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What you’re missing in your job is purpose.

If your company were operating with a clear and present purpose, then you would be telling me how soul-satisfying your work is. You would be bragging on your participation in something bigger than yourself. You would be talking about how meaningful your work is. You wouldn’t be describing a hamster wheel and expressing the need to bail.

Of course you feel the need to bail!

In fact, Sue, you could serve as the poster girl for the 21st-century employee; there has to be a purpose to the work and organization.

“Yours is a common problem these days,” says Haley Rushing. “It’s a horrible state of business when people think they need to leave their passions at home.”

Haley is Chief Purposologist at Austin’s famed marketing/advertising firm, GSD&M Idea City.

You read right. Chief Purposologist. She’s the only one in the world, and she’s the co-author (with Roy M. Spence, Jr.) of the recently released It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For.

Haley is passionate about her own work and her purpose: helping organizations fulfill their purpose. “I want my kids to live in a world where organizations are doing the right thing. The sustainability of the planet is determined by the decisions that businesses make. In some small way, I hope I can help transform the consciousness of business leaders to create value where everyone wins.”

Luckily, Haley found a company whose purpose aligned with her personal purpose before she nearly abandoned the marketing profession. GSD&M offered her the opportunity to use her insights into consumer motivation in a responsible, rather than exploitative, way.

“It’s hard to put kids and family on hold. If I weren’t doing something I believe in, I’d be miserable.” Employers, she says, need to “recognize that if they want people to show up for work enthusiastic and engaged, they need to give them something to be genuinely enthusiastic about—something they can believe in.”

The biggest lesson she’s learned?

“Choose your clients [or employer] wisely. You only have so much time and talent to give in this world. Don’t squander it working with people who aren’t as passionate and committed as you are. Look at every potential relationship as an opportunity for both parties to grow. Every one of my great clients has taught me as much as I’ve taught them. We get better together. So if something about a client [or employer] doesn’t feel right to you, listen to your instincts. There are too many amazing people and cool companies in the world to waste time working for those that don’t get it—and won’t ever get it.”

She could be speaking directly to you, Sue: “Listen to your instincts.” Sounds like you already know it’s time to move on. You present pretty strong evidence that your current workplace isn’t ever going to challenge you, develop you, or fulfill you. In the short term, you feel dissatisfied. In the long run, you’ll feel suffocated.

What to do? First, get clear about your own purpose, then find a compatible employer.

Haley offers this advice for women like you who are seeking a purpose-driven workplace: “Ask! If you’re wondering whether or not a company has a purpose, ask them. There is a lot of power in the question: ‘What’s your fundamental purpose in the world?’ or ‘What difference are you trying to make?’ If their answer begins and ends with ‘make money, increase revenue, maximize profit for shareholders,’ that’s a good indication that the organization isn’t purpose-driven. On the other hand, if they come to life and begin to tell you about the values that shape their culture and the difference they’re trying to make, listen up. This may be your opportunity to take up residence working for the ‘good guys.’

“The good news is that while purpose-driven organizations may have been the exception in the past, there are more and more emerging on the scene every day. You can often spot them by the enthusiasm and engagement of their employees if you interact with them as a customer. They may be the retailers that still see a steady stream of customers, while their competitors are hanging up their ‘going out of business’ sign.”

Ann Daly PhD is a life coach, keynote speaker, and author of A Year of Clarity: The Monthly Guide for Women. She helps women get clear about what they want and how to get it. Subscribe to her blog at: www.anndaly.com.

Answer :      

         Most importantly, you cannot develop your own sense of style if you follow the trends. Following a trend never gives your sense of style a chance to evolve and never makes it necessary for you to explore the under the radar possibilities.

          Keep in mind when purchasing an important piece what it looks like on you. Chandelier earrings are lovely, but they may not look good on you, or fit your lifestyle.

         Also be careful with trends in jewelry. When you purchase a piece that is marking an important occasion, like an anniversary, you don’t want to find yourself picking up the latest fashion magazine six months later only to find that your beautiful new piece is suddenly so ‘over.’

          When adding pieces to your collection, buy pieces that go together. This is not to say that you have to get the earrings that exactly match the necklace (although that is nice) but buy pieces that have the same weight and style and have the same metal and stone colors. When most women look in their closet, they will often see a lot of a few colors. We usually choose the colors we think we look best in. Jewelry is the same way – the right colored stone can be very flattering, and the wrong one not so much so. Choosing a piece that suits your skin tone, your face shape, your personality and your lifestyle insures that you will wear it often. And when you wear a piece of jewelry often, it becomes a part of your story, your legacy.

          Most of all, I truly think you should love the piece – does it exhilarate you, make you smile, intrigue and capture you? If the piece does these things, it is speaking to you and you will enjoy it for years to come. The right piece of jewelry will tell a bit about you and it can also send your love into the future.

A : The world of colored gems is vast and the correct determination of value is based on rarity and quality. Many gemstone species are available in various colors, including sapphire, tourmaline, spinel and garnet. The crystallized form of the mineral Corundum is called Sapphire or Ruby. A natural sapphire can be colorless, blue, yellow, orange, green, lavender (which is very rare) or pink, and when it is red, it is called Ruby. When the crystal is very pure it is colorless and when impurities are introduced during the growth process, colors are created. Sapphires and rubies can be very bright and are very durable. 

Garnets are also available in a wide variety of colors. Most people think of garnet as a burgundy/red color, yet the rarest are green or orange. Orange garnets are called Spessartite or Mandarin Garnet and most green garnets are Tsavorite. Tsavorites can seldom be found in sizes larger than five carats and Spessartites are rarely found in sizes larger than eight carats. Both Spessartites and Tsavorites are rare, beautiful and valuable. was in a jewelry store last week and saw what they called a ‘Fancy Yellow Sapphire’. They also told me that sapphires can be many colors. Is this true and how do I determine value?” 

Spinel is also an exceptionally beautiful and brilliant gemstone. It is naturally created in every color of the rainbow, including black, and is almost as hard as sapphire. Because it is extremely beautiful and durable but less well known, its cost is less than sapphire, making it an exceptional value. Though many colored gems are rare, the absolute rarest of all are colored diamonds. For every 100,000 carats of ‘white’ diamonds mined, there is but one carat of natural colored diamond found. Colored diamonds come in every shade of every color in the color spectrum. To put in perspective the value of a colored diamond, recently a 6.04 ct. vivid blue diamond ring sold at auction for $7.98 million dollars, making it $1.03 million per carat. 

The beauty and value of any gemstone is determined not only by the eye of the beholder, but also its color saturation, its clarity and last but definitely not least, is the cut of the gem. The cut can make or break the beauty of any gem and this is where the “X factor” of the human comes in. In the hands of a master gem cutter, the value of any gem can be greatly enhanced. 

It is difficult to include all the important factors involved in gemstone evaluation in one short answer. I would advise anyone interested in the purchase of a gem of importance to consult with a trusted and knowledgeable professional. 

Zoltan David – Designer / Master Goldsmith 
www.zoltandavid.com

March and April are particularly busy months in Austin. SXSW pervades the town with music, film and interactive conference and events. You can support your favorite organization at galas and parties (Lifestyle p. 26), art receptions (Lifestyle p. 28), runs (Calendar p. 12), and celebrity golf tournaments (Lifestyle p. 39). Step back from your busy lifestyle and treat yourself to the dessert of your dreams – Chocolate Lava Cake (Lifestyle p. 36). Fields of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush dotting Austin’s highway medians on warm spring days always make me want to push the winter clothes into the back of the closet and buy a new outfit that says ‘Spring has Sprung.’ See what’s haute for spring on page 32 of Lifestyle. Forget adding the oven to your to do list of spring cleaning…think about creating the kitchen of your dreams complete with the latest in kitchen design. (Home p. 30)

Each issue we will be adding features to enhance your 360 Austin Lifestyle. This issue see What’s New & Noteworthy on page 25 of Lifestyle as well as A Day at the Spa (Lifestyle p. 42), featuring A Spa for the Soul. With many openings and events to choose from each night of the year in Austin, I can only ‘dream’ of attending all of them. Send your insider hot tips and recommendations to me, editor@ youraustinlifestyle.com

Victor Hugo once said,”There is nothing like a dream to create the future.” Here in Austin the future should be bright for we are a city of dreams and dreamers. Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Austin is the place to do it. Let me know how you are living your dream!

Deborah Hamilton-Lynne ,
Editor

Your ACCA contractor of choice is the professional who udnerstands the building science of your home and applies the design principles contained in the ACCA design manuals and practices.

Winter Humidifcation

Relative Humidity (RH) is the percent of moisture in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture this air can hold at the same condition. Warm air will hold more moisture than cold air, and as cold ventilation air mechanically or naturally (by infiltration) enters your home , it can be drier than the driest desert and seriously lower the humidity levels in your home. The psychrometrics of air show us that at 70 degrees F air can hold 12 times as much moisture as 10 degrees F air, and when 10 degrees F outside air is heated to 70 degrees F the humidity level goes from 70 percent to 7 percent. Normal household functions (such as cooking, showering and laundry) also have an impact on the relative humidity within your home and hence on your comfort. 

The effects of bacteria, viruses, fungi, respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis and asthma and ozone production can be minimized by higher humidity levels. Studies have shown that wintertime operation at 68 degrees F / 60 percent RH provides the same level of occupant comfort as does 72 degrees F / 30 percent RH; so lower utility bills also result with the addition of moisture to your home.

Austomatic, computer controlled humidifiers can control the right humidity levels in your home, providing enough moisture for a healthy comfortable home within the limits to prevent window and cold surface condensation.