Kathy Caprino, M.A. Women’s Career Success Coach Ellia Communications, Inc Based on the book Breakdown, Breakthrough: The Professional Woman’s Guide to Claiming a Life of Passion, Power, and Purpose By Kathy Caprino, M.A. Break Through, Don’t Break Down! Keys to Transforming Work-Life Challenge into Breakthrough

Nine out of 10 working women are experiencing at least one of the 12 “hidden” crises, and over half don’t know what to do about it. Working women are on the rise, but the dominant career model doesn’t fit Top crisis – Work/Life Balance. Working women still handle majority of all domestic responsibility. Women’s preferred approaches, styles, values, and work/life needs are radically different from men’s There is a general lack of acceptance of women’s unique challenges in today’s workforce 12 Hidden Crises of Working Women

CAPRINO’S HIERARCHY OF EMPOWERMENT NEEDS This diagram shows the hierarchy of empowerment needs, represented as a pyramid with the more fundamental, basic empowerment needs at the bottom. Honoring physical self, expressing all aspects of your basic nature, and achieving self-love Advocating for yourself, being treated with love and respect, and feeling worthy of others’ love Fulfilling your financial needs, using your talents, and making a difference Honoring your values, achieving balance, and accessing inspiration for authentic living SELF OTHERS WORLD HIGHER SELF Copyright © 2008, Kathy Caprino. All rights reserved.

STEP BACK – For an empowered perspective of where you today and what must change LET GO – of thinking and actions that keep you stuck and hold you back SAY YES! – to yourself, and to your compelling life and career visions CREATE IT – Design a S.M.A.R.T. plan with concrete steps, to create your breakthrough To launch to the next level of success and joy…

Empowerment Crisis Step Back to Explore Let GoSay Yes!BreakthroughBest Advice “I Can’t Resolve My Chronic Health Problems” The body is communicating what the lips are not. LET GO of ignoring or resisting what is. SAY YES! to hearing your body, intuition, and heart. “I am healthy and strong.” Hear your body Heed your intuition Follow your heart “I Can’t Overcome This Loss” Grieving lost parts of yourself. LET GO of over- identifying with one aspect. SAY YES! to healing lost parts of yourself. “I am integrated and whole.” Bring suppressed parts forward Avoid over- identification Find a “better way” “I Don’t Like Who I’ve Become” Needing to reclaim your power from a source outside yourself. LET GO of giving up your power to others or things. SAY YES! to acting in alignment with the real you. “I love and accept myself.” Discover where you are being false Find the power inside you Disentangle from your struggle Copyright © 2008, Kathy Caprino. All rights reserved. Guide to Empowerment with Self

Empowerment Crisis Step Back to Explore Let GoSay Yes!BreakthroughBest Advice “I Can’t Speak Up for Myself” Reliving past trauma over speaking up. LET GO of your pain from past suppression. SAY YES! to your personal power through words and action. “I use my voice to support myself and others.” Say what you want to say Use positive language Heal past suppression “I Can’t Stop This Mistreatment” Boundaries in need of strengthening. LET GO your belief in your powerlessness. SAY YES! to developing healthy, strong boundaries. “I am treated with love and respect.” Develop healthy boundaries Stop pleasing others to fill your needs Get advocacy “I Can’t Take This Crushing Competition” Feeling the need to prove your worth over and over. LET GO of feeling “not good enough.” SAY YES! to your innate worthiness and value. “I am enough.” Heal not feeling good enough Look at the cost of “win at all costs” Get real – you don’t want to play this game Guide to Empowerment with Others Copyright © 2008, Kathy Caprino. All rights reserved.

Empowerment Crisis Step Back to Explore Let GoSay Yes!BreakthroughBest Advice “I Can’t Escape My Financial Trap” Valuing money above all else. LET GO of beliefs, relationships, and actions that keep you small. SAY YES! to a balanced relationship with money. “I fulfill my financial needs and honor who I am.” Balance your money relationship Know what you long to do and honor it. Shed what keeps you down “I Can’t Use My Real Talents in Life and Work” Denying the power of your unique gifts. LET GO of your fears of failure and inadequacy. SAY YES! to believing in your talents without fail. “I use my real talents in life and work.” Know your natural talents Get solid in your belief in yourself Be open to angels in your life “I Can’t Help Others and the World” Resisting the fact that you can make a difference. LET GO of believing you don’t have what it takes. SAY YES! to changing the world. “I help others and the world.” Stop resisting your new path Enjoy life’s preciousness Trust you can help the world Guide to Empowerment with the World Copyright © 2008, Kathy Caprino. All rights reserved.

Empowerment Crisis Step Back to Explore Let GoSay Yes!BreakthroughBest Advice “I Can’t Hold It Together (Everything is Falling Apart all at Once)” A connection to struggle and to what no longer serves. LET GO of making excuses. SAY YES! to creating your new life as you want it. “I know what is important to me, and I honor it.” Stop making excuses Get someone to hold you accountable Find a powerful role model “I Can’t Balance Life and Work” Over- functioning and perfectionism to control your world. LET GO of your fears about not being in control. SAY YES! to being helped by others and your higher self. “I balance my life and work with joy.” Stop over-functioning Address what you fear most Get help from others and your higher self “I Can’t Do Work and Play I Love” Believing others who say you should let your dreams go. LET GO of “shoulding.” SAY YES! to doing what you can’t live without. “My work and play represent the real Me.” Relax, it’s not all up to you Reconcile making a living doing what you must Get higher source help Guide to Empowerment with Higher Self Copyright © 2008, Kathy Caprino. All rights reserved.

Find Your Power and “Voice” Prioritize What Really Matters to You Shift away from Over-functioning and Perfectionism Discover your Ideal Life, Standards of Integrity and Life Intentions Create a S.M.A.R.T plan and Commit Gain Empowered, Enlivening Support 6 Keys to True Work-Life Balance

 What does your ideal life look like?  What are you committed to creating in your life and work, starting today?  What is the one Breakdown Myth that is holding you back?  What can you say “NO” to that will allow you to say “YES” to yourself?  What concrete action will you take this month to start you on your way to breakthrough?  Where will you find empowered support? Breakthrough Takeaways

Create your breakthrough today! For more information, please contact: Kathy Caprino Women’s Career and Executive Success Coach Ellia Communications, Inc. (203) Join Kathy’s Breakthrough Women’s Circle! Create Your Breakthrough!