Waking Up from the Dream was designed to give a voice to people who have redesigned their careers and lives sometimes, in the face of adversity and sometimes because the timing was right.  It now has hit home.  I face the shuttering of my once flourishing consulting business and radically changing my life to support my 3 children.  It is not something I come to comfortably, but the time has come.  As I enjoy this new challenge, I will be waking up from the dream, living a new day and gaining strength and confidence from the stories and comments here.

On Bouncing Back: Laura Seitz of Cheeky Quilts talks of adventures in the LA Garment District

In Reinvention: Bruce Irving rebuilds after 17 years with “This Old House”

Past stories of Reinvention

 Sally Shields from the road to home

pablo solomon explains what’s in a name

Olga Horvat goes to the dogs

Pam Swingley turns knowledge into power

Gwen Samuels Artist Reinvention

This week, we all had a wake up call.  The recession is “ending,” but unemployment continues in several parts of the country.  We are beginning the following the start of Cheeky Quilts, a micro-business, by blog co-author Laura Seitz.   Check out Laura’s story under Bouncing Back.

We continue to share stories of reinvention and how people are doing things differently and making a life.

Sally Shields went from the road to home and found what she was meant to do

Past stories of Reinvention  

pablo solomon renames his brand and finds success

Olga Horvat goes to the dogs

Pam Swingley turns knowledge into power

Gwen Samuels Artist Reinvention

John Hadley third reinvention leads to new adventure

From fulfillment to redefining success, the Great Recession of 2009 is giving rise to new ways of preparing and planning for your careers. Reinvention is everywhere. 

pablo solomon renames his brand and finds success

Past stories of Reinvention  

Olga Horvat goes to the dogs

Pam Swingley turns knowledge into power

Gwen Samuels Artist Reinvention

John Hadley third reinvention leads to new adventure

We try to practice the truth that “busy hands are happy hands” motto.  Even in the face of tremendous change, we can be calm and focused.  Sometimes that is easier said than done, but this week Dr. Elvira G. Aletta, PH.D issued her take on how to lower anxiety and create empowerment.  Check out her recommendations here: http://bit.ly/OI26L

Among the most important points, knowledge is power and busy hands are happy hands.  Who knew?  We all did!

Check out how Pam Swingley turned knowledge into power for reinvention.

We launched this blog on September 15 and have spent the past week hearing from all corners about how lives are being reinvented and bouncing back.  We are posting the stories under “Reinvention” and “Bouncing Back” – creative, huh?  However, we were stunned when Time Magazine arrived on our doorstep with the cover story “Out of Work in America.“  The article discusses a seminal shift in the labor force on our economy and how people are coping with the potential of an unemployment rate of 10 percent being sustained for many years.

If that change in the economy is true, it changes how, when and what work will mean for millions of Americans.  So as we wake up from the dream, we all need some direction and inspiration.  Here are some stories to get started:

Gwen Samuels shares her reinvention after marriage and children

John Hadley is on his third career and couldn’t be happier

We’re following Laura Seitz on bouncing back with the launch of her microbusiness, Cheeky Quilts