I’m a bit nostalgic and inspired today after picking up a copy of, Ask Elizabeth: Real Answers to Everything You Secretly Wanted to Ask About Love, Friends, Your Body... and Life in General and I’ll tell you why. This new teen self-esteem book by my childhood friend Elizabeth Berkley—with whom I shared a backyard and the role of Snoopy in the seventh grade play You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown—is an exercise in reinvention.
Elizabeth, who many of us knew and loved as Jessie Spano from Saved by the Bell fame (yes, I admit, I watched and loved it!) has reinvented herself as a self-help guru, after taking a sordid, and unexpected turn as the lap-dancing cult favorite Showgirls lead back in the mid-90’s. Many had written her off but, as Elizabeth told Entertainment Weekly recently, the best advice she personally received was “never give up on herself.”
It made me think about how her advice and encore career as an undeniable inspiration to teens, could translate to job seekers. Here are my thoughts:
Be Persistent
Many of us don’t get the job we want, nor do we always love the job we have, but we have to never give up on ourselves in the process. If you are unhappy, unfulfilled, and full of dread when you head to work in the morning, regardless of your age, it’s time to reassess. I’m not saying Elizabeth was unhappy, but she certainly didn’t make the full comeback—post
Saved by the Bell—as many had hoped, but she didn’t let that stop her; she turned her fame into a second career in an entirely new industry (publishing).
Be Open To The Possibilities - Everywhere
Elizabeth has often shared the idea of conducting workshops for teens came to her organically. As SBTB hit syndication, and girls all over the world began to regularly approach her to ask for advice about their lives, she knew she was on to something. What is that “thing” you get asked about in your circle of friends? Are you an expert handyman? Do you feel comfortable discussing sex with your children, while your mom friends are blushing at the thought? Are you handy with a paintbrush? Consider it might be right under your nose; if you only are open to them.
Don’t Listen To The Naysayers
Oh, sure, the media will give you all the bad news and support for your
miserable case if you look for it. Instead, have some discipline and push the paper away like it’s a piece of chocolate cake and you’re on a diet! If memory serves, I’m pretty sure my old friend was even given the title of "Worst Actress" of, oh well, I can’t recall the year, but that didn’t stop her. I guarantee you—as her book now securely rests at Number #2 on the NYT bestseller list—she’s having the final laugh!
I think as
job seekers, we can learn a lot from the reinvention of Elizabeth Berkley—so folks, you’re not down for the count until YOU say it’s over.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
