A Short Post about my Long Absence!

“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future.  You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.”

–Denis Waitley

A few months ago, Matt Cheuvront, over at Life Without Pants wrote a blog post about running out of your comfort zone.  Matt said, “You can do whatever you set out to once you’re ready and believe in yourself. Usually, to get there, you have to step outside your comfort zone – you have to throw away being content and rock the boat a bit until you figure things out. You have to experiment and try new things – sometimes without a back up plan. It’s not easy, it can’t always be calculated and strategic – but causing a riff every now and then and introducing a little “chaos” into your lifestyle is sometimes the only way to get things done.

That post always rang true to me and hit close to home.  So close, in fact, that I’ve put on my running shoes and by the time I’m done running, those shoes will for sure be worn out!  (And, P.S., if you haven’t checked out Life Without Pants, you totally should!  It’s one of my favorite blogs!)

So, here’s my big news (and also the reason why I’ve neglected my blog for over a month now – I hope she forgives me):  I’m moving to Las Vegas!!

I have been offered (and accepted!) and position with MGM MIRAGE Public Relations.  MGM MIRAGE owns ten properties on the Las Vegas strip and I’ll be working on the hotel team, which means we’ll cover all media requests for guest rooms and suites, spas, attractions, etc. for all ten properties.  It’s an awesome position and extremely different than what I’m doing now, but that’s one of the things that I’m so excited about!

By accepting this position, I’m shaking up and rocking the boat a little in my life (okay, I’m rocking it A LOT!).  I’ve lived in Florida now for 23 years and I’ve had an amazing first year out of college.  I’ve had a great job where I’ve been able to learn from one of the best in the public relations industry, I’ve made some amazing friends (and missed my best friends from college) and, most importantly, I’ve learned so much about myself and what I want for my future.

I’d be lying to you if I said that I wasn’t scared, nervous and excited – I’m all of those things (and pretty much any other emotion you can think of!).  I’m moving to Vegas knowing only my older brother and I’ve already begun thinking about ways to meet new, likeminded friends, including Church activities, Rotary or Kiwanis organizations, volunteering opportunities, etc.

I wanted to share my news with all of you to prove that, even though it is scary, you can run out of your comfort zone and it’s really important, too.  You’ll never get to where you truly want to be if you don’t.  And who wants to look back on life and wonder, “What if I had done that?”

I hope all of you will share in my journey with me.  My hope is to continue this blog, but in a bit of a different manner.  I’ll hopefully be rebranding it and making it more about loving life in Las Vegas.  I’ve also decided to start a “What not to Wear in Las Vegas” segment…    I’m sure I’ll be able to find a lot of awesome (and scary) examples from tourists … so stay tuned.

And, to wrap it up, here are a few things I’m going to miss the most about Florida (besides my family and friends – they’re a given):

1. The smell of fresh cut grass.  Uh, Nevada is the desert, so we won’t have grass in our yard, but rather stones.
2. The word “ya’ll.”  And, please don’t argue with me because ya’ll in definitely a word and I suppose that I can’t take it to Vegas with me.
3. Florida State Football!  It’s going to be weird to not drive by Doak Campbell everyday and remember how proud I am to be a Florida State alumnus and to not be in Tallahassee to support my team on gamedays!  But, you best believe I’ll be watching on TV and supporting my team from Vegas!
4. Publix Sweet Tea!  Publix doesn’t exist in Vegas and I’m going to have to find another brand or something to help me get over my sweet tea addiction.  Or, one of my friends can just ship me some (yes, it can be done – I’ve shipped Publix Sweet tea from Tallahassee to New York before).  J
5. And, finally, what I’m going to miss most is Chick-fil-a!!!  Seriously, I’ve been eating Chick-fil-a like crazy the past few weeks knowing it’s about to be ripped out of my life.  It’s a sad story, but one of the things I’ll look forward to the most when I return to Florida for visits!

So, there you have it.  I join in with Matt and encourage all of you to take that next step to rock the boat in your life.  No one gets anywhere in their life or career by sticking to some old routine everyday.  Have faith in yourself and good luck!

Quarterlife Bucket List

So, I have a confession: I LOVE making lists.  (Not the confession you were hoping for, huh?)    It’s true, I make them everyday – at work, at home, in the car, in my Blackberry – it’s almost never ending and there isn’t ever really a time when “Nothing” is something to accomplish.  And here’s another confession: there’s A LOT of things I want to do in life … my bucket list is long.  So, in an effort to kill two birds with one stone (something I’m also a fan of), I’ve combined two of my favorite things and made a “Quarterlife Bucket List” (in no particular order).

(DISCLOSURE: Yes, of course, there are other things I want to do in life, but I had to keep in mind that I’m only about 21 months away from my deadline.  I also had to keep in mind my resources – anything that I do is going to require time and money, and therefore, you won’t find a lot of traveling to exotic places on this list, but rather activities that are going to challenge me to see my life in a manner I’ve never seen it before.  So, come along with me for this journey – knowing me, it could get very interesting. )

• Skydiving: I’m probably going to get a “Don’t you dare, little girl” voicemail from my mom, but I’m an adult and it’s just something I want to do.  Sorry, Mom.

• Swim with dolphins: When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be the trainer who got to swim with Shamu and/or the dolphins.  Science/biology/animal anatomy was never my strong point in school, so figured I’d better take another path for my career, but this looks like fun:

Dolphin Kisses

• Take a culinary class: If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that I love good food (that makes me sound like a total fat kid).  And, who wouldn’t want to learn how to cook a little better?

• Run a 5K: Every time one of my friends says they’re going to work out, they usually mean they are going for a run.  Well, when I work out, I definitely do not going running.  So, shoot me – I don’t like to run!  But I want to at least be able to say that I ran a 5K… it can’t be that bad, right?

• Change the oil on my car: I told my mom I wanted to try this a long time ago and she laughed and said, “You’re definitely your mother’s daughter.  Don’t ask your grandfather for help.”  I’m not quite sure what she meant by this, but I guess we’ll find out…  I can only hope she was complimenting herself.

• Learn how to drive a motorcycle: I like riding on the back of motorcycles, so why wouldn’t I like driving one.  God Bless the person who takes on this mission.  Maybe it’ll be my brother since he has to love me no matter the outcome… 

• Attend a taping of the Ellen DeGeneres show: This is why:

I would buy the Shake Weight solely because Ellen endorses it!

• Write a children’s book: It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, but this will definitely be a challenge.

• Get my mom to join Facebook: This might be more of a challenge, but it’s about time she moved into the 21^st century.  End of story.

• Live in another state: I’ve lived in Florida for 23 years, what do you want me to say?  There’s so much this world (okay, this country) has to offer and it’s about time I get out there and see it.

• Go camping for a weekend (real camping): I’m a pretty girly girl, but that doesn’t mean I can’t sleep outside and rough it for a couple of days.

• Kiss boyfriend underneath the mistletoe: I know, I know, it’s so cliché, but something I feel like I have to do…just like in the movies.  Said boyfriend is TBD (I’m just being honest).

• Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity: Volunteering with a bunch of other people to build a house for a deserving family is the definition of synergy and one that I want to be a part of and accomplish.

• Go skiing: I’ve never really experienced snow or mountains or anything of that nature (refer to #10 – I’ve lived in Florida for 23 years) and, again, I want to.

• Wake up early on a Saturday morning and help feed the homeless: If there’s any one activity in life that will wake you up, slap you in the face and make you appreciate all the things you have in life, this is it.  Sometimes we all need that slap, me included.

• Create a scrapbook (a real, complete scrapbook with all the glittery stickers and bright colors): Because who doesn’t want to have a nice, clean and creative place for a favorite memory?

• Not watch TV for one entire week: This will be hard for me, not going to lie.  Unlike some people, I like to watch mindless TV after work sometimes and, as you’ve seen me post/tweet about, reality TV is my guilty pleasure.

• Learn how to edit a short video: I can totally see myself video taping a few of these 25 tasks (Uuuhhh, did anyone see number 6 where I said I wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle?) and posting on this blog for you all to enjoy.  This would require me to know how to edit a short video.  Probably something I need to learn how to do anyways.

• Bake an apple pie from scratch: I like pies, apples and food.  Might as well combine the three and make one big yummy glob of happiness!  (FYI: I only say glob in the hopes that that is NOT how my apple pie turns out.)

• Donate blood: This is a no brainer and something I feel like I should have already done, but I’m deathly afraid of needles.  Time to get over that fear for a good cause.

• Win a PR award for a project I’ve worked on: I feel like this is something every young professional wants.   Safe to say I want it too.

• Ride a tandem bike: I have recently been intrigued by friends who have ridden a tandem bike with their significant others.  I’ve heard awesome stories and seen cute pictures. (Steph, will you ride with me … please?)

• Go swimming in the Pacific Ocean: The Atlantic Ocean is nothing new (I’m from Jacksonville, FL).  The Gulf is much prettier, but I hear that the Pacific is a sight for sore eyes.  Can’t wait.

• Brew my own beer: My grandpa used to brew his own beer when I was little and one of my fondest memories growing up was at my grandparents’ house with the large white 20-or-so gallon container he used to brew it in.  My grandpa would always brew a big one for family functions and my aunts and uncles lovingly referred to Grandpa’s beer as “Larry Brow.”  My grandpa is pretty much my favorite person and he’s the inspiration for this one.

• Be a bridesmaid: Okay, so if there is one task I don’t accomplish, this will be it (but only because I don’t have any control over it!)  I’ve heard so many girls complain about the dress they were forced to wear, how they spent way too much money, the bridal shower wasn’t that great, blah, blah, blah.  But, I look at it differently: who doesn’t want to share in this incredibly special time with one of your best friends?  Who cares if she wants you to wear a potato sack – it’s not about you (plus, you can make her wear one when you get married!) Plus, I’m really good a being creative and making up fun games, So, there’s about six of you girls out there who could be first … who’s it going to be?  (No pressure!)

A few runner-ups:

1. • Get a tattoo (really small – on my foot – no where else!)
   • Redesign my blog in a really cool, awesome format (I already know this is going to happen, so I wanted to leave one space open for something else cool.)
   • Take up photography as a hobby
   • Ride a horse through the mountain
   • Visit a National Park (maybe Yellowstone?)

So, let the countdown to January 30, 2012 begin…

What are some of things you want to accomplish?

Embracing mistakes and liberation

Samantha McCain is a currently in her last semester of graduate school and will complete her Master of Science in Public Relations in May.  She desires to work in the nonprofit or public service sector – connecting people and their passions with charitable endeavors that truly make a difference. Connect with her on twitter (@samemac) or on her blog: http://samanthamccain.wordpress.com. (This guest post is a part of the special #bemyguest month, a way for bloggers to connect with other bloggers and swap blog real estate in order to extend knowledge and expand networks.)

Every problem has a gift for you in its hands.  No truer words could be said while learning. And we are always learning, right?

When I first read this topic (as proposed by Lauren Novo – @lmnovo), I simply listed a few key problems I have had and the lessons learned.  Unfortunately, it did not send the message I wanted it to and OHMYGOSH it was boring. And then I realized the one problem I’ve had recently was the one thing I was hiding. You know – those things that make us feel super vulnerable? SO GET READY. I am embracing it and revealing it (while hiding under the bed). MY PROBLEM IS the actual process of making mistakes.  Yes, I am that person.

You know that kid that never got in trouble in school? The one that NEVER stepped foot in the principal’s office and probably seemed like a goody-goody? For a fun pop culture reference, let’s go with Topanga or Minkus from Boy Meets World. Hello – That was me.

And I tell you that, to say this:

I FEARED being in trouble, so I always stayed inside the lines – never pushing limits. I took risks where I could, but never did anything that I thought could get me in trouble.  Why? Because I feared making those mistakes. I feared making someone upset. And most of all, I feared being disappointed in myself.

About 6 months ago, I realized it was really holding me back professionally – and I finally let it go.  Talk about liberation! Twenty-three years of pent up anxiety about making a mistake went straight out the window.

And there is nothing more humbling than falling flat on your face after making a mistake.

Did you hear that? IT’S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES.

That is such a common sense statement. No one expects us to be perfect – well, except US. I mean let’s be honest, perfectionism is a part of the PR job and one of the reasons why we are so good at our jobs. So when things go strangely awry, we find ourselves in a tizzy. Admit it. It’s okay – it happens to EVERYONE.

Okay, did you hear that one? EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES. We make them every day and all day long sometimes.

One of the harder realizations of my latest internship was my newfound place in making mistakes. AND IT KILLED ME TO BEGIN WITH. But with every mistake, I have learned something valuable that I will carry with me in my “PR Toolkit” wherever I go. Please ignore the cheesy reference to my PR Toolkit.

So in a roundabout way – I say all of that to say this:

Obstacles and problems are where we learn the most. It’s not how we fall, but how we pick ourselves up afterward and continue to tackle the challenge or obstacle in front of us.

Make mistakes. Learn. Live.

Really, Gen-Y’ers? What gives?

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”  –Mark Victor Hansen

One of my best friends, Lisa, is in town this week for her spring break (she’s going to grad school at NYU for Integrated Marketing Communications – yeah, she’s totally brave because I don’t think that’s anything I could do).  This past weekend, we were at Target grabbing a couple of essential items – toilet paper, toothpaste, body wash, razors, floss – you know, the non-glamorous stuff that us fabulous people don’t like to admit that we have to buy just like everyone else. 

For this story to make sense, you have to understand that Target is one of my favorite places!  I worked there when I was in high school (and, yes, if you wear a red shirt and khaki bottoms, I will automatically assume that you work at The Bullseye) and, not only is Target a great company to work for, but it’s a one-stop shop.  Point being: Target’s awesome and I love it!

For this particular trip, Lisa and I took our sweet time.  We started off walking through the clothing section, made our way through the picture frames and home décor section, took 20 minutes to buy a baby gift (a friend of hers just had a baby girl), checked out the new DVDs and CDs, browsed the fiction section (did anyone know that Lauren Conrad wrote a three part series called ‘LA Candy’ that is basically a recap of her life on The Hills?) and ended with trying on cute new sandals that Floridians wear 11 out of 12 months every year.  Our fun-filled field trip (say that one five times fast) lasted about an hour and half before we finally got serious and grabbed the things we needed – the aforementioned “non-glamorous” items.  Anyways, I knew that I spent more money than I had originally intended, like I always do, but on this particular day, it really bothered me.  Why would spending $60 on essential items bother me so much?

We walked into Target as enthusiastic, life-loving young adults in our early twenties (really, who doesn’t have fun at Target?  And, if you don’t, you’re no friend of mine).  We left The Bullseye feeling deflated and depressed …  really?  Is this all life has to offer us now – a future of buying non-glamorous essentials and worrying about how much money we spend while doing it?

After belaboring over it for a few hours, I came to the decision that my depressed afternoon stemmed from one of the biggest problems I have with Gen-Y’ers: we’re continually searching for this Mecca referred to as happiness and we never stop or slow down to think that we just might already have it. And, although everyone is different and there’s always an exception to the rule, if I could use one word to describe my generation it would be this:

OVER ACHIEVERS!

Before I ever started my blog, I sat back and watched (and read) many of my peers’ blogs about Generation Y.  Many of them write about what they’re experiencing in work and life, with family and friends, etc.  And, shockingly enough, I can relate to all of them.  I was (and still am) amazed at the similarities between all of us young, twenty-somethings out there.

We grow up thinking that we can have anything we want as long as we work hard for it, but until we get there, it’s not good enough.  If we’re not where we thought we’d be right out of college, then we’re failures.  If we’re not skinny, then we’re fat.  If the car I drive isn’t brand new, then it’s a piece of crap.  If I don’t have 500 hits on my blog per day, then I suck at writing and no one cares what I have to say.  Seriously, what gives?  All of us want one thing – which is to be successful and happy (okay, I know that’s two things, but they go hand in hand), but it’s the journey getting there that can drive Gen-Y’ers crazy and make them think there’s no end to the madness (myself included).  And, just like every public relations professional will tell you, your objective has to be measurable (which, if you’re like me, only stresses you out more).  So, if all Gen-Y’ers are after is success and happiness, when will you know you’ve reached it?  Will you be able to spend $60 bucks at Target and not worry about it throwing off your entire month’s budget?  Will you get that promotion you’ve been working so hard for or will you fall in love and get married?  Or, will it be a combination of things from your personal and professional life?  Let me know because I guarantee we’ll all be able to relate to each other’s answers!!

-KC

P.S. Be on the look out for my post “25 things to do before I turn 25.”  It’s a pretty hot topic for us Gen-Y’ers and I felt the need to jump on bandwagon.  It’s going to be a good one because I wanted to choose 25 things that will really challenge me as an individual.

What’s on my mind: How much I seriously love the movie Legally Blonde…never gets old! 

Lisa and I. New York City. Magnolia Bakery. Enough said.

Just let go and enjoy the show!

“Get caught in the race of this crazy life.  Tryin’ to be everything can make you lose your mind.”

–‘American Honey’ by Lady Antebellum

So, last night I was sitting on my couch writing this, watching American Idol and searching online for the perfect quote to summarize this post.  I was getting really wrapped up and frustrated in trying to find the all encompassing quote that I was so caught off (and pleasantly surprised) when the newly eliminated Michelle said it so eloquently.

“I got so wrapped up in trying to do everything right and being judged instead of just focusing on performing.”

Ahhh, yes, that is what I was looking for.  And it brings me to a point that I’ve been struggling with for some time now – you can’t always do everything “right” or “good.”  Michelle is obviously a great singer – she made it into the top 20 – but at the time of her elimination, the only thing she could focus on was singing the “right” way and being judged.  She failed to acknowledge the success she had already achieved and I think this is a great lesson that we can all learn from – you aren’t always going to be the best at everything you try and that’s okay!

Here’s how this lesson relates to my life.  Some of you may know that I’ve recently taken up tennis.  It’s quite comical actually because I’ve never really played sports.  Uh, minus my short stint at volleyball in middle school, but I don’t count that because I could NOT serve for the life of me.  I’m not exaggerating either because my coach used to rotate me out of play when it was my turn to serve and then put me back in (true story – you heard it here first).  J

Anyways, I had been looking for a physical activity to do after work so when my coworker, Jolene (@jolenegurtis) came into my office and asked me if I was interested in taking tennis lessons with her, I said yes.  By lunch we had invited friend and coworker, Lauren (@Lmnovo) and by 6 p.m. my roommate, Julie was on board, too.  I was super excited and I really started to look forward to Mondays (Looking forward to Mondays?  Such a crazy concept!)

For the next five weeks, the four of us went to tennis lessons every Monday evening for two hours.  We learned all the basics of tennis: ready position, forehand, backhand, forehand and backhand volleys, overheads, serving and all the rules for playing an actual game of tennis.  It was so much fun!  The first three weeks were awesome and I really thought that I was advancing (and I was, but not nearly at the pace as my three counterparts).

By the fifth week, we split up and were playing individual games with a partner.  My partner (another woman in the class) and I kept giving each other points because our serves weren’t making the cut.  Our coach forced us to stop playing the game to practice serving, while Lauren, Jolene and Julie kept playing with their partners.  I was really disappointed.  And, to top it off, we found out that to move on to the advanced beginner’s class we’d all have to try out.  I asked one of our instructors if it was likely that I’d move up and she said, “You might want to take the beginner’s class one more time.”  Just great, I thought, one more thing I’m not good at.

Long story short, I left our last lesson feeling very discouraged and for what reason?  Because I wasn’t as “good” as my friends?  I should have been happy that I found an activity that I enjoyed doing after a long day at work.  I should have been thankful that my instructors actually want me to improve and have a solid foundation for the basics of tennis.  And, I should have been extremely honored that out of all the women in the class, I was Ms. Congeniality!!  (Okay, so we didn’t really get physical awards, but both instructors agreed that I totally would have won Ms. Congeniality and, let’s be honest, we all know that’s the best award to win!)

The point is, no matter what you try or how many hobbies you have, it’s okay to not be the best. Don’t let that discourage you from finding something that really interests you.  I truly believe that from your interests stems your passions. I keep reminding myself that although I may not be the best at tennis, there’s a lot of other things I’m really good at, like having a contagious personality and making people laugh, baking the infamous seven-layer chocolate and strawberry trifle (sorry, Steph, but I think I’ve finally mastered the trifle and can make it better than you now), being a reliable friend and colleague and remembering names and dates.  Oh, and the game ‘Clue?’  I am seriously the champ of Clue – no one can beat me!

And, so from this story stems another lesson that is important to learn: don’t think any less of yourself because there are other people out there better than you… there always will be.  And, more importantly, don’t compare yourself to others.  Don’t ask yourself, “What does she have that I don’t?”  You are special and unique and there are things that you’re “good” at that no one else it.  What are those things?

P.S.  If you’re looking for an awesome song that summarizes this post, listen to this one!

P.P.S.  In case you missed it last week, I wrote a guest post over at Lauren’s blog, “Gen-Y PRogress” about the “Art of: Patiently Waiting.”  You can read it here. I’ve decided that I need to learn how to take my own advice.  J

Life is like a Cup of Coffee

“Live the life you love.  Love the life you live.”  –Bob Marley

I’m going to always try to bring ya’ll original posts, but here’s one that I really want to share.  I certainly can’t take credit for it and I don’t know who to give credit to, but here’s how I came across it.

Graduation is a pretty exciting time in a young person’s life – new beginnings, new jobs, new friends, etc.  But one of the most exciting things a graduate can look forward to is the gifts.  I’m not going to lie, and those of you who have been there know, money is the best gift for this occasion.  So, I was quite taken aback when my mom handed me this huge gift bag at my graduation dinner.  It didn’t weigh much but it was definitely bulky.  What could it be?

I immediately looked for the hidden card, completely overlooking the new, well-polished frame that contained some story, typed on fancy stationary that my mom thought was relevant to my life.  I’ll be honest; I was more interested in the cold-hard cash.  But, my mom, being sneaky and knowing me all too well had hidden the card in her purse.

“Mom, where’s the card?”

“Na uh, little girl, I’m offended.  I want you to read that before I give you the card.”

Being the ever obedient child that I am, I read it (and read all of it).  After all, my mom had gone out of her way to give me this gift and no matter the monetary value, it’s the thought that counts.

This is what it said:

“A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit one of their old university professors.  Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal – some plain looking, other expensive and exquisite.  He told them to help themselves to the coffee.  When all of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, ‘If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.  While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourself, it is the source of your problems and stress.’

He continued, ‘Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee.  In most cases, it is more expensive than the coffee itself and in other cases, hides what we drink.  What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you subconsciously went for the best cups … and then you began eyeing each other’s cups.’

He finished by saying, ‘Consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups.  They are just tools to hold and contain life.  The type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.  Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.  The happiest people don’t have the best of everything … they just make the best of everything.’

Live Simple.  Love Generously.  Care Deeply.  Speak Kindly.  Leave the rest to God.”

I don’t really know why I was surprised to receive this gift from my mom for my college graduation – she gave the same thing to my brother two years earlier.  I remember reading it at that time and it really meant nothing to me.  But, now, knowing that my mom knew it would be relevant in my life makes it all the more special.  It hangs in my office as a daily reminder that our attitudes affect us and those around us on a regular basis.  It’s simple life lessons like these that make this adventure called life all worthwhile.  Enjoy your coffee and don’t always worry about the cup – it’s not the most important thing!

Happy Friday!

“Birds of the same feather flock together.”

“To have a good friend is one of the highest delights in life; to be a good friend is one of the noblest and most difficult undertakings.”  –Ralph Waldo Emerson

There’s a well-known proverb out there that I love (and hate all at the same time) – you are what you eat.  And, although it’s a difficult concept to grasp, here’s what I’ve come up with: my bum probably does resemble cinnamon buns more than I’d care to admit and my arms remind me of green beans (probably because I don’t go to kickboxing as often as I should).  Either way, this analogy leads me to something that, we, as students and young professionals can all learn from: you are who you surround yourself with.

When you think about it, it makes complete sense.  If you want to make yourself savvy in the financial arena to learn more about stocks and bonds, then you’re obviously going to want to spend time with someone who knows a lot about stocks and bonds.  It’s a common ground you two will have.  Unfortunately, this is a door that swings both ways.  If you spend time people who lie, cheat and steal, then it’s inevitable that you will, too.

When I was in college, I was very selective with my friends.  I wasn’t, nor will I ever be, about quantity.  I’d rather have five best friends than 25 acquaintances.  I specifically chose friends who had qualities that I wanted to emulate.  This post is also being used as a shout-out to one of my best friends, Megan, so I’ll use her as an example.

I’ve known Megan for about three years now and I can honestly say that she has only influenced my life in a positive way.  Megan and I have a lot in common from our work ethic, faith, leadership qualities and expectations of ourselves and others (and, as a side note, we have GREAT senses of humor).  When we were in school, I always admired Megan’s appreciation for learning and her knowledge of the public relations industry, in general.  She was the president for the student chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association at Florida State.  Megan had those qualities that I wanted in myself (i.e., character and time management) and I found that the more time I spent with her, the more I challenged myself to do things that would make my qualities stand out (i.e., honesty and enthusiasm).  As time passed, we began to pick up on the other’s traits and a great friendship flourished – one that I’ll always have.  (And, lucky for me, she loved watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 and The Hills on Monday nights so this became a weekly ritual).

After graduation, Megan took a huge leap of faith and moved to Chicago before securing a job.  I’ve always admired her for making such a gutsy move, but she did it because she knew that she wanted to be in Chicago – that that’s where she’d be happy.  Within a week (maybe two), she landed an awesome internship at an agency in the city.  She always gave 100% and dedicated herself to the accounts she was working on.  She interned there for about eight or nine months before securing the job she has now.

Megan was definitely capable of working in this industry, but because of the economy she wasn’t able to land a gig in Chicago.  But, she took advantage of every networking opportunity she could and remained positive.  The full-time job she has now, Megan got because of one of her internships in Tallahassee – weird how things work out like that, huh?

A few weeks ago, Megan packed up, left Chicago and moved to Royal Oak, Michigan (right outside of Detroit).  Last week, she started as the Associate Planning Director in the Corporate Communications department for Ford Motor Company.  I don’t really know what that means or what her official job duties are, but I know it’s an amazing position and there isn’t any one person more qualified than my best friend.  I’m so happy for her and proud of her that, despite it all, she never lost hope or determination.  I am lucky to call her a friend and can only hope she’s learned as much from me as I have from her.

So, let this be a lesson to every young person out there.  Find people who have qualities that you want to have and I guarantee you, those qualities will start to rub off on you.  Megan’s character, leadership and sense of humor and fashion have definitely rubbed off on me and whenever I need advice or guidance, she’s one of the first people on my list to ask.

Take a close look at the five people you spend the most time with: are they a representation of what you want others to see and recognize in you?

Megan and I on Graduation Day!

Megan's mom, Megan and I in downtown Chicago - November 2009

“It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to!”

“Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that those who have the most, live the longest.”  –Father Larry Lorenzoni

Birthdays are weird.  You wake up one day and all of the sudden you’re a year older.  And it’s funny because whenever someone says, “How does it feel to be a year older?” the answer is always something along the lines of “Well, it kinda feels the same.” (Uhh, maybe because a mere 24 hours ago you were a year younger?”)

Birthdays are hard.  When you’re young, you picture yourself and where you’re going to be in life at a certain age.  It’s normal for a young child to say, “I’m going to have a college degree, a good job and own my home by the time I’m 25.”   But, what happens if you aren’t where you pictured yourself?

So, why all this talk about birthdays?  Saturday was my 23^rd birthday and I’ve heard that this year is one of importance.  Something big happens, something life-changing.  This is an interesting concept to me because I don’t really have any life-changing events planned for this year.  And, since I’m a typical Type-A personality and I like to have everything planned, I did a little research via Twitter and asked this question:  “What one significant event happened at the age of 23?  Or, if you’re not yet 23, where do you see yourself at the age of 23?” (Just so I could kind of gage what this year’s going to be like…) 

I received a range of responses from my followers and here are a few of their responses:

• “I got paid for my writing for the first time when I was 23.”
• “I started my own business.”
• “I got married (and am still happily married) at 23.”
• “I graduated from nursing school.”
• “My wife and I had our first baby when I was 23.”
• “I bought a new car for myself.  A car that I actually wanted.”
• “I was working 3 jobs and taking classes just trying to make ends meet.”
• From a friend who isn’t yet 23, “I want to be living in Tampa, in my own house with a PR job in sports or tourism with a dog named Doak.”

Each of these answers represents a significant part of that person’s life.  Do they upset me or make me feel inadequate?  Absolutely not.  They make me reevaluate where I am, appreciate what I do have and strive for what I want.  If you aren’t where you thought you’d be, you’re given hope that this will be the year you get there.  I can’t really remember where I thought I was going to be at 23, but right now that doesn’t matter.  What matters is where I’m going.  And, I don’t really know what one, big, significant event is going to happen to me this year, but I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I do!

But, until then, here’s one reason why 23 is already off to an amazing start:

Me and my mom's new puppy!

(A big thank you to my Twitter followers who responded to my inquiry and helped in the research of writing this blog post!)

Change is a Decision; Not a Time of Year

People usually consider the New Year to be a new beginning – a time to do things differently, improve themselves (and their habits) and start fresh.  But, who says that it has to be a new year for fresh starts and new beginnings?  If anyone says that nothing from the past year matters because it’s a New Year and everything’s going to be great, they’re 99.9% wrong.  The past year does matter.  Life is full of trials and tribulations, as well as successes and accomplishments. You can make the choice to learn and grow from these experiences or you can make the choice not to – it’s up to you.

In the past, I’ve always been torn about New Year’s resolutions. I’ve always recognized that there are things I want to change, so I’ve made a few, but they fade pretty quickly and I move on.  I blame this on being too young to really understand the point of resolutions.  But this isn’t a post about resolutions. It’s about recognizing what you want to do differently and the importance of looking at where you’ve been in order to best move forward.

The past 12 months have been a year of transition and learning for me.  I started 2009 as a senior in college: confident and untouchable.  No one could mess with me because I was going to graduate with honors, get an awesome job that everyone would be jealous of, leave Tallahassee and move to a big city with my girlfriends and live “the life” – whatever that means.  In order to best understand where I’ve been and why I want 2010 to be better, here’s a quick rundown of 2009:

January – Started my last semester in college with no worries; I was invincible.

March – Boyfriend broke up with me and I was devastated.

April – Made the decision to stay in Tallahassee, interviewed and accepted my first professional job.

May – Graduated from college and began working 9 days later.

June – Four of my best friends packed up and left me alone in Tallahassee (2 went to NYC, one went to Chicago and the other moved home to the Orlando area).

August – Aforementioned boyfriend broke up with me again (Apparently, once wasn’t enough, as this is a great example of me not learning from my mistakes.)

September – Totaled my second car in two years (I don’t want to know what my insurance rates are going to be either…)

December – Made the decision to start this blog, as a way to reflect upon life’s lessons and how I and others can learn from them.

And so, I ended the year as a bona fide young professional: still confident, but quite honestly, a little stunned.  So, this is what the real world is like, huh?  I graduated (not with honors because I had a little case of senioritis and missed it by .056 points to my GPA).  I made the decision to stay in Tallahassee, look for jobs and was able to go to my last class as an undergraduate with a job offer.  And, somewhere in between now and then, I’ve learned a whole heck of a lot!

I don’t want to pretend that none of the above events happened – because they obviously did – but, I also know that I don’t want to make those same mistakes.  Instead, I want to take what I’ve learned in 2009 and grow upon it to become a better, smarter and a more well-rounded person.

What about you?  Anything you’ve learned in 2009 that you want to grow from?