2014 Goals: December Update

I made it! A full year of consciously working toward lifestyle shifts. Some I did better than others.

Final updates:

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Ice skating with my team at work tomorrow
• I turned down a rock climbing invite last week, but I do plan to go before the end of 2014. I've heard good things.
• 2015 we'll work towards consistency... eventually my body/health is going to catch up with my lack of movement.
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
• Turns out you can buy really delicious things like wild mushroom ravioli (which I understand is still pasta) and Bear Creek soup mix that add variety to your diet AND are easy to cook. 
• Next step is balanced nutrition - distant goal. 
• Practicing self-care
• Oaxaca, Mexico was a completely selfish and delightful vacation
• Massage
• Sleeping in a few days

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Another Ecolab/Shapers connection made
• Mercy/Ecolab mutual friends... which I never saw coming
• Spent a decent amount of time with coworkers outside of work, which is new and felt like they were working into a new life circle
• Using paid time off
• Oaxaca... so good.

• Enjoying performance arts
• Comedy
• Skyway carolers 
• Live music at a food festival in Oaxaca, and various events
• Achieving airline status 
• Excited to enjoy my status perks for 2015 travel

• Activating human drives
• Inspired and motivated to think about a life of possibilities after spending time with some crazy awesome women that are 70+
• Feeling purpose and unique value add in my work again
• Keeping plants alive
• Verna still doesn't have new soil, but she's alive and well!

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• Pentatonix Holiday is back for the season

• Thinking critically for fun
• 180 from last month, no more GMAT. GRE is in my future
• Fun reads on the trip to Mexico

• Living values through time allocation
• Feeling really good about this - lots of social time and reconnecting with family/friends over the holiday and working a manageable amount (still a lot, but much better than the thick of fall recruiting) 

I think for 2015, rather than a list... I'm choosing a theme. Theme for the year is wellness. I feel a little all over the place (quite literally sometimes) and I really want to spend the next year being intentional and focusing on what makes me well, rather than simply reacting and overloading my schedule until I crash.

According to: http://wellness.ucr.edu/seven_dimensions.html

Wellness is much more than merely physical health, exercise or nutrition. It is the full integration of states of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The model used by our campus includes social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual and physical wellness. Each of these seven dimensions act and interact in a way that contributes to our own quality of life.

• Social Wellness is the ability to relate to and connect with other people in our world. Our ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with family, friends and co-workers contributes to our Social Wellness.
• Emotional Wellness is the ability to understand ourselves and cope with the challenges life can bring. The ability to acknowledge and share feelings of anger, fear, sadness or stress; hope, love, joy and happiness in a productive manner contributes to our Emotional Wellness.
• Spiritual Wellness is the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives. The ability to develop congruency between values and actions and to realize a common purpose that binds creation together contributes to our Spiritual Wellness.
• Environmental Wellness is the ability to recognize our own responsibility for the quality of the air, the water and the land that surrounds us. The ability to make a positive impact on the quality of our environment, be it our homes, our communities or our planet contributes to our Environmental Wellness.
• Occupational Wellness is the ability to get personal fulfillment from our jobs or our chosen career fields while still maintaining balance in our lives. Our desire to contribute in our careers to make a positive impact on the organizations we work in and to society as a whole leads to Occupational Wellness.
• Intellectual Wellness is the ability to open our minds to new ideas and experiences that can be applied to personal decisions, group interaction and community betterment. The desire to learn new concepts, improve skills and seek challenges in pursuit of lifelong learning contributes to our Intellectual Wellness.
• Physical Wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get through our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. The ability to recognize that our behaviors have a significant impact on our wellness and adopting healthful habits (routine check ups, a balanced diet, exercise, etc.) while avoiding destructive habits (tobacco, drugs, alcohol, etc.) will lead to optimal Physical Wellness.

• 
  

Happy Holidays! Cheers to 2015.

2014 Goals: November Update

On the plus side, life slowed down a bit. I'm done traveling for work, and while the outcomes of my 7 weeks on the road aren't quite what I was hoping - it feels good to have another fall recruiting season behind me. On the down side, we had another family death, a rude awakening that life is precious this month.

It's been hectic, but fantastic month catching up on the rest of life. Global Shapers work is picking up, we onboarded new members, and I'm plugged back into my neighborhood board, camp advisory committee, church, STLF committee, women's group at work, AND I'm half way through my 3rd annual Month of Thanks on Facebook. All things considered, life is good.

I've officially been at this 11 months, feels good to have kept myself accountable. Thanks for those that read and encourage me to keep writing.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Qoya - no longer new, but a solid form of moving and exercising
• Walking to the bus feels new, A) it's happening again B) its cold, which has quickened the pace with which I walk
  
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  Per my surrender last month...
• Cereal is a new staple - on my 3rd box of Special K Fruit and Yogurt 
• Hummus is also making a come back, with tortillas and wheat thins

• Practicing self-care
• New morning routine - is going relatively well
• Bought a plane ticket to Mexico

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Many lives collided at Minnesota Social Impact Center launch event
• Mutual friend connections with Ecolab/Shapers and STLF/Ecolab
  
• Using paid time off
• Oaxaca trip over Thanksgiving - 2 days off = 6 day vacation!
• Carrying 3 days over to 2015

• Enjoying performance arts
• Went back to local comedy this month
  
• Achieving airline status 
• Also have status with Hilton and Marriott now. Official travel snob.

• Activating human drives
• Shapers, Friends, and Family are filling me up.
• Feeling at peace - might re-read The Charge soon to set 2015 goals.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Super Plant is almost one. I should name him Herman, but I've always imagined it as female - her name is going to be Verna.
• Need to add some soil and potentially replant Verna :)

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• The new Big Bang Theory and New Girl seasons win

• Thinking critically for fun
• Met with someone at Carlson for info on MBA ... baby steps
• Did strategic planning work with EPNI board

• Living values through time allocation
• Feeling really good about this - double booked most nights after work, which ensures I'm spending time doing things I love and not working every night. Can be physically tiring, but better aligned with values. 

Heavy Heart

Goodness gracious. For someone that tries to see the silver lining in every situation - the last 12 months have been quite the test. We lost another Schaefer (mom's family) this week. Unexpected, 47 years old.

Grandpa passing was tough, but there was some peace in that he would no longer suffer. He had lived a long, good life. Not easy, but I felt his services were really the celebration of the great man he was.

Steve passing was rough. We had 11 months after his diagnosis to prepare, but at the end of the day, he was still only 44... his boys are young. He was tough, but in this case, the cancer was unstoppable.

Tim passing was unexpected. 47. He went hunting the weekend before, to work that day, and was moving snow, like everyone else was after the storm. Unlike everyone else, he never made it inside afterward. It doesn't make sense. He recently walked his daughter down the aisle and welcomed his first grandchild into the world just 6 weeks ago. 5th generation photo was taken days before he died.

Death takes time to process, but the world doesn't stop moving forward. I didn't give myself time to process this week - instead went numb, Schaefer #3 in a year - makes you think, who's next? Asked my cousin how he was doing, he said, "well I woke up this morning." Little morbid, but it's been too frequent not to at least think it.  I sincerely hope this was the last one. At the wake, all I could say was, "this sucks" and hug family. Finally started feeling at the eulogy, when the eldest brother who had moved away said, "Tim - I wish we could have spent more time together. I'll miss you more than you know."

I'm an oldest sister. I moved away. I miss family events and time with my sisters to work, or travel. I always think, I'll see them soon. And so far, I've been fortunate that that has been the case.

And then the Fireman's Last Call ... brutal. I looked at his kids, mid-20s, they lost their dad. Forever. Nora had her grandpa for 6 weeks. I got to enjoy mine for 25 years. They didn't do anything to deserve this. It doesn't make sense. Can you possibly prepare for such an unexpected event? How do balance living each day like it's your last, and know that life is long. At 47, you could realistically have 20 years left or 50 years left, or in Tim's case, none. Steve didn't even make it to 45.

Here's my hope. I hope we continue to love and cherish our time together. I hope we find a way to keep memories from those who have passed in our hearts, so they continue to be with us although not physically. I hope we can focus on the good, and purpose driven areas of our lives, and not get caught up in the rat race that can consume us if we are not careful. And I hope that this was the end of tragic deaths for our St. Martin community. I hope that we each find peace, and a new normal.

Each of these men in our family were remembered for their service to our community, their dedication and love to family and friends, and living a full, happy life. I can only hope to be remembered for similar things one day, and in the meantime, use their example to make the world a better place.

Happy Heart

As another weekend winds down and I prepare for the week ahead, my heart is especially happy. I spent the weekend with 14 incredible individuals from the Minneapolis Hub of Global Shapers. It was the culminating event of a week full of catching up with my life post-travel, and while exhausting, exactly what I needed as we head into winter, darkness, and all that jazz.

While my fellow Shapers are always a joy to be around, this weekend we welcomed new members to our group and once again connected in a more meaningful and intentional way than our typical meetings. I know the most amazing people. It has inspired me during this month of thanks and gratefulness, to connect in meaningful and intentional ways in other facets of my life as well.

Both throughout this week and weekend, I had an opportunity to reconnect with several people - in addition to learning about them, I always re-learn things about myself...like:

• I love to talk about ideas, work, dreams, and the world. I don't love sharing vulnerable topics.
• My default is taking care of logistics and facilitation vs participating.
• I love Minneapolis, the city and people in it continue to amaze me.
• My family and rural community will always be a big part of my life, no matter how far I travel, or how different my life may look/feel on the outside.
• People are the best - I am fascinated and excited by people and their stories.
• Getting involved in STLF was one of my better decisions in life. The things I learned and people involved in that organization continue to show up in big ways in my life.
• Continuous improvement is how my brain operates. I am rarely fully present or appreciative of what is and happened unless I force myself to stop/pause, focus and reflect.
• I was born into and experience extreme privilege, and need to find outlets to live up to my highest potential and purpose by helping, supporting, and sharing joy with others.

I am a work in progress, but life is good.

Another travel season down... so I bought a plane ticket. And went to Qoya.

The nice part about writing things down, is that you can remember where your mind was and and mark progress of how far you've come...or at least a reminder that everything does, in fact, work itself out over time.

I wish I had written more in the last two months. I had plenty of thoughts, just never took time to write them down. I love traveling, but this stint of 7 weeks on the road was not my favorite. So many things that I find energy are community based, and I was missing things left and right in Minneapolis. I went through a lot of funks...nothing serious, just didn't seem quite right.

Despite traveling for 7 weeks, I got home on Saturday and immediately felt the need to buy a plane ticket. My life is a series of contradictions, and I'm ok with that. So I emailed my friend Bev and started making plans to visit her in Oaxaca before the end of the year and cleared the vacation time at work. Hooray!

I had a meeting postponed tonight, which was perfect, because Tuesday is also Qoya night and I hadn't been in a long time. I know self-care is important, but per usual, it had been low priority. Qoya is the perfect cure, because it helps me focus on physical, spiritual, emotional, and social wellness all in one class - through a series of dancing, yoga, reflecting/writing, and sharing in 90 minutes. Qoya is based on the idea that through movement, we remember.We remember our essence is wise, wild and free.

Class starts by drawing a goddess card - I coincidentally pulled Vesta | Home from the pile, with the quote, "Your household situation is improving, either through a move or a healthy change in the occupants." Living alone, this bodes well for me. And also helped me acknowledge that the soul searching I did over my career, purpose, goals, and next steps this weekend may be leading me toward healthy change.

We dance and set intentions on remembered dreams. I share about my remembered dream of traveling internationally annually, hoping to visit the six livable continents by age 30. More committed to the former than the latter. I've doubled up on Africa and North America this year.

We shake and do some yoga, before starting a story writing activity. Story writing hasn't been a part of any class before, but I went with it. I drew three cards and started writing a story as instructed, about the cards I drew - Let Yourself Shine, Aphrodite, and New Roots. The prompt was, "Once there was a goddess who remembered a dream." After reading it through once, we changed out "she" and "her" to "I" and "my" ... I needed this message. I needed to remember. So glad I went to class.

Once there was a goddess who remembered a dream. 

She I let hermyself shine. Never wavering in confidence. She I shared her my gifts with the world, and the world and people everywhere shared their gifts with her me. Everywhere she I went, she I was her my authentic, beautiful, genuine self.

The best gift she I had to share was love. Love of hermyself, not in a selfish or narcissistic way, just knowing that she is I am enough. She is I am worthy of love, and treat everyone she I meet with the same spirit and belief.  

When things were complacent or her my dream was out of focus, the goddess established new roots. She I never forgot where she I came from, but never let the world pass her me by. She I shared her my beauty, gifts, and love with everyone as she I explored the world and made her my impact on people everywhere. Living her my remembered dream.

First the career dilemma/doubts in my head, then the lack of self care, then the need to travel. It was all in the cards, I just had to write my story...and live my remembered dreams.

I'm back everyone. I don't even think MN winter can bring me down at this point.

2014 Goals: October Update

I'm not managing my life very well right now. My default when things get off balance is to increase the number of waking or productive hours in a day so that I can do more until I figure out how to bring things back into a sustainable pace. I maintain that I'd rather have this problem, than have to search for meaningful ways to fill my time.

I've been feeling stretched since August, if I don't reconfigure soon, I'm going to fail big somewhere. It'd probably be a good lesson to learn, although not a fun one. Trying to sort through the clutter and identify what really matters. 

Thankful for the people who hold me accountable and help make sense of things when I need to talk through life. I'm confident things will calm down (by choice or not) sooner rather than later, stay tuned.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• I spent a delightful Sunday adventuring by foot in Old San Juan.
• Looking forward to Qoya once I'm around more regularly.
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
• Still haven't gone grocery shopping BUT I made a pretty good tater tot hotdish with my mom this weekend
• I think I've decided to surrender on this one...my lifestyle isn't very conducive to cooking real meals. Need to come up with a different way to balance budget, variety, and healthy meal options.

• Practicing self-care
• New morning routine - deep breaths, intentions, and stretching
• Trying to keep Saturdays free from work, and at least one week night.

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Visited Global Shapers on a work trip
• Both at church and a bonfire, I found friends of friends that were also friends of other friends. Confusing to explain, but Minneapolis is a small world. 
• Using paid time off
• Doing good for 2014, nothing big at this moment.

• Enjoying performance arts
• I went to an outdoor Latin Jazz concert in San Juan
• Achieving airline status 
• 2 upgrades since getting Silver status. I'm a fan.

• Activating human drives
• I'm in overdrive right now... better than complacent I suppose?
• Keeping plants alive
• Super plant lives on. Might be time to up my game.

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• I think the too much TV has been broken, feeling ok about this one.

• Thinking critically for fun
• GMAT books still not opened... need to either commit or let go on this
• Still trying to figure out how authentic leadership and genuine engagement fit within corporate structures. I'm committed to figuring it out.

• Living values through time allocation
• Despite a lot of work, I made time to see my sister in Fargo this weekend. When in town, I attend weddings, social gatherings, and try to make some time for reflection despite having a ridiculous to-do list. 

2014 Goals: September Update

It's common for me to say, "I travel a lot for work - 10 weeks in a row during the fall and 6-8 in the spring, with a few sporadic trips in off seasons." Which is true, but I sometimes forget how disconnected one must become from their home life to travel that consistently. I always thought I'd be good at being a consultant, and now I'm confident it would not be a good long-term solution for me. I go to fun places, with good people - but as my friend Sarah figured out, the grass is actually greener where you water it.

I love my job. Finding bright, eager, accomplished students to enter a growing company with fun challenges/opportunities and a leadership development program is fulfilling. However, this weekend alone I missed a birthday, wedding, gala, and "retirement" party. Last weekend I missed a birthday, and a bunch of meetings, gatherings, events, etc which are part of my Minneapolis life that I love.

Things by awesome friends I'm missing but want to support:

• Release of Finnegans Dead Irish Poet 
• The Bellows EP Release Party
• Energy Dance Collective "Move Me" show
• Act II: STLF's Annual Event 

And onto the usual update...

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Back to Qoya this month, and lots of walking!
• Insanity DVDs are on my coffee table, which is near my DVD player
  
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
• I haven't gone grocery shopping in over a month. Travel happened.

• Practicing self-care
• Trying and mostly successful at reserving weekends for me, not work.
• Eating as well as possible on the road.

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• STLF and Global Shapers 
• STLF and MBV
• College friends and work friends
  
• Using paid time off
• Not in the cards right now - Mexico is happening this winter though!

• Enjoying performance arts
• Missed two this weekend being gone for work. Tough when traveling.
  
• Achieving airline status 
• Done! Silver status (which isn't much - but I did it!)

• Activating human drives
• Wish I had "The Charge" with me on the road right now. Went through a funk/rut earlier this month but feeling good now. Just need to name purpose, goals, values to make sure I don't fall into simply being content or complacent. Friends - hold me to this.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Despite traveling, the work plant lives. Might be a super plant. 

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• On the plane this is true. Not much of either though

• Thinking critically for fun
• GMAT books still not opened... we'll see what October brings
• Read True North and just started The Power of Full Engagement - trying to figure out how authentic leadership and genuine engagement fit within corporate structures. I'm committed to figuring it out.

• Living values through time allocation
• Discretionary time has been spent with family and friends. 

2014 Goals: August Update

So this has turned into less of a blog, and more of an accountability measure for my goals. Life happens.

Not allowing myself to fully process or be present lately - trying to slow down and focus. Today the sermon at Mercy was about Lamentations, and how the book - though desolate - is honest, purposeful, and connected. Not that I'm in a state of desolation and mourning, but it seemed relevant since I do desire to live my life being more honest, purposeful, and connected every day. 

Other random thoughts...

-With the conflict/war/fighting in Syria and Gaza, and shooting stories happening daily across the US, I am having a hard time fully comprehending how human beings continue to be so destructive - to the earth, ourselves, and mostly each other.

-8 and 9 year old boys should never have to attend their father's funeral. 

-I've been around a lot of babies this month. It's made me even more aware that motherhood is not a life stage I am ready for in the near future. I am also even more in awe of mothers, such a different love, commitment, and selfless lifestyle required than I am currently capable of. 

-I have lived in Minneapolis for 8 years (crazy). While I never intended to stay put for this long, and always imagined moving away, I am absolutely in love with this city and enjoy it more every day. Not stuck here, but choosing to live here until I feel differently.


Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Trampolining at Zero Gravity with my interns!
• Peddle Pubbing - another drinking related exercise. But it is work!
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  This one is lacking, and I'm getting ready to travel, so I expect it to get even worse (if that's possible). Still eating lots of good CSA veggies.

• Practicing self-care
• Lots of cabin/camping weekends
• Lots of lounging time on Sunday afternoons.

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• My BestPrep, Ecolab, and STLF worlds collided at an MBV gathering
• Part of a cabin weekend, peddle pub, and going away party that was a mixture of other people's circles, including family!
• Using paid time off
• Negative. Taking Friday off this week though.

• Enjoying performance arts
• My family had a pretty epic performance of minute to win it activities at family camping this year.
• Comedy Contest and Headliner at Joke Joint
  
• Achieving airline status 
• No new flights, a few booked in September though

• Activating human drives
• Nothing new here.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Status quo, may need to re-pot the work plant soon!

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• No time for either.

• Thinking critically for fun
• GMAT books still not opened
• Thinking a lot about racism, privilege, and humanity with Ferguson, Syria, and Gaza. Not fun, but it's been a constant stream of complex thoughts.

• Living values through time allocation
• Increased time spent with social events related to work. Decrease in my ability to be present spontaneously with friends.
• Everything planned out in a schedule, still lots of work.

2014 Goals: July Update

In an ideal world, I prioritize, plan ahead, and am efficient and effective in what I set out to do. The last two weeks have been the complete opposite. I feel like the wheels are mostly on the bus, and I've been trying to pick up the pieces... but my life is overflowing at the moment. Mostly good things. So many good things... and some really sucky things. Can't win them all.

On the plus side, I finally got a post written mid-update. Winning. 

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Softball (for anyone that knows me, this is entertaining) ... our team is 1-0 and I actually taught someone how to bat tonight. Best thing about this league - beer comes out on the field with you.
• Golf. Ok - not new, but its so good to be outside. And I walk. It counts.
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  CSA has started. I eat most of it raw or all together in a salad. I hardly find time to eat real meals, much less cook one.

• Practicing self-care
• Not going to lie, this kind of went out the window this month.
• I did go to Smith Lake and get a haircut

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Coworker from UMN Housing is now a coworker at Ecolab
• Found out another coworker and I were involved in Student Council in HS and went on 2 trips together. Small world.
• Using paid time off
• Not so much this month, but I feel better about this for 2014.

• Enjoying performance arts
• Is baseball an art form? I've gone to a lot of baseball games and fireworks this month.
• Achieving airline status 
• 85% of the way there :)

• Activating human drives
• Yes, although seemingly all at once and none particularly well.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - still alive and well. I might need to up the challenge soon.

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

Lots of Late Night TV this month. Jimmy Fallon is hilarious.

• Thinking critically for fun
• I am in possession of GMAT books. It took critical thinking to get there

• Living values through time allocation
• Family time was good. More upcoming for less fun reasons.
• In July one could assume from my time spent that the #1, 2, and 3 thing in my life is work. This is not true, but I am spending lots of hours there. Mostly self-inflicted... lots of good and exciting things happening.

Life Happens

So I was doing pretty good at reflecting and documenting my thoughts until mid April. Then I went to Morocco and had a bunch of great thoughts on things to write about when I got home, and it never happened. And I've had a lot of great conversations with people and thoughts I wanted to record since being home, and it hasn't happened. I tell you this not as an apology, but one of many examples, that no matter how great our intentions or planning may be - life happens.

Summer is full of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors - patios, festivals, camping, baseball games, walking ... this is on top of everything else that typically happens. Each summer I pretend summer is going to be a time to slow down and reset, and I always end up in over drive. Conflicting priorities - community, work, family, friends - are giving me a run for my money lately. I'm trying to balance it all and participate fully in life, last week at the expense of my sleep.

I can tell you the majority of my weekend activities for the rest of 2014. I keep getting more involved with extra curriculars at work, knowing I'm going into heavy travel season.  I try to be planful, maximizing my time with work, social life, and family. And at the same time, being flexible enough to be available when things happen and I need to drop everything to be with family. I also know, that I will continue to say yes to things spontaneously if they seem right. Last week I had an opportunity to sit in on a Q&A with our interns and the CEO - his answer to work/life balance was, something to the effect of: it's not so much a balance as choosing when you do what - have a job you love, trust your intuition, make time for the important things.

With my Uncle Steve continuing his struggle with cancer, I've also become acutely aware of how unfair life can be. Trying not to rush through life, and at the same time, not take for granted each moment we have. Life happens...it's up to us to make the best of it.

Lately I've been doing a lot of Qoya - Qoya is based on the idea that through movement, we remember.  We remember our essence is wise, wild and free. It's been helping me balance the highs and lows. 

That rambled, but thanks for reading friends.

2014 Goals: June Update

Six months in, and I'm still going strong. June is always one of my favorite months - it finally feels warm consistently, we enjoy longest days of sunlight, I reconnect with many people and make excuses to do everything I want to do because it's my birthday month.

I still haven't prioritized writing again... I continue to write down lots of things I want to further process and share. Maybe July will be that month.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Qoya is my favorite. I look forward to exercising again!
• Race and Seek - most fun I've had running ever, and we took 3rd!
  
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  Finally started reading "What We Eat When We Eat Alone" Excited to try out some new recipes

• Practicing self-care
• Walking and sitting outside in the city often
• Surrounding myself with wonderful people

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• SHAPE NA for Global Shapers proved some good overlap with life
• Work and STLF friends participated in Race and Seek
  
• Using paid time off
• Just took 3 days off for SHAPE NA in Detroit!

• Enjoying performance arts
• Northern Spark - so many incredible artists
• Loving Day Minneapolis
• Cellist at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
  
• Achieving airline status 
• No change this month - booking flights for the fall soon

• Activating human drives
• Creative Expression: Qoya.
• Connection: SHAPE NA with Global Shapers
• Competence: Interns are here and having a great summer.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - still alive and well. 

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

More Pentatonix lately, directionally correct

• Thinking critically for fun
• So many great conversations at SHAPE NA last week
• Strategy planning for work

• Living values through time allocation
• Lots of family time coming up
• Finding a good blend of living, working, playing, learning.

2014 Goals: May Update

So about that rush of posts I talked about - clearly didn't happen. I've been back for 3 weeks and still think of Morocco constantly. It was a delightful experience, and I'll write eventually. This picture album tells a bit of the story. Favorite part: our host family! Least favorite part: not being able to speak Arabic or French. I learned a little there, but not nearly enough.

Every year Minnesota seems to drift closer to 2 seasons - summer and winter. After surviving the atrocious winter, the non-existent spring, and current 80 degree weather is much appreciated.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Qoya is changing my life. Look it up.
• Yoga on a Fes rooftop
• Demolishing Nick's house with a crow bar
• Golf season is upon us.
• Farmers Market - lemonade making is a great upper arm work out
  
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  CSA starts June 17. Still eating lots of pasta and eggs, but my new consumption adventure is going to be less sugar - we'll see how I do. Soda, candy, and ice cream have almost been staples lately.

• Practicing self-care
• Moroccan Hammam - best experience ever.
• More water, less sugar ... it's a work in progress
• Spending time in the sun

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• MBV and STLF friends meeting HS friends at comedy
• Hanging out with work friends outside of work
• Global Shapers projects with new Morocco family
  
• Using paid time off
• Just took 10 days off. Hoping to take a few more days this summer.

• Enjoying performance arts
• In Morocco, we returned to our riad and found people Sufi Whirling
• A Mariachi band came to the farmers market
• Several local comedy shows this month
  
• Achieving airline status 
• Hit the spend threshold
• 5666 miles to go for Delta Silver status.

• Activating human drives
• Delivered a Strengths session to Finnegans interns.
• Volunteering a ton lately, it's been good.
• Connecting with so many wonderful people lately.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - alive and well. May need a bigger pot soon! 

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

I've been terrible at this...but The Voice was still on TV. And general TV viewing was down. I'll give myself a pass.

• Thinking critically for fun
• Pretty sure GMAT is in my near future. 
• Half the Sky - put me on quite the feminist and women's rights kick.
• True North is still up next!

• Living values through time allocation
• Being very intentional and selfish with my time lately. Selfish in that I choose what I want to and don't want to be doing. 
• Spent a really wonderful Friday night at the ballpark with the family.

2014 Goals: April Update

My trip to Morocco is here. It seems like I've been planning to leave forever, excited that the day is here. Going forward I think I'm going to try for 7-10 day international adventures annually instead of waiting 2 years to leave the country. I've been remembering lately just how important traveling is to me.

Might update from afar... otherwise expect a rush of posts upon my return that I think of there :)

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising

Groupon being activated when I return. It's going to happen.

• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  I bought a new book! What We Eat When We Eat Alone. Stories and Recipes...sounds awesome. Reading it in Morocco, hopefully it'll give me some ideas on how to prepare the veggies I get in my CSA box this summer. Though I love the farmers market, I'm excited to be a part of community supported agriculture and reaping the benefits of Farmer Jerry's hard work!

• Practicing self-care
• Vacation is self care - and April has been a full month of it :)

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Going to a "dinner of interesting people" in Rabat that will mix many groups!
• Work colleague worked with artists in Morocco - will be connecting her with some Global Shapers upon my return!
• Using paid time off
• Leaving. Today.

• Enjoying performance arts
• Our Town (Theater Latte Da at the Lab Theater)
  
• Achieving airline status 

Done traveling for spring recruiting - but it looks like I'll get a few more trips in over the summer. Just planned fall - 9 straight weeks of travel. I'm feeling good about this one.

• Activating human drives
• Shared "The Charge" with a few different people in my life this month. Excited to start having more conversations about it and processing with others.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - still alive!! Appointed a caretaker while I'm gone. 

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

TV has gotten the better of me this month. I shamelessly love The Voice. The combination of music and TV makes it seem more acceptable/in line with my goals.

• Thinking critically for fun
• Getting the grad school itch again. 
• Books for Morocco: Rise, Half the Sky. True North will be waiting for me when I return. Binge reading, commence!

• Living values through time allocation

So much easier when it's nice out. Every 70 degree day I spend as much time outside as humanly possible.

Disconnecting from work for two weeks - this is an important one. I have this habit of thinking that things would fall apart if I wasn't there (especially in my work). This is not true. Life will go on.

Decisions and the Future

My life is cyclical ... during heavy travel seasons for work, I need to write all the thoughts in my head down because I spend entirely too much time alone for my extroverted, verbal processing self. When I actually stay put for a few weeks, I spend all of my time with people and don't leave enough time to sleep, much less write. So I won't be posting with as much regularity as I originally anticipated, and that's ok.

Even though people go to college and choose a major to get a job (theoretically), as a student, it seemed perfectly normal to be a full time student, get involved in student groups, work part time, and make time for a social life as well. This often came at the expense of sleep, but you had an opportunity to do a variety of things and pursue passions. Upon graduation, people tend to find full time jobs and put all of their time into work. As a young person with a full time job (that I do enjoy) ... I still miss the ability to try a variety of things and my outside communities, primarily STLF. And I don't love the US tendency to define self by a job.

Earlier this month I had the good fortune to visit my dear friend Hanna in Pittsburgh. She moved half way across the country to get a graduate degree in Food Studies. She's incredibly passionate about growing food, teaching people about food, and cooking food. Her classes are about food journeys, and food forests, and she could name every budding plant we saw. I love many things about Hanna, but one of my very favorites is her authenticity, and passion for what she spends her time doing.

Some of us have more scattered passions, or haven't yet defined a "thing" ... I love learning. I keep going back and forth -- grad school or no? If grad school, what program do I invest my time, money, and energy in? And when? What do I want to be when I "grow up"? Where should my next flight be to? Which book to I read next?

I'm incredibly privileged to even have these options. So many things I could do, want to do... and my mind says have a plan, there is so little time. Then I talk to my friend Liz, who at 74 is still traveling the world, trying new things, and I'm reminded that with good fortune, there is plenty of time. I'm well aware that this is hardly a crisis. Honestly, while these questions do creep up often...they rarely keep me up at night. This is because I am blessed to know some delightfully wonderful people that have demonstrated that you don't have to do one thing forever, and being passionate about what you do is the most important. You don't necessarily need the specific degree to do it.

I was reminded of this today when listening to our VP of Investors Relations mention her degree in Cereal Chemistry ... and remembering that the CEO of a growing, $13 billion dollar business has a bachelors in English. Next week I get to travel with Jacquie who has a degree in political science, and figured out a way to sell delicious beer that helps feed the hungry! There's something to be said for experience, curiosity, willingness to learn, and saying "yes" when opportunities present themselves.

Minneapolis Hub of Global Shapers had meetings with two different Young Global Leaders this weekend. Both spoke of their journeys which were not linear, and instead focused on the communities of people they belonged to, people they collaborate with, and the impact of relationships to get them where they went.

As a group, we have a variety of interests. The commonality is the authenticity, passion, and desire to make an impact in our work. Eric is energized by food systems, makes beer, and can talk about spring carrots with such enthusiasm that makes you wish you too had thought to plant seeds last fall. Amanda studied neuroscience, and runs a socially conscious art community and dance collective. Timothy founded a youth leadership program focused on green economies. Neel studied mechanical engineering, but focuses his time and energy on music and connecting with others. The list goes on... mountaineering, social entrepreneurship, education, emergency medicine, design thinking, fair trade, women's empowerment, health care... the list goes on. I love being surrounded by people that get excited about something, and are part of the solution.

Outside of work, making time for hobbies is important too. Whether it's stand up comedy, creative writing, playing an instrument, exercise, travel, theater performances and concerts, volunteering, or finding the best bloody mary in the Twin Cities - find the combination that makes you the best version of you. In addition to personal happiness, I promise you, it's a favor to everyone you interact with.

Alright, that was a bit of a ramble. Thanks for sticking with me friends. If you're currently at a crossroads or have a big decision on the future coming up... remember to value your happiness and passions, and know that in the end, everything is going to be okay. If you feel stuck and want to talk it out, I'm all ears!

2014 Goals: March Update

So the blogging has fell by the wayside lately... I've also been in Minneapolis for the last two weeks which means I've been able to reflect and share life with people in person. So good.

This week marked the beginning of spring, and it still feels like -14 outside. This week I've fallen on the ice (seems to be a requirement of winter), put my winter jackets and boots away, cut my hair, started spring cleaning...eventually mother nature is going to get the drift, right?

A few really awesome things happened that I didn't even know I wanted to do/experience, but I did.

• Playing backgammon in a bar...without a table...on St. Patrick's Day. Surrounded by Irish music, all the green, and drunken patrons. I lost.
• Dinner in the home of the former US Ambassador to Morocco. Beautiful home, I'll probably never own even a fraction of the house it was... decorated with artwork and things from around the world. We learned all about the wonderful country I'm about to explore. Met some really powerful and incredible people and got to connect with them as people over dinner. Global journalists, charter school pioneers, former ambassador and his incredible wife. So grateful for Sam and Sylvia Kaplan for hosting, and for the generous donors who made the experience possible.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising

Snow shoeing did not happen, and now the snow has gone away. BUT, I finally bought a Groupon for fitness classes. In the next few months I will try Kettleball and Qoya classes, and get back into Yoga!

• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  Still mostly traveling, but the toaster oven has made a few good combinations and I have a few new recipes to try from a potluck at work.

• Practicing self-care
• Drinking more water, still!
• Lots of coffee dates and catching up with friends

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Met up with friends from HS and College in Duluth with Finnegans
• Going to Morocco with former Ecolab employee who is now in the nonprofit sector
• Inviting friends from college and nonprofit worlds to Global Shapers
• Using paid time off
• Took St. Patrick's Day off to volunteer with Finnegans!
• Month of vacation is coming up quickly! Pittsburgh April 4-7 and
• Morocco April 22-May 5.

• Enjoying performance arts
• Peter Pan by Out on a Limb Dance Company 
• Open Mic for local comedy at NE Palace and MN Saloon
• Achieving airline status 

25% of the way there - Morocco is going to get me close to Diamond Status. Delta has been oddly expensive as of late, so I've been doing some travel on other airlines. 

The travel snob in me has now ruled out United for future flights, but I'm appreciating Southwest as my #2 go-to.

• Activating human drives
• Creative Expression is one of the drives - and there was a great point about being present in your spaces (home, work, etc) I think I've done a particularly good job of this. Unfortunately for everyone else, that means I appear very messy but organized in my own way.
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - alive and well!
• Home plant - died... sorta. It's gone regardless. RIP.

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

Spotify playlists and Perspective: A Project for the People have been on repeat at home. Good stuff.

• Thinking critically for fun
• Done mostly via coffee dates, delightful conversations
• MH 370 is getting some brain time too. Fascinating.

• Living values through time allocation

Better. Quality time with friends, volunteering, being outside whenever it's sunny and not -14.

It's a Small World After All

I've been fascinated by the inter-connectivity of people for a long time. Growing up in a town of 300 people, everyone is connected (usually by family) to one another. The concept of 6 degrees of separation always confused me, in rural Minnesota, no one is further than 2 it seems. I love the deep sense of community and connection that I grew up around. But I felt a little trapped, and decided to explore the world, and move to Minneapolis for school. Despite only being 90 miles from home, my freshman dorm building would have twice the population of my hometown. It was an exciting adventure, "the cities."

Now, I'm very well aware that Minneapolis is relatively small on the scale of large cities, but at 1000 times the size of my hometown, it was huge to me...at first. Over the years, I've learned that when you're looking for connection (especially with technological advances) the world is much smaller than it seems - no matter how many people live within a particular area. The once giant Minneapolis now feels like home, my city...not everyone knows my name, but I can run into people unexpectedly and make connections all the same. I'm pretty sure that's why I love it so much. I have a fabulous city with delightful coffee shops, theaters, public transit, breweries, parks, and lakes -- and still find the community and relationships I appreciated so much in rural Minnesota.

Fun "small world" connections as of late:

• Nobel Peace Prize Forum - I was on the welcoming committee with Vision, a freshman in college who moved here from Tanzania last August. She's a part of Students for Racial Justice and knows my dear friend Ari who I originally met through STLF. I also saw Allie, who I met a few years prior at Monday Night Dinners hosted by my friends Eric and Tim and have seen periodically over the years.
• Global Shapers hosted a "Meet the Shapers" happy hour last week, and it shouldn't have been any surprise that our circles overlapped with one another - but within 5 minutes of chatting learned that in addition to our mutual connections through Shapers, one attendee works with my first Minneapolis friend Kari... and another played volleyball on the team my mentor Jean coached.

These were the strangers I met and had mutual connections with. Amazing. And wonderful. In addition, in the last couple weeks I have run into friends three times at events we independently attended. And the previously foreign St. Paul Skyway now is full of hellos and smiles shared with acquaintances. Small. World. 

there is just one moon
and one golden sun
and a smile means friendship to everyone
though the mountains divide
and the oceans are wide

it's a small world after all

-Disney's "It's a Small World After All"

Time and Norms

Forewarning - this is a bit more train of thought/need to process out loud but I live by myself so writing is how I do that. Time is a funny thing. It seems like winter has gone on FOREVER... and at the same time, I don't know how it's already March. Norms are the same way. Some changes seem second nature immediately, and others take much longer to become a new default.

Time first - I've been out of college longer than I was in it. Graduation seemed like this giant milestone that I worked towards forever, and yet more time has passed in seemingly less time.

However, in the last 5 years I have:

• had 3 more addresses
• changed careers and companies
• traveled to Sierra Leone
• joined and left 3 committees/boards and joined 3 more
• paid off my student loans
• made a list of 24 things to do before 25 and finished 18 of them
• learned more life lessons and random facts than will ever fit in this post

And norms. I started thinking about this as I was out to dinner with a dear friend who asked, "How's life? Still drinking strictly coffee and Diet Coke?" to which I honestly replied, "Not really!" ... granted most days I do manage a cup of coffee in the morning, I do many things I didn't 5 years ago.

• I own (and wear) scarves and cardigans instead of tshirts every day
• I drink tea and water (this is new in the last 2 months)
• I prefer dresses/skirts to pants
• I own boots that are not snow boots
• I wear my hair down and straight instead of pony tail
• I live alone
• I fly, live in a hotel, and drive a rented car 17-18 weeks a year
• I went from driving 18,000 miles a year to 7,000 (thank you MetroTransit)

Some things never change

• I have a hard time justifying buying lunch and eating out in general (thank you mom and dad)
• I'm the most organized and messy person I know (note: messy, not dirty)
• I'm still a much more pleasant person with a cup of morning coffee
• Hand written cards are still my thing
• I'm a night owl, and not a morning person
• I am textbook oldest child
• I love traveling, and feel claustrophobic if I stay in Minnesota longer than 3-4 months
• I don't like light beer

Rereading this - it seems like less of an epiphany. But it was an a-ha if nothing else... and helped me track progress. As a child you mark time passing with birthdays... and then school years... and eventually graduations. Theoretically a majority of adults mark time passing by their children's birthdays... but I have no children, and want to acknowledge growth that continues to happen.

My Life According to BuzzFeed and Identity

I've always enjoyed self-assessments, or tools and resources that give us a common language to raise understanding of ourselves and others. In college/STLF we used them to better work in teams and understand our differences, valuing the individual contributions of our team/core members. StrengthsFinder, Myers Briggs, True Colors, Love Languages, Leadership Compass...etc. They all (for the most part) have legitimate research and psychology base.

BuzzFeed has recently come out with a whole collection of quizzes lately that give you insight to your personality. The questions are seemingly unrelated, but the outcomes seem to be directionally correct. This is puzzling to me. In any case, according to BuzzFeed I: 

• should have been a Writer.
• would be Norway if I was a European country.
• ideally live in Wisconsin.
• am most similar to Hilary Clinton Amy Poehler of all her roles/characters.
• my major should have been Environmental Scientist.
• am Rachel of all the Friends characters.
• am Robin Scherbatzky on How I Met Your Mother.
• should have a drink with Jennifer Lawrence.
• am Mr. Feeny of Boy Meets World characters (description below).

"It’s the little things in life that you appreciate. You’re extremely important to some people, and what you have to say really resonates with them. Do good. People won’t forget you."

I wish I would have saved all the results descriptions - not that you ever fit perfectly in the descriptions, but each one had something that resonated. Except the Rachel one...that was only about hair. Weird. They all were a little random, but fun to read, and mostly accurate.

It's important to be self aware and have an identity. While I would very much like to drink with Jennifer Lawrence and I've long said Robin Scherbatzky is my TV Show equivalent, I had to think more about identity lately as I was featured on our Global Shapers Minneapolis Hub blog. The previous posts had 3 identity statements as a title, and I followed the trend.

After struggling to figure out my "thing" earlier, I came up with the following:

• Leadership Nerd - I read leadership books for fun, STLF was my first chosen community (outside those given to me at birth and proximity), and I've always been a proud nerd.
• Community Lover - While I've learned to love living alone, I thrive in community - both in groups, but best as a partner. I regularly look for ways to contribute to community and love people in my life.
• Life Adventurer - We live in a great big world, and I look forward to exploring it. Each day. Whether it's a new coffee shop, taking a really long walk, or traveling across the world... I find ways to break up routine. I cringe when things feel comfortable and status quo.

It's not a perfect definition yet, and will probably change in the near future. But hooray for self awareness and intentional reflection on where I'm at and where I'm going. 

Choosing Yes

Yes is one of my favorite words. It leads to wonderful adventures. I've never taken an improv class, but I do know the general principle of "yes, and..." verses "no, but..." and try to apply it to life. I'm a firm believer in choice - it was instilled to me daily at Albany High. The morning announcements followed by, "Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours." We laughed about it then, but it was a good message (and clearly I remember it, so it worked). 

There is a fine line between saying yes to get involved in new things, challenge yourself, and enjoy adventures and getting involved in too many things, stretching yourself thin, and over committing. I don't flirt much, but this is a line I can't seem to stay away from. Work in progress. I've always been curious, but never thought about the power of yes, until I started reading Yes and Yes.

Very important lesson I learned this year - when you hit capacity, you also have to stop some things in order to keep saying yes to new things. This was hard for me. I'm a loyal person, I like to stick with things. Sometimes we have to learn when we've made our impact and need to move on to new things, letting someone else have the opportunity to take over and make their mark. Life happens, circumstances change, it's ok. Everything will be ok. Still say yes.

Focusing on the "yes" ... this is snapshot of where Yes has taken me recently:

• Starting a "Bloody Mary Club"
• Traveling alone - a local coffee shop, park, beer can house, and Astros game in Houston
• November camping in a barn, with 13 new friends, and a donkey named Sherman
• Delivering the eulogy for my grandpa's funeral, an emotional stretch for me that also reminded me that I love to write (and lead to the start of this blog)
• Plane tickets to Morocco, and a two week adventure ahead
• 6th Street in Austin with a woman I met on the plane earlier that day (and new TC friend!)
• Visiting the Ice Sculptures and attending a hockey game in Houghton, MI
• Discovering the Twin Cities local comedy scene
• Subscription to a local theater group, and tickets to four productions
• 4 "new to me" bands at Varsity Theater ... and staying out til 1am on a work night
• Dancing with friends in an emptying theater 
• Conversations about dreams, life, and ambitions with complete strangers

So there is more, but this is what I could think of at the moment. It's important to reflect on the choices we make. There will always be an option to say no, come up with an excuse, or take an easier way out. My challenge to myself and those around me, is to say yes. So much more fun.

2014 Goals: February Update

I've always assumed I would continue my education past a bachelors degree. I love learning, and always enjoyed school...yes, from kindergarten through university. By the end I was ready to be done, and start putting the education to use in a career - but my love for learning has never gone away.

At first I was going to go back to school after working a few years for Students Today Leaders Forever. Then I found a new opportunity at Ecolab, and decided to jump in there. It seemed a little silly to choose learning or contributing through work when I figured out how to do both at once (and get paid verses accruing more debt!) In addition, I wasn't sure what I wanted to get a masters degree in - HR, Leadership, MBA - or where I wanted to get it - London, Minnesota, North Carolina. Also, I hate standardized tests and I don't want to study for one. Graduate degrees make sense and work for a lot of people, I'm just not entirely sure I'm one of them yet.

With the amount I currently travel for work, I don't have capacity to participate in an in-person program. This made it easy to push off the studying, testing, and application process. I know there is value in advanced degrees, and eventually someone may tell me that I need another degree to be qualified for something... but I work for a CEO that has a bachelors in English AND I know a lot of incredible people who are students of life that learn and contribute to the world without a fancy piece of paper saying they can.

So while I remain unsure about my future in graduate school - I will continue to be a student of life, learning from adventure, reading novels like text books, and having an RSS feed to articles of world news, business journals, and blogs of people who dream, challenge norms, and do awesome work, etc.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising

Still not doing very well. I have a yoga partner lined up for when I start though. I travel less in March - snow shoeing will happen! (Someone hold me to that)

• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  
  Lots of eating out this month...and tupperware lasagna (noodles, sauce, cheese in a tupperware) BUT I did participate in a fantastic West African feast with friends this month, followed by crepes the next morning. I cut up the fruit.

• Practicing self-care
• Drinking more water
• Getting more sleep, kind of. Up to 6-7 hours/night consistently
• Lavender essential oil for calming

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Sharing Global Shaper friends' projects with my work and STLF circles
• Found out my old Res Hall staff from the U now works at Penn State where I recruit!
• Using paid time off
• Pittsburgh. Booked. April 4-7 
• Morocco. Booked. April 22-May 5.

• Enjoying performance arts
• Pentatonix...BEST CONCERT EVER (State Theater)
• Mercy Worship Band (Mercy Vineyard Church)
• Achieving airline status 

16% of the way there - Morocco is going to get me close to Diamond Status. Excited to be a frequent flyer ... part of the club, seems adult.

• Activating human drives
• 3 comments on looking different, in a happy/positive way.
• Positive response to new initiatives at work - Competence
• Keeping plants alive
• Work plant - alive and well!
• Home plant - a little droopy, and brown.

• Listening to music instead of watching TV

Not great. I blame the Olympics. Pandora did replace TV in the hotel on my trips - except when I'm in the south and need a good laugh. Then I turn on the news and listen about their "severe" weather.

• Thinking critically for fun
• Tuned into WE14 in Davos via Twitter
• Read Global Gender Gap Index Report

• Living values through time allocation

Sad about missing a Global Shapers meeting because of working late, but in general this is going well. I'm intentional about writing, reading, and my "buckets" of time. Directionally correct.