Hi everyone,
I've revamped and relaunched my blog! If you aren't immediately redirected, head on over to www.nikitatmitchell.com to check it out.
See you there!
2010 is officially behind us. This I know because I spent my New Years Eve in the freezing cold with hundreds of thousands of other folks out on the strip in Las Vegas (I thought it was supposed to be a desert!). I couldn't possibly have missed all of the fireworks at midnight.
So I'm officially back from vacay and while I'm a bit late ringing in the new year on this site, I'm still beyond excited about 2011 and all of the opportunities that await! I have been doing lots of reflecting and planning over the last few weeks and a lot less writing as a result, as I'm sure you've noticed. I'm pumped about some of the things I've got going on right now, some of which you'll be getting word of very soon!
Overall, 2010 was a great year for me. It was full of lots of challenges, but most importantly it was full of tremendous growth. About a year ago I decided that I wanted to do more than just randomly write thoughts on my personal blog. After a few months of thinking it through, I kicked off this blog and dove right into a blogging challenge in August.
When I look back to the progress I've made since then I'm proud of myself. I've started taking my love for writing seriously by challenging myself to write more regularly than I ever have before - with this blog being the most significant outlet for my passion.
To start the new year off right I find it fitting to share the top 10 posts of 2010... a combination of those with the most views and my personal favorites:
When I look back to the progress I've made since then I'm proud of myself. I've started taking my love for writing seriously by challenging myself to write more regularly than I ever have before - with this blog being the most significant outlet for my passion.
To start the new year off right I find it fitting to share the top 10 posts of 2010... a combination of those with the most views and my personal favorites:
- You work in Corporate America. How could you possibly change the world?
- Creating My Story Bird by Bird
- Stop Acting Like Personal Branding Is Pointless
- 5 Things I Wish I Knew About the Real World Before I Started Working
- Hiring Me is Like Picking the Right Pink Nail Polish
- My Story: Living With FOMO
- Lighting the Flame: The Black Girl Project
- Volunteering Not Only Rocks Socks, It Helps Your Corporate Career Too
- Reflections: My Climb Up the Career Ladder
- Why I Started This Blog
As young professionals, feedback is one of the most valuable tools we have as our careers progress. We’re still new and rather inexperienced; but as we progress we are not only expected to be able to perform at more advanced levels, we also want to hold ourselves to a higher standard. As the year wraps up, there is no better time than now to reflect on your goals and performance on the job over the last twelve months.Check out my latest Zora & Alice post to find out how to start.
I’ve been spending a lot of time over the last month reflecting on my personal and professional goals for the next year. It started off as a really trying exercise because I have absolutely no idea where I want to be in five to ten years, therefore making it difficult to figure out what I’m working toward.After a bit of struggling, I’m proud to say that I’ve made some progress. I can now articulate the type of work I’d like to be doing and the skills I would love to be using. However, I still find it pretty frustrating to essentially be working on a map that guides me to nowhere and everywhere at the same time.
Last week I picked up Bird by Bird, a surprisingly captivating book about writing and life. The author, Anne Lamott, is a professor and in the book she shares everything she knows about being a writer while tying in life lessons along the way.
In one of my favorite chapters, she talks about the common myth that every successful writer is able to sit down and immediately write the most beautiful, engaging pieces of work without any effort. Much like selfish and naive teenagers, so many of us budding and aspiring writers believe that we’re the only ones who become distracted and grow frustrated with the crappy words, thoughts and phrases that will flow from our brains to our fingertips when we sit down to write.
Lamott tells us to stop fooling ourselves, explaining that the process is no different from one writer to the next. She then proceeds to share the following story:
Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.That’s when I realized that life is no different.
The pressure of thinking I should know where I want to be professionally in the next five to ten years is beyond overwhelming. And that’s perfectly okay.
In life, we will hardly ever have a solid sense of what our destination will be. Each of us has a unique story to tell that can only be written one day at a time. The only way for it to get told, though, is for us to start somewhere. Even the best authors had to start by sitting down to write.
So that’s what I’ll be doing doing. I’m starting right where I am, with what I know. Taking it day by day, word by word, and bird by bird until my story has been told.
This post is part of a blog series on Brazen Careerist being sponsored by JobSTART101. They asked Brazen members to answer the question: What do I wish I knew before I started working? Here's my response ...Whether you did it a long time ago or you’re preparing to experience it yourself, I’m pretty sure that it’s not news to you that entering the real world after college is no walk in the park. Everyone deals with it a little differently. Some get their degree and face it head on while others accumulate thousands more in more debt just to avoid it a little longer. The fact of the matter is, though, we all have to face it at some point.
For me the scariest part of learning to be an adult is that there are a lot of things you won't learn until you experience it. I mean, I still struggle to even call myself an adult because more often than not I feel like I’m really just faking this whole independence thing.
Now let me break it down for you: I was good at school growing up. I even loved it (nerd alert!). For me it was simple: determine what the expectations were for an “A”, assess how much energy I had to use to meet those expectations, adjust my strategy when necessary, and get an A.
Most of my life worked that way. That is, until I finished college.
There is no shortage of lessons to be learned in this "real world", and unfortunately none of them come with a syllabus or office hours for when you have questions. Here are five things I had to learn for myself since leaving undergrad:
My instincts rock more than I’m willing to admit sometimes.
This is something that I’m definitely still learning more and more about. However, there have been so many times that once I reflected on past situations, I realize that my gut feeling about certain individuals, various situations and how I should respond were almost always right from the jump. Trust in yourself even when you feel totally inexperienced.
Managing my personal finances is hard.
Keep in mind that you’re reading the blog of an individual who not only was required to take a considerable number of finance classes for her degree, worked two summers on Wall Street, loves Suze Orman and understands what it means to be in good financial health (for the most part). So, clearly, I thought this part of transitioning into adulthood would be a piece of cake. Wrong. Just like so many other things about adulthood, there is no way to just study something and be good at it. Not only do I wish that I’d known how much trial and error it would take, I also wish I had known sooner that so many of my peers are struggling with the same thing.
Difficult situations at work suck. Yes, everyone deals with them, but it’s okay to talk about it.
Of course I’m not saying to go to the water cooler and talk smack about your boss with one of your peers. Absolutely not. I strongly advise against that. But don't be like me and feel like you'll be all "whoa is me" if you talk it out. It is okay to discuss things with your mentors and other managers with whom you have a trusted relationship about how things are going, how you are feeling, and what you can do about it. The first time I learned this was long after I had already let the stress of the situation get the best of me.
My parents won’t always give me the best advice.
GASP! This one is crazy for me to write because I love my parents dearly and think they’re pretty freakin’ awesome (Hi Mommy!). However, despite our parents’ unconditional love for us, they often give us advice based on what they wanted for themselves or within the context of a lesson learned in their own past. Sometimes their advice is extremely valuable and saves us from having to learn hard lessons ourselves. But sometimes you have to take the time to think about how their perspective has been shaped, what you want for yourself and whether that advice is best for you. Disclaimer: I won't promise you that if you turn out to be wrong that you won't get an onslaught of "I told you so"s!
Once you have a walk-in closet, you’ll never want to go without one.
Okay so maybe this doesn't quite qualify as an important life lesson, but I just finished apartment hunting and this is something that hit me hard. Moving from a studio outside of the city to a new place in the city was a little disheartening in the closet space arena. I was so close to asking leasing offices if they were willing to turn the kitchen into a closet. It’s not like I make much use of a stove anyway.
For me the scariest part of learning to be an adult is that there are a lot of things you won't learn until you experience it. I mean, I still struggle to even call myself an adult because more often than not I feel like I’m really just faking this whole independence thing.
Now let me break it down for you: I was good at school growing up. I even loved it (nerd alert!). For me it was simple: determine what the expectations were for an “A”, assess how much energy I had to use to meet those expectations, adjust my strategy when necessary, and get an A.
Most of my life worked that way. That is, until I finished college.
There is no shortage of lessons to be learned in this "real world", and unfortunately none of them come with a syllabus or office hours for when you have questions. Here are five things I had to learn for myself since leaving undergrad:
My instincts rock more than I’m willing to admit sometimes.
This is something that I’m definitely still learning more and more about. However, there have been so many times that once I reflected on past situations, I realize that my gut feeling about certain individuals, various situations and how I should respond were almost always right from the jump. Trust in yourself even when you feel totally inexperienced.
Managing my personal finances is hard.
Keep in mind that you’re reading the blog of an individual who not only was required to take a considerable number of finance classes for her degree, worked two summers on Wall Street, loves Suze Orman and understands what it means to be in good financial health (for the most part). So, clearly, I thought this part of transitioning into adulthood would be a piece of cake. Wrong. Just like so many other things about adulthood, there is no way to just study something and be good at it. Not only do I wish that I’d known how much trial and error it would take, I also wish I had known sooner that so many of my peers are struggling with the same thing.
Difficult situations at work suck. Yes, everyone deals with them, but it’s okay to talk about it.
Of course I’m not saying to go to the water cooler and talk smack about your boss with one of your peers. Absolutely not. I strongly advise against that. But don't be like me and feel like you'll be all "whoa is me" if you talk it out. It is okay to discuss things with your mentors and other managers with whom you have a trusted relationship about how things are going, how you are feeling, and what you can do about it. The first time I learned this was long after I had already let the stress of the situation get the best of me.
My parents won’t always give me the best advice.
GASP! This one is crazy for me to write because I love my parents dearly and think they’re pretty freakin’ awesome (Hi Mommy!). However, despite our parents’ unconditional love for us, they often give us advice based on what they wanted for themselves or within the context of a lesson learned in their own past. Sometimes their advice is extremely valuable and saves us from having to learn hard lessons ourselves. But sometimes you have to take the time to think about how their perspective has been shaped, what you want for yourself and whether that advice is best for you. Disclaimer: I won't promise you that if you turn out to be wrong that you won't get an onslaught of "I told you so"s!
Once you have a walk-in closet, you’ll never want to go without one.
Okay so maybe this doesn't quite qualify as an important life lesson, but I just finished apartment hunting and this is something that hit me hard. Moving from a studio outside of the city to a new place in the city was a little disheartening in the closet space arena. I was so close to asking leasing offices if they were willing to turn the kitchen into a closet. It’s not like I make much use of a stove anyway.
I'm so excited I can barely type. Yesterday, an amazing resource became available for all the current and aspiring do-gooders of the world: DoSomething U. Started by the organization DoSomething.org, this website is another tool through which they "help young people rock causes they care about." The mission of the site is to help individuals passionate about social change make their ideas a reality. In that vein, the site is full of articles on topics categorized by seven "majors" ranging from activism to technology to human resources.
On the site you'll also find videos on various topics. Each week DoSomething U will release a new one on a different topic. Here are a few to get you started:
- How to Tell a Story Through Video - As someone with little to zero (closer to zero) video media skills this was a great intro to me. And if you haven't heard of Andrew Jenks, he's pretty cool. Google him.
- How to Create a Strong Brand - This one is particularly interesting to me because over the last week or so I've put a lot of thought into how to begin branding the non-profit I work with right now. As a business person, I truly believe in the value of branding for organizations, and not just in the private sector.
- Overcome the Fear of Asking for Money - No matter what kind of organization you intend to start, the money has to come from somewhere. If you're anything like me, it's better to start getting over that fear sooner than later!
So now that DoSomething.org has provided yet another reason to stop putting off any program and venture ideas we may have, how long will it take for you to get started?
Some people are intimidated by networking; and I'd say rightfully so. Even for the social butterflies of the world, it can be an exhausting experience. Add in factors such as introverted personalities, limited time, small budgets, etc. and the networking experience becomes outright frustrating for some folks.
Enter Brazen Careerist, an online community and career center for Generation Y, with a snazzy new tool that eliminates just about all the anxieties you've ever had about networking.
This is how it works. You log into your Brazen account, look for the Network Roulette wheel and click to get started. The first prompt will ask you two questions: (1) What are you looking for?, and (2) What are you providing?
Can I just say how much I love that? I will admit that the first time I participated this intimidated me because everything I've ever learned about networking has taught me to be a little more curteous than to just walk up to someone new and ask for what I want. With Network Roulette you can literally focus all of your networking energy on how you and the other individual can trade information and/or resources.
After answering those questions (and don't be shy...), you will be randomly matched with someone and the 3 minute countdown begins. You will have to use this time wisely as it's all you have to determine if the person on the other side can help you or if you can help them. Once your conversation is done, you have the opportunity to connect with those individuals through their Brazen profile. And, of course, if you've agreed to offer each other something you will want to reach out to the individual once you are done networking.
Now let's just say you're not interested in talking to that person for 3 minutes. You're 30 seconds in and your interests don't match and the conversation is dry. The solution? Move on to the next person. No awkward pauses, exit strategies or having to pretend that someone across the room is calling your name.
And that's it. Simple as that.
But don't just listen to me. Head over to Brazen and give it a try yourself!
Full disclosure: Well there really is no full disclosure since I'm not getting paid or being provided with anything in return for writing this post. I'm simply a fan of the Brazen community, and I'm just spreading the word about the launch of Network Roulette!
Have you ever had a goal for yourself that you announced to the world (or a few friends) yet never accomplished? Like that time you decided you wanted to lose ten pounds so you bought a treadmill that was eventually used to hang laundry? Or that new kitchen set you bought to cook healthier meals but never used?Apparently you are far from alone. According to Derek Sivers in the TEDGlobal video below, psychologists have proven time and time again that you essentially trick your brain into thinking you’ve accomplished a goal once you’ve shared it with others.
After watching this video and hearing about the studies conducted, something didn’t sit right with me. And maybe my denial simply comes from the fact that I’m a person who openly shares my goals with friends and family when I want to accomplish them. Yet while I would definitely say that I’ve had my share of failures, I hesitate to link those failures to my decision to communicate those goals.
I think personality types play a significant role in the goal setting process. I’d like to think that if Sivers had more than the three minutes he used to speak he might’ve even touched on this. I don’t have science to back this up, but I find it hard to believe that the results of these studies would be the same if you compared personality types. I’m a highly self-motivated person. I’m not driven by competition with others or, for the most part, what others think of the accomplishment of my goal. My goals are more often than not set up to prove something to myself. However, I don’t keep them to myself because the encouragement I receive from family and friends is really important to me, especially when things aren’t looking so great.
So yes, it does feel good to share your goals with other people. Yes, you definitely do feel like you are taking one step closer and that it’s more of a reality that it was before. However, I think this is where you have to make a conscious decision that your goal means a lot to you and accomplishing it is something you are serious about. Rather than falling into the trap these studies have shown that talking about your goals leads to, take some time to reflect on your situation to ensure that you reach your destination.
And maybe after seeing this video you’ll decide that you no longer want to share your goals. Or maybe you’ll decide that you will only share certain goals. For instance, I would imagine that there is difference between communicating long-term versus short-term goals. I could see long-term goals, presumably more lofty in nature, being achieved less often than short-term goals that may be practical in nature and even sub-goals of a long-term goal.
Whatever it is you decide to do, focus on your goal, determine how you intend to get there and hold yourself accountable; and if you decide to share your goal with someone, so be it. Just don’t let your mind “mistake the talking for the doing.”
Check out the video below to see Derek Sivers' talk on TED.com.
So you’ve put some work into developing your personal brand, and now you’re ready to start thinking about how you are currently marketing your brand and ways to improve. Well it sounds like we’re both in the same place. In working to develop my own, I’ve been paying very close attention folks around the web with strong personal brands.Check out my latest Zora & Alice post to find out the three things I’ve observed that I believe make some people so effective at marketing their own.
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?
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Lighting the Flame is a series dedicated to recognizing the efforts of organizations that work to empower women and girls across the world. These organizations keep families and communities alive by ensuring that the flames of these women and girls are fully lit and prepared to shine as they begin to tap into the power within. This weekend I attended a screening of a documentary entitled The Black Girl Project, a film that tells the stories of eight young black women living in Brooklyn, NY. Inspired by her prior experiences working with them and her frustration with the extremely limited perspectives of black women represented in the media, Aiesha Turman set out to produce something that would highlight the experiences of these young women.
With little film experience and even less of budget (she emphasized during the discussion that it was “zero” lol), Ms. Turman produced a piece of work that greatly contributes to the conversation about what it means to be a black girl in America. Her choice of documenting the lives of girls in Brooklyn was interesting as it drew attention to the ethnic diversity of the region as well as diversity within the black community, which is overlooked far too often. As a black girl myself, I'm hyper aware of the media’s failure to show the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of black women. We are consistently bombarded with the same portrayals that don’t reflect the vast majority of us. As one girl put it, we’re either the "bougie", successful black woman who forgot where she came from or we’re the ghetto baby-mother on the block. This film seeks to fill that void.
I appreciated how Ms. Turman started the film with some history of black woman as well as statistics on the current situation for our black girls, some of which we have seen far too many times before. She then moved into the most powerful part of the film: the interviews with the young women. The conversations flowed from girl to girl as each of them shared their perspectives on issues ranging from identity to family and from love and relationships to goals and dreams. Moments from the film that still remain vivid to me:
- The Haitian girl discussing her new-found pride in her culture after being teased growing up
- A young woman sharing how she was raped and later tried to commit suicide yet was told by her father that she didn’t really want to die because everyone knows that taking 13 Tylenol won’t kill you
- One girl stating that she began using bleaching cream at around seven years old because she hated her skin
- A young woman being called an insecure slut by her boyfriend and sharing that she can’t love herself unless she’s perfect, which she then stated is not going to happen
Initially, I would like to thank Aiesha for taking the time and pouring her effort, love and diligence into this project. I really think that a film like this can help jump start important conversations in our communities. Not only between parents and their daughters, but siblings, extended family and people who work within the community. There is an unspoken resilience that young women of color are expected to have. A theft of the wonders of youth and the beauty of innocence and that has to be resolved. These brave young women gave us insight into how much they had on their shoulders at such a young age. Thankfully they had (a) positive influence(s) which helped them negotiate feelings and challenges. I am certain that many other young women that see this will realize that they are not alone and come forth to seek their own support system andAfter the film, Ms. Turman had a Q&A session with us. The documentary was an extraordinary undertaking on her part and was filmed over the course of about two and a half years. During that time, each of the young women were either just going off to college or were in the middle of their studies. She proudly announced that the majority of these young women will be graduating in May of 2011.
embrace their successes.
Not only has The Black Girl Project greatly contributed to a much needed conversation, but it has also given a voice to each of these young women and provided the support they needed for their lights to shine. Furthermore, it was extremely encouraging to hear that these women continue to pay it forward in their own ways now. To me, it doesn’t get much more powerful than that.
For more about the film, visit The Black Girl Project. Aiesha Turman's work on the film led her to start a non-profit called The Black Girl Project dedicated to "helping our young women and girls develop the skills the need to not only survive, but thrive in this new millennium". Check out the website to learn more about and support the organization.
Photo Credit: Black Girl Project's Flickr
I’ve had it since I was a child. I hated taking naps. I hated being the last to finish my lunch in the cafeteria. I hated going to bed while all of the adults stayed up late chatting in the kitchen. I just KNEW I would be missing something. What exactly, I don’t know; but it just ate me up that it could be something good.Fast forward many years and much hasn’t changed. I take the term “opportunity cost” to a whole new level when I’m making decisions, often weighing options based on imaginary situations beyond the average person’s reasonable expectations.
I know it feels like you have all these options and when you make a decision, you lose a world of possibilities. But the reality is, until you make a decision, you have nothing at all.I first heard of FOMO a few months ago, while walking downtown with a fellow colleague. We were discussing our anxiety about missing out on something when she sighed and mumbled, “FOMO.”
- Janet Fitch
“What?” I asked
“FOMO,” she repeats. “Fear of missing out.”
Wow. Is that what I’ve had all this time? Nobody felt it was necessary to diagnose me at any point over the last 24 years? I mean, seriously... where was the vaccine when I was 6?
After the initial shock, I figured well at least I finally know what I am working with here. But then I started to wonder if this is a good or bad character trait. Could I simply chalk it up to my A-type personality and brush my shoulders off? So, in true Nikita style I did a [qualitative] cost-benefit analysis to living with FOMO. For your reading pleasure:
Downsides to FOMO
- Experiencing anxiety or frustration about missing something that the average person would not experience (i.e. being upset that you can't be two places at one time)
- Inability to disconnect when on vacation, whether it’s for work or personal endeavors (i.e. regularly writing blog posts in a notebook during a three week vacation. That wasn’t me of course. Not at all.)
- Never feeling like you’re doing enough to accomplish your goals (i.e. unhealthy worrying: Did I do enough research on that topic? Am I mentoring enough teenagers?)
- Often being at the right place at the right time
- Consistently being prepared for opportunities (We talked about this, remember?)
- Regularly meeting new people, learning about what’s going on, and being aware of upcoming opportunities
- Winning. In life. Period. (Or so I’d like to think.)
Unfortunately, that’s where my advice ends. There are no FOMO self-help programs, and I’ve only discovered two steps so far. However, I am sure someone will come up with a ridiculous eBook or 12 step program to sell to you in the future.
Now enough about me, tell me about you. How is your life affected by FOMO, if at all? Is it a part of your character that you have embraced or are you working on your own 12 step program?
You’re fresh out of college and you’ve been plopped down in the real world (some might say against your will) in a completely new city. Many of us have been there before. It’s both exciting and intimidating at the same time, but you are very aware of the importance of building your network. At least, you’re told it’s important. But where should you start, you ask?Check out my latest post on iGrad for a few ideas on how to build your professional network, fast.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that weYou likely heard it in Akeelah and the Bee. You’ve probably heard it in a random speech at some point. You have possibly even read it in an email signature or two (mine, included). It’s a quote that resonates with a lot of people. For me, it serves as a powerful daily reminder of the unique strengths that we have as individuals. Strengths that often have yet to be tapped into due to fears, insecurities, circumstances or other unfortunate reasons.
are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most
frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented,
fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?
-Marianne Williamson
Every few years my family gets together for a reunion that takes place over the course of four days. This is a very special time as many of us come from all over the world back to the island of our roots so that we can reconnect with one another. One of my favorite parts of the reunion is the the last day when everyone gathers in a large circle with a candle in hand and we pass on the flame from one person to the next until every candle is lit. The message? When we go back to our usual lives, we should not forget to keep the family spirit alive. In essence: keep it burning.
That’s exactly what these organizations I’ll be featuring do: they keep families and communities alive by bringing out the light of women and girls.
It’s no longer breaking news that women and girls around the world are facing poverty and injustice at disproportionate levels. To many people’s surprise, girls in the US - even right in your own neighborhood - deal with unspeakable horrors that you might not imagine. Sheryl WuDunn, author of the book Half the Sky, even calls it “our century’s greatest injustice”.
Nonetheless, I’m encouraged by the number of organizations out there fighting for the human and civil rights of women and girls. Lately, I’ve come across so many, each of which is doing extremely exciting things. Most importantly, they are committed to bettering lives with the goal of ensuring that the flames of these women and girls are fully lit and prepared to shine as they begin to tap into their power within.
I hope you enjoy learning about the organizations as much as I do.
Like so many of my peers, I have grad school on my mind. For those of you who know me well, I've always loved being a student. Not only that, I was good at it. I thrived when placed in the classroom setting with an engaging and thought provoking professor and peers as eager to soak in new knowledge as me. And while not as equally enjoyable, I even thrived in classrooms that required a venti caramel macchiato and binoculars to see the obsolete slides on the front projector.Needless to say, the idea of going to grad school is an exciting one for me. And while I'm not silly enough to simply enroll in a program just for the heck of it (exception to this statement: if money were to start growing on trees I would actually do just that), my eagerness to get back in the classroom as well as other influences are placing a bit of pressure on me to decide what it is I want to do.
So, to both quell this desire I have to get back into a classroom and satisfy my curiosity about what it would be like at the grad school level, last weekend I attended a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) course at American University. I went with a friend from college who has been trying to sell me on the program... even before his enrollment was official. He has been telling me to sit in on one of his classes for months now, so I took him up on his offer and attended his Facilitation and Team Building class on Sunday. This was exciting to me for two reasons: I'm strongly considering getting an MPA and I am currently involved with some of the facilitation work that my company does for our clients (and I love it).
The course takes place over three weekends with a full day of class on both Saturday and Sunday. I quickly realized that this could only work with a very engaging professor and an interesting topic, which for this weekend was team building. You know: the norming, forming, storming, performing team building. We spent 6 hours on the topic. As in 5+1=6. When I expressed my amusement with this the response my friend gave me was, "Welcome to grad school."
I couldn't help but smile. It was only a few days ago that my manager and teammate were laughing at how much I love to think all “pie in the sky”. I do love thinking conceptually. I’m an ideas girl. And in a classroom is exactly where I want to be again, sitting amongst a diverse group of my peers learning new concepts while reflecting on and sharing our individual experiences.
And for those of you who are thinking it but wouldn’t let me get to it: I am very aware of "how young I am" and "how much time I have" to going back to school. I thank you for those thoughts of encouragement and appeals to my spirit of procrastination. And to those of you who are committed to reminding twenty-somethings how “fast life passes you by”: I'm very aware of my own goals in life and the plans I have for myself so I have no intention on waiting too long either.
The grad school process isn't one that I intend to rush, but I have every intention of making progress over the next several months. That includes taking the GRE, doing some research on various programs, and maybe even applying to some programs if they are a good fit. I just know that the process has to be mine, and mine alone. I am more than confident that it will unfold appropriately as I continue to figure what I want to do and be for the next few years.
In the meantime, I'd love for you to share any wisdom and insights you might have on the general process of looking into and applying to grad school programs!
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