Happy Friday Friends! Are you ready for the weekend? Are you ready to take advantage of the next few days? I know I am!

If you knew that you were guaranteed your dream job in exactly six months, what would be your first thought? Would you be ready? Would you be waiting? After the initial excitement wears off, I think I would be kicking it into high gear! This is your dream job! I think for most of us it is not something we would take lightly.

Now is the time to build a life raft.

If this is something that could be a reality for you, there's no better time than now. Figure out just what you need to do to be ready when that glorious moment arrives! Maybe you only have a small amount to do and your life raft is a little animal floatie or you have a lot to tackle and you need a giant sailing ship. Regardless of how much is left to be done, you can do it!

This is the time to get all of your questions answered. If it helps, make a checklist and divide it into smaller, manageable portions. What can be taken care of in a matter of minutes? What will require more preparation and finesse?

Figure out what you're good at, and find a way to market those skills. Are there any areas that could use improvement? Any skills you need to brush up on? Find solutions to target these particular things. You want to shine your brightest!

 If you're starting over in a new career, or just changing focus, you may need to revamp your resume and portfolio. I've found it helpful to do "mock" projects. What kind of products do you want to sell? What services do you plan to offer? Start thinking about and designing these items now! That way you'll already have some inventory ready and waiting.

There are also the big matters of insurance, income projections, record-keeping, etc. Don't leave out these big guys in your excitement! They can't (and won't!) be ignored...and it's best to get them out of the way in the beginning stages.

While you're getting ready for your debut, start networking in the field you're going to enter. It may even be helpful to get a part time job or internship if your schedule allows. Make friends. Attend conferences. Volunteer. Exchange stories. Make sure to support their dreams too!

The important thing is to ready yourself for your new life. Be prepared. Do the work. And when that moment comes, be waiting with arms wide open!

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

{Image 1: Make Your Own Luck by Jessica Swift  Image 2: I Don't Know How to Swim by Jessica Swift}