Laurie Swanson Blog

“I don’t think that it is the right time to leave my job. I have a vacation planned in December and I am moving in the spring.” I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard a version of this in my 20+...Read More

Recently I was reminded of an article from the Huffington Post on the wage gap. (Link to article) It speaks to several possible reasons why women still earn less than their male counterparts. One of the paragraphs talked about...Read More

All of us have dreams.Some of us are actively pursuing them and other of us are busy with our daily life having put the dream on the shelf... for now.Or at least that is what we have been telling ourselves.  Listen Up People with Shelf...Read More

Every year I go to Sarasota, Florida to a timeshare we own. I spend much of my time walking the beach shelling.Shelling is like a treasure hunt to me. I love the joy of finding that one great shell.One of my all-time favorite shells is...Read More

This past weekend I celebrated 20 years of playing poker, once a month, with my closest girlfriends. (I’m in the center sitting on the lifeguard chair). I've written about my group before, check out: Stack the Cards in Your...Read More

This is one of my favorite lines.From one of my favorite songs.From one of my favorite lyricists.From one of my favorite soundtracks.From one of my favorite movies of all time. The song is Momentum by Aimee Mann.The...Read More

I am reading this great book by Peter Wohlleben called The Hidden Life of Trees. What they Feel, How They Communicate. This book has become my go-to gift because I have found it to be extremely profound.  Peter worked...Read More

I have several patio plants that add such wonderful color to my patio.I love them. They make me feel good or at least they did until I went to my parent’s house the other day.  Then…potted plant envy.   My...Read More

Money can be a big quandary when a person is on or considering a job search. How much should I ask for so that I leave nothing on the table? Am I asking too much? Too little? What is my monetary value in the market? How do I negotiate...Read More

Starting a business, very much like starting a job search, can be scary and daunting. Fear feels like it has moved in and taken residence at my work desk.  Sometimes, I feel like I don’t have what I need to get to the...Read More

I was working with a client recently who is in the process of getting ready to leave behind her director-level job and go after a Vice-President role.As often happens when coaching, we do not just talk about her resume, her networking strategies or...Read More

When I was in high school, the first interview I ever had was to be a lifeguard at a local pool.I had all the credentials.I was a very strong swimmer, I had been giving lessons for 2 years and I had passed my Red Cross Life Guard certification.After...Read More

I have a good friend who is struggling on his job search.He called me because he had, once again, come in second for a job he hoped to land. “What am I doing wrong," he asked me? We went down the checklist. Resume in good shape?...Read More

It would seem like it.He had a desire to become the President of the United States.He worked hard for his dream.People supported him.He is making good money.He became the President of the United States.  That must mean that he is living his...Read More

The work you are meant to be doing in the world, your Soul’s Mission, is really the form of service you are meant to be providing.  A service is a solution to a problem.  Therefore, your Soul’s Mission is a solution...Read More