Down With Gap Years? Inspiration for gapping at any stage or age!

Today, I felt inspired by David Dodd, a creative entrepreneur and life hacker.   He wrote a piece for The Huffington Post (UK) this past week sharing insight into his recent career break.  While I was surprised by his use of the word 'novelty' to express his career break and gap years, I was inspired by his message.

At mygapyear, we encourage folks to take a gap year at any stage or age of their lives.  It is about taking a break from your regular routine to try something different.  Suggesting or focusing on the novelty (the quality of being new, original, or unusual) of the experience, negates the profound learning and growth one gains through a gap year.

Secondly, he suggests that gap years taken by folks at a more 'traditional' age involves "a youthful year of galavanting" similarly dismisses that gap years for any individual can be a time of renewal and growth.

At mygapyear, we focus in on finding out what our gappers want to accomplish, learn, develop or explore during their gap year.   This is what makes our program and approach on gap years distinct and attractive to gappers and their families.   It is a 12 month detailed plan created through discovery, coaching and experience advising.

While Dodd's message is inspiring, there are ways to explore new ways of seeing your day-to-day without chasing novelty.  

Let's explore this in the weeks to come.

David Dodd

Creative entrepreneur and life hacker

 

 

Down With Gap Years, Long Live the Career Break

If we could only enjoy one significant life-pause in which to see the world a little more (and perhaps a little differently), it should be as part of a mid-career break, rather than a youthful gap year of galavanting. Having just returned from seven months travelling (as part of a year long life experiment) I believe the benefits of taking time out mid-career are huge; so why are we so reticent to embrace career breaks with the same lustre as gap years?

Gap years used to be seen as the last big chance for an adventure before working life, and we did it (if we could) because everyone knew we couldn't very well stop mid-career for a break. But if such societal blinkers were removed, doesn't a career break make more sense than a gap year? The gap year is, of course, a great chance to open young eyes and enjoy new perspectives, but university and early working life are such an incredible adventure in and of themselves that a trip to Thailand isn't necessary for a dose of novelty. There's just so much else going on during those furtive years, and a nip of newness is far more necessary further down the line. In the same way that attending University became an accepted elongation to the average educational career, so the career break should, in time, become a recognised part of our working lives. There hasn't always been the need for such an intervention, but as working careers and periods of retirement lengthen, it's about time more employers accepted that, every now and then, a change would do us all good.

I have just returned to the UK after seven months traveling down through North, Central and South America. At the age of 33, it was my first long backpacking stint, and this sets me apart from my peers, most of whom hoofed round the world during gap years at 18 or 21. For me, a sustained period of travel in my thirties was an incredible tonic; only days after returning I can already say that it ranks as a peak experience in my life, and has helped me see the world (and my place in it) in a more positive way. It wasn't easy to take a break from my career - far from it - but by doing so, I've recharged my batteries, created a new appetite for work and life, and developed the kind of objectivity that can only be gained from time away. Most importantly, thanks to a constant stream of new sights, cultures and people, I've been reminded how potent a force novelty can be. A good dose of novelty turns our lives upside down in a positive way, it questions our world view and forces the brain to explore new avenues. There's plenty of evidence to support this view: it was claimed by scientists recently, for example, that regular doses of novelty can enable the brain to rebuild itself, and can even stave off debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer's. With mounting evidence of this kind, why isn't everyone considering a regular dose of novelty to break up their working routine? Instead, as workers, we do what we've done since the Industrial Revolution: we become entrenched in a career, we cling onto our position and climb the greasy pole, taking as few risks as possible, learning from those ahead of us and allowing the powerful disruptive influence of novelty to fall by the wayside.

In light of the benefits I have enjoyed during my own career break, I have a new battle cry: if - like many career-focused individuals - your ration of novelty has dwindled to naught, it's time for a different way of thinking, it's time to question whether the risks of being dislodged are outweighed by the benefits a sustained period of novelty might bring, and it's time to balance career stability against mental and physical wellbeing. Corporate HR practices may be becoming more humanist, but neither employers nor the state will ever push the career break agenda too hard. Our capitalist society requires unwavering worker bees with an unstinting desire for financial betterment, and career breaks don't easily fit into that picture.

The bottom line is this: if more people want to enjoy the benefits of career breaks, they're going to have to take the initiative themselves. Workers unite, let's take some time off and rediscover novelty!

Janus January

Do you know what this coin is picture above?   Where have you seen it?  Or, maybe like me, it is a new image for you - I was only introduced to it a week ago.  It is called the Janus head.  
Janus is the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.  This why the first month of the year is January - in honour of Janus. As we think about January we consider transitions, beginnings and endings as well as a time people use to consider the past and the future.   The Janus head represents this as well - with it's two faces, he looks forward and backwards. He also conjures thoughts of gates, doors, passages, endings, timing and transitions. 

September often has the same feelings - a time of transition for many people.  We hosted another blog about transitions in the fall. 

Are you always looking in the past?   Are you worried about the future?

Coaching might help you pass through endings, create bridges and help you make sense of when to look each direction. 

Sometimes we are unsure which direction to face.  In September, we tend to meet families and potential gappers that are unclear as well.   Taking a gap year can help you find a direction by looking at the past and looking to the future. 

Mind the GAP

We were delighted to be part of  Maclean's 2013 Campus Series.   Below is a copy of the article.   We work 

with wonderful gappers and families.  It was so exciting to be able to share one of their stories through this
article.  Gap years continue to become a pathway after high school, as a break in post secondary or even after, as we see in this case.   We believe in gapping at any age or stage in life.   As far as we have come to know, we are the only gap year planning organization that combines coaching and EQ within a structured gap year.  We partner with many exceptional companies who support gap year experiences.   We look forward to continuing to serve gappers and their families in creating a year we hope you will not forget!

Mind the gap

By Rosemary Counter | February 13th, 2013 |

Gap years now happen before and after university

Mygapyear Cate M. India Nepal 2011.

University of Guelph undergrad Casey Panning, now 24, was sitting in a Southeast Asian geography class when it occurred to her that she might never see Asia. With vague plans to teach geography, and inspired by a friend who’d spent a semester in Singapore, Panning knew it was now or never.

The gap year—taking a year off school to work, travel or volunteer—has been a pre-university rite of passage in Europe, where it began in Britain in the ’60s and spread to other Commonwealth countries—including Canada. A Statistics Canada survey of about 8,500 high school graduates from 2000 to 2008 found that just 50 per cent had started college or university within the usual three months; 73 per cent had begun in a year’s time; and by 28 months after graduation, 81 per cent of students were attending a post-secondary school.

Some schools even encourage a break: York University’s Bridging the Gap program allows students to defer their acceptance; Harvard actually suggests it.

But while the gap year once fell definitively between high school and higher education, travelling the world at 17 or 18 just isn’t feasible for many people.

“First of all, my parents would have never let me,” says Panning, who finished a bacherlor’s in psychology before spending her gap year teaching English in Costa Rican slums and travelling with her boyfriend through Australia, Laos and Thailand. Besides parental objections and a lack of money (and fewer skills to land a job), more maturity makes a post-degree gap year easier and more rewarding than its post-high school equivalent. “It’s way better to get university done and then go,” Panning says.

Nobody tracks when or where college and university grads go after they receive diplomas or degrees, but Susan Griffith, a transplanted Canadian living in Cambridge, England, says the post-university or -college gap year is a trend that has emerged since she started publishing Taking a Gap Year in 1999. She says the later gap year is both practical—“you’ve already paid your tuition”—and situational. “It’s much more difficult to get a job right out of university these days.”

This is especially true for students who graduate from programs like English and philosophy; despite what they might have been told, a B.A. often isn’t enough. Instead of working at a menial job, travel—whether for work or volunteering or tourism—is a great way for students to beef up a resumé and set themselves apart from the competition.

“Gap years were once frowned upon by employers, as if kids would rather travel than focus on their careers,” says Katie Idle, director of Vancouver-based Study and Go Abroad, Canada’s largest travel fair. “But things are changing; the workplace is globalized. Now it’s a big asset if you’ve travelled, interacted with cultures and lived in a different country.”

Indeed, studies show gap years actually benefit students. The non-profit Canadian Council on Learning found students who took gap years—affectionately known as “gappers”—were eight per cent more likely to find employment upon return, possibly because of their extra work experience.

Conversely, a bad gap year can hurt your chances for success. “An unsuccessful gap year is when you get some terrible local job and never get around to doing anything,” says Griffith.

To avoid this, a slew of personalized gap-year planning companies are flooding the Canadian marketplace. Toronto-based My Gap Year, for example, offers “a unique combination of life coaching and travel,” says co-founder Julie Newton. Her current clients, about half of them doing a post-university gap year, have found themselves living in the Amazon jungle, working on a ranch in the Australian outback and hanging out with Tibetan monks.

“We start the program with coaching,” says Newton. “We ask, ‘What do you want out of this year? What are your goals? What’s important to you?’ ”

If travel isn’t possible or of no interest, a stay-at-home gap year can be equally good for boosting a lacklustre portfolio. “We had one student who wanted to go to film school, so we got her into an online writing course, she volunteered at the Toronto International Film Festival and worked at a Cineplex movie theatre,” says Newton. The student was soon accepted into the program she wanted.

Most important, a gap year removes students from the conveyor belt of academia to get some much-needed perspective and appreciation for what they have. “People learn that they live very privileged lives and not to take simple things—water from a tap, even—for granted,” says Griffith. For most, another year of education may not seem so bad.

Which is exactly what Casey Panning did when she returned to Toronto. Thoroughly convinced she wanted to teach, she enrolled in teacher’s college and graduated last June. But teaching jobs are scarce. “I’m working at a law firm for the time being,” she says. And if nothing in her field pops up soon, would she tap out and go travelling again? “I would absolutely love to,” she says.

all rights belong to the author and Maclean's http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2013/02/13/mind-the-gap/

Value of a Gap Year: From the Horse's Mouth

Gap years have value

Tuesday, January, 29, 2013; 11:22 PM 

by JP Singh, regular columnist

After roughly 16 years, 200 months, and 3,000 days of continuous school, is it such a ludicrous idea that you would want to take a break?

Asking for one year for a student who has completed their bachelor’s degree does not seem that outrageous.

We live in a society focused on work and monetary value, which promotes the mindset that you need to get through college and join the workforce right away.

However, the workforce is not going anywhere.  Some may view a gap year as a waste of time or strictly for those who are unprepared or underqualified, but this is not true.

According to an article in the Harvard Crimson, the “New Gap Year” is becoming quite a trend for many pre-med students.  The rate of students who took a gap year were actually more successful in achieving their professional goals.

For students looking to get into medical school, pharmacy school or any other graduate school, a gap year is the perfect time to take the MCAT, PCAT or GRE.  Also, it is a good time to build on your clinical or field experience by doing an internship or job shadowing.

Additionally, college is expensive, although many of us do not realize it because our parents are supporting us through our undergraduate studies. A year off is the perfect time to make some money for professional school, which, for many, is most likely a time when students will be financially independent.
The application process to professional schools alone can cost up to $5,000, so if you are not adequately prepared, you can use this time to improve yourself as an applicant so you do not have to spend this money more than once.

If none of the options above seem riveting enough, traveling is a great way to diversify yourself before another round of school.

Usually, study abroad programs are extremely expensive and hard to fit into your schedule during the school year. However, once you have a bachelor’s degree, nothing should hold you back from exploring.
As you gets older, life brings more responsibilities, so now is the time you can experiment while your workload is low. In the midst of deadlines, projects and GPAs, we forget to fully explore all that a new place has to offer.

A gap year is not the easy way out or a waste of time. Rather, it is a chance to breathe and build on the areas you might have forgotten about.

No one ever said stepping out of the box is going to take you down the wrong road — if anything, perhaps you will be better off in the end. Like they say, it is not about the time it took you to make it, it is the journey and what you take from it that matters in the end. 

Ring in 2013 - Resolve those Resolutions

How Can We Make Them Stick? 

Where did you ring in the New Year?  Was it on a sandy beach, at home cozy by a fire, toasting champagne in Paris or in bed sick with a cold?  Countless people toast to a New Year with a wave of celebration from Austrailia back to North America.   Annually, individuals reckon with themselves and join forces with others to adopt new habits, and bring in the new whilst kicking out the "old".

Where did this idea of making resolutions start?  In a quick review of sources, since 2000 BC, Babylonians would hold festivals and two points in the year: spring and fall equinox.    Historically, they would pay of debts and return borrowed goods.  Fast forward a few centuries, when the Romans reformed the calendar, January 1st became the day of new beginnings.  This was in honour of Janus.

Symbols of New Years are everywhere - from the sale of themed items, to the need for a new outfit and ensuring you have scheduled an unforgettable night with friends, family, and hopefully, a midnight kiss.

We call ourselves, out of tradition, to make changes in the New Year.  Most of them are, in fact, self changes or behavioural changes.  I am going to share some alternatives to the ever daunting and rarely achieved   New Year's Resolution.

4 ways to help make 'em stick!

1. Yearly Review - more exciting than it sounds! 

Start by celebrating the past year.  2012 was amazing for me - and I am sure it was full of memories, both positive and negative that have informed how you might chose to live out 2013.

Why not try a Year in Review:  From Get Busy Living: Your Year in Review:

My Tip:  Find a beautiful journal and keep it all your years in review in one spot.   Reflect each year on your highs, lessons, and things that you are grateful for.

2.  Changing the Language in your resolutions making:

 We can often say things like:  I will not going to each junk food this year.  I will not be mean to my kids.
In changing how we construct these ideas, we change how we approach the situation or goal.  Peter Gasca shares more about this in his  5 Anti-Resolutions for 2013    Try reading more this year --- a reverse to: I have to watch less TV.

3.  Picking a Theme Rather than Goals.  

This is my personal favourite.   In the past my theme has been to Live Boldy.   I picked up the idea when I started to purchase a certain line of agendas.  They each had wonderful quotes on them which help me to keep focused for that year, instead of drifting away from my silly lists of goals, and behaviour changes.

4. 1 Word and 365 Challenges

365 - take a photo, try something new or capture what you do each day.   You can do this in a journal, by opening a photo account like instagram or flickr so that your photos are housed off of your phone (in case you misplace it).   There are so many variations of this - make your own, or find something online to inspire you!


Here are my final picks.  One word & 365 challenges.   Below is a video that tells you more about how to incorporate the idea of having one word for an entire year.  Much like the quote or theme for your year, you just pick one word to live out, through and with for the year to come.   There are organizations that walk you through the process, you can find it in this video.  I haven't used a company before, and I am not sure you have to.  This guy does a great job of sharing the idea in more detail.

Share with us in the comment box what you do - or feel free to find us on Facebook and start a convo there!

Happy New Year - from mygapyear!

Learn how to gap in 4 mins 39 seconds

Travelling is an emotional experience.  Highs, lows and all the feelings in between.  As an organization, we have crafted our program to include Emotional Intelligence as a method of exploring more deeply who you are.   Travel is an amazing way to find out more about yourself, others and the world.  But, don't take my word.

The Who, What, How, Where and Whys of Gapping.

           
           

                Browse more data visualization.
           

           
           
           
       

The Four As of Awesome: A Change

About a year ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Neil Pasricha speak at a conference.  I  had one burning question:  Why the word awesome?  Why not wonderful, fantastic, magical, whimsical etc.   I never did ask him the question; instead, I found this picture.   

He feeds us a few more As and will provide the theme of the next four posts: attitude, awareness, alignment and authenticity. 

• Attitude – meeting challenges with a positive attitude makes growth possible.
• Awareness – seeing the world as though we’re three years-old reawakens wonder and possibility.
• Authenticity – having the courage to be ourselves so we can follow our hearts and feel fulfilled.
• Alignment – the clarity of knowing your core values and aligning yourself (or your team) with them.

A change in attitude reminded me of this video.  You might remember the Story of Stuff? Well, they have created another video called The Story of Change. 

Back to School: But I did not go.....

It is almost September.  Stores are full of back-to-school specials and the air is full of fresh promises for the year that lies ahead. Are you watching your friends' newsfeeds? Are they full of Orientation pictures? Tales of their new beginning at college or university?  Or, are you tweeting about your Orientation experience and it does not feel right?  Maybe, you did not make the choice to leave school - it made it for you.  Well, guess what - you are not alone.

Every September, groups of young adults decide, learn or are influenced to postpone their educational careers for a year or two - or even more!  Others decided into their first few weeks of school that something else is on their mind more than school: taking a gap year.

Maybe you are a parent, family member of a young adult who needs help finding direction.  This coming October, we are hosting an event for young men and their families. Young Men - Finding Direction in the Millennium will offer families and opportunity to explore what it means to be a young man navigating the world.

Whatever the path you find yourself on taking a break from your regular routine - or what feels comfortable can be a great choice.  Many of our clients come to us in the Fall.  We would love to speak with you about what you are thinking about this fall!

Redefine Possible

Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out. 
Karl Augustus Menninger

Redefine Possible - Overcome Fear

The world has played witness to two very interesting and powerful experiences for two motivated individuals. A man crossing Niagara Falls and a man climbing a mountain. Two individuals who decided to redefine possible.  I am borrowing this idea of "redefining possible" from  Spencer West and Free the Child - one of the two men I previously mentioned.  If you have not followed his journey to reach Uhuru Peak, the summit of Mount Kilimanjarro what you might not know about Spencer is that he will be accomplishing this feat with out....feet. Training for a year, Spencer and the team set out Africa's tallest free standing mountain to raise funds for clean water projects in Africa.   Check out the team reaching the summit below. 

 Seven days later.......

The first video captures some insights into how Spencer's journey started.  His life changed course from what others anticipated what would happen.  In his case, a story was written even before it had a chance to unravel.   Sometimes that is what we need - a change in direction to re-educate our minds how to think, believe and dream differently about the path in front of us or the life we choice to live.   The second video is of Spencer achieving this incredible milestone!  One of the pieces that stood out to me as I followed Spencer was the incredible sense of team between the climbing group.  With a team, anything can be possible. 

What is on your bucket list?  Big or small redefine possible for yourself!  Who is on your team to help you achieve re-writing your story? 

Gapping Alone?

A mygapyear alumni shares her story & review of Rustic Pathways

One of our gappers shared some insights with us about her experience with Rustic Pathways. More relevant to this post is her decision to join a tour group alone.  How you want to spend your gap year, either locally or globally, is a tough and personal decision.  Many individuals that we work with are travelling alone for the first time with out family or other friends; therefore, it is a can be smart plan to go with a trusted tour organization.  There are thousands out there - this is why it is so important to read reviews, speak to others who have gone on trips with them and work with  people you can learn to trust - like mygapyear! There are lots of perks going with a group; for example, you will meet people from all over the world.  It is a great way to plan future trips and experiences.  There is often a balance of group and personal time.  Our gapper shares more reasons below for taking a gap experience with a group. Please enjoy the wonderful write up from our gapper and her trip to Peru! 

I have been back from Peru for nearly a month now but with the trip and the country still fresh in my mind I wanted to take the time to put down in words how pleased I was with the month Rustic Pathways organized for me. Going into the trip, I was definitely a little apprehensive---I was the first mygapyear client to travel with Rustic, and wasn't quite sure what to expect. And to be fair, the first few days were tough: it wasn't clearly stated on the Rustic Pathways website, but I soon found out that because I was doing the April trip (the third month in which they offer gap trips) I was actually joining a group that had already been together for the past two months. As opposed to being in the same boat as everyone else, I was one of only a few "newbies" to the group, and that was definitely a challenge---not only was I in a new country, but I also had to deal with the fact that everyone already knew each other!

In a way, though, I'm glad I went into the trip not knowing that everyone would already be friends, because if I had known that beforehand I might not have gone and I would have missed out on one of the most exciting months of my life! The trip was an adventure/volunteer excursion throughout the Andes inPeru, and I found it to be the perfect mix of exploring, volunteering, free-time, and relaxing. We started the trip around Cusco and Ollantaytambo, a place known as the "living city of the Incas", and it was the perfect introduction to the country's background and culture. We got the chance to live with and learn from local families, but also didn't miss out on the main tourist attrations the country has to offer---Machu Picchu, the Andes, Lake Titicaca, and more. I wouldn't have changed a thing about the itinerary.

I also really liked the fact that our group was smaller than most gap trips are---there were only eight of us (plus the most fabulous guide!) in total, and we really got to know each other really well. At times it was hard to deal with everyone---sometimes people didn't feel like working, or other times half the group wasn't feeling well---but that is only to be expected, and our guide couldn't have dealt with things any better. I also found it hard at times being the only Canadian in the group---Rustic is an American organization and everyone was from the States---but it proved to be a good conversation starter on more than one occasion! And for the most part the group did get along really well, and I have made friends that I hope to keep in touch with in the future.

The trip was definitely worth the cost and if I had the chance, I wouldn't hesitate to travel with Rustic again. I feel as if I really got to know Peru as a country and had the chance to help out a lot, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Where to Start:

 Successful Gap Years &the mygapyear Advantage

Hello future gappers and interested readers.  Hope you found our series on myths about gap years helpful.  I believe there is something about our transition from spring into summer that causes us to think differently about our lives.  We spring clean our houses, wardrobes and for some our lives! With all the new growth around us - leaves on trees and the sprouting bounty of our vegetable gardens.  For many this is a time of transition as well - out of high school, away from college or university or the end of university. This is a great time for you - who are in one of those life phases or the young adult in your life to explore an opportunity to take a gap year, short or long, to 'spring clean' their life in 2012.

How do I plan a gap year?

1. Create a personal vision/goal ex. figure out my career direction; build self-confidence and independence; learn French
2. Write down manageable steps to support your vision/goal ex. use a calendar;
3. Create a budget for your gap year; think about things you love to do
4. Research related programs and experiences that relate to your vision/goals ex. volunteer to work with children overseas; learn French in France
5. Share your ideas and surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you to keep this vision alive
6. Reflect on your self-learning and what direction you want to take as a result of your experience ex. a different academic program; a different perspective 

Feeling overwhelmed? Not sure were to start?  That is where mygapyear can help.  We have a team of experts who are eager to help you discover your passions, goals and dreams.

The mygapyear Advantage 

Our unique approach develops confident and empowered young adults ready for the opportunities that lie ahead. We partner with you to create a meaningful gap year through:

• Coaching, Emotional Intelligence Building and Leadership Development

• A researched and personalized gap year plan

• Ongoing support and encouragement throughout the experience

Interested in seeing how we can help make sense of a gap year for you or the young adult in your life?  Or do you know a school, community group or individual we should get in touch with?  Visit our website or encourage the individual in your life who could benefit from hearing about our work to message us.  We would be happy to chat with you about your goals, vision and questions about your gap year.  

Six Simple Resilience Practices - Week Two: Discern Where You Have Control, and Where You Don't

 Please enjoy the following ideas from Doug Silsbee, a coach focusing on Presence-Based Leadership Development.
_______________________________________________________
Discern Where You Have Control, and Where You Don't

I, like many of you, get paid to solve problems. It is easy for me to move quickly into a complicated situation, and to see all the challenges and constraints that are inherent in the situation.
Here's the problem. When we organize our attention around constraints, constraints are all we will see. We become immobilized when every course of action seems to lead to other problems. And, often, there is much in any given situation over which we don't have control. The sum total of seemingly immutable facts can seem paralyzing.
So, it is critical to learn to differentiate what we have control over and what we don't. In a given situation, it can be very helpful to actually list out, in two columns, what we don't control and what we have some level of influence over. In the first column, we might list the sorry state of the economy, a boss's attitude or behavior, institutional constraints, budget realities. In the latter column, we list things like our own attitude, the priorities that we set for the day, the particulars that we delegate to a team member, or an exploratory conversation with a possible ally.When we discern the difference, we begin to relax around the givens that we have no control over. And, we begin to see that there are real actions that we can take that are, in fact, empowering. They are unlikely to solve the entire problem. Yet, they get us in motion and provide us with a sense of agency. We become more resourceful.
Practice this. Consider some situation that you face that seems intractable. Prepare a piece of paper with two columns titled "Out of My Control" and "Under My Influence." Then, simply list as many factors as you can in both columns. See what possibilities are revealed through this discernment.

Doug Silsbee, PCC
Presence-Based Leadership Development
828-254-2021
http://dougsilsbee.com
3717 Bend of Ivy Rd.
Marshall, NC 28753