My father was a Holocaust survivor and partisan, fighting with the underground resistance in Eastern Europe for the lives and freedom of those targeted during World War II. He was an ordinary man living an extraordinary life. The lessons he taught me were steeped in the wisdom of a journey lived deeply despite great pain.

My father would have been 95 years old now. Today, on the tenth anniversary of his passing, I share some of my favorites with you here, in his memory and honor.

• Be Good To Yourself – Treating yourself well – with respect, kindness, and compassion – influences the people in your life to treat you similarly.
• Don’t Take No For An Answer – Everything is negotiable. You may not always get the “yes” you want, but you do not have to settle for a “no” either; look for a middle ground that satisfies at least one of your priorities.
• If It’s Not One Way, Then It’s Another – There is always more than one way to do things. Remember to think creatively and outside of the box to achieve your goals. When one approach doesn’t work, try a different one.
• Failing Is Not An Option – Giving up was not an option in our home growing up. My Dad gave us no choice but to succeed – a terrific motivator for eliminating hesitation and challenging yourself to find a way to get what you want.

Do you find yourself thinking you cannot get the job or career you genuinely want?

Right after graduating with my psychotherapy degree, I had a hard time finding a job in the field. I started thinking that, after three years committed to pursuing my dream career, I would have to give up and go back to practicing law. Feeling defeated, I began interviewing for legal jobs. And then I remembered: failing was not an option. I changed my mindset and restarted my career search by calling everyone in my network who might have a lead for me. Eight weeks later I accepted an offer for a position as a trauma therapist and I was on my way. Thanks to my father’s words of wisdom.

If you are finding yourself challenged and in need of some guidance, encouragement and career strategy, please reach out at 215-260-4881 for a complimentary 15-minute phone call and we can talk about how I may help you. If you know of anyone who might need my help, please don’t hesitate to pass this email on to them.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Gail