On Living Life, Working Hard, and Staying Sane

My relationship with balance is a complicated one, and every so often it becomes a bit tumultuous. Maybe it’s the FOMO, but I can’t help but go crazy sometimes with all the things I have going on. My plate is always full, and there are times when I literally feel like I’m running around like a crazy woman trying to be everywhere I’m supposed to be and do everything I’m supposed to do. As a result, every so often I need to be reminded to slow down.

Well it just so happens that slowing down is something I don’t do so well. This is (1) why it’s usually necessary for one of my homegirls to remind me and (2) why it’s even more important for me to do it. Here are some things that I’ve found most useful to do when I feel like my head is going to explode:

Take a deep breath.
This is something that I always feel so stupid being told to do, but it seriously works. On Friday I was practically forced by one of my friends to stop, close my eyes, and just listen to myself breath. I’m always amazed by how something so silly could be so effective. It truly allows me to (begin to) quiet all of the anxious thoughts about things I need to get done that have me worked up.

Make a list.
Typically when I’m stressed it’s because I have a million thoughts running through my head about everything that needs to be done and the lack of time I have to do it all. The best solution for this is to get it all written down. Again, it’s a very simple piece of advice, yet I often find myself needing to be reminded of it when I’m stressed.

Organize your schedule.
I live by my calendar. A few years ago I never thought I’d be that person, but the reality is that I’m such a forgetful person that if something isn’t on my to-do list or in my calendar, it won’t get done and I won’t show up. Sometimes I find myself getting stressed because I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something at a particular time yet I can’t remember. Or I remember that I’m supposed to be doing some things over the next few days yet I haven’t taken the time to get it all down in one place. So right after I take the time to make my list I immediately work on my calendar.

Reschedule and cancel some things.
I like to overbook myself for some reason. I often fail to grasp the fact that I cannot leave an event or meeting at 5pm and immediately make it to the next event that starts at 5pm. I’m working on this. In the meantime though, in organizing my calendar in the midst of my stressed induced state of frenzy I always take the time to think about what I should be rescheduling and what I should be canceling. It’s all about my sanity and doing my best to maintain it.

Give yourself a break.
I feel like a hypocrite telling you this one, but you can take it as good advice because it’s one I hear often enough and try – the operative word – to take heed to. Sometimes I get to a point where I begin losing steam and instead of allowing it to affect my performance at work, my commitment to my passions, or my ability to be there for loved ones when they need me I try to get away from it all for a short period of time. Everyone has their own idea of what it means to get away (in between real vacations, of course). For me it involves anything from a random day off of work to relax and reenergize to a night full of Grey’s Anatomy DVDs and a glass of wine. To each her own right?

Basically, my search for balance often comes once I’ve hit a brick wall of some kind and realize that I have no other option but to take a break. That’s usually when I’m reminded to put everything into context and tell myself that it’s not a big deal if I don’t attend that event this week that I really didn’t even want to go to. In the end, it’s all about my sanity. What good am to anyone I if I’m taken away in straight jacket?

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Let’s Talk About Something We Take For Granted: Water

You probably see that glass of water pictured above and think nothing of it. You probably turn on your tap to fill up your own glass at home without wondering where it came from. If you are anything like how I was (and sometimes still am, to be honest), you purchase a bottle of water without thinking about what that means for society at large. Well, Blog Action Day 2010 seeks to change that.

Blog Action Day 2010 and the Global Water Crisis


Blog Action Day is a day dedicated to a particular cause or issue that affects people all over the world. This year’s issue is water, and it is being written about today by bloggers from all over the world – 143 countries to be exact. The goal is to educate and inform as many people as possible about the global water crisis.

Water is one of those resources that is easy to take for granted. I mean, the earth is made up of about 70-75% water. Who would ever think that there could be a global water crisis? But there is. Here are some stats:

• 1 in 8 people lack access to clean water. That’s about 1 billion people across the globe.
  
• Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
  
• Every day 4,000 children younger than five years old die from preventable, water-borne diseases.
  
• The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.
  
• In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Time spent walking and resulting diseases keep them from school, work and taking care of their families.
  
• It is believed that water could be a major cause of war in the future. Some scholars believe that the conflict in Darfur is affected by the water crisis.

The Commercialization of Water


Think about this for a second: Is it or is it not ridiculous that we pay for packaged water? On average Americans consume about 200 bottles of water per year. This has enormous impact on our environment due to the petroleum required for production, the harmful carbon emissions, and the amount of waste produced. Then there is the whole ridiculous issue of the privatization of something that is a public resource. Companies such as Nestle enter the severly under-regulated bottled water industry and make billions of dollars by forcing their way into communities and bottling their water. These communities are often left helpless and unable to fight these large corporations, leaving them particularly devastated in situations like droughts when bottling doesn't stop. The reality is that about a third of bottled water actually comes from tap. So when you weigh the benefits against the costs, it just doesn't add up.

The documentary Flow (trailer shown above) was eye opening for me. It highlights the growth of the bottled water industry, how it affects communities across the globe and, most importantly, its effect on the water crisis. If you want to learn more about the issue, I recommend that you check it out.

Making a Difference Today


Like with anything else, change doesn’t come over night. Making an impact on the global water crisis will take time. But it requires a concerted effort by everyone to affect the change we need to see.

While this issue is still pretty new to me, I've started doing a lot of reflecting on my own water habits. For instance, I have always regularly purchased bottled water because of its convenience (grab one, put it in my purse and go). Now that I’m more aware of the issue, I am working to change these habits. I won’t lie and tell you that I absolutely never buy bottled water. But I’m taking baby steps by doing my best to avoid being in situations where I need to buy bottled water.

What other habits can we adopt?

• Take shorter showers: The average person aparently uses over 100 gallons of water per day. You can save up to 25 gallons of water a day by just cutting 5 minutes off your shower time.
• Turn off the tap: Turning off the tap while you’re brushing your teeth or shaving can save about 8 gallons a day.
• Sweep instead of hose: Don’t hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom!
• Landscape wisely: Climate-appropriate plants need significantly less water.
• Slow the flow: Replacing showerheads with low-flow models and putting inexpensive aerators on faucets can cut water use by up to 20 percent.

You can also take a stance and support the cause in other ways:

• Sign the petition on the right side of my blog under "Support Blog Action Day."
• Donate to organizations that are working hard to increase access to water like NICEF and Charity:Water.
• Fundraise either on your own or with the use of tools provided by organizations like Charity:Water.

We can all start somewhere. And while I recognize the urgency of this issue and the need for all of us to eventually move from taking baby steps to making large scale changes, awareness is the first and most important step to affecting the change we want to see.

Photo Source: Live Earth

Statistic Sources: Change.org, Global Water Challenge and Charity:Water

Volunteering Not Only Rocks Socks, It Helps Your Corporate Career Too

I was recently distraught by a comment made by a colleague. An affinity group that I’m a part of at my firm sent out a survey asking participants to provide feedback on the group’s activities. One question asked participants to rank how involved they’ve been in the past years, requesting that those who were not actively involved to explain why. One individual’s response was that the organization is overly focused on community events and not enough on the eminence of our firm. He stated that this is a “disconnect” that he could not fully support.

Stop, Nikita. Pause. Breathe.

To say that this comment frustrates me would be an understatement. First, let me just say that I have absolutely no issue with individuals who are not passionate about community service. While I will admit that I really struggle to understand why it doesn’t rock their socks, I do respect their perspectives. However this particular individual’s comment, in my mind, does not provide a reasonable explanation as to why he or she has not wanted to be involved over the years. Let me explain why.

Community involvement does build eminence for the firm.
I’ll start by addressing the most obviously incorrect part of the response. Whether or not one agrees with the reasoning behind corporations’ involvement with non-profits and causes, there is valuable marketing done for a firm by having employees get involved in the community. For a firm like mine, the primary form of community service we provide is pro-bono consulting work. The relationships that are formed while executing those projects and the word of mouth generated about who we are and what we do is extremely valuable in the development of future business opportunities.

The firm also uses community involvement to build eminence for the firm by supporting employees who go out into the community via partnerships with local non-profits and organizations. This is typically done throughout the year, often organized with small groups at the employee level. The firm also supports community service by organizing a specific day within the year where everybody in the country leaves the office on a Friday to spend the day working in the community. All of these events build a strong reputation for the firm in the community through the blatant marketing of our name (think 100s of company tshirts in one place) as well as through the excitement that many of us have for being able to give back with our colleagues in some way.

The actual purpose of the affinity group is to provide opportunities for networking.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again and again: attending community service events is one of the best opportunities to network. For me, relationships develop most naturally when I’m sharing a common experience with other individuals. Whether it’s working with colleagues to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless or cleaning up a school, community service events provide an environment where you and other individuals are working toward a common goal and enjoying each other’s company along the way. By creating such opportunities - in addition to the social, more formal networking events - the group has actually succeeded in achieving its mission. So I have a hard time understanding the disconnect mentioned in this individual's response.

Volunteerism also provides opportunities for professional development.
This is something that I’ve noticed that many people don’t see. Yes, volunteering gives you the opportunity to do something worthwhile, make an impact (however small), and feel good about it. That’s why most of us do it. However, while you may recognize that you are offering something of value to the organization you are working with, also recognize that they are offering you opportunities in return.

Skills-based volunteerism provides individuals with the opportunity to take on roles within non-profits and other organizations that allow them to both utilize and further develop skillsets. Whether you are simply looking for an opportunity to use your expertise in a new environment or you are looking for an opportunity to try something completely new, volunteering can help. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to seek feedback on your performance from the leaders and employees of the organization.

Lastly, volunteering provides opportunities for career growth by providing you with a safe environment to explore both personal and professional interests. Volunteering for an organization is an excellent way to learn about a new field, develop relationships with current employees, and get your foot in the door if you are looking for a new job. Any way you look at it, it’s an investment that is guaranteed to pay off. As Melissa Maddox Barnes, Esq. states in her post on the Womanifesting blog, “Who knows, you may be able to volunteer your way into your dream job.”

A savvy professional is able to see the opportunities to build eminence for the firm, develop one’s network and take advantage of various professional development opportunities through community service. It’s one thing to state that volunteerism is not something that interests you as you pursue your career goals, however don’t disregard it because of false assumptions that it won't significantly contribute to your professional journey.

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The Cultural Academy for Excellence Kicked Off Its 15th Year With a Bang

Me and CAFE's newest board member, Melissa Johnson
Last Saturday the Cultural Academy for Excellence (CAFE), a local non-profit, kicked off its 15th year in operations with the fundraiser Folklore on the Greens. It was an extremely successful event that, as a board member and a 2004 graduate of the program, I am still giddy about!

The Cultural Academy for Excellence was birthed in the basement of a woman named Lorna Green who was determined to find a way engage with the youth in her community. The idea to develop this arts-in-education program stemmed from her desire to utilize the steel drum, an instrument developed in her native country Trinidad and Tobago, as a tool to help students excel in school. It didn’t take long before her idea took off; within a few years the program had grown way beyond her basement’s capacity.

With her passion, she turned what was originally a small endeavor into something that has made a lasting impact on the lives of the youth it reaches as well as the local community it serves. It was only fitting that we started our yearlong celebration of our accomplishments with such an unforgettable program.

Folklore on the Greens was held at the home of CAFE's Executive Director, Lorna Green. It was a lovely fall afternoon perfect for entertainment and mingling with both old and new friends. The afternoon's lineup included a diverse and absolutely amazing group of artists. Among the performances there were two that particularly stood out for me. The first was the folklores told by Dr. Merle Collins accompanied by Abby Charles with interpretive dance. Both the story and the storyteller were captivating and the dancer kept our attention with her graceful moves as she brought the story to life (shown on the left). The second was the performance by Akua Allrich. She literally wowed the crowd with her tributes to Nina Simone and Miriam Mikeba, a South African singer. When she was done performing, not only did she receive a standing ovation, but she was also spontaneously given a necklace by the Ambassador of Senegal to the US, Fatou Danielle Diagne, out of appreciation for the tributes to Miriam Mikeba. (The picture to the left shows Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas, Akua Allrich, and Ambassador Fatou Danielle Diagne.) Overall, the event was incredible. Before the night was even done, the raving reviews were pouring in.

Just like so many other nonprofits, CAFE is fighting hard to provide quality programs despite various cuts in funding as a result of the recession. Folklore on the Greens was our first attempt to truly step out of our comfort zone of fundraising through concerts featuring our very own students, particularly our award winning Positive Vibrations Youth Steel Orchestra. For me, it was extremely exciting to see how successful we ultimately were as I know it will only get better each year.

For more information on CAFE, visit our website at www.cafeyouth.org. For more information on our concerts and other events, "like" us on Facebook, check out our calendar of events or - even easier - feel free to email me!

Review: The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success

About a month ago I was contacted by the Director of Monday Smiles, a self development company located in LA, California. Somehow a woman named Erica Moore-Burton, Esq. had come across my little ol’ blog (that wasn’t even up for a month yet!) and thought I might be interested in reviewing her book. From reading the still very limited content I had up, she saw that I had an interest in self-development and growth. Not only that, she saw that I love the color pink which clearly meant that I would appreciate the title of her self-help book, The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success. Excited about the opportunity, I replied and said, “OF COURSE I would love to check out your book.” And so it happened that despite my current reading hiatus, I dug into a little self-help book dedicated to young women like myself.

To know me is to know my love for reading. To really know me is to know that I barely read professional development or self-help books. But lately, due to all of the great recommendations that have been coming my way from colleagues and friends, I’ve started getting my hands on more and more of them. This book was definitely one of the most relevant for me because of where I am in my life and career. It is a small book with twelve succinct chapters on topics ranging from goal setting to support systems to health and success – all topics that deeply interest me. There were things I loved about this book as well as aspects I didn’t love so much. Allow me to share.


What I loved about this book:

There is an emphasis on passion and purpose.
The author delved into both of these within the first ten pages. If you can’t already tell from my blog’s subtitle, I’m very into the discovery of and nurturing of passions, as I believe that they play a critical role in the fulfillment of one’s purpose. And while that’s a topic I’m saving to discuss another day, the authors message immediately began to resonate with me when she brought it up.

It’s full of quotes.
I love quotes! I put them on my Facebook statuses, my twitter timeline, my gchat statuses, my Tumblr and even in my personal journal on my nightstand. They are in as many places they need to be to keep me inspired and motivated to do what it is I’m doing. The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success is full to the brim with quotes. On average, there is one on each page, and all of them are relevant to the topic being discussed.

She told stories.
Storytelling is the most powerful means to get a message across. It naturally draws people in and allows for your message to spread more easily than it otherwise might. Erica Moore-Burton does an excellent job with this throughout most of the book. As a young woman in the early stages of her career, I am intrigued by other women’s stories of success, failure, triumph, etc. Not only do these stories provide the advice I need as I make my own decisions throughout my career, tey also allow me to feel connected with the individual in a way I would not have felt by simply hearing their advice.


What I didn’t love as much about this book:

The self-assessments felt like homework.
I understand that some people really enjoy and appreciate the activities placed in self-help books. I also get that they are very effective when you are trying to get people to shift their mindsets. However, they always feel like homework to me; and I’m just not a fan of feeling like I have to do something (unless it brings in a paycheck…). I will admit, though, that about half of the self-assessments really did seem worthwhile and I actually considered going back to them at some point. I will keep you posted.

This book truly is for the new professional.
As you know, I definitely consider myself to be a young professional; however there were some things in the book that I felt were very obvious pieces of advice. That’s likely due to the fact that I’m passionate about professional and self-development, have read a lot on many of the topics she’s written about in the book, as well as reflected on a lot of it. If it wasn’t for my natural interest in the topic, I might not have kept reading to get those nuggets in the various chapters that were completely new for me. The reason why I even think this is an issue is because I’d like to think that the woman who seek books like this would have heard much of the basic professional insights the author touched on.

All in all, The Little Professional P.I.N.K. Book of Success was a quick and valuable read, one that I am excited to share with my peers and other young women I come across who are looking to thrive professionally.

Click here to see the press release and learn more about the author.

The Never-Ending Search for Balance

If I were a cynical person I’d say that the idea of finding balance is something made up to drive us all insane. Unfortunately, I’m not cynical, and I can't just brush the idea off because not only do I believe that balance is important I also believe that there are people out there who have found it. Lately, though, it seems like I can’t even go a week without having a conversation with at least one person about how off-balance things are in our lives in some way or another. It's just so damn elusive.

For me I struggle with the balance between my current career during the day and my personal endeavors at night and on weekends. I'm working on remaining mentally challenged while knowing when I need to take a break. I'm busy trying to remind myself to take care of myself emotionally without forgetting the importance of my physical health. I'm also trying to honor my relationships with family and friends while respecting my need for alone time.

It’s all a challenge.

Based on regular conversations I have with my peers, I’m fully aware of the fact that I’m not the only twenty-something to feel this way. However, I’m willing to bet that this is something that many people deal with for their entire lives. And that scares the crap out of me.

This should come as no surprise for those who know me. I’m that person who is constantly being told things like “life is about the journey and not the destination." I'm also constatnly being reminded that this whole struggle to find balance makes you a bigger, better, stronger you. Yes, yes, yes. But the reality is that in this search for balance I’m holding strong to the hope that I will actually find it, and sooner than later (surprise, surprise).

So being the natural planner and wanna-be-life-predictor that I am, the question I pose to all of you is what have you found to work in your own search for balance? Right now, for every few steps I take forward I take one or two backwards. While that is progress, at the very least, I hope to start taking couple more steps forward each time and maybe even one less step backward. And, yes, I know. It’s about the journey… No need to remind me.

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