often have I chosen not to do something, said that I couldn't do it, when really I could have?

How often have I complained that I can't do something when actually it's technically possible, but for some reason, I'm not willing to pursue it?

Maybe the timing isn't as good as it could be.

Maybe the action needed will be hard or uncomfortable.

Maybe the "I can't" is code for "I don't know how."

Alex has created an incredible life for herself, and I think a lot of it comes down to her willingness to do.

If there's something she wants, she goes after it. She can because she does.

I admire this about her. While I've also done a lot of doing, it's not always my first stop. 

I think about things a lot. I weigh plans and options. And yes, I bemoan. 

There is a beauty and a simplicity in being able to shift into the mode of doing, even when it's hard, even when the timing's not perfect, even when you're not sure if you have what it takes to be successful.

You can if you do.

Doing will either show you that you can or show you what's still needed in order for you to build the ability. 

What do you wish you could do?

What have you been dreaming of or complaining about?

What have you been waiting to pursue?

And how can you move yourself closer to your desired outcome by doing something?

Don't worry - you don't have to do it alone!

One on one coaching is one way to close the gap between dreaming and doing. 

As a coach, I know how to help you transform a goal into manageable steps, navigate the inevitable obstacles that come up when you start taking action, and build your confidence along the way. 

And I have a few spaces open for new clients right now.

And remember - whatever you want for your life, community, and the world - you can if you do!

XO,

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Kori Linn Kori Linn

How to act

I'm reading a book about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (also called ACT) that was recommended by a dear friend who is a therapist. 

There are a few basic premises.

1. Life involves pain, and trying to escape that pain creates more pain.

2. Instead of trying to avoid or eliminate pain, allow the pain to exist and let it be part of life (not proof something is wrong).

3. Figure out which actions would make your life richer and more satisfying, and then commit to doing them.

What I love about this approach is that it make space for the wild dichotomy of being human: there are terrible things AND you have the power to change your life (and the world).

It also aligns deeply with how I coach my clients (and myself).

There are some things in the world I simply cannot make sense of.

Horrible things. 

And yes, part of me wants to rage against them, and sometimes I do. 

But I can also see the beauty of the ACT approach.

Instead of spending my precious energy trying to get away from the pain, I can accept it.

And then I can use that saved energy to do something

Something that could make my life (or the world) richer and more satisfying. 

And then, when I've spent my effort, there will still be pain, but that will be ok. And the pain might seem different alongside the impact I've made. 

After all, just because there is still pain does not mean that nothing has changed. 

A lot can change.

You can be someone who changes it. 

You can have so much more impact than you realize. And the ACT approach can help you move forward when you feel tempted to give up instead. 

Here’s to keeping going,

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Kori Linn Kori Linn

What matters in this moment?

This is a question I've been asking myself.

So much is going so very badly right now, for so many people. 

All over the world, terrors ensue.

And of course, especially in the USA. 

The current administration is issuing a flurry of demands and proclamations, most of which are designed to make my life (and the lives of many others) worse and more dangerous. 

It's alarming. It's overwhelming. It's deeply disheartening. 

AND. 

Still I have some power. Some choices. And a lot of privilege. 

There are things I can do. Things that still matter, even in the face of so much that's beyond my control.

My hopes for this world are bigger than my capacity, though. So I do have to prioritize.

What matters in this moment? Of all the things I could do, what will I decide to do? What will I decide to let go of for now, to make space for something else?

In what ways will I care for myself and in what ways will I care for my community, for the world beyond?

I am still figuring out my answers. 

But after studying the work and ideas of countless brilliant people, I do know a few things.

Joy matters. Connection is essential. Little actions add up to big results. And rest is required. 

Whatever you do in the days to come, however you're managing the difficulties of this current moment (not to mention the challenges of simply being alive as a human being on this planet), can you make space for joy?

Can you invest in building meaningful moments and relationships?

Can you take small actions that will move you and the world closer to the future you want to see?

And can you be sure to give yourself the time and rest needed to recharge on a regular basis?

Too much terror is a lot like too much work.

Both feel like an emergency, like something to respond to with action and adrenaline, or like something to run away from because you can't handle the sheer immensity of the problem.

Both can and will burn you out if you don't build a plan and system for handling them (and even if you do, there may be moments of micro-burnout along the way, because working against things like this is hard).

But there's also a lot you can do. You matter. Your actions matter. Your joy matters. There are people who want to navigate this difficult moment with you. 

After 6+ years as a coach and 40+ as a human, what I know to be true is this: just because something seems well and truly f*cked DOES NOT mean there's nothing you can do about it. 

Often, there's a lot you can do. Often, what you do has WAY more impact than you'd predict. 

So decide what matters to you, and then make it happen. Not with a single-minded focus. But instead with joy, connection, rest, and small, doable actions. 

And yes, of course, if you need support with this, I would be honored to help.

I have 200+ totally free podcast episodes jam-packed with knowledge and insights. 

And I'm also available to support you in the more up close and personal way of one-on-one coaching

Wishing you all the best in this wild world,

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Kori Linn Kori Linn

Good information, bad fuel

On a podcast I listened to a few months ago, a psychiatrist talked about the danger of venting negative emotions.

The problem, he said, is that when you vent, the negative emotions lose their steam. 

Which sounds like a good thing, right? But he went on to share that negative emotions are actually important motivators. 

My ears perked up. 

I've been saying for years that motivating yourself with negative feelings doesn't work. That doing so leads to burnout. 

Was this psychiatrist saying that people should be doing the very thing I've advised against?

Short answer: No, he was not. 

Longer and more interesting answer: 

Turns out the psychiatrist and I agree. He wasn't saying that you should fuel your actions with negative emotions.

BUT he wanted to point out that venting your negative emotions can keep you stuck in the same situation. Because once you've vented them and you feel better, you may not feel motivated enough to make changes. 

And without changes, you're very likely to find yourself right back in the same situation. 

This is where the psychiatrist's ideas overlap with a concept I've been teaching for a long time: the idea that you can gain a lot by treating negative emotions (specifically anger) as spicy information.

These feelings may not feel pleasant to experience, but they carry important information about what's working for you and what's not.

And if you vent (or numb) the negative emotions, you miss out on the things they're trying to share with you. 

But in order to move forward and apply that spicy information, you need other emotions to come in and carry some of the weight so you don't burn yourself out.

Which is to say, there's a switch to be made between understanding that the negative emotion is alerting you to something that's not working and then going on to make whatever changes that information is inviting. 

It could look like this: 

1. Frustration about your current job.

2. Picking apart the frustration and seeing that the information it's trying to communicate is that something isn't working with the current situation.

3. Using curiosity to understand whether you need an outside change (like getting a new job) or an inside change (altering the way you relate to your job, setting boundaries, etc). Sometimes you'll need both and then you have to prioritize which changes to make in what order.

4. Brainstorming a way to fuel yourself that feels good and keeps you going. (This is the part where you may find that your initial feeling, while powerful, does not make good day to day fuel because it feels bad and doesn't actually support you taking action towards your goal.) 

5. Using your intentionally chosen fuel to move forward, navigate issues, and enjoy the journey along the way, knowing that how you're practicing being now will be the way you'll be when you reach your goal (which is to say, fueling with negative emotion will make the goal feel negative when you arrive, so if you want to enjoy achieving your goal, fuel yourself with an emotion that's more enjoyable and let it make the journey to the goal fun rather than a slog).

But a lot of people get stuck in this instead: 

1. Frustration about your current job.

2. Vent frustration.

3. Feel better. Go about your life. Make no changes.

4. Repeat. 

There's nothing wrong with the second option. I have no judgment. I've done it millions of times myself. AND sometimes you may even want to choose that option, like if you're not ready to deal with the information in your negative feeling, it might make more sense to vent it off and go about your day.

BUT: if you want to make changes, if you want to stop the ever-repeating cycle of feeling this way, if you want to wake up six months from now and have things be different, well, then I suggest trying out the first option. 

And if you don't want to do that work alone, because it feels hard or scary or even just plain triggering to hang out with your negative feelings long enough to get the information out of them, well that's exactly the kind of thing coaching is for. 

And good news: I have room right now for new 1:1 clients. 

If you want to be one of them, just click this link to get the process started.

Yours in wild possibility & spicy information,

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