The members of Connect: Professional Women’s Network share their wisdom about defining the change you want and going after it. To learn more about Connect and join the group for free, visit http://www.linkedin.com/womenconnect.

1. BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Ready to Reinvent Yourself?
Here’s How.
The members of Connect: Professional Women’s Network share their
wisdom about defining the change you want and going after it.

2. Whether it‟s a new career, new patterns,
or a whole new outlook on life, there
comes a time in all of our lives when we
need a change. But once you‟ve identified
the need, where do you start?
It‟s simple: with the experts. Read on for
advice from women in Connect who have
successfully reinvented themselves, and
then chart your own course!

3. Believe in your goal—and yourself. “Figure out what you‟re
passionate about, learn everything you can about it, and see yourself as
the person you‟re striving to be. You have to believe in yourself enough to
exude confidence when you get that opportunity to interview for the
position you‟re interested in.”
Denise Tomaszewski, Contracts & Accounting Specialist

4. Face your fears. “Ask yourself: What is the
thing I am most afraid to do, but all roads are
pointing in that direction? Then go out and do
that thing…whatever it is!”
Linda George, Owner of Morningstar Properties

5. Look at the whole picture. “Pause to
consider where you‟ve been and where you‟d like to
go. Consider the many routes to get there. Choose
one to try. Evaluate. Repeat as necessary.”
Africa Hands, Librarian, Coach, Data Manager

6. Stay true to yourself.
“Consider who you are,
what you want and what you are willing to do to reach
your goals. You will never be comfortable presenting
an image to the world that differs from who you are on
the inside.”
Rev. Valda Jean Combs, Chaplain resident, Texas Health Resources

7. Put it on paper. “Write down your goals—short and long term—
and post them where you can see and revisit them when necessary,
along with the actions you need to take to achieve them.”
Kira Brown, Marketing and Communications

8. Network. “There is always someone out
there in the world who has been in your
shoes, and maybe you can learn a thing or
two from them.”
Angelica Whetstone, Blogger and Communications Writer

9. Tune out the naysayers. “There will be
people telling you that you can‟t do „that‟ because
you‟re too old, or too young, or you got a „D‟ in
Algebra 10 years ago, or you‟re a girl. Ignore them.”
Jody Watson, Technology

10. Put your past in the past... “You are
starting a new chapter in your book of life, and
YOU are the author.”
Denise Bouchard, Administrative Office Personel

11. But don’t leave everything behind. “As you
enter new phases of your life or career, make sure
you hold on to the good stuff from before. Build on
your transferrable skills and your hard-won wisdom.”
Karen Southall Watts, Trainer, coach and author

12. Redefine reinvention. “Perhaps the best advice
is that you‟re not really „reinventing‟ yourself; rather, you‟re
tapping into a talent you‟ve not yet explored. It‟s all there
within us—we just need to reach deep, find it and enjoy
the journey.”
Norma Morris, Owner at Fritzie Publishing and Educational Services

13. Be nice to yourself. “Listen to your self-talk. If it
is negative in any way, make a conscious effort to
change it. Replace statements like „I‟ll never be good
at…‟ and „I‟m so stupid‟ with „I can do this‟ and „I made
a mistake, but it‟s OK.‟”
Anne-Marie Scherrer, Founder of Women Awaken

14. Jump in with both feet. “I changed an aspect of
myself that affected how I handle colleagues, partner
companies, clients and my personal life. Had I gone in
halfheartedly, the change never would have stuck. I never,
ever looked back, and it has made all the difference.”
Laura Doerfler, Director of Client Relations

15. Join the conversation!
Connect: Professional Women’s Network, Powered by Citi, is an online
community on LinkedIn that helps women achieve the careers they want
and discuss the issues relevant to their success.
For more great insights from Connect members, check out
the discussion: What Advice Would You Give Someone Trying to
Reinvent Herself?
Visit linkedin.com/womenconnect for more information
and to join the group for free!
PHOTO CREDITS:
1: Whologwhy/Flickr
2: Togataki/Shutterstock
3: Marek CECH/Shutterstock
4: strdotmatt/Flickr
5: Ed Coyle Photograph/Flickr
6: TED Conference/Flickr
7: TED Conference/Flickr
8: Dell's Official Flickr Page
©2013 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
9: Pshenina_m/Shutterstock
10: Shelli Jensen/Shutterstock
11: Elfred/Shutterstock
12: Lafayette College/Flickr
13: Art Family/Shutterstock
14: MitarArt/Shutterstock

16. ©2013 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
CONNECT: PROFESSIONAL WOMEN‟S NETWORK 16