Dynamic

DynamicIt doesnt take being an employment expert to realize that workplaces are evolving in the 21st century. Still, it may come as a surprise to discover that recruiters are looking for superstars, ninjas and wizards to work hard, play hard on a tight-knit team, in a job that for whatever reason involves nerf guns.A new project published on United Kingdom job aggregator AdView compiles the most popular words among the copious amounts of jargon job seekers have to sift through to try to understand listings (see the full list below). Some of the terms on the list are all too familiar Dynamic, proactive, self-starter - words that mean nothing but encompass everything. But other terms are even vaguer Employers are apparently hoping to find rockstars fond of blue sky thinking who kick it into the long grass. And somehow, ping-pong fits into the equation?This lingo may fuel confusion - and frankly prove emotionally upsetting to those of us who were told we couldnt be wizards when we gre w up because they didnt exist (thanks, Mom). But theres a reason why recruiters are changing how they talk about work, and its kind of ur fault.So were ninjas now?In an economy where skill shortages are the norm, companies are desperate to recruit the best talent they can to keep their geschftslebenes running smoothly. Part of their tactic is to come up with catchy job titles that appeal to young people who want to do good for the world, according to a recent Wall Street Jurnal article. Incorporating evangelist or wizard into a job listing does mora than just imbue a role with purpose for companies that have been around for a while, it shows a potential applicant that executives are willing to adapt and modernize.As one might suspect, there are indeed downsides to these catchy titles, the Jurnal reports. They will likely be less searchable for older applicants, and people in the workforce may have trouble defining what a recruitment ninja actually means on a one-page resume when the y look for future opportunities.Whether positive or negative, the trend has taken off as companies across the country and in Europe try to rebrand their culture as synergistic and incentivized. New age jargon that clouds the specificities of a role continues to gain traction, with cities known for hipster, youthful vibes taking a special liking to the terms.According to the AdView project, Seattle, and San Francisco were the guiltiest cities for using jargon, and other cities across California as well as Austin, Texas, ranked high. Far lower on the list were metropolises such as New York, Detroit,and Philadelphia.But even major political and financial hubs are jumping aboard the jargon cruise. Washington, D.C., and London were both among the top 10 guiltiest cities for using jargon, though neither capital is especially known for its hip workforce.So what does all the jargon mean? Well, it gives employees more agency - now, they can be shine artists at shoeshine places or PR ninjas at their corporate office. But it also means that job listings are getting that much more homogenous, misleading, and imprecise for job seekers who just want to know if theyre qualified and whether to apply.Heres the gist For those of us who dreamed of going to Hogwarts, this is our moment. Youre a wizard, random applicant, just leave the wand at home. But for everyone else, let the jargon headache ensue - its going to be a wild ride.The 40 most used buzzwords in U.S. job listings1. Fast-paced2. Dynamic3. Team player4. Detail-orientated5. Action-orientated6. Self-starter7. Proactive8. Deliverables9. Leverage10. Proven track-record11. Results-orientated12. Can-do attitude13. Actionable14. Action plan15. High-growth16. Impactful17. Groundbreaking18. Benchmark19. Disruptive20. Growth opportunity21. Synergy22. Superstar23. Go the extra mile24. Go-getter25. Win-win26. Pain points27. Think outside the box28. Work hard, play hard29. Plan of action30. Results focussed31. Rockstar32. Brains torm33. Ping pong34. Ninja35. Strategizing36. Independent thinker37. Wizard38. Doer39. Tight-knit team40. Laser-focused%%title%%I had to overcome several obstacles while in the FBI Academy as I trained to become an FBI agent. I needed to learn how to stay calm in the face of daily stress because I found it difficult to pass the physical fitness requirements.Among the many lessons I learned along the way about how to stay calm is this its important that we understand the obstacles that we face and not run from them. I found a natural ally in the Stoic philosophy.The dictionary describes a stoic like thisBeing Stoic is being calm and almost without any emotion. When youre Stoic, you dont show what youre feeling and you also accept whatever is happening. The noun Stoic is a part whos not very emotional. The adjective stoic describes any person, action, or thing that seems emotionless and almost blank.This is misleading because Stoics are very aware of their emotions and go to great len gths to understand them. Theres none of thatstiff upper lipnonsense with them Mr. Spock wasnota Stoic.They feel every emotion as acutely as anyone else. They acknowledge, experience, and then domesticate them in order to achieve inner calm. In other words, they keep control of their emotions so they can stay calm in the face of daily stress. They developedmental toughnessto get through hard times.Stoic philosophy asks us to differentiate between what we can change and what we cant. We cant control the weather, stock market, our genetic makeup, or the rudeness of a stranger. We can yell and shout but it wont make a difference. We can wish and hope but no matter how hard we try, there are many things we cant change or control.Since we cant control external events, we need to focus on the things we can control- ourselves and our response to external events. Its a philosophy that reminds us that the world can be unpredictable we need to strive to be steadfast and develop a strong mind s o we can be in control of ourselves.In other words, we need to grow up, stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and take responsibility for our own actions.The Stoics believed that fulfillment should be based on behavior rather than words, on the things we can control and not those we cant. They were not idle philosophers who sat on a porch and pontificated they were people of action who solved their problems on a battlefield, not in a classroom.Leaders like Marcus Aurelius found a stoic attitude prepared them for failure and guarded them against the arrogance of success.I know how hard it can be to maintain a positive attitude when you feel youre in over your head but here is what I learned from the Stoics about how to stay calm in the face of daily stress1.Be mindful of your dayWhen at work, we fantasize about a vacation on vacation, we worry about the work thats piled up on our desk. We dwell on intrusive memories from the past and imagine the glory that lies ahead of us. Anywhere but here, our minds pop in and out of the present moment. As a result, our thoughts and emotions control us, something the Stoics warn against.Jon Kabat-Zinnwrote, Ordinary thoughts course through our mind like a deafening waterfall. We need to rest in stillness- to stop doing and focus on just being. Living in the moment is also called mindfulness, and Kabat-Zinn is the biomedical scientist who introduced meditation into mainstream medicine.When we become mindful, we observe our thoughts from moment to moment but we dont judge them. Mindfulness requires us to be with our thoughts just as they are, neither good nor bad, and not grasp the positive thoughts or shove away the negative ones.Acceptance of a negative emotion doesnt mean you have to like what produced the negativity. It simply means you accept that certain things are beyond your control. The anger, jealousy, or pain is there whether you like it or not. Just embrace the emotion- sadness, stress, pain, or anger is there whether you like it or not.According to Kabat-Zinn, acceptance of the present moment has nothing to do with resignation. Acceptance doesnt tell you what to do what happens next and what you choose to do comes out of your understanding of this moment.True fulfillment is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.- SenecaHow To Make It Work For You ReadFull Castrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He writes about his medically-proven stress reduction program based on mindfulness. It gave rise to a whole new field in medicine and psychology. He illustrates how mind-body approaches derived from meditation and yoga can help us stay calm in the face of daily stress so we can es tablish greater balance of body and mind.2. Select with careArecent studyof 5,000 top performers in business yielded a surprise. The study found that the highest-ranked performers were not those who did the most.Nor was a better ability to organize or delegate. Instead, top performers accepted fewer tasks and then obsessed over them. Whenever they could, they carefully selected which priorities, tasks, meetings, customers, ideas or steps to undertake and which to let go.They then applied intense, targeted effort on those few priorities in order to excel. Talent, effort and luck mattered, but not so much.You are living as if destined to live forever your own frailty never occurs to you you dont notice how much time has already passed, but squander it as though you had a full and overflowing supply - though all the while that very day which you are devoting to somebody or something may be your last.- SenecaHow To Make It Work For You Focus is the key when you want to pursue goals wit h value rather than stick with the status-quo. You do not need to work longer hours to outperform you need to set your priorities and then pour your blood, sweat, and tears into those areas. Its easier to stay calm in the face of daily stress once you select the important goals in your life that produce value for you.3. Quiet the inner nagDistractions often occur when our inner nag starts to fret about all the things that need to get done. As a result, intrusive thoughts constantly interrupt our productivity, and we end up second-guessing our choices.Research behind theZeigarnik Effectproves that the unconscious mind needs the conscious mind to plan how to finish tasks or accomplish goals. Thats why the inner nag keeps fretting about all that needs to be done. When this happens, its impossible to stay calm in the face of daily stress.Today I escaped from anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions not outside.- Marcus AureliusHow To Make It Work F or YouSit down in a quiet place with a pen and paper and let your thoughts ramble.Whether its small or large, important or not, write down every single thing that either needs a decision or has your attention.Dont take the time to prioritize the items on your To-Do list at this point. Just listen to the voice of that inner nag and write down whatever pops up.4. Identify the stepsFBI firearms training showed me to how to narrow my focus to the one thing that needs attention immediately (front-sight) while at the saatkorn time registering awareness of the bigger picture of other things around me (the target).In the same way, your conscious mind may now be focused on a new goal, but the unconscious mind still sees everything else that needs to get done. It needs closure and it will continue to create intrusive thoughts that wont go away until youve turned your attention back to those other tasks that also need to be addressed.In his book,Getting Things Done, David Allen talks about the importance of identifying Action Steps after youve created your To-Do List. The list by itself doesnt narrow your focus enough when you have lots of priorities clamoring for your attention. You continue to create anxiety for the unconscious mind because it needs more than a goal- it needs a plan It needs an action step.Prioritize the to-do list you created in Step 3. Youve addressed all the tasks that your unconscious brain is anxious about, but now you need to prioritize each item according to importance.Beside each item on the prioritized To-Do list, identify the specific next action step to be taken regarding that item. For example, if you need to buy a birthday present, write down Drive to Nordstrom tomorrow.The unconscious mind needs specifics like time, place, and opportunity. Once the plan is formed, the unconscious stops nagging with constant reminders.If you have a presentation to make at 800 am, your unconscious mind wants to know exactly what needs to be done. You may ha ve 100 other items that also need attention, but you can relax and not worry about the inner nag bothering you again about it if you make a plan to review your notes at 700 am that morning.It is human nature to finish what we start, and front-sight focus is how we pay full attention to one goal at a time so we can be successful.Although millennials sometimes get a bad rap in the media - not all of us are on our phones 24/7, thank you very much - no one can deny that were somewhat trendsetters when it comes to the food and beverage industry. Since the millennial generation currently has thegreatest buying power in todays food and beverage market, its no surprise that when millennial foodies make it clear that something is trendy, restaurants and grocers are quick to supply more of it (ever wondered why there are so many different build-your-own salad places?). Food suppliers spend big bucks trying to figure out what will be this years trendiest food-related habits and favorite item s among millennial consumers. Thanks to them, we were able to uncover the seven millennial foodie trends that youll likely see more of in 2019.1. More millennials are dining at homeMenu prices at restaurants across the United States are expected tosteadily increasein 2019. As eating out becomes less affordable and supermarket pricesstay steady, more millennials are opting to eat in. A recent study byBetter Homes Gardensindicated that 93 percent of millennials spend at least four nights a week dining in. Our collective decision to eat in more might be spurred by the booming meal kit market, better-prepared foods at the supermarket and the fact that many of us make Netflix-and-dinner a nightly ritual.2. CBD-infused drinks and foods are becoming more mainstream and popularWhen talking about Cannabidiol(CBD), were referring to a compound derived from hemp that mellows youwithout getting you high and thathas been linkedto pain relief in some. As more jurisdictions in North America legal ize marijuana in one form or another, more CBD-infused foods and beverages are appearing on restaurant menus across the country. Vermont-based organic eateryGreen Goddess Cafeis leading the trend with chill-latte infused with CBD oil and CBD-enhanced tonic juices. NYC-based bakerySweets by CHLOEhas a CBD-infused chocolate ice cream cake calledMary Janethat has CBD frosting and green sprinkles (clever).3. Low-carb diets are here to stayIn 2018, theketosgenic diet- one that involves eating a high-fat diet with little-to-no carbs- became increasingly trendy among millennials. That trend is likely here to stay in 2019. According to a recentBusiness Insider surveythat included 1,037 participants, the most popular dieting choice among millennials surveyed was a low-carb diet. The Atkins and keto diets are among the most popular low-carb diets out there, but new offshoot diets that are gaining popularity include the ketotarian diet (a plant-based version of keto) and the mild keto diet ( one that allows more carbs per day in your diet).4. Millennials are fed up with inhumane farming practices and looking for alternativesIts no surprise that sales of plant-based meats grewover 23 percentfrom the start of 2018 to 2019. But this year, millennials who are looking to eat meat in a more sustainable way might finally be able to try the first ever lab-grown meat product.JUST, a California company that specializes in plant-based eggs and other products, plans to sell its first ever slaughter-free meat this year with itslab-grown chicken product. The movement is likely to spark controversy, but were willing to bet that itll be well-received among many millennials who are increasingly turning to plant-based diets.5. Millennials are prioritizing eating for gedeihlich healthWere becoming increasingly aware that a healthy gut is closely tied to overall wellness - you cant have one without the other. Thats why more and more millennials are seeking out foods and ingredients that a re meant to promote gut health. In 2018, digestive health sales wereexpected to exceed$4.9 billion. According to Whole Foods Market, sales of probiotics-enhanced pantry staples like granola, oatmeal, nut butters, soup and nutrition barswill increasethroughout 2019.6. We like food thats tailored to our specific tastesMore than previous generations, millennials are known for prioritizing individuality over much else. When it comes to our food choices,customization is key, and a trend that will keep growing steadily well into 2019. We like food thats tailored to our specific tastes and nutritional concerns. Thats whybuild-your-own blankfast-casual places like Sweetgreen and poke hot spots are trending. Restaurants that offer custom-built meals will keep thriving this year, and more cuisines, like Indian and Korean, will likely jump onto the build-your-own bandwagon.7. Weadorefood mashups and fusionsRamen burgers?Check. Cronuts?Check. Millennials love mashups of different foods and cuis ines, and the food industry has followed suit in recent years. Restaurants that combine two different cuisines to create a unique menu gained popularity among millennials last year and theyll likelykeep trendingin 2019. Our favorite food mashups of the past? Oreos baked inside of cookies, nacho lasagna and spaghetti bread.This post was originally published on Swirled.