Why Employee Investment is Key to Lowering Turnover - Your Career Intel

Why Employee Investment is Key to Lowering Turnover - Yur Career IntelIm a statistical outlier. Ive been with Lucas Group for 15 yearsa tenure thats considerably longer than the 4.2 years that my professional peers average elsewhere, according to 2018 figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Less than one in three salaried employees have been with their current employer for at least a decade.In todays tight talent market, companies are eager to reverse this trend and hold the line on employee turnover. Losing an employee is not just disruptive its expensive. The cost to replace top professionals can be up to 213% of their annual salary, according to the Center for American Progress. So what can companies do differently to keep their star performers? Retention starts with employee investment. This is the approach thats kept me engaged and inspired for 15 years at Lucas Groupand its an approach that will serve your company well, too.Hire the right people. Its easier to fix a proble m at the source rather than course correct later. Use your bewerberinterview process to vet candidates not just for skills and experience but also for fit. How you talk about company culture, values and mission during the interview process signals to the right candidates that your company could be their long-term professional home. Use specific examples to help candidates understand how your company values come to life day-to-day. For example, I work in Denver, where an active lifestyle is a top priority. I encourage employers who say they value this active lifestyle to back this up their words with examples, such as a monthly team hike or an office bike-to-work challenge.Invest in professional development. Once you have the right people on your team, help them grow their skills. From industry conferences to continuing education, these investments signal that your company cares about their professional future. If possible, offer rotational opportunities in different divisions or bra nch offices so employees can better understand your companys bigger picture and build stronger ties with coworkers outside their immediate team.Remove barriers to success. Are you empowering employees to reach their full potential, or are they running into institutional obstacles? Yes, providing a promotion pathway is important, but theres more to success than advancement. Do employees have the opportunity to take an idea and run with it? Do managers amplify the capabilities of their top performers or stymie new ideas? The processes and structures in place at your company should support success, not hinder it.Provide room for personal growth. In our always connected smartphone culture, work-life balance has given way to work-life integration. Top performers expect greater flexibility. Companies that are willing to meet this need are rewarded with more engaged, productive employees. For example, I recently placed a successful female professional who had just started a family. She had several competitive offers and chose a company that offered generous paid maternity leave and flexible work hours. This rising star is committed to being with this company long-term, thanks to its flexibility.Offer a paid sabbatical. Many of the companies routinely ranked as best places to work offer employee sabbaticals, a reward for continuous service available at five or ten-year milestones. A structured sabbatical program lets employees step back from the daily grind and gain a fresh perspective. Some companies offer extended sabbatical leave if the time off is spent in a volunteer capacity, using accounting or finance skills to support community initiatives. With burnout and workplace stress at all-time highs, the opportunity to take a sabbatical can be a critical reset button that helps lower turnover rates and keeps employees engaged.I recently returned from my own sabbatical at Lucas Group. This time not only allowed me to focus on my family during a critical period but als o gave me time to reflect on my years of experience and to reinvigorate my passion for recruiting.My time away also reminded me how much I value the professional growth Lucas Group has empowered me to achieve over the years. Its an essential reminder that putting employees first is the key to long tenures and genuine engagement.

Six ways to avoid overspending this holiday season

Six ways to avoid overspending this holiday season Share Share via TwitterShare via FacebookShare via Google PlusShare via LinkedInShare via E-mail Overspending during the holiday season is something all of us have probably experienced. Buying gifts, throwing parties, traveling to see family members, and all the other expenses that come with the holidays make it easy to lose track of your budget goals and finances. Dont let the holiday season put you in debt Here are 6 easy steps to follow to make aya you arent over-spending this season.platzdeckchen Your LimitsGoing into the holiday season, make sure you already have set spending limits. Know how much you can afford to spend on each person and find gifts that fit into that budget. Having these limits set ahead of time will help you avoid over-spending while youre out shopping.Focus on whats importantDont attempt to do it all. The holidays arent a competition. They are a time to be with friends and family, enjoy each others company. Dont get caught up in who gives the best gift or who throws the best holiday party. Know what is important and what isnt and dont get distracted by the things that dont really matter.Have a potluckIf youre planning on throwing any sort of holiday party, opt for a potluck. Suggest everyone bring their favorite holiday dish, that way, you dont have to go broke trying to buy enough food for everyone and you get to try an assortment of different foods.Plan your travels in advanceIf you know youre going to be traveling for the holidays make sure to buy your plane ticket well in advance. Last minute ticket prices around the holidays can be outrageous. If you and your family arent opposed to the idea, try flying on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc. Flying on the actual holiday is usually much more affordable.Look for shopping dealsA popular time to shop for the holidays is Black Friday. Although there are often many great deals you can find with Black Friday shopping, there are plenty of other deals to be found throughout the holiday season. Keep an eye on some of your favorite stores ads or websites to be in the loop with all of the deals they offer. Bargain shopping is always a great money saver, especially around the holidays.Make your own giftsMaking your own gifts is always a really personal stich that anyone would appreciate. Not only is a homemade gift more personal and sentimental, its often much cheaper to make your own gifts instead of buying them. Time to let your creativity flow Design a bookmark, knit a scarf, or bake some cookies. All of these are nice ways to show someone you care during the holiday season.The holidays can be rough on your wallet. Dont let them Take time to appreciate what the holiday season is all about. Dont get lost in the glamor of consumerism. It isnt all about the gifts and parties, but rather, spending time with the ones you love. Follow these tips and youre sure to have a wonderful holiday season without going b roke in the process.CategoriesMoney SenseTagsHoliday Saving

The Secret to Portfolio Activity Writing a Rsum Answer

The Secret to Portfolio Activity Writing a Rsum Answer Its a significant advertising strategy because you get an author bio at the conclusion of your post. You cannot afford to have costly mistakes create their way to a finished product thats supposed to be the best that you need to offer you. This informative article can help you with each step individually. Lesson Summary A portfolio is an assortment of work. Portfolio Activity Writing a Rsum Answer Can Be Fun for Everyone Putting that type of thinking into play in your portfolio involves following a number of the exact disciplines, thus a mid-year check-up is precisely what the strategy calls for. The remedy to real problems necessitates the usage of multiple resources. Conventional ways just arent working for you and you require a way to construct your portfolio with internet content. Virtually every job demands experience, even the on-line ones. Performance assessment isnt anything more than the growth of an activit y that in fact represents the task to be carried out on the job--or the overall behavior thats the aim of instruction. A progress portfolio is utilised to demonstrate the evolution of wisdom and skills as time passes. Writing has been a crucial part of my life for a little while now. Its utilized to demonstrate the way the student has developed as a writer during the class. Lets talk around three techniques you can construct your writing portfolio when youre just beginning in the freelance writing world. Portfolio Awards are made to acknowledge the breadth and caliber of students writing. Think of how youll assess the portfolio as youre writing the assignment instructions. Portfolios are employed in numerous professions to collect typical or exemplary samples of performance. They have different purposes. The important thing here is to present your very best do the job, in place of the work that you believe will impress a panel. This statement is just one of the most sig nificant pieces of the portfolio. A last approach to construct your portfolio is to simply create samples yourself. Listed here are examples of criteria that could be employed to assess portfolios. Rubrics are often used to evaluate portfolios. The portfolio is then going to be handed into the teacher at every interval for evaluation. At least one of behauptung portfolios may be used for assessment purposes by overlaying performance criteria and evaluating work regarding these criteria. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Portfolio Activity Writing a Rsum Answer Oftentimes, writers gotten so knowledgeable about their own work they lose objectivity. Dont forget that the purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate the way the writer has grown and changed during the class. Performance assessments are developed and used in the industry world and in a variety of professions for some moment. You should be certain that your Portfolio is left up to date in May of each year and youll be able to select items to be excluded from the APR.. A Startling Fact about Portfolio Activity Writing a Rsum Answer Uncovered Others may ask you to submit a page count. Submitting a decrease quantity of high-quality pages is far better than submitting a large quantity of mediocre work. One of the simplest methods to secure clips for your portfolio is to simply create blog posts on your writer site. It is possible to also follow others, publications and possibly even tags.

Work Environment

Work EnvironmentWork Environment

Building a Career in Beauty One Gig at a Time

Building a Career in Beauty One Gig at a TimeBuilding a Career in Beauty One Gig at a Time So, youre admittedly obsessed with the beauty industry. You spend hours watching the latest YouTube tutorials and scrolling through the Instagram feeds of your favorite gurus. They say you should do what you love, but how do you get started?? How do you b reak into the notlageoriously competitive beauty industry ?Everyone has to start somewhere and, now mora than ever, theres no single way to succeed. Your success is dependent on a number of factors including your passion, initiative, network, personality, and, of course, skills.To get started, take a look at your favorite brands. Do their websites list any openings? Do their social media pages feature requests for talent? Apply Go to stores and talk to beauty advisors. Ask them about their work, show interest, and get their managers contact information. Be proactive, look into your options, and go after what you want. Know your area of interest inside and out. Does it require a certification? Some positions will allow you to dive right in and others may be based on your experience or portfolio. Regardless, take advantage of every training program, master class, and mentor relationship that comes your way your education should never stop. Learn from every experience, the good and especially the bad, and youll always emerge better than before.Be invested in relationships. Your career depends on them. No matter where you live or what type of beauty you specialize in, relationships are a vital component to your success. In big cities , while there may be more opportunities, there are just as many more people who want your job. In smaller towns, the range of opportunities may be more limited, but relationships remain a key factor all the same. Poor relationships = limited future options great relationships = excellent referrals and a larger network.Build up your social media accounts . If youre hoping to break into the more competitive opportunities like fashion week and editorial work, this is especially important. Seek out and interact with major players you never know when theyll post asking for help Its also a good idea to support and network with other people looking to gain traction not only do you benefit from their inspiration and expertise, but you can also leverage that relationship later on.Stay on top of trends. Post your own interpretations of them frequently. Everyones always obsessing about the next big thing whether it be a product, like Beautyblender , or a technique, like strobing . If you find it first, people will take note. Follow top beauty publications, like Allure and New Beauty , as well as niche brands to uncover these innovative opportunities and unique sources of inspiration.Were currently living in a time where a new beauty star appears seemingly every day. Thats not to say that success is fleeting, but rather that there is room for anyon e who finds their niche and shares it with the world. Freelancers , when focused on their passion and vision, can forge a career path straight into corner-office careers or business ownership just look at Bobbi Brown and Lisa Eldridge .Why are freelancers qualified to break into the top-tier jobs? A number of reasons all lead back to the same answer theyre uniquely qualified. Not only do they learn brands inside out from their product usage and sales roles, but they also become experts in the customer from interactions among all types of consumers and experience creation. A person who understands the industry from all sides is a key player in the success of a brand and its future growth.The sheer amount of interaction a beauty freelancer faces on a daily basis is a major element in that persons success. Those who are most successful in the industry showcase their personality and develop new skills through personal interaction, which are both qualities that are integral when making a career jump. They know their customers from what they want to the best way to sell it.Finally, flexibility is basically synonymous with freelancing. A freelancer chooses their own hours, working where they want and when they want, so theyre set up to build a career at their own pace. The ability to access more opportunities, and often times special opportunities at that, translates into a chance to master their craft and expand their portfolios without being limited by the scope of traditional settings. They also benefit from the variety of experiences available to them they do not have to be confined by one career ladder to success. In short, beauty freelancers can accomplish more in a shorter period of time.The opportunities are out there, but its up to you to position yourself successfully to secure them. By working in freelance, you can build your career in beauty one gig at a time.Glenn Laumeister is an experienced technology leader who is currently the CEO of AllW ork , a platform for brands and retailers to find, manage and pay retail talent.

All of the times Ive felt guilty for spending money

All of the times Ive felt guilty for spending moneyAll of the times Ive felt guilty for spending moneyIf you read my blog regularly, you know that I am leid the type of financial expert who says you shouldnt spend any money ever. I dont believe that you can be hyper-restrictive of your spending and still have a good quality of life. In fact, I think its imperative to build the things you value into your budget so that you feel mora motivated to stick to a budget in the first place.One of the best ways to include the things you value most into your budget is to save up for them over time. That way, when a big expense comes up, you know you have the money for it and you dont have to feel stressed out or guilty about it. However, there will still be times when you have a hard time spending the money you saved up. At least, thats how Ive feltAs someone who is fairly structured with spending and saving, I dont often spend a whole lot of money. But the truth is, a lot of very exciting thin gs cost a lot of money And in the past year especially, Ive had a lot of guilt and conflict about spending large sums of money. ansicht feelings havent been particularly rational, but they do make some sense, because spending a lot of money is scary So here are some of the times Ive felt most guilty (and scared) about spending my money.TravelThe funny thing about this guilt is it welchesnt about the actual money I was spending. In fact, for years, Ive prioritized saving for travel so that I can explore this world without guilt and without going into debt. I believe that if you love to travel, spending money (that you have) on it should never be a shameful thing. It only improves your quality of life. And thats what ultimately mattersThe guilt I have felt has actually come after Ive spoken to friends and family about my travel plans. Not everyone is able to save the money or take the time to travel, and I completely understand that. Its also true that a lot of people dont prioritize things like travel. And thats okay Everyone has their own priorities.The problem for me is when I talk about my travel plans and the snarky response is Well, that must be nice or I wish I could travel or Wow, do you ever work?. Its a frustrating response and often makes me feel defensive and guilty about the exciting trips Ive been able to take. Luckily, my reaction has softened over time, and the comments come less and less. In fact, I havent heard any negative comments about my upcoming honeymoon in ThailandThe lesson here is that you just have to continue doing what makes you happy, and try bedrngnis to worry about what other people think. Its your money and its your life, so use it in a way that means the most to youHouse ExpensesMy actual guilt hasnt been too high on this end. However, buying a home was probably the most stressful thing Ive ever done We only put down 10% as our down payment, and that was the largest check Ive ever written in my life I wanted to vomit. But at th e same time, Ive always wanted to own a home, and I allocated that money specifically for our down payment. I was still surprised at how conflicted I felt when I was actually writing the check. I wondered if we were making a big mistake.The real money drama came when we started construction on our home renovations. We had a big job that included knocking down walls and rebuilding new ones. We found a contractor we liked a lot and ended up adding a bunch of work to the project just to get it over with faster. That was a mistake We ended up overspending on shoddy work and feeling really foolish about our decisions. In fact, I had a hard time talking about how much we spent on new counters and railings, because I wasnt happy with how they turned out, and I felt like we were taken advantage of. I also felt foolish and regretful, which is not a great way to feel when youve just spent a ton of money.That was definitely a learning experience, because we are much more careful with our contr actor choices and home renovations now. We are choosing smaller, individual projects and getting at least three quotes before moving forward. This has helped us keep our costs and stress levels down, and makes us feel like were making the right decisions with the people we hire and the money we spend. Our next project will be getting a new fence installed in the backyard. I hope to share pictures soonMy WeddingAs a feminist and a financial coach, Im very aware of how capitalism and the wedding industrial complex pressure people to overspend on their weddings. So I felt very strongly about not spending a lot on my wedding. When I received a financial platzsettlement from a shoulder injury, I set aside $10,000 earmarked for my eventual wedding (we werent even engaged yet can you tell I like to plan ahead?). I was certain that $10,000 would be plenty for a wedding. Boy, was I wrong. In fact, were paying more than ersatzdarsteller that amount for our wedding. And were only having 130 p eople attend And we are getting married an hour away from DC. And we pursued a lot of cost-cutting measures The point is weddings are incredibly expensive. We really wanted a wedding where we could invite almost everyone we love the most. Put those two things together and you have to spend quite a bit of money. Luckily, we have been able to save up the amount in full, and will not be going into debt for the wedding. In fact, we may have some money leftover afterwards, because we saved an extra 10% as a buffer.But having enough to spend on our wedding didnt take away the intense shame and inner conflict I felt throughout the planning process. I felt strongly, on principle, that we should spend as little as possible. But at the same time, there were many things I was not willing to DIY in order to save money. I also wasnt willing to have a tiny, inexpensive wedding that many of our loved ones wouldnt be able to attend. I had many values that were in direct conflict with each other. Ho wever, as time has gone on, Ive had to accept that we decided to have a wedding and that means we have to fork over a lot of money. Theres no sense in being ashamed about it the entire way. In fact, there have been some areas where the higher cost probably means itll turn out better.Here are the areas where we spent more than I wanted to, but will actually turn out greatOur photographer.Shes amazing and we have great chemistry with her. It took some convincing, but now I realize that spending a lot on photography will be worth it. I cant wait to see how our wedding photos turn out.Our florist.Do you know how many times I said we dont even need centerpieces? I said it a lot. Were spending more than double what I wanted to spend on flowers. But I also didnt want to be up late the night before my wedding finishing up the centerpieces and bouquets. So we hired a florist who is associated with our venue and who grows many of their flowers themselves. They value sustainability and authent icity. They seemed to really vibe with our wedding day vision, and I think the flowers will turn out beautifully. Plus, we definitely cut some costs here, as the bridesmaids will not carry bouquets.Our venue.When we first booked our venue, I felt really good about the price. This was because I was completely naive about everything else we needed to pay for. I also wasnt fully aware that almost nothing else came along with the venue fee. We had to rent a bathroom trailer, tables, chairs, and we had to pay for all of the staff from a different vendor. But I saw our venue two years ago and knew I wanted to get married there. Its a beautiful space and I cant wait to see how it looks on our wedding day.Here are the areas where wesavedsome money and I feel really good about itDJ.Were actually not hiring a DJ. We are making our own Spotify playlists and we hired an audio engineer who will run the sound system for the day. Were also having our good friend, Liz, emcee the reception for us.Bo oze.We had to overspend a bit on wine because we were required to purchase wine from the venue (theyre a vineyard), and their wine is more expensive than the three-buck chuck I would have gotten from Trader Joes. But were making up for this by buying our own cases of beer. Were going to try to only buy local beer, but this will still be more affordable than having our vendor provide the booze.Wedding dress and shoes.Ive written about this before, but my wedding dress cost less than $250. (Plus, my mom paid for it.) I dont often spend a lot on my clothes, so I felt strongly about not spending a lot on my wedding dress. I also really wanted something very simple that I felt like myself in. I found the perfect dress fromBHLDNand it was even cheaper than I expected To top it off, Dan and I both bought our wedding shoes fromPoshmark.Here are the areas where we spent more than I wanted to, and Im still annoyed about itOne vendor.This vendor was who we were originally looking at for cateri ng. They are a one-stop shop for weddings and it seemed like it would be much easier to just hire them to handle everything, rather than having multiple vendors. And it would have definitely been easier But it would have also been way more expensive. The original quote they gave us for food and drink alone was nearly the entire amount were paying for the wedding. We decided not to use them for food and booze, but we ended up having to hire them for a few other items bathroom trailer, tables, chairs, linens, bartenders, day-of-coordinator, etc. I think their staff will help the day to move more smoothly, but Im still frustrated by how much were paying in operations fees.Invitations.When Dan first told me wed probably spend $400 on invitations, I had a fit. I couldnt believe that something so small could cost so much. Of course, Dan is a graphic konzepter and has made wedding invitations in the past, so he knows better than I do. But I thought that having him design our invitations wo uld mean that we would save some money But the truth is, printing is expensive. And printing gold foil on thick paper is even more expensive (did I mention Dan is a designer?). So well likely spend around $400 on our invitations, after all. Im not pleased about it, but Ive accepted it at this point (for the most part).So why did I tell you all of this? Well, first of all, I needed to write about it for catharsis. But I also wanted to let you know that its normal to be freaked out about spending money, even if youve planned and saved for it. Its okay to have conflicting emotions when youre making big decisions. And youll probably find yourself in situations where you have competing values. Its okay You just have to decide which value is more important in that instant. For me, its having a wedding day that well love, while still not going into debt.Thisarticlefirst appeared onMaggieGermano.com.

Forgiving is hard, but not forgiving hurts more  set yourself free

Forgiving is hard, but notlage forgiving hurts more set yurself freeForgiving is hard, but not forgiving hurts more set yourself freeLet bygones be bygones. Forget and move on. Kiss and make up.Forgiving is easier said than done.Most people believe that forgiveness means condoning an event. But its not. Blame ties us to the past and makes our heart and mind smaller - both literally and metaphorically. Forgiving, on the other hand, means realizing that resentment and hatred add more pain.Science shows that forgiving is good for your health.Forgiveness doesnt mean forgetting. Its not accepting, justifying or overlooking an event either. Its choosing to let go of resentment or the need for revenge - we eliminate the suffering, not the wrongdoing. The offender might not deserve your pardon, but you deserve to be at peace.When you forgive, you set yourself free.Forgiving is hard, but its healthyForgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. - Paul BoeseTheres a c ausal relationship between forgiveness and your health, according to science.Unforgiveness causes us additional harm. When we dont forgive, we release all the chemicals of a stress response.You cant change the past. Theres nothing you can do to remove the harm others might have caused you. However, not forgiving damages our mood - we see our lives through a lens of vengeance, hostility, resentment, dorfwiese, and sadness.Forgiveness was traditionally seen as a religious ideal science has turned it into a skill that everyone can (and should) develop. From 1998 to 2005 the number of empirical studies on the topic have increased from 58 to 950. Theres been a lot of progress understanding the science behind forgiveness.Holding a serious grudge raises our blood pressure and increases our chances of a heart attack. Unforgiveness intensifies mental problems, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders.A fMRI study by Italian researcher, Dr. Pietro Pietrini, showed tha t anger and vengeance inhibited rational thinking. Conversely, the tasks involved in the process of forgiveness activate the areas of our brain linked to problem-solving, morality, empathy, and cognitive control of emotions.Forgiving is not easy - the need for taking revenge is hardwired in our system. In the past, thats how we prevented other people from causing us harm. Revenge activates the same brain area than our desire for chocolate or sex - thats why it tastes sweet.However, forgiveness is equally innate - reconciling after a fight is something most mammals do, not just humans. Reconciliation has an upside too. Research by the Stanford Forgiveness Project shows that forgiving elevates our mood and increases optimism.You can choose between instant gratification or long-term healthier living.Set yourself freeTo forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. - Louis B. SmedesUnforgiveness is engrained on blame - we let a past event define our pres ent.Blaming is a way of running away from the truth. By not forgiving, we focus on the perpetrator instead of facing the event. We get stuck feeling a victim rather than accepting what happened and moving on.Ive learned through time and experience that resentment gets us nowhere. I usually dont hold a grudge on people - I dont want to be a prisoner of someone elses behavior.I understand if you feel skeptical.Researching for this article, I stumbled upon some powerful human stories. Some people went through the hardest experiences you can imagine. Yet, they were not only able to forgive but actually came in good terms with their wrongdoers.Eva Kor, an Auschwitz survivor who publicly forgave the perpetrators who killed her parents and two older sisters at the camp. Eva even traveled to Germany and embraced Oskar Grning, one of Auschwitz officials.Phyllis Rodriguez son was killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. Aicha el-Wafis son was convicted of a role in tho se attacks and is serving a life sentence. In hoping to find peace, these two moms have formed a powerful friendship born of unthinkable losses.Back in 1995, Azim Khamisas son was killed in a gangart initiation ritual. The deadly encountered sent him and Plex Felix, the grandfather of the murderer, down paths of meditation to forgive and be forgiven. In time, they became friends.Unforgiveness is fueled by rumination - we keep rehashing sad experiences. We get stuck on delated emotions. Resentment, hatred, hostility, fear, and anger guides our lives.Blame turns us into a victim - we feel helpless. If people who went through tragedies, as described above, forgave their offenders, why cant we?A meta-analysis of forgiveness research brings light to effectively moving on. It requires two key stepsDecisional Forgiveness A behavioral intention statement to forgo revenge and avoidance (unless it is unsafe). Its releasing the offender from the social debt incurred by his/her wrongdoing.Emo tional Forgiveness The replacement of negative emotions with positive ones. It leads to a reduction in the uncomfortable or negative feelings associated with unforgiveness - it might even develop positive regard toward the perpetrator.Forgiveness moves us from being a victim to being valuable.As Buddhist Sakyong Mipham says, We can see that the person we are blaming needs help, and so we help him. Helping him reduces our desire to blame, and increases our desire to be of benefit.Azim Khamisa and Plex Felix went beyond reconciliation. ansicht two brave men tour the world teaching kids how to meditate - they are on a mission to prevent violence and hatred.To let go of resentment, we must stop seeing the other as our enemy.Forgiveness requires a methodTo forgive others, we require more than just the intention - we need a clear method to overcome blame and fixation to a past event.Dr. Frederic Luskin, the co-founder of the Stanford Forgiveness Project, runs a Forgiveness Training to help people develop the core skills. The first step consists in tearing apart your grievance story - the expert believes that, when we blame someone, instead of holding them accountable, we get stuck in victimhood and inaction.Another interesting challenge participants must deal with is to find the impersonal in the hurt. Realizing that many others have experienced a similar offense, helps depersonalize the event. It doesnt remove the harm but trains our mind to not being attached to the incident.Forgiveness is a trainable skill, just like learning to throw a baseball, writes Luskin in his book Forgive for Good.Robert Enright, a psychologist from the University of Wisconsin, is a pioneer on the study of forgiveness. Together with his colleagues, he developed a four-part Process ModelUncovering anger Through self-awareness and understanding, we learn how the wrongdoing has compromised our lives, and reveal the suffering and harm it caused.Deciding to forgive You make an explicit com mitment to forgiving. This doesnt your feelings are gone - its the first step toward moving on.Working on forgiveness In this phase, we reframe our view of the offender. We focus on understanding their background and motivation. Once again, we are not condoning or justifying - we just want to understand the other persons behavior and driver.The Deepening Phase Discovery and release from the emotional prison. We start to find meaning in the suffering we experienced. We might feel the need to help others who went through similar experiences. We transcend our pain by turning it into something meaningful.Enright and his colleagues have observed positive results in drug rehabilitation participants, victims of domestic violence, and terminally ill krebs patients. Their approach decreased anger and resentment, providing a more positive outlook.Having a method makes forgiveness seem easier.Courage brings you peaceI have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice. ? Ab raham LincolnTime can help us heal, but forgiveness interventions work better, according to multiple studies.There are three necessary goals to achieve true forgiveness empathizing with the offender, committing to forgiveness, and overcoming feelings of unforgiveness.Forgiving requires understanding.Empathizing with the offender is good for you. It helps you repair the relationship with the event - though that doesnt mean rebuilding the bond with that person.Forgiving is an act of courage.Like any behavior change, it requires true commitment to succeed. The explicit decision to forgive someone is a critical step to move toward overcoming negative feelings.Forgiveness sets you free from the past - you dont just make peace with the offender, you are at peace.Thats how Azin Khamisa wraps up this moving TED talk Peace is possible. How do I know that? Because Im at peace.Gustavo Razzetti is a change instigator that helps organizations lead positive change. Author, Consultant, and Speak er on team building and cultural transformation.This article first appeared on Medium.