Living The Dream

a guidebook for job seekers

and career explorers

Enlightened Woman 14 September/October 2004

BY JULIE CORDOVA

Julie Cordova is currently attending The University of Denver where her

“Connections” column can be read in The Weekender newsletter. As a professional

organizer, she helps others formulate a home that supports the life of their dreams.

Julie explores life with her husband, Phillip, and their sons, Anthony and JP.

By Melanie Mulhall,

Dragonheart,

2002, 26.95

In a perfect world everyone would live just the way they wanted.

They’d spend their days doing what they love. For centuries

philosophers and theologians have believed that anyone could

eventually go to this perfect world and live the perfect life. They

named this idyllic place Heaven. However, there are glimpses of this

heaven right here on earth. You’ll see it whenever you meet someone

who is really having a good time working. They like their job. I mean

they really like it. They are actively and joyfully participating in society

and that is a wonderful way to trade their most precious commodity

– their time. Sure there might be bad days, but those days won’t take

away the passion and pleasure of the job itself. Do you have a job like

that? Do you want one? Well, author and career coach, Melanie

Mulhall believes you can have one and she’s written a book, Living

the Dream a guidebook for job seekers and career explorers, to help

you find it.

I am glad I read this book. Let’s face it. We all have to work, somehow,

someway, whether it is out of our home or in our home and

whether it is for financial reasons or just for spiritual reasons.

Fulfillment seems to be the true theme of Mulhall’s message. She

spends less time going over job search tips and resume hints, which

were all beneficial and insightful when she gave them, and keeps the

focus on personal job fulfillment. She does this through a wide variety

of intense questionnaires and sample stories. Even just skimming over

the questions was enough for me to gain some insights. I can only

imagine what I would learn about myself if I really took the time to

answer all the questions in detail. I didn’t answer the questions

because I wanted to keep my focus on the book as a reviewer.

With that said, let me tell you about the creative way Ms. Mulhall

pulls the reader into what could be a rather dry subject matter. She

likens a career search to planning and taking a journey. Traveling is

often exciting and adventurous and let’s face it, sometimes things go

wrong – so it isn’t always like visiting heaven even if you are traveling

through paradise. Preparation and the right mind set are the keys

to enjoying the journey, Mulhall explains and she guides you through

the emotional and mental preparation so you can have the right mindset,

not only in seeking the job but in retaining one as well.

A CD accompanies the book to aid you with some of the guided

imagery exercises included in the text. Voiceover artist, Ron Grandia,

walks you through the exercises with a gentle, soothing tone. I’d recommend

listening to the CD at night, just before going to sleep especially

if you are feeling tense about your job search. The exercises are

uplifting and insightful meditations. I especially like the last exercise

entitled “The Hoop of Loving”.

The bio does a phenomenal job giving the reader insight into the

author. With this type of book, the credentials of the author are almost

as important as the advice being given. Here is a sampling of that bio:

“After twenty years in the field of human resources, Melanie Mulhall

left corporate America …and transformed her life. She has been

assisting others in transforming their lives ever since…she describes

herself as a midwife of the human spirit.”

I just love that statement. Don’t you? I also think it says a lot about

the author. Giving birth to ourselves and our lives is a labor of love.So

knowing you have a midwife’s assistance to help you through the

painful process is comforting. You can expect that assistance when

reading this “guidebook for job seekers and career explorers.” The bio

goes on to include the following, “Grounded in both traditional business

methodologies and those oriented to Universal Principles,

Melanie practices her belief that life is a participation sport requiring

both the left and right brain, best enacted using all parts of the human

four-fold nature: mind, body, spirit, and emotions.”

I can’t imagine a job seeker not gaining a soulful or soul – full of

information by picking up this book and reading it. Even if you are

not currently seeking a job in this job market it would be wise to read

this book now, in preparation for a time when you may be ready or

maybe forced into looking. You can’t go wrong because you will still

gain insights that will help you in your current position and that is

really what any journey is about; mindset and preparation. I think this

is a wonderful tool to help prepare you on your journey toward Living

the Dream.