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How to Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume

April 15, 2017 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

Done some cool service work? Here’s how to include volunteer work on your resume.

How to Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume VickiTillmanCoaching.com

How to Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume

One of the most frequent concerns my career coaching clients express- whether they are professionals changing careers or recent college graduates- is having enough experience for a new job.

  • The seasoned professionals fear that they are locked into their present field.
  • The recent graduates have little job experience to show on their resumes.

What to do?

Show volunteer work!

I tell them: Volunteer work can be recorded on your resume in the same way that you showed your other work experience.

Here is how to include volunteer work on your resume.

1) Get started: Make a list of service work that you have done in recent years. This work can include:

  • Non-profits
  • Community organizations
  • Church or religious organizations

2) Give each service you have done a *job title*. This can be unofficial as in *Sound Technician at Town Holiday Events* or officially-given names *Treasurer for Snerdlyville Community Church*.

3) Write a job description for each volunteer job title. As in any job experience, you will use these tips:

  • Describe your jobs in terms of:
    • accomplishments
    • leadership
    • problems solved
    • challenges overcome
    • results and positive impact for the organization or community. Make clear what was changed by your work
    • note that it was a volunteer (unpaid) position
  • Include numbers, if possible, such as “Created program to feed 20 families in neighborhood weekly” or “Helped 10 troubled youth graduate each year”.
  • Note #hours you spent in total for a single project or weekly hours for more ongoing projects.
  • Include action verbs. This post includes some *power words*.
  • Include job-specific words. Look at the job description for the position you want. Catch the keywords that are important to the job. If the organization you are hoping for uses Applicant Tracking System, the keywords will help your resume get flagged for a viewing by human eyes (otherwise, the ATS will simply pass it by).
  • If you can specify the percentage of time you spent on each of the tasks you describe.
  • Don’t forget to include dates of service (just like you do on any job experience).

4) Add your new volunteer experiences to your career experience section of your resume. Simply integrate the volunteer positions into your job list.

5) Tweak your resume so that you have several versions. For each position you are interested in, adapt the resume by removing volunteer positions that have nothing to do with that job. BUT don’t sell yourself short. When in doubt, include the volunteer position (as long as you are still on a one-page resume required by many hiring professionals).

Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults VickiTillmanCoaching.com

I remind my clients that while we often volunteer to make the world a better place, we also reap the reward of making our resumes *better places, too*.

You can get started with your own career-change exploration by downloading: Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults.

For more tips and help in changing careers or starting out after graduation, contact me soon!

How to Include Volunteer Work on Your Resume

Filed Under: Career Choice Tagged With: career change, Career Coaching, Resume, volunteer work on resume

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3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

March 21, 2017 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

Been wondering how to always be right? Here are 3 steps for getting life right all the time.

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

“I just want to get it right!”

“If I can’t do it with excellence, I will wait until I can.”

“If I can’t figure out the RIGHT thing to do, I must be all wrong.”

I often hear statements like this from my clients. Like many people, they are sincere and just want to get life (career, relationships, stuff) right.

I love to share my 3 steps for getting life right!

Step 1

Beware of “Perfection Paralysis” (as one of my perfectionistic friends calls it)

While you shouldn’t make a life goal of doing a lousy job at everything, you become excellent at whatever you do by much practice. If you wait until you’re perfect, you won’t ever get started, much less arrive. Getting life right happens as you intentionally gain experience on journey.

Guiding principle: Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. GK Chesterton

Step 2

Beware of “The Arrival Myth”

You don’t arrive. I can remember being a young mother who was deluded by the thought that when I reached the ripe old age of 30, I will have arrived. I would have my stuff together, my family will be perfect, and I would be living a comfortable, steady-as-she-goes lifestyle.

In the 21st century, most people don’t get one career, one house, one set of interests and the settle down into comfortable mediocrity. Instead, the staples of life like career, living location, even church often shift many times.

Guiding Principle: Today, life isn’t a destination. As long as you are this side of heaven, you never arrive. If you surrender the Arrival Myth and make up your mind to enjoy the adventure that you are on, you won’t miss what God is doing in and through you.

Step 3

Live life “good enough”

So, really, you can’t get it right, right now and expect it to stick. You can’t do life perfectly but you can keep at it. You must simply do life “good enough”and learn to enjoy the process.

That doesn’t mean living lazily or sloppily, it just means that you can live life (career, relationships, stuff) remembering you are on the journey: there isn’t ONE place that you will land and then be “okay”, you must be “okay” where you are.

Guiding Principle: How do you do life “good enough”?

  • Be thankful for what you have.
  • Daily find moments of awe.
  • Take care of what you have gratefully (your body, your soul, your relationships, your stuff).
  • Handle your career faithfully and wisely, understanding that things will change. (Keep your LinkedIn updated and your resume sharp.)
  • Always keep learning.
  • Remember that service to others is foundational for success.

Okay, so there aren’t 3 steps for getting life right all the time. There are simply steps for living your journey well.

When you’re ready for coaching with a wise guide, contact me. We can talk in person, by phone or Skype and help you understand yourself/others and enjoy the fulfilling next steps in your life!

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

Filed Under: Career Choice, Healthy Lifestyle, Life transitions, Self-discovery Tagged With: Career Choice, Getting life right, Healthy lifestyle, Life transitions

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3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

February 27, 2017 by Vicki Tillman 2 Comments

There are so many more ways but here are at least 3 ways to stop wasting your life.

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

As a life coach and as a counselor, I get 3 kinds of clients who wake up one morning in despair that they’ve been wasting their lives:

  • Millennials, when they turn 30 they realize their young adulthood has gone…and what have they got to show for it?
  • Gen X’ers, when they turn 45…and realize that many opportunities they’d hoped for are lost, so what is left?
  • Boomers, when they hit 60 or retirement…and realize that their satisfaction with life is SO much less than they had expected, what happens now?

Those pivotal moments include most of us at one time or another. These are moments of fear, despair or regret. What can be done?

Here are 3 ways to stop wasting your life.

* Do good deeds. Daily. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Joining an organization and volunteering frequently
  • Holding doors open for people
  • Smiling at cashiers and wishing them a good day
  • Giving affirmations to family members
  • Including newcomers in conversations and activities

Doing good deeds makes you a better person- and you’ll feel better, too. Volunteer work and acts of kindness help lower anxiety (even social anxiety).

*Find beauty. Habitually. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Noticing cloud formations
  • Stoping and watching sunrises or sunsets
  • Learning some constellations
  • Looking for flowers, trees and birds
  • Paying attention to artwork and music
  • Going to a play or concert

When we stop to experience beauty, we often feel a sense of awe. Research shows that when people feel awe, they shift from ego-centrism to a feeling of loving-kindness and helpful behaviors. This is good for us and for others.

*Practice gratitude. Daily. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Keeping a written journal listing things and people you are grateful for
  • Saying thank you often
  • Setting a timer for 3 moments each day. When the timer goes off, state out loud the things you are grateful for

These practices may seem simple, but they are life-changing. These are ways to stop wasting your life and truly making your life matter.

Recently a friend passed away after years of several chronic illnesses. This wonderful woman had lived for years tethered to oxygen tanks and other health problems. Despite her limits she raised her 5 sons (and homeschooled them K-12) and was an active member in her homeschool community.

She also volunteered frequently at her favorite (and my favorite) charity: Urban Promise. When she was healthy she helped on campus, after that she developed summer curriculum, had the staff for dinners and parties at her house, prayed for them constantly.

Rather than seclude herself because of her illness, she shook her fist at the physical onslaughts and made a difference in the world. At her memorial service the church was overflowing with grateful family, friends, and volunteer colleagues. She did not waste her life.

One thing my friend, Lisa, did was pray. She shared her prayers in a journal for those with chronic illness. The downloadable prayer journal is only $2.99. Her publisher is now giving the entire proceeds from God Meets Me Here to Urban Promise. Will you download a copy today?

Stop wasting your life. The more you give in service, beauty and gratitude, the more your life will be truly good.

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle, Life transitions, Self-discovery Tagged With: Stop wasting your life

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10 Reasons Why and How You Should Practice Mindfulness

February 13, 2017 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

Here are 10 reasons why and how you should practice mindfulness.

Woman writer concept. Student thinking and writing notes. Joyful happy girl sitting writing and reading outdoors on the nature.

10 Reasons Why and How You Should Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness simply put, is the practice of calming yourself. If you haven’t made a mindfulness activity part of your day, now’s the time to start. Here are 10 reasons why and how you should practice mindfulness.

Why should you practice mindfulness?Progressive Relaxation

*It’s hip. Really, so get hip and practice mindfulness.

*It’s good for your body. When you practice mindfulness your body slows down. A good mindfulness session will lower your blood pressure and may boost your immune system.

*It’s good for your mood. Mindfulness increases the activity in the part of your brain the creates positive mood. It also calms you down and increase your ability to regulate your emotions (ability to keep yourself from loosing your temper).

*It’s good for your memory and ability to learn. Mindfulness over time increases the gray matter in your brain, especially in the hippocampus region. The hippocampus is in charge of memory and learning.

*It’s good for people who have PTSD. The Veterans Administration even has a mindfulness app for PTSD.

How do you practice mindfulness?Ignatian Examen

There are many ways to practice mindfulness. The main thing to think about it when choosing mindfulness practices is: You want to find a way to calm down. Here are some suggestions:

*Deep breathing. The best way I know to practice deep breathing is Progressive Relaxation. Download the freebie how-to.

*Ignatian examen. This is a mindful examination of God’s work around you and in you. Download the freebie how-to.

*Mindful walking. Take a nice walk. Choose a place with trees. Pay attention to the sights, sounds and smells around you.

*Knitting. Knitting is actually a mindful activity.

*Coloring. Calmly coloring, noticing what you are doing without judging your work, is a great mindful activity. Download freebie Spring, Autumn, Summer, Winter mindfulness coloring pages.

That’s 10 why’s and how’s. Here’s a bonus how-to: *Keep a gratitude journal. Think calmly and hand-write things you are grateful for. It is a deeply calming activity.

There are many other mindful activities. Try some out. Give yourself 8 weeks of daily mindfulness and compare how you feel before and after. I’ll bet you are calmer, happier, and mentally sharper.

10 Reasons Why and How You Should Practice Mindfulness

Research on mindfulness for this post:

Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation.

Greater Good Review of Studies on Mindfulness.

Greater Good: A Little Meditation Goes a Long Way.

VA: PTSD and Mindfulness.

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle Tagged With: Mindfulness

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7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

January 30, 2017 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

 

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

7 Productive Things to Do Immediately After Losing a Job VickiTIllmanCoaching.com

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

Losing a job sucks. You feel rotten. But the days immediately after losing a job are not the days to sit around watching old YouTube channels or playing solitaire.

The best idea for those days right after being downsized, outsourced, job eliminated, whatever… is to keep some momentum going. That way depression and discouragement doing set in and get you stuck in the job-hunt-procrastination mire.

So, here are 7 productive things to do immediately after losing a job:

*Make a resource list that you can email, phone or visit.

  • Professional contacts and colleagues
  • Family and friends
  • Pastor and other community leaders you know

*Update resume and create a cover letter template. You will probably need several versions of each but if you have a master copy edited and ready to adapt, you will be ready to pounce on opportunities when they arise.

*Update your LinkedIn profile. This is a must.

*Update or upgrade any certifications you hold. You know it…you’ve been putting off dealing with this. Updated and upgraded certifications help open doors. Even if you’re not behind on anything, find a course or two to take.

*Do an internet brainstorm session. Explore:

  • US Department of Labor’s onetonline.org
  • Job sites like Indeed, Monster, etc
  • Lots of posts on this website. Here’s one.

*Start volunteering. Volunteering is good for many reasons:

  • Meet new people/networking
  • Adding to your skill set
  • Keeps you from stagnating in front of a computer screen
  • Fends off some of your anxiety and increases happiness levels

    Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults VickiTillmanCoaching.com

    Get started on your journey with the Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults.

*Get some Career Coaching. Contact me. I can help you with each of the above, as well as exploring new careers if you are ready for that adventure. Don’t lose time when you’ve lost a job. Email me today to set up an in-person, Skype or phone appointment.

You can also download this inspiring Career Exploration Guide to get started.

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

Filed Under: Career Choice, Life transitions, Skills for Success, Uncategorized Tagged With: career change, Job hunt, lost job

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3 Ways to Beat 3 Kinds of Stress

January 21, 2017 by Vicki Tillman 1 Comment

Want help? Here are 3 ways to beat 3 kinds of stress.

3 Ways to Beat 3 Kinds of Stress

Ever thought that there might be more than one kind of stress? Surprise! There are at least 3 kinds of stress (some folks even describe more than 3).

SO much stress! What can you do about it? Here are 3 ways to beat 3 kinds of stress:

Normal Life Stress: This is what we typically think about when we describe stress. Normal life stress is simply the feeling we get when:

  • There is too much to do and too little time or too few resources
  • No one is listening to you
  • Things feel out of control

What to do about normal life stress? Here are 3 ideas:

  • Make a to-do list and then cross off all the unrealistic items.
  • Tell yourself that you can do this! (calmly and repeatedly)
  • When no one is listening, then evaluate: Does the subject need to be dropped? Am I saying things over and over; or saying them too loudly? Are my listeners simply being unkind-should I talk to someone else?
  • Change the things you can change and let go of the things you can’tProgressive Relaxation

Eustress: This is the cool kind of stress we feel when we have a LOT of cool stuff happening all at once. We feel happy but our bodies recognize eustress as any other stress. Eustress causes the formation of stress hormones- like adrenaline and cortisol (fight or flight hormones). Manage those feelings with

  • Progressive relaxation at least once per day (download a freebie how-to here)
  • Ignatian Examen at bedtime (download a freebie how-to here)
  • Practice thankfulness

Anxiety: Too much stress for too long can turn into anxiety. Anxiety can become a psychological issue if it goes on too long or is too intense with worry and physical discomfort. Before it gets out of hand, try these:

  • Get some counseling. Counseling is different from coaching. Counselors help heal the pain causing the anxiety.Confidence-Building Skills for Meeting New People VickiTillmanCoaching.com
  • Get some life coaching. Life coaching helps you reduce anxiety by rediscovering who you are, what dreams God gave you to dream, and find ways to develop the tools to make those dreams happen.
  • Tackle some of your fears- like meeting new people. Download this freebie.

Life coaching and Career Coaching help you recalibrate your goals and your self-understanding. Coaching is a great stress buster. For coaching with a coach who is expert, who is experienced, who is compassionate and who believes in you contact me today!

We will work in person at Pike Creek Psychological Center, by phone or Skype.

3 Ways to Beat 3 Kinds of Stress

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle, Self-knowledge, Skills for Success Tagged With: Healthy lifestyle, Stress

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How to Prepare for a Big Interview

January 9, 2017 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

Here is how to prepare for a big interview.

How to Prepare for a Big Interview VickiTillmanCoaching.com

How to Prepare for a Big Interview

Finally got that big interview you’ve been hoping for?

You don’t want to mess around with this one! Here’s how to prepare for a big interview.

*Research the company ahead of time. Know:

  • A basic history of the company
  • Company mission and values
  • If possible, find out who will interview you and read their Linked in profile(s).

*Rehearse answers to basic interview questions. Give examples from your life where possible:

  • Tell us about yourself. (How much can you fit in 1 or 2 sentences- make it an elevator pitch/squeeze your resume into 2 or 3 sentences.)
  • Why do you want to work for us?
  • What is your greatest strength/weakness?
  • Give examples of how you deal with conflict with colleagues/bosses?
  • What are your salary expectations?
  • How have you overcome challenges on your previous job?
  • Tell about a failure you’ve had at work and how you handled it.
  • How do you deal with unexpected events?
  • Give an example of your innovative thinking.
  • Of which accomplishments in your life are you most proud?
  • What have you learned about yourself during your career?
  • Who has mentored you? What made them good mentors?
  • How has your day been?
  • Why should we hire you?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  • Be prepared for a couple of goofy questions (not all ask questions like this but when they do, they are looking for creative thinking and the ability to problem-solve…thus, there are no right/wrong answers)
    • What did you make for supper last night?
    • How many beachballs fit in a minivan?
    • What would you do if you won the lottery?
    • Describe yourself in 2 words.
  • Do you have any questions for us? Yes, you do. Here are some:
    • What are some goals you have for new hires?
    • What is a typical day for my job title?
    • What is the training process for this job?
    • What do you like best about this company?
    • What are some challenges the company faces in the next few years?
    • What is the corporate culture here?
    • Where will the company be in 5 years?
    • How soon should I follow up?

Be ready, be sharp:

  • Know where you are going ahead of time
  • Make sure clothes are clean, pressed and shoes shined ahead of time
  • Dress professionally (If possible, find out what people wear in the office and mimic that, otherwise go full professional.)
  • Bring several extra copies of resume
  • Arrive 10-15 minutes early

*Before you enter the building, do this:

  • Make sure buttons are buttoned and zippers zipped
  • Turn off cell phone
  • Put your hands on hips (arms akimbo) and count to 15 (gives a confidence-inducing dose of testosterone)
  • Put your shoulders back, chin up and Mona-Lisa smile (Keep it that way as much as possible the rest of the time at the company.)

*Upon entering the building:

  • Be warm and friendly to everyone you meet
  • Use a firm handshake

*During the interview:

  • Keep those shoulders back, chin up and smile where appropriate
  • Keep hands on legs, sit straight, don’t fidget BUT
  • Subtly match non-verbals of interviewers, if possible
  • When leaving the room at the end of the interview, walk confidently (shoulders back, chin up, smiling)

*After the interview:

  • Send a thank you note

Contact me for Career Coaching and help for the job search process.

You go! You’re going to do a great job at that big interview!

How to Prepare for a Big Interview

Filed Under: Life transitions, Skills for Success Tagged With: Career Coaching, Interview skills

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How Not to Lose It: 3 W’s of Composure

January 1, 2017 by Vicki Tillman 2 Comments

Here’s how not to lose it: 3 W’s of Composure.

How Not to Lose It: 3 W's of Composure VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 W’s of Composure

Ever noticed that every time you lose it, no one remembers WHY you lost it? They only remember that you’re the kind of person who loses it.

In fact, losing it generally gives folks permission to discount anything you had to say. That’s not good if you’re trying to:

  • Make an impact at work
  • Get a loved one to understand what you need and why
  • Sway the opinions of a committee on something important to you
  • Prevent a bully from badgering you
  • Stop an injustice

The problem with losing it is that…you lose it- your power, your influence.

You start out with good composure then the person you are dealing with does or says something or simply marginalizes your input. It’s just too hard. You start to steam. Fight or flight kicks in. So you fight or flee.

Then nothing good happens.

So how do you maintain composure?

Train yourself well on the 3 W’s.

What am I feeling? Train yourself to quickly assess what you’re feeling. That may sound irritating and slow, but think about it. When you explode, meltdown, lose it you’re not really aware of what you’re feeling. You’re simply gut reacting. Take control. Ask yourself: What am I feeling?

Why am I feeling that way? Quickly ask yourself why you’re feeling what you’re feeling. There’s a reason for what you’re feeling. No one’s listening, people are being rude, your thoughts are being discounted, you are being insulted…

What am I going to do about it? This is the important one. Make a decision. The minute you make a decision, if it is a rational decision, your neural activity switches from the fight-or-flight area of the brain to the frontal lobe of your brain. That’s the part of the brain where you are smart, strong and savvy. 

You can decide:

  • To stop talking and breathe, biding your time until you have more allies
  • To walk away
  • To stop talking until your composure returns
  • Move to Hawaii…whateverProgressive Relaxation

While it may take a while to restore calm inside, your demeanor will look more like composure. This keeps you in a place of grace and power.

Of course, the 3 W’s are difficult to manage if you are experiencing HALT. The folks from AA learned this years ago: If you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, it is darned hard to be rational.

That means whenever possible, as much as you have control over it: Don’t go into a tense situation before mealtime, when you’re already irritated, when you are feeling rejected, or you slept dismally last night.

If you don’t have control over your condition, keep breathing and keep plugging through the 3 W’s. Keep your composure!Ignatian Examen

It helps to practice mindfulness of some kind. My 2 favorite mindful activities are Progressive Relaxation and the Ignatian Examen.

When you’re ready for some coaching to help keep you in an empowered-communication place, contact me.

3 W’s of Composure

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle, Relationship Skills Tagged With: 3 W's, Composure, Relationship Skills

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A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

December 12, 2016 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next? VickiTillmanCoaching.com

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

An engagement ring… A wedding in the upcoming year…So much to do…What should you do next?

Before you get too deep in:

  • dresses
  • venues
  • officiants
  • flowers
  • in-laws
  • wedding party
  • reception

you should get involved with THE best thing you and your fiance could do for yourselves:

Pre-Marital Coaching!

I highly recommend pre-marital coaching based on the SYMBIS Assessment with a certified SYMBIS facilitator. SYMBIS is the well-known and respected program: Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts.

Did you know that couples who get pre-marital training of some sort are 31% less likely to divorce? You will feel confident in your pre-marital training when you join the 1,000,000 couples have strengthened their future marriage through SYMBIS guidance!

Your SYMBIS Assessment includes:

  • Personality styles (How are you and your fiance alike- and different?)
  • Communication skills (How well do you two handle good times and bad?)
  • Financial styles (Who is a spender? Who is a saver? How do you make it work?)
  • Practical skills (Who does what chores and when?)
  • Interests (What will be your couple identity?)
  • Expectations (What do you expect from your spouse- especially for intimacy?)
  • And MORE!

After you and your fiance complete your SYMBIS Assessment, the SYMBIS people will compile a beautiful, in-depth report. You two along with your SYMBIS coach will work through your results, empowering you and your fiance to:

  • Enhance your individual strengths and become a synergistic couple
  • Be aware of your weaknesses and develop healthy plans to overcome them

I am a trained SYMBIS facilitator. I am excited to serve you as your SYMBIS pre-marital coach!

Getting a ring for Christmas? Here’s what to do next:

  • Contact me today! I’ll send you an invitation to take your SYMBIS Assessment. Then we’ll get busy (via Skype or in person) saving your marriage before it starts!

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle, Life transitions, Pre-Marital Coaching, Uncategorized Tagged With: Pre-marital coaching, Pre-Marital Training, SYMBIS

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Healthy Lifestyles Need Traditions: How to do Advent Wreath

December 5, 2016 by Vicki Tillman Leave a Comment

Healthy lifestyles need traditions: how to do Advent Wreath.

Healthy Lifestyles Need Traditions: How to do Advent Wreath VickiTillmanCoaching.com

Healthy Lifestyles Need Traditions: How to do Advent Wreath

Humans who are unattached to traditions feel rootless. When people feel rootless they often attach to stuff. I wonder if our rootlessness is one cause of our rampant American consumerism?

The wonderful thing about traditions is that you can choose them. Christmas is a great time for choosing traditions for you and your loved ones. As you implement a Christmas tradition or two, you may note that you get the feeling of some rootedness- even if the traditions you chose were not from your family of origin.

One meaningful Christmas tradition is the Advent Wreath. The Advent Wreath is used by many Christian groups to help bring focus to the true meaning and story of Christmas.

There are many ways to do the Advent Wreath. This is the way our family does the Advent Wreath. Feel free to give it a try and adapt it to make your own traditions. (These instructions are adapted from a post I did for 7SistersHomeschool.com.)

Making the Advent WreathHow to Make Advent Wreath VickiTillmanCoaching.com

We make our Advent Wreath with 5 candles- 4 red and 1 white. We place the red candles in a circle with the white candle centered in their midst. (The wreath in the picture here has purple and pink candles around the outside instead of red because there are many ways to do Advent Wreath.)

On the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, we light the first red candle, read the scripture passage that goes with the candle, discuss the passage (if we feel like it), and sing Christmas Hymns.

Each Sunday after that, we light a new red candle (plus the previously lit ones), read that week’s Scriptures and sing Christmas hymns. On Christmas Eve the white candle is lit along with all the red ones.

The lovely thing about this tradition is that our children learned the true meaning of Christmas in their earliest childhood. Most of my adult kids have continued this tradition in their own families.

Week 1: The Prophesy Candle

Messianic Prophesies: Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2

Week 2: The Angel Candle

The Annunciation: Luke 1:26-38

Advent Wreath VickiTillmanCoaching.com

Week 3: The Shepherd Candle

The Celebration: Luke 2: 1-20

 

Week 4: The Wise Men Candle

The Gift-Giving: Matthew 2:1-12

 

Christmas Eve: The Christmas Story   

Read Luke 2:1-20 again                                                                                      

 

Some favorite hymns (don’t rigidly keep the hymn to its suggested week):

Week 1:

  • Good Christian Men, Rejoice
  • Hail, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
  • Joy to the World
  • Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
  • Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel

Week 2:Another Advent Wreath VickiTillmanCoaching.com

  • Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
  • In the Bleak Midwinter
  • Once in Royal David’s City


Week 3:

  • Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne
  • Angels From the Realms of Glory
  • Angels We Have Heard on High
  • Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
  • It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
  • The First Noel the Angel Did Say
  • While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night

Week 4:

  • Away in a Manger
  • Go Tell It on the Mountain
  • O Holy Night
  • O Little Town of Bethlehem
  • On a Bleak Mid-Winter
  • Once in Royal David’s City
  • Silent Night
  • There’s a Song in the Air
  • What Child is This?lightstock_267844_small_user_5486718

Christmas Eve

  • All the Christmas hymns

Are you missing tradition in your life? Are you missing something and you just don’t know what it is?

Maybe it is time for some Life Coaching. This is a new tradition for a healthy lifestyle. Contact me for coaching via Skype or at my office if you are local.

Healthy Lifestyles Need Traditions: How to do Advent Wreath

 

Filed Under: Healthy Lifestyle Tagged With: Advent Wreath, Christmas, Traditions

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  • Vicki began coaching me when my world was shattered by life altering circumstances. She provided guidance as I sorted through the ruble and discarded dysfunctional pieces that weighed me down. She gave me support and direction as I struggled to rebuild my life. She continues to encourage me to develop healthier thinking patterns and invites me to recognize God’s hand working even in the midst of the most difficult situations. She is amazingly patient and her wisdom is invaluable in cutting through surface distractions to expose the true underlying issues. I have been truly blessed by Vicki’s insight, perspective and counsel.

    - SM

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