Soul

June 12, 2014

The Jerk Store Called. They’re Running Out of Me.

You ready for a story? The day after my fiancée and I became engaged, we were driving back home in separate cars. We pulled off the highway and she navigated the traffic quicker than I due to my “grandpa” driving habits. I then became halted in stopped traffic with sirens up ahead in the distance.

I panicked. Is my fiancée hurt up there? I noticed that the far-right lane was moving while every other lane was stopped. In my fear, I cut off one of the moving vehicles so I could witness the reason for the sirens to see if my fiancée was hurt.

oopsTurns out, I cut off a funeral procession. Oops. The person behind me honked and screamed after I cut them off and I now know why. This motorist and the onlookers viewed me as a jerk and I admit, what I did was a very low move. However, my point is that our culture needs to give strangers benefit of the doubt. Continue Reading

April 30, 2014

Utilize the Power of Writing

WritingPutting your hand to a piece of paper with an instrument to document your thoughts is liberating. Once a chore while we sat in uncomfortable chairs in school, writing when you’re older allows you to realize what’s important to you, can actually save you from your busy mind, and help you take control over your legacy. Continue Reading

April 4, 2014

Today’s Prescription: Self-Applied Pressure in Moderation

“I’m really excited for my next article. I’m going to be very critical of myself.” I said.

“Don’t you see the irony in this? You’re being critical of yourself when you’re telling people not to be so critical,” rebuked Lauren.

Self-applied pressure gets in the way of your sense of accomplishment, ability to be grateful, productivity, and overall happiness. You can apply a healthy amount of pressure to push you to be better and to motivate you to accomplish tasks that are normally outside of your comfort zone. However, as Mark Twain wisely said, “All things in moderation, including moderation.”

“I’m too hard on myself.”weight-off-my-shoulders

The past is the past. Today’s decisions are the only parts of life that you control. Yeah, if I read all of those books in high school and college, I would probably be more knowledgeable. If I did at least 100 crunches a day for the last ten years, my Buddha belly wouldn’t exist. Why fret about these things? Stressing about how you can be better, how you wish you had made different decisions, or how you aren’t doing enough can decrease your productivity and negatively affect your happiness. Continue Reading

March 28, 2014

How to Handle Yourself in a Crisis

lost“Why don’t we go to the last trail marker and then try to find the hut from there?” I asked.

“Because the hut is off the trail by .8 miles.”

This answer felt like a punch in the gut. At this moment, the snowfall picked up, we were exhausted after nine miles of hiking in the snow, the cloud cover caused the sky to get dark earlier, and our group couldn’t locate our shelter.  Being exposed in the wilderness with no easy access to civilization (or any other building to provide shelter) made our group vulnerable to the mountain. Continue Reading

March 21, 2014

What is Your Identity?

CompassEveryone looks back at decisions made in the past and contemplate how life could be different. What would your life be like if you took that job in Atlanta instead of Aspen? What if you chose to go to a different college?
Life would be different. You would have met different friends, learned different work/life skills, and remember different memories. No matter what path your journey took place, you would be you, and possibly a different you.

Continue Reading

March 14, 2014

Passion is Learned, Not Given.

A few months ago, a friend mentioned that he didn’t understand this millennial generation.  I asked him to elaborate since I’m a proud member of said generation. He explained that a potential hire asked in the interview process if his company provides a work-life balance.

juggleWork-life balance is a buzz word for many working professionals and people understand that there is more to life than the office. That’s great. Enjoy the outdoors, spend time at home with your family, or find time to relax. My challenge to you is to align your passions with work so you achieve a work-life blend.

The candidate in the previous situation didn’t join my friend’s team because it wasn’t a good fit for both parties. My friend was irked by this interview question because he enjoys what he does, and wants to surround himself with other like-minded, driven professionals. The mention of that question by the candidate clued my friend that this person was looking to fulfill a role, rather than contribute to the company’s success. Continue Reading