Jane wrote to me recently because she wants to move abroad, she’s interested in creating a portable career, but she doesn’t know where to begin.
Jane writes:
“I need something that does not require a long learning curve or establishing-oneself curve. There are, of course, other people on the Net who want to sell me some course or another with glowing reports of how much money one can make, and with very little report of the downsides of the work.”
I don’t have any specific suggestions for Jane, because I have no idea what her interests, skills and strengths are. I suspect, since she doesn’t know where to begin, that she needs some help sorting out which of her interests might translate into a portable career.
My prescription for Jane: some sessions with an expat life coach.
Last year I wrote a three-part series on coaching as a benefit for expats and also as a portable career for expats. (Read Part I here, Part II here and Part III here.)
If you’re unsure of what you bring to the table, a coach can help you in much less time than it takes to flounder around on your own. Coaching will cost you something, but can save a lot more in the long run.
However, if your budget is really tight, there are also some coaching programs worth looking into.
One that I like is Barrie Davenport’s Live Bold & Bloom. She’s expanded it from her original offering (which I reviewed here).
In addition to the program, she’s added a set of Bold Living Guides. These are six personal development guides which can be purchased as a set or individually. (You save quite a bit when you buy the set.)
These Guides cover the most essential areas of personal growth with specific strategies and simple action steps for creating a better, fuller, and happier life.
They’re designed beautifully, and provide tips, how-to’s and terrific strategies for positive life changes. They cover
- Self-Awareness and Personal Growth
- Passion and Purpose
- Positive Change and Simple Productivity
- A Healthy Lifestyle for Body, Mind and Spirit
- Amazing Relationships
- Professional and Financial Well Being
If you’d like more than the Guides, Barrie’s now offering three levels of her Live Bold & Bloom program. Each includes the basic program, with increasing levels of additional goodies.
It might be just what Jane needs to blossom as an expat.
Do you have some ideas that Jane can use to figure out the best portable career for herself? Leave a comment below.