The Aloha Friday Newsletter

A joyous ALOHA FRIDAY everyone!

I am finally back on the island (for now) after spending another amazing weekend in my old haunt of Silicon Valley for the (sold out!) StrongHER conference.

And, WOW! I had an absolutely fantastic time surrounded by badass women who are determined to not only be successful careerwomen but also joyful and fulfilled in all aspects of their lives.

A huge, huge shoutout and thank you to the StrongHER leaders Joy Sheppard and Judy Truong for bringing these inspiring women together and for inviting me to be your keynote speaker and talk about work-life harmony, the vitality of joy as a part of true success, and the power of community in Bloom !

And, on that note, I wanted to share a question that I heard over and over again at StrongHER, that I think so many of us struggle to answer, and even when we have the answer, are afraid to act on it.

So, let me help you.

Dear Aunty Dana Mahina...

…I’m feeling stagnant and stuck in my career. How can I tell if I need to move up and out of my current job?

This one is a hard one, especially if you’ve been working at the same company for years. You’ve sunk in time, energy, and emotions to get where you are now. But when you hit your head on whatever glass ceiling the company has installed (and trust me I have hit my head HARD back in my Silicon Valley days), you have to move up and out.

What does that mean?

It means you have to make a shift in your career path, not only by moving to a company that better aligns with your values but will also advance yourself toward your career goals.

And to do this well, you need to have a plan.

Start with Confidence

Most of us, especially women, have imposter syndrome BAD. And it always rears its ugly head when we start looking for a new job. What am I worth? Am I really qualified to do that job? What if I try and fail?

All these thoughts are normal but don’t let them take hold of you.

Now, is not the time for humility. Shout your strengths from the rooftops!!

I’m generalizing, but in my experience, men in similar situations tend to jump in feet first. We need to be as confident! And if you’re not there yet, start working on building that skill .

Let me give you an example. An old boss of mine was asked to give a speech about a topic that wasn’t something he knew well. But he accepted immediately because the perks and exposure were so alluring. Once he accepted, he started researching and learning about the topic. And, by the time he gave the speech, he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

I was in the crowd when he told everyone this story, and I heard many women audibly gasp in disbelief. They couldn’t fathom taking on anything that they weren’t already confident and comfortable with and then shoring up their knowledge after the fact.

Ladies, we need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Instead of simply saying “No” to opportunities and referring others who we believe are more qualified, we need to say “Yes, and.”

Learn to take calculated risks. That’s how you grow.

Have faith in your abilities but also don’t be afraid to launch into a new, exciting opportunity even if you don’t feel 100% qualified. Trust yourself to be smart and capable enough to tackle any challenges on the way.

Act As If

Now that you’re working on real confidence, it’s time to start acting as if.

Acting as if means doing the role that you are passionate about no matter what. Go for what you’re great at and don’t stop until you get it.

Collaboration is key here. Resist the urge to work on this alone because you’re embarrassed or afraid people will tell you you are being unrealistic with your goals. I know it’s cliche but two heads really are better than one, and you will find yourself much more innovative if you have someone or someones to bounce ideas off.?

And don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you have a position you’re dying for, reach out to others to ask if you can shadow them for a day or sit down with them over a coffee and pick their brains about how you can get into the same position. Most people love talking about themselves and things they are passionate about, so ask away!

Have an End Goal

This may go without saying, but you have to act with a plan that leads to an end goal. And not an ethereal end goal like, “I want to love my job.” While that is a nice thing to want, to be successful you need your end goal to be something specific, that you can aim for directly and create clear steps to achieve. It needs to be S.M.A.R.T .

Figure out what those are, and when you make the move, make 100% sure that it is in the direction you want to go.

Have a question you’d like me to answer in the next newsletter? Drop a comment below or DM me!

Tools to Embrace Your Joy and Lead Your Life

Until Next Time,