The Transit Lounge

If there's one thing most people - especially women - can almost never get enough of, it's confidence...No matter what you do for work there is no doubt that you will have many moments where you can either rise up and shine, being seen and heard as a confident leader, or... not.There are probably many contributing factors to this, but there is one that has an almost instant impact - either on the up side or the down side. In this episode Shandra will share:Examples of where this one thing has impacted her recentlyWhy and how this thing impacts how you feel AND how others feel about you6 tips of practical things you can practice to nail this Insights that might make you think she is a total cowA live test of if your body can do something or notListen to this episode for an instant lift in your confidence this week!Thank you for listening.

Most people want to feel like what they do is making a difference somehow, unfortunately it's also common that creating change, doing something new or starting a new project that you care about can also create overwhelm... This week's episode is sharing a little story that can offer a different perspective on how to approach big change without getting hand-braked by the overwhelm of how much there is to do.Shandra shares:What made her remember this storyHow it helped a clientThe different ways it can be used to minimise overwhelmThe most important project you will ever work onWhat to focus on instead of the overwhelmHappy listening!

Change is a constant...with or without making career change.No matter how hard we work or how hard we try there is nothing we can do to stop it.... but as human beings we often fight it, resist it or try to avoid it.When it comes to making career change there's a whole stack of resistance for many reasons!Part of it shows up as fears of things we worry we might lose if we were to change what we do for work...In this episode Shandra explores this concept of perceived loss...She shares:The things she started doing when she was unhappy in her last roleOne sentence that shifted her perspective on change3 common fears of loss people have when making career changeThe reality she has experienced after going through at least two major career changes herselfEnjoy this episode and remember to share it with a friend who is thinking about making a move in their work life.Thank you for listening!

Did you know there are a stack of studies that show massive benefits to being an optimist?Optimism during times of change can be a great tool to use to help build your resilience and ability to handle life's challenges more easily.This is not to say that being an optimist means you ignore the stark and sometimes harsh realities of daily life, it's more about how you choose to interpret and respond to what's happening and you're sense of your own ability to change and grow through them...In this episode, Shandra shares:What some studies have revealed about the benefits of optimismthe definition of optimismthe dangers of being one sided with optimism10 practical ideas of things you can do to build you own sense of optimismA compliment just for you :-)the weirdest thing she has ever celebrated - it's very odd...A new take on the glass is half full analogyHope you enjoy listening and get some great ideas to inject some more optimism into your work and life.Thank you for listening!

Most people go through phases - sometimes long phases! - where they feel like they just have no time for themselves. Life gets busy, there's so many thing competing for your attention so it's easy to get caught up in other people's priorities. "I just didn't have time""I was too busy""I don't have enough time"I've said all those things and probably many more and that's probably why I have become a bit curious about the concept of time and how we use it.This week's episode is about finding ways that you can actually find time for you.In this episode Shandra shares:the training tip that rocked her world about timeuncomfortable truths about time and what we do with itWhat a lack of time really meansWhat studies show we do with our memory of how we used our timeWhich elements of time we are suck with and which we can do something about3 things you can do to actually find some time for yourselfThank you for listening to this episode - hope it helps you make the most of your time!

As an overachiever type you're probably used to a long to do list, a bias towards action taking and just getting things done.This is all well and good when you're in the flow and on a roll... but when things get all a bit too much, overwhelm kicks in and despite your best efforts and intentions things can start to get on top of you.You might start to feel like you're just stuck in a no win situation.That's when this one thing can be your best friend... even though it's not your favourite thing to do.In this episode Shandra share's why she thinks she struggles with this one thing, including a very recent example from her home life.Even though this may not be your preferred or go to response, this could be the one thing you would benefit from the most...Happy listening.Disclaimer - the audio level is a bit low on this episode as it was recorded 'on the road'

Did you know that everyone has a version of their future self that they one day hope to be?Well your future self is actually being determined by the actions you take and the habits you create right now...Have you seen the movie Sliding Doors? Your life is a bit like that movie - with parallel versions of reality being possible depending on what you do and don't do.In this episode I have a bit of a rant about this idea and share:What most people believe their future self will have more ofWhat determines the future self 'winner'How you can start to tap into your vision of your future selfThe different ways and areas of your life this can be applied toSome commons traps that come up when people start to explore this idea, and a way around themYour future self will thank you for listening!Happy listening!

Today’s episode was inspired by a conversation with someone who is definitely at a professional crossroad… She’s actually quite successful by a lot of people’s standards – has a couple of businesses that run mostly without too much of her input… lives pretty well off, but is at a point of really questioning what she’s been doing, why she’s doing it and what the hell she should do next…In this episode you will hear:Something I used to believe that I've upgradedA conversation from my 20's that really annoyed meWhy having too much choice is a problemWhat you can do when you feel that wayHow to have total confidence you will make the right choice for youThank you for listening!Shandra

There is nothing worse than being in a work situation where you are really unhappy, but feel stuck in it... I can say that because I have been there!About 5 years ago I was pretty unhappy in my job - annoyed at the things that were going on in the business, the people in charge, decisions being made and just generally the way the business was operating... but I still stayed...At one point amongst all of that, I read something that hit me like a brick and totally changed how I felt about the situation - so I wanted to share it with you in case it helps you to manage being in a 'less than optimal' work situation when you don't feel like you can leave it just yet...In this episode I share:What was going on for me when I was unhappy in my jobThe event that opened the door to a big shift - without me quitting my job!The two part concept that was a game changerHow it impacted meHow you can experiment with this to instantly feel better about your work situationHappy Listening!x ShandraPS - This was the topic I was m

The thought of changing direction in your career can be a scary one... especially if you think you want to do something quite different from what you've been doing for a while...This month is 4 years since I quit my last corporate job and so I've been reflecting on the last few years and the lessons or learnings I've had that could be helpful for you if you are on the cusp of career change.In this episode you'll hear:How it felt to go back to my old workplace to work in a different capacityA quote that's incorrectly ben attributed to Jim CarreyHow things went for me when I tried dropping to 4 days a weekWho I worked with that helped me to get clear about leaving my last job6 learnings that can help you feel confident about your next career moveI hope you get some good practical tips you can benefit from in working towards whatever your next career change looks like.Thank you for listening!Shandra

Have you ever had a level of certainty that turned out to work against you?Maybe believed something only to find out later that it wasn't actually true?This episode was supposed to be about something else altogether, but a process of certainty getting in the way of my progress lead me to pivot and change the episode to be about that! So this episode is instead of being about what it was originally going to be about, it's now about how believing something totally and wholeheartedly can actually work against you achieving what you want...It's a bit different to usual episodes - it's short and designed to get you thinking!In this episode Shandra shares:Appreciation for feedback from podcast listenersSomething she have never really been that into, but that has been impactfulQuestions for you on how to apply this principle practically for your benefitA frustration about podcastingA concept that will have you thinking about cookies!If this gets you thinking - please come and join the Facebook group: The Transit Lou

Creating change can be challenging - and often our human wiring can work against us!Have you ever had something that you know that you wanted to do, that would be good for you, but you procrastinated, avoided, delayed or just didn’t do….Yep me too...This episode is one that is designed to share something I heard about a little while ago – called Activation Energy - which will hopefully you some ideas on how to get what you want and take action on things that you might be avoiding or delaying…Activation Energy helps you to short circuit our human instinct to avoid change or things that are uncomfortable – that handbrake that kicks in when you think too much about something and basically think or talk yourself out of doing it or even getting started.In this episode Shandra shares:How she came across this conceptThe definition of Activation Energy that actually makes sense outside of a science labExamples of how she has used itHow you can use it to get started on things that are important to youThank you for lis

Your inner voice can give you mantras that motivate you through change, or completely drag you down....The dominant thoughts you think, what you tell yourself is hugely influential on how you feel, what you do and the results that you get... so you want to arm yourself with a few great mantras that will lift you up and motivate you - especially when you are approaching or going through a time of change...In this episode Shandra will share 7 great mantras so you can find at least one to experiment with to see how it works for you in your own work and life.She shares:The different ways mantras can be usedWhy they are helpfulA great quote from Dr SeussMantras she uses regularly When you can use mantras...And she uses the phrase 'ishy squishy'... which is potentially not even real english...Enjoy this episode and thank you for listening!PS - One of the mantra's was talked about in a bit more detail in a previous episode that you can listen to Loving Your Work and Yourself'.

How you respond and manage a high pressure situation can have a massive impact on the results that you get.No matter if you think about your work or your personal life, there are going to be high pressure situations that come up - whether you like it or not... and your ability to manage yourself and how you respond to them is a skill that is worth exploring and developing.In this episode, Shandra reflects on recent conversations about this and shares a few tips and ideas on how to build up the skills of being able to handle situations where the stakes are high.She shares:A practical example of how this played out in her work life this weekThe two paths that a high pressure situation can open upOne of her favourite quotes of all time3 practical ways you can build up your capacity to handle yourself well when there's high expectationsThe benefit of having high pressure situations in work and lifeThank you for listening!

Are you in a toxic work life or situation?Ever wondered how you can escape from one?Whether you are an employee or work for yourself the reality is there is an environment that you work in that either allows and supports you to thrive, or it undermines and depletes you…This can actually be a bit of a sneaky situation as not all toxic work can be immediately obvious… you have to be on the look out for it…So in this episode we will explore some ideas about what you can look out for, and what to do if you discover some 'toxic waste' at or around your work…In this episode we look at:How to recognize toxic workplace or situationThe impact this can have on you personally and professionallyThe warning signs to look out forStories of people dealing with toxic colleaguesWhat you can do to protect yourself in a toxic work lifeIf and when to start to create your escape planRegardless of your work situation - if you are an employee or self employed - the dangers and impact of creating or staying in a toxic work environm

Do you wish you could love your work?Have you ever thought about how loving yourself more could help you love your work more?Talking about love in the context of work is probably not something I would have thought I would ever do, but here we are...With Valentine's Day in the air it's a good opportunity to explore love in a work context and to see what the over lap is between loving your work and yourself...In this episode Shandra share's a couple of stories from her past corporate roles and recent experiments to give you some tangible examples of things you can do to love your work, and yourself, more.In this episode Shandra covers:A small act of appreciation that resulted in an ongoing passionThe definition of love that applies to workA woo woo experiment that made a massive impactAn overview of the 5 love languages and how you apply them to loving your work and yourselfThis is a bit of an interesting episode around a topic that probably isn't going to come up much, so dive in and immerse in a bit of the l

When you think about Career Reinvention do you only think about the good stuff?Did you know that career reinvention also delivers some ugly side effects?After a few conversations this week that highlighted and reminded me of the less fun sides of reinventing your career, I wanted to explore this to make sure you are aware before you launch into a major change and so you're not shocked if one of these common issues hits you in the face along the way....There's different phases that people go through when they hit a professional crossroad - some phases they stay in for loner than others.... but when you get to a point where you have made the decision to do something different, to make a change, there can be an initial buzz of adrenaline and excitement about beginning something new... and then.... there's often a crash...That sense of impending doom and questioning of what is going to happen now?!?!What was I thinking?At that stage a couple of things can happen and so in this episode I wanted to share some insig

Have you ever thought about Leadership Skills and jigsaw puzzles at the same time?Noticed any similarities in the way you approach puzzles and leadership?Yeah, it's not something I'd ever thought of before - until I decided to start a new 1000 piece jigsaw...When i hit a few hurdles and pain points I started getting curious about why I was continuing to do it - even though it was frustrating the hell out of me.... and I stumbled on some thoughts that overlapped with important leadership skills, so I thought it deserved a podcast episode to explore and share them a bit more.In this episode you will hear:How leadership is defined by the Oxford dictionaryThe 6 Leadership skills you can learn and develop from a jigsaw puzzleHow each one applies to jigsaws and leadershipIdeas for you to assist you to make progress on your most important projectsThere's also a random movie recommendation .... just to keep things interesting...Would love to know if you can think of any other leadership skills that a jigsaw puzzle ca

Do you want to feel like you are getting beyond just surviving so you can thrive this year?What do you actually need to thrive in work and life?Decades ago in the 40’s and 50’s, psychologist Abraham Maslow created a now famous model for human motivation that he called the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’.It’s a pyramid shaped model with the most basic fundamental needs at the bottom and progresses up through 5 layers towards the more sophisticated, or ‘optional’ aspect of human flourishing.Maslow believed that this top of the pyramid was the ultimate goal of all human existence…In this modern era work has expanded to become a n even bigger part of how we spend our time, and a massive contributor to if we feel like we are able to thrive.More and more people are opting to do work that feels more meaningful to them, and for many people – myself included! - the ‘optional’ pursuit of the top of Maslow’s pyramid feels less optional and more like a driving force in life and work.What about you? What do you need to thrive this y

Why is it that SO MANY people fail their new year resolutions?Is it even possible not to????A massive percentage of people will have 'failed' their resolutions by the second week of January and another massive chunk will have abandoned them by February...So why do people bother setting them and is there a better way?I think setting goals is way more effective than creating resolutions - even though they can be helpful.Thinking about resolutions at this time of year can be great as a marker of time and to get a bit of leverage on resetting goals BUT just plucking a resolution for the sake of it is almost doomed to fail....In this episode Shandra reveals a famous goal setting study that is often quoted that is actually a lie and the one that is true.She talks you through:How and why resolutions and goals can go badlyWhat to look out for when setting resolutions or goals3 research insights you can actually use in real lifeThe way to do it that sets you up to be more likely to succeedThe link between mindfulness