My Union Journal

Have you ever considered writing a career journal?  First, you should know what a career journal is.  Well, it pretty much explains itself.  Simply put, you write about your career; past, present and future.  Yes, write about all the jobs you have ever had since you first began working.  Record details that you really like and disliked about certain professions.  Write about what you currently like and dislike about your present day career.  And, write about what you would like to do in the future, even if it seems like a pipe dream right now.

Consider this, if you set down, not necessarily in one session and write about your career and everything you have ever done, it could prove extremely beneficial.  When you need to update that resume, you could quickly reference your journal for a recap.  More importantly, you could put all the pros and cons of your past and current positions into their respective categories.

Next, take a long hard look at the pros section of your list and decide if your current career is fulfilling most of those pros.  If not, you should consider what kind of career would fulfill those pros and start going for it.  Most people change careers at least 7 to 10 times in their life.  If you set a goal, know what you like and dislike about certain jobs, then you can really go for your dreams.

So, create a career journal today right here with MUJ!  It may just make your professional life much more fulfilling someday.

What an interesting time to be watching the gas prices fall.  On one month the average gas prices have fallen from $3.14 per gallon to $1.92 per gallon.  And the average gas prices have fallen daily for the past 50+ days.  Why is this a good topic to journal about?  Well, it is historic.

Do you remember a time in your life when you have seen gas prices swing so high and then all of a sudden drop so low and so quickly?  It is in fact a wonderful boost to our terrible economic condition to have cheaper gas prices, and you may find it interesting to chronicle in your personal journal. 

You may want to even do a little research on why gas prices have all of a sudden fallen so drastically, but I will give you a clue.  One huge reason is that gas prices follow the price of crude oil in the commodoties market.  The price of a barrell of oil (crude oil) has fallend from around $150 to around $60 now.  That is a huge drop and it is clearly reflected in gas prices. 

So, definately make a journal entry today about gas prices in your area and even write about what you are going to do with the extra money you are saving on gas.  Happy Journaling!

Are you the type of person who likes to blame everyone else or other external forces for everything that is going bad in your life?  Maybe you don’t even realize it, but just think for a moment.  When something goes badly at work, do you say “Why does that always have to happen to me?”  Or, do you say something like, “When am I going to catch my big break?”  Maybe you are setting yourself up for failure and a life of disappointment just in the way you think and talk. 

Why don’t you try this first.  Write you your journal about the good things going on in your life and write about some of the things you would like to accomplish.  This will start putting you in a positive frame of mind and it will also give you an opportunity to see in writing what you really want out of life.  Maybe you have never really thought about it, but we all really want something.  So go for it.

Next, change your bad habit of negative talk and negative questioning.  When you go to work and something goes wrong, for example, with a co-worker.  Ask yourself, “what can I do to make this situation better”, and then do it.  If you are passed over for a raise, ask yourself, “how can I increase my job performance to make sure I am the next in line for promotion?”  Never assume that just because you are there and have been loyal to your job for a long time that everything is going to go your way.

Practice positive thinking and positive questioning outside of work too.  How about in your personal finances.  Instead of asking yourself why you never have any money, ask yourself what you can do to stretch your dollar further, and then act on it!  Do not ever assume anyone around you is going to take responsibility for making sure you are best served.  You are really responsible for your own destiny and anything good and/or bad that may come your way.

Sure, we all have bad days, but just always pick yourself up and begin asking yourself, “how can I make tomorrow better?”  Enjoy life, it is but a fleeting moment, and don’t forget to practice some of these techniques in your journal just to get in the habit of thinking and questioning in a positive manner.

Don’t forget to vote tomorrow (11/04/2008).  It is one of our most precious rights as Americans living in this democracy.  You should certainly exercise that right.  Even if you have to wait in line; suck it up and go vote.  There are so many citizens of other countries that would absolutely love to vote for their leaders and representatives.  Don’t take it for granted.

After you vote, come back to MUJ and create a journal or login to your journal and write about your voting experience.  It is a historical election and it will be nice to look back on your journal in a few years to see whether you chose McCain or Obama, and also write about your voting experience.  Maybe you are going to vote at a local community center or at your courthouse; well write about it.  What kind of ballot did you cast (electronic or other)?  How long did you wait in line?  Was the voting process easy?  Or any number of issues that arise while you vote.

We only have the opportunity to vote for our President every four years, so it is certainly important that you vote.  And, it is a great idea to record your experience right here in your journal!  Go vote.