Hi all, happy Thursday!
I just want to take a brief moment to thank all of you who take the time out of your day to visit my blog. I do this blog for fun and often that means late nights writing posts or early weekend mornings doing blog shoots. I'm not a professional photographer, I'm not a model, I'm not a professional content writer or social media guru. I'm just here to share some stuff with you. So thank you, your comments on here and on social media mean everything. I read every single one of them, even if I don't always respond, I see and appreciate each one.
Most bloggers start out working full-time and blogging on the side. Many bloggers work in industries that compliment their blog, and they are able to let their day lives and night lives bleed into each other.
I don't work in an industry related to fashion, lifestyle, travel or anything I blog about. I work in education. I don't share my blog with my students or coworkers because I'm worried it would be inappropriate. I don't really share my blog with anyone, except my friends and family, and those of you I meet on the internet. This makes me sad sometimes, because I want to be able to share my blog on a daily basis with people I interact with every day.
I am thinking about starting a bloggers group in the beach cities of Los Angeles to fill that gap, that need I have for a local blogging community. People I can talk to about post ideas, people I can blog shoot for, and who can shoot for me. So if any of you reading this also happen to live in the LA beach cities, please let me know if you'd be interested in getting together for coffee, and bouncing ideas off each other for a group or posts or any other collaborative idea you may have in mind.
You can email me at mapleandmint(at)gmail.com or find me on social media - all of my handles are @mapleandmint.
Thanks a bunch and I hope you all have a really wonderful Thursday.
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
New Year's Resolutions - 2016
Hey all! Happy Monday! It's about time I post about my New Year's Resolutions, don't you think? While I have a lot of goals for 2016, I'm not going to share them all on here because well, some of them are just more personal and/or you might not find them very interesting!
I have broken them up into a few categories:
WORK
- Be less wasteful (bring a mug to work, print when necessary, etc.)
- Ask for a raise
- Find more ways to positively deal with stress (take a walk, take a deep breath, read a positive quote at my desk)
- Thank coworkers more often for their hard work
- Be cheery (especially in the morning)
- Bring lunch and snacks to work! (good for the environment and my budget)
- Bring treats every so often for the office to enjoy!
BLOG
- Bring back the following series: 1) LA Favorites 2) How-to 3) Tips and Tricks
- Comment daily on other people's blogs and build relationships with bloggers and brands
I have broken them up into a few categories:
WORK
- Be less wasteful (bring a mug to work, print when necessary, etc.)
- Ask for a raise
- Find more ways to positively deal with stress (take a walk, take a deep breath, read a positive quote at my desk)
- Thank coworkers more often for their hard work
- Be cheery (especially in the morning)
- Bring lunch and snacks to work! (good for the environment and my budget)
- Bring treats every so often for the office to enjoy!
BLOG
- Bring back the following series: 1) LA Favorites 2) How-to 3) Tips and Tricks
- Continue to strive for aesthetically pleasing photos
- Learn to use editing software to better edit the lighting and contrast in my photos
- Make more appealing collages- Comment daily on other people's blogs and build relationships with bloggers and brands
- Create monthly printables for my blog subscribers??
- Keep an editorial calendar
- Get a mailbox?? For blog mail
LOVE
- Go on romantic dates once a month
- Have date night once every two weeks
- Exercise together
- Express appreciation, love and kindness
SELF
- Keep a budget
- Save money
- Be less wasteful
- Exercise
- Enjoy life
- Seek out nature
- Read
- Practice gratitude
- Record short videos every day (video journal) detailing what happened that day
- Explore
What are your New Year's Resolutions, if you have any?
Friday, December 18, 2015
December Thoughts: What I Accomplished This Year
As December is coming to a close, I'm getting really excited about making New Year's resolutions and starting fresh with a new year.
Earlier this week I was feeling sort of down about what I had done or accomplished this year. Every other year prior it felt like I had reached some milestone or was working toward a goal, and I didn't quite feel that way about this year. For example, in 2013 I graduated from my master's program. In 2014 I got a job at my current employer. What did I do in 2015?
I spent a good amount of time yesterday quantifying my year. I had started a list back in May detailing fun things that SH and I had done - I called it my, "in case you want to feel awesome," list. So I decided to continue with that list but I added two other categories, work and health. I have a big desk calendar so every day at work I update it with the basics - any appointments I have, time scheduled with friends, work events, etc. so at a glance it's very easy to see the "big" things that I have done all year for each month. I kept all the old sheets from January to now, (I finally just threw them away yesterday after taking a picture of each!) so that was really helpful in making notes about what I had done, who I had spent time with, what doctor's appointments I had, etc. It sounds basic and I know a lot of people keep those events in their phones or on an electronic calendar, but for me I just love paper and having a tangible desk calendar helps me stay organized. I typed everything up and broke it down by month so I could see "at a glance" what each month held for me in three categories: fun, work and health.
It's amazing how much one person can do in a year. I don't even consider myself a very "busy" person-- I work 9 to 5 and then usually go home and blog or spend time with SH, friends or family. But man, quantifying all the things I had done made me feel really accomplished! I don't know if any of you have read Gretchen Rubin's "Happiness Project" but she talks a lot about needing "gold stars" (you know, like parents might give to little kids on a chore chart?) I guess quantifying my year was the equivalent of "gold stars" for me. I'm an academic advisor, and seeing how many student appointments I had had all year... it made me feel good! It made me realize that I'm actually helping people. It also helped me see things big picture- for example, no wonder I got sick in November, that was my busiest month in terms of student appointments!
Anyway, I just wanted to share some personal thoughts and feelings. I want to validate anyone out there who feels like I did... Try to let go of those "what did I do all year?" judgments and just accept and love yourself the way you are.
I'm ready to start a fresh new year with a bang. I can't wait to share some more thoughts on goals and resolutions later, but for now, have a wonderful Friday, and thank you, as always, for reading and following along.
Maple and Mint Quick Tip: Keep a list or calendar of the "big" things you do every month. (Again, my categories are fun, work and health.) I keep notes of the "big" things in each of those categories. Some of you might be thinking, well, the little things are the big things in life! And to you I would say, you're right. For me personally I like making notes of date nights or dinner with friends on my calendar because then my memory is jogged when I look at my calendar and I think, "oh yeah! That's when we went to that fantastic restaurant!" Hope that helps!
Earlier this week I was feeling sort of down about what I had done or accomplished this year. Every other year prior it felt like I had reached some milestone or was working toward a goal, and I didn't quite feel that way about this year. For example, in 2013 I graduated from my master's program. In 2014 I got a job at my current employer. What did I do in 2015?
I spent a good amount of time yesterday quantifying my year. I had started a list back in May detailing fun things that SH and I had done - I called it my, "in case you want to feel awesome," list. So I decided to continue with that list but I added two other categories, work and health. I have a big desk calendar so every day at work I update it with the basics - any appointments I have, time scheduled with friends, work events, etc. so at a glance it's very easy to see the "big" things that I have done all year for each month. I kept all the old sheets from January to now, (I finally just threw them away yesterday after taking a picture of each!) so that was really helpful in making notes about what I had done, who I had spent time with, what doctor's appointments I had, etc. It sounds basic and I know a lot of people keep those events in their phones or on an electronic calendar, but for me I just love paper and having a tangible desk calendar helps me stay organized. I typed everything up and broke it down by month so I could see "at a glance" what each month held for me in three categories: fun, work and health.
It's amazing how much one person can do in a year. I don't even consider myself a very "busy" person-- I work 9 to 5 and then usually go home and blog or spend time with SH, friends or family. But man, quantifying all the things I had done made me feel really accomplished! I don't know if any of you have read Gretchen Rubin's "Happiness Project" but she talks a lot about needing "gold stars" (you know, like parents might give to little kids on a chore chart?) I guess quantifying my year was the equivalent of "gold stars" for me. I'm an academic advisor, and seeing how many student appointments I had had all year... it made me feel good! It made me realize that I'm actually helping people. It also helped me see things big picture- for example, no wonder I got sick in November, that was my busiest month in terms of student appointments!
Anyway, I just wanted to share some personal thoughts and feelings. I want to validate anyone out there who feels like I did... Try to let go of those "what did I do all year?" judgments and just accept and love yourself the way you are.
I'm ready to start a fresh new year with a bang. I can't wait to share some more thoughts on goals and resolutions later, but for now, have a wonderful Friday, and thank you, as always, for reading and following along.
Maple and Mint Quick Tip: Keep a list or calendar of the "big" things you do every month. (Again, my categories are fun, work and health.) I keep notes of the "big" things in each of those categories. Some of you might be thinking, well, the little things are the big things in life! And to you I would say, you're right. For me personally I like making notes of date nights or dinner with friends on my calendar because then my memory is jogged when I look at my calendar and I think, "oh yeah! That's when we went to that fantastic restaurant!" Hope that helps!
Thursday, October 29, 2015
20 Things About Me!
Hi there! How are you all doing today? I hope everyone's having a good week.
I've noticed that some of you repeatedly comment on my blog, and for that I want to say THANK YOU! It really means so much to me that anyone visits my blog and takes the time to not only read what I have to say, but also comment. I appreciate your support and enjoy reading each and every comment. So for that, I thank you. That being said, I feel like we don't know too much about each other. Where are you guys from? What do you do for a living? Do you have kids? Pets? What are some of your hopes, fears and dreams? What do you do for fun? I thought it might be nice to do a post where we get to know each other a little better. I'll start, and if you want to comment below with some things about you as well, I would love to read them.
So here it goes:
1. I'm Christine. I'm 26.
2. I live in LA and have lived here for 4+ years (it will be 5 in June 2016.)
3. I was born in New Jersey and raised in Northern California.
4. My idea of a perfect Saturday at home is waking up early, going for a walk, making a delicious breakfast at home or going out for brunch, taking a nap, lounging around in bed reading, working on my blog, eating sushi for dinner, and getting a big group of friends together for a movie night.
5. I love to travel. Some of my favorite destinations include Paris, London, Stonehaven (Scotland), and Maui.
6. I don't have any pets but I would like 2 dogs and 2 bunnies. (So they don't get lonely!)
7. I love movies and I could watch the same movie a hundred times (seriously.) Re-watching movies is sort of a pastime of mine.
8. I have an incredible sweet tooth. SH and I ate dessert every single day while we were in Scotland this summer, lol so when we got home we decided to do a sugar detox (no more sweets, sodas, pastries, juice, etc.) We've been doing it for at least 2 months now. It was really hard at first, but now I'm used to it. I lost 8 pounds unintentionally during this detox just from avoiding sweets!
9. I love to read and I'm an incredibly fast reader. My favorite genre right now is Sci Fi, but I also love coming of age stories, fiction, and children's literature.
10. I don't really like to exercise - this is something I am trying to change so that I develop healthy habits now. (Any workout/exercise suggestions welcome!)
11. I drink a large cup of tea every morning and every afternoon.
12. Luxuries I love: mani/pedis, super soft blankets, yummy smelling candles, massages.
13. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and Christmas is a close second.
14. I work as an academic advisor.
15. I have a handbag problem - handbags are the first thing I want to look at in any department store and the first thing I want to spend my money on :)
16. I'm an only child.
17. I don't drink coffee.
18. I kind of love junky food - pizza, hotdogs and hamburgers - but I try to limit my intake for my health.
19. I love my friends dearly - my longest friendship to date is doing on 17 years :)
20. I'm an ISFJ.
I've noticed that some of you repeatedly comment on my blog, and for that I want to say THANK YOU! It really means so much to me that anyone visits my blog and takes the time to not only read what I have to say, but also comment. I appreciate your support and enjoy reading each and every comment. So for that, I thank you. That being said, I feel like we don't know too much about each other. Where are you guys from? What do you do for a living? Do you have kids? Pets? What are some of your hopes, fears and dreams? What do you do for fun? I thought it might be nice to do a post where we get to know each other a little better. I'll start, and if you want to comment below with some things about you as well, I would love to read them.
So here it goes:
1. I'm Christine. I'm 26.
2. I live in LA and have lived here for 4+ years (it will be 5 in June 2016.)
3. I was born in New Jersey and raised in Northern California.
4. My idea of a perfect Saturday at home is waking up early, going for a walk, making a delicious breakfast at home or going out for brunch, taking a nap, lounging around in bed reading, working on my blog, eating sushi for dinner, and getting a big group of friends together for a movie night.
5. I love to travel. Some of my favorite destinations include Paris, London, Stonehaven (Scotland), and Maui.
6. I don't have any pets but I would like 2 dogs and 2 bunnies. (So they don't get lonely!)
7. I love movies and I could watch the same movie a hundred times (seriously.) Re-watching movies is sort of a pastime of mine.
8. I have an incredible sweet tooth. SH and I ate dessert every single day while we were in Scotland this summer, lol so when we got home we decided to do a sugar detox (no more sweets, sodas, pastries, juice, etc.) We've been doing it for at least 2 months now. It was really hard at first, but now I'm used to it. I lost 8 pounds unintentionally during this detox just from avoiding sweets!
9. I love to read and I'm an incredibly fast reader. My favorite genre right now is Sci Fi, but I also love coming of age stories, fiction, and children's literature.
10. I don't really like to exercise - this is something I am trying to change so that I develop healthy habits now. (Any workout/exercise suggestions welcome!)
11. I drink a large cup of tea every morning and every afternoon.
12. Luxuries I love: mani/pedis, super soft blankets, yummy smelling candles, massages.
13. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and Christmas is a close second.
14. I work as an academic advisor.
15. I have a handbag problem - handbags are the first thing I want to look at in any department store and the first thing I want to spend my money on :)
16. I'm an only child.
17. I don't drink coffee.
18. I kind of love junky food - pizza, hotdogs and hamburgers - but I try to limit my intake for my health.
19. I love my friends dearly - my longest friendship to date is doing on 17 years :)
20. I'm an ISFJ.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Top 25 moments of being 25
*Hello beauties! Since I got everything I wanted for my birthday... ;) I decided to skip this week's Wednesday Wishlist in favor of another kind of list! Read on for more info! XO*
My friend Molly is one of my favorite people in the world. She is bright and happy, compassionate, empathetic, funny, and feels and loves deeply. The list of qualities I love about her goes on forever! One thing in particular I love about Molly is her ability to create and find joy in moments. And isn't that what life is, anyway? A collection of moments? Some of my favorite memories with her are us just walking around our downtown neighborhood or getting coffee. Simple. Simple moments. (Also one time we did a photoshoot in her room of us getting dressed up in silly costumes. That was great, too. We should probably find those photos!)
Molly inspired me to make a list of my top favorite moments of being 25 which I think provided a great opportunity for me to celebrate the "little" things in my past year, like a great slice of pizza, and also the "big" things, like a vacation or party with friends. So here is my list. You'll notice once I got started I ended up going way beyond 25! I wanted to share it with all of you and hope it inspires you to create your own list of favorite moments.
So here's to 26. May it be a year of big and little moments, one where I slow down to appreciate the short time we all have on this Earth, one where I treasure my friends, and relish in great food, great company, great adventures, and nights in, too. (I've already starting creating my list of top 26 moments of being 26 ;))
I hope you all have a wonderful day!
My friend Molly is one of my favorite people in the world. She is bright and happy, compassionate, empathetic, funny, and feels and loves deeply. The list of qualities I love about her goes on forever! One thing in particular I love about Molly is her ability to create and find joy in moments. And isn't that what life is, anyway? A collection of moments? Some of my favorite memories with her are us just walking around our downtown neighborhood or getting coffee. Simple. Simple moments. (Also one time we did a photoshoot in her room of us getting dressed up in silly costumes. That was great, too. We should probably find those photos!)
Molly inspired me to make a list of my top favorite moments of being 25 which I think provided a great opportunity for me to celebrate the "little" things in my past year, like a great slice of pizza, and also the "big" things, like a vacation or party with friends. So here is my list. You'll notice once I got started I ended up going way beyond 25! I wanted to share it with all of you and hope it inspires you to create your own list of favorite moments.
So here's to 26. May it be a year of big and little moments, one where I slow down to appreciate the short time we all have on this Earth, one where I treasure my friends, and relish in great food, great company, great adventures, and nights in, too. (I've already starting creating my list of top 26 moments of being 26 ;))
Top 25 Moments of Being 25
1. 25th Birthday in Seattle, doing the food tour of Pike Place Market
2. Catching the fish at Pike Place Fish Co.
3. The amazing crab cakes and pie at Etta's
4. Taking pictures of the beautiful flowers on Whidbey Island
5. Fiesta Hermosa
6. Doing a blog photoshoot at the Lighthouse
7. Celebrating my and SH's one and a half year anniversary at the Mistfit and eating pumpkin pie at Urth Caffe
8. Starting my new job
9. Pumpkin carving with friends at SH's and watching the engineers do it with power tools (lol)
10. Going to SH's house in Illinois for the first time
11. Going to an apple orchard in Illinois and getting the most delicious apple donuts
11. Meeting a lot of SH's family for the first time (brother, brother's wife, grandma, two sisters, aunts, uncles)
12. Going to Chicago for the first time and going up in the tallest building when it was super stormy out
13. Having real Chicago deep dish pizza
14. Going to get massages with my mom at the spa
15. Celebrating my dad and SH's birthdays together at our house in the bay! With mocha cake!
16. SH and my grandparents coming for Thanksgiving and us trying to play BANG! (board game)
17. Doing a blog shoot with Molly during the holidays!!
18. Camping at Jalama Beach in Janaury
19. Going to the Christmas Tree Burn in the desert in January
20. Brunch at the Good Stuff
21. Cookie Con
22. Meeting SH's airplane for the first time (Frankie!)
23. Going to see Wicked at the Pantages (SH's Christmas gift)
24. My dear friend Angela coming back to the states and our first meal together celebrating!!
25. When my cactus started blooming at work in February and I would look outside my window every day and there would be new buds!
Visiting my dear friend Charlotte in San Francisco!
Ang's bday at Sugarfish!
Going to dinner with my favorites Kelso and Andrew at Diablo in Silverlake
Starting making Plated meals and feeling competent in the kitchen (Making the empanadas was the highlight!)
My first flight with SH in his airplane
Two year anniversary with SH at the Little Door
Utah to go skiing
Going to the shooting range and shooting a 50 cal
Simply Stylist Fashion and Beauty Conference at the Grove
Hosting Easter at my apartment with my parents and friends
My mom's beautiful Easter eggs she made with flowers
Getting my hair cut at Spoke and Weal
Dinners with my parents and SH
SH flying my dad in his plane
My cousin coming to steak and cake
The LA Times Festival of Books
My dear friend Molly getting engaged!!! My reaction! AH!
Megan's Bridal Shower!
Mother's Day dinner and ice cream run
Downtown date with Ang (brunch, flower market)
Game of Thrones marathons with SH
Watching live music in Nashville
Sushi Time dates with Ang
Seeing the new Jurassic Park movie (twice)
Going to the Rose Bowl flea market with Tabatha and finding SH a vintage airplane stapler!!
Julie's birthday - Taco Tuesday!
Dinners with Ashley in Hermosa and watching her pregnant belly grow!! (And buying the baby gifts!)
Starting volunteering again with horsies and kiddies
Megan and Kenny's gorgeous beach wedding!
Flying to camping and having the whole campsite to ourselves
Seeing the Back to the Future event at the Hollywood Bowl
Alyssa visiting from Arizona!! (meeting her bf, and her doggie)
Dinner at the Fat Dog LA
Eating really good chinese food
Watching the women's world cup
SH's sisters visiting from Illinois!
Eating the best gelato ever on the Redondo Beach Pier
Going home for my (pre) birthday weekend
Going shopping at the Nordstrom Anniversary sale with my mom
Having the best birthday dinner with my best friends and parents
Watching Trainwreck with SH
Throwing a birthday brunch
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Thoughts on Being in Your Twenties
"How do you balance taking action with taking care of yourself?"
A poignant question posed by one of my oldest friends.
I've been having disrupted sleep for the past few days. I can't seem to balance working on my blog, hustling, networking, emailing, connecting, researching, with eating well, getting enough sleep, hydrating, exercising, maintaining a good relationship, maintaining good friendships, oh yeah and ummm WORKING full time, ya know, doing that thing I have called a job... etc.
How are we supposed to do this in our twenties, when many (most) of us have small apartments, smaller incomes, demands from our bosses, families, significant others, friends (and I say demand in a mostly loving term, not with the negative connotation it sometimes carries.) Sure, we aren't as busy as moms or... moms. (And dads.) But we're busy. We're learning. We're growing. We're trying.
How are we supposed to do it all?
I tried waking up at 6 am yesterday. I set my alarm for 6 am and then a second one for 6:05 am because I knew I wouldn't wake up from the first alarm and somehow I slept through both of them and fell back asleep until 7:30 am. (Yeesh.)
That left barely enough time to shower, get dressed, oh yeah and forget about me putting on makeup before leaving the house. I did this in my car, while sitting in traffic, (sorry mom.)
I can't be the only one who feels rushed, busy, and constantly behind. There's this feeling of being pulled in all different directions that I can't seem to shake. Feeling like I want to be creative, but I want to make money, and for some reason when you're first starting out, those two things tend to be mutually exclusive. I think quite a few of us share this feeling of wanting to change the world but feeling helpless because the electric bill and rent are barely getting paid (forget a cable bill, you got rid of cable a long time ago.)
This isn't a complaint about my life, but rather a shoutout to the people who share this sentiment that I think is all too common in our twenties... but sometimes people don't want to talk about it. I don't have all the answers (do I even have any yet? Yes- pack your lunch every day so you save money.) I'm just here to get the ball on honest conversation rolling.
Let's try to navigate our twenties gracefully sisters... we're in this one together.
A poignant question posed by one of my oldest friends.
I've been having disrupted sleep for the past few days. I can't seem to balance working on my blog, hustling, networking, emailing, connecting, researching, with eating well, getting enough sleep, hydrating, exercising, maintaining a good relationship, maintaining good friendships, oh yeah and ummm WORKING full time, ya know, doing that thing I have called a job... etc.
How are we supposed to do this in our twenties, when many (most) of us have small apartments, smaller incomes, demands from our bosses, families, significant others, friends (and I say demand in a mostly loving term, not with the negative connotation it sometimes carries.) Sure, we aren't as busy as moms or... moms. (And dads.) But we're busy. We're learning. We're growing. We're trying.
How are we supposed to do it all?
I tried waking up at 6 am yesterday. I set my alarm for 6 am and then a second one for 6:05 am because I knew I wouldn't wake up from the first alarm and somehow I slept through both of them and fell back asleep until 7:30 am. (Yeesh.)
That left barely enough time to shower, get dressed, oh yeah and forget about me putting on makeup before leaving the house. I did this in my car, while sitting in traffic, (sorry mom.)
I can't be the only one who feels rushed, busy, and constantly behind. There's this feeling of being pulled in all different directions that I can't seem to shake. Feeling like I want to be creative, but I want to make money, and for some reason when you're first starting out, those two things tend to be mutually exclusive. I think quite a few of us share this feeling of wanting to change the world but feeling helpless because the electric bill and rent are barely getting paid (forget a cable bill, you got rid of cable a long time ago.)
This isn't a complaint about my life, but rather a shoutout to the people who share this sentiment that I think is all too common in our twenties... but sometimes people don't want to talk about it. I don't have all the answers (do I even have any yet? Yes- pack your lunch every day so you save money.) I'm just here to get the ball on honest conversation rolling.
Let's try to navigate our twenties gracefully sisters... we're in this one together.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Work Place (In)Appropriate
A close friend of mine recently shared a story about a rude coworker of hers. I want to share it today because I think it’s important for us as young professionals to consider how we come across in the workplace, and think about not only our words, but our body language and actions, too.
To give you a back story, the coworker and my friend are collaborating on a project together that pretty much… doesn’t have an end date. They are the only two people in their office trained to do a specific set of tasks, so, in short, they’re stuck with each other.
My friend (I’ll call her Lucy) explained that she was confronted by this coworker (I’ll call her Janet) in front of the entire office in a condescending and inappropriate way.
I won’t get into all the details, but basically Janet walked over to Lucy’s desk uninvited, and proceeded to chide her on her work ethic. “I am always responsible and take initiative,” Janet said, “and you and I are just, well… very different.”
Ouch. Talk about taking a stab at someone’s character. (The conversation goes on, but, you probably get the picture.)
You can probably guess that my friend was pretty hurt by this exchange. Mind you, my friend is not the type to be called irresponsible or lacking initiative. She is quite the opposite of these things. She’s headstrong, and stubborn. Always on time and if she’s running 3 minutes behind, she’ll let you know. She is a go-getter, a plan maker.
What her coworker was insinuating? It just wasn’t true of Lucy.
I’m not here to berate Janet, or make her sorry for the way she handled the above situation. Of course I want to stick up for my friend, but even that is not the point. The point is, what is appropriate in the workplace? How would you handle a problem you have with a coworker you’re stuck working with?
Here’s what I personally found inappropriate about Janet and Lucy’s conversation, along with my take on what I think is a better way to handle it. (Mind you, I wasn’t there, so I’m basing this purely off of what my friend told me and I understand that I come with the “friend bias.”)
1) Janet doesn’t request a private meeting with Lucy, she just approaches her. If Janet has a problem with Lucy and the way that they work together, she should schedule a meeting with Lucy where the two of them can talk in private and professionally hash out their differences and come up with an amicable solution. Berating a coworker in front of the entire office is inappropriate and in bad taste. On top of that? I think it exhibits poor judgment.
2) Janet’s body language immediately comes across as aggressive and domineering (per my friend’s account.) Lucy was sitting at her desk. Janet was standing. Janet was in Lucy’s personal space. Everyone in the office was within earshot. The standing vs sitting body language is a classic portrayal of a power differential. If both parties are sitting, it puts the conversation on a much more even playing field.
3) What kills me about this story? The whole office was in earshot. People are trying to work and they’re listening to office drama? Especially in an open, collaborating environment, respecting your coworkers can take work and practice: (i.e. learning what is an appropriate volume level for music and/or speaking, and perhaps your telephone voice is louder than your coworker to coworker voice, etc.) Furthermore, the concept of space is super important, especially in an open space without walls or cubicles. People may need to be given space as though they are in an office (i.e. asking if it's a good time to talk, or finding an alternative to knocking on a door when you're interrupting.) You never know if someone is writing an important memo, or having an important train of thought. Be mindful of the space and comfort of others.
What about you, do you have any tips on how to deal with office conflict? Again, I'm not here to berate Janet (not her real name) so please keep comments positively framed. After all, we are all here to learn from one another and build each other up, not tear each other down.
That's another thing that bummed me out about this story. Strong women strengthen other women. Since Janet is older than Lucy, if Janet really thought she (Janet) was in the right, why not look at her qualms with Lucy as a teaching moment? Why not approach the situation with grace and kindness, in an effort to help better a coworker and a shared workplace?
To give you a back story, the coworker and my friend are collaborating on a project together that pretty much… doesn’t have an end date. They are the only two people in their office trained to do a specific set of tasks, so, in short, they’re stuck with each other.
My friend (I’ll call her Lucy) explained that she was confronted by this coworker (I’ll call her Janet) in front of the entire office in a condescending and inappropriate way.
I won’t get into all the details, but basically Janet walked over to Lucy’s desk uninvited, and proceeded to chide her on her work ethic. “I am always responsible and take initiative,” Janet said, “and you and I are just, well… very different.”
Ouch. Talk about taking a stab at someone’s character. (The conversation goes on, but, you probably get the picture.)
You can probably guess that my friend was pretty hurt by this exchange. Mind you, my friend is not the type to be called irresponsible or lacking initiative. She is quite the opposite of these things. She’s headstrong, and stubborn. Always on time and if she’s running 3 minutes behind, she’ll let you know. She is a go-getter, a plan maker.
What her coworker was insinuating? It just wasn’t true of Lucy.
I’m not here to berate Janet, or make her sorry for the way she handled the above situation. Of course I want to stick up for my friend, but even that is not the point. The point is, what is appropriate in the workplace? How would you handle a problem you have with a coworker you’re stuck working with?
Here’s what I personally found inappropriate about Janet and Lucy’s conversation, along with my take on what I think is a better way to handle it. (Mind you, I wasn’t there, so I’m basing this purely off of what my friend told me and I understand that I come with the “friend bias.”)
1) Janet doesn’t request a private meeting with Lucy, she just approaches her. If Janet has a problem with Lucy and the way that they work together, she should schedule a meeting with Lucy where the two of them can talk in private and professionally hash out their differences and come up with an amicable solution. Berating a coworker in front of the entire office is inappropriate and in bad taste. On top of that? I think it exhibits poor judgment.
2) Janet’s body language immediately comes across as aggressive and domineering (per my friend’s account.) Lucy was sitting at her desk. Janet was standing. Janet was in Lucy’s personal space. Everyone in the office was within earshot. The standing vs sitting body language is a classic portrayal of a power differential. If both parties are sitting, it puts the conversation on a much more even playing field.
3) What kills me about this story? The whole office was in earshot. People are trying to work and they’re listening to office drama? Especially in an open, collaborating environment, respecting your coworkers can take work and practice: (i.e. learning what is an appropriate volume level for music and/or speaking, and perhaps your telephone voice is louder than your coworker to coworker voice, etc.) Furthermore, the concept of space is super important, especially in an open space without walls or cubicles. People may need to be given space as though they are in an office (i.e. asking if it's a good time to talk, or finding an alternative to knocking on a door when you're interrupting.) You never know if someone is writing an important memo, or having an important train of thought. Be mindful of the space and comfort of others.
What about you, do you have any tips on how to deal with office conflict? Again, I'm not here to berate Janet (not her real name) so please keep comments positively framed. After all, we are all here to learn from one another and build each other up, not tear each other down.
That's another thing that bummed me out about this story. Strong women strengthen other women. Since Janet is older than Lucy, if Janet really thought she (Janet) was in the right, why not look at her qualms with Lucy as a teaching moment? Why not approach the situation with grace and kindness, in an effort to help better a coworker and a shared workplace?
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Bloggiversary: My Year in Trips
Like I mentioned in my post yesterday, my 1 year bloggiversary is coming up this May. It's made me nostalgic for 2014 and all the wonderful things I got to do and see. I'm thankful for the year that I turned 25, the new friends I made, the friendships that were strengthened, and the milestones I hit like beginning my career in Higher Education.
What do you hope 2015 has in store? Do you have any fun trips planned this year?
2014 was also a year of travel. In May SH and I went to Santa Barbara to visit my favorite ranch and go horseback riding. Then I went to Sonoma for the first time with girlfriends over Memorial Day Weekend to go wine tasting (yum!) In June I went to NYC to visit my elementary school besties (going on 17 years of friendship!) and saw Orlando Bloom and Sophia Copolla on my flights there and back. In July SH and I visited Seattle for my second annual birthday trip (I turned 25.) Then in August we went on a friend camping trip to Big Sur. In October I went to Illinois for the first time, and saw SH's home and Chicago. Then last but not least, in December SH and I went to Big Basin for the day to admire the redwoods.
I don't think I'll get to travel nearly that much in 2015, but here's to a year of visiting new places and having fun.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
My First Year of Fashion Blogging
As my 1 year bloggiversary is fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of the outfits I posted about in 2014. Thank you for sharing this blogging journey with me. I'm excited to see what the road has in store. Sometimes I get discouraged or worn out from the process. But, it's my friends and family who read my blog and some of the blogger acquaintances I've made that keep me going. I can't thank you enough for your kind words and encouragement! I hope to meet some of you in person some day and grow bloggy friendships :)
2014 was a very fun year for me with lots of positive changes. I quit my healthcare job in January of 2014 before I had another job secured. It was a big risk, but completely worth the gamble. I started a job in Higher Education a few short weeks later, in February, which was instrumental in getting me on the Higher Ed path. In June I moved to Hermosa Beach, and lived right on the beach which was the most fantastic thing ever. It's been a life goal of mine to live by the beach so now I can cross that one off the list. I loved falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the ocean and I had a wonderful roommate- my first great roommate experience, actually, proving that I can have a healthy and happy roommate situation. (I think this is an important milestone in anyone's life!) In August I started training in Krav Maga and Kickboxing. I've been going for eight months now, and have gotten my orange belt in both KM and KB. It's changed my approach to discipline and challenged my body in ways I never knew were possible. I've done a four hour workout before without breaking- something I had never done before. I'm thankful that the friends I've made through the studio and my teachers keep pushing me and teaching me I'm stronger than I think. Then in October I started the job I'm currently in, which I love, and also visited SH's family in Illinois. This was an important trip because I got to see the home he grew up in for the first time, and meet some of his family members I hadn't met yet. Then in November SH came to my parents' house for Thanksgiving for the first time. Whew! What a year!
Here's my 2014 journey in outfits:
Here's to another great year. Let's make 2015 amazing.
2014 was a very fun year for me with lots of positive changes. I quit my healthcare job in January of 2014 before I had another job secured. It was a big risk, but completely worth the gamble. I started a job in Higher Education a few short weeks later, in February, which was instrumental in getting me on the Higher Ed path. In June I moved to Hermosa Beach, and lived right on the beach which was the most fantastic thing ever. It's been a life goal of mine to live by the beach so now I can cross that one off the list. I loved falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the ocean and I had a wonderful roommate- my first great roommate experience, actually, proving that I can have a healthy and happy roommate situation. (I think this is an important milestone in anyone's life!) In August I started training in Krav Maga and Kickboxing. I've been going for eight months now, and have gotten my orange belt in both KM and KB. It's changed my approach to discipline and challenged my body in ways I never knew were possible. I've done a four hour workout before without breaking- something I had never done before. I'm thankful that the friends I've made through the studio and my teachers keep pushing me and teaching me I'm stronger than I think. Then in October I started the job I'm currently in, which I love, and also visited SH's family in Illinois. This was an important trip because I got to see the home he grew up in for the first time, and meet some of his family members I hadn't met yet. Then in November SH came to my parents' house for Thanksgiving for the first time. Whew! What a year!
Here's my 2014 journey in outfits:
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
5 (not-so) Lovely Lessons
Sometimes the best life lessons are the ones we DIDN'T ask for, am I right? I find that the most poignant personal growth moments are not when I am in a grad school chair listening to lecture and taking copious notes about how to improve myself, or when I am in training seminars scribbling quotes and mantras about how to be more compassionate in my work, but rather when I'm out in the real world... interacting with real people... doing things...
Here are some lessons I've learned lately that hopefully will help me be better in work, play, and just life in general. (I hope some of them help you, too.)
1. Clear space makes for a clear mind.
Don't come home to clutter if you can avoid it. I am notorious for taking off my jacket and leaving it draped over the dining room chair, or leaving my shoes at the door, clothes draped over my side table, etc. Why? Why do I purposefully leave things around when it takes approximately 2 minutes to put said item in its rightful place? My mom has been trying to teach me this for years but I just haven't quite gotten the knack for it yet! Well, guess what has helped me get the knack for putting stuff away...
ANTS!
On Superbowl Sunday (before the game had started) I discovered I had ants in my apartment. Now, I am not a "dirty" person- I may not be super tidy all the time, but I keep a clean space (aka not "dirty" though perhaps cluttered.) These ants were (I kid you not) making their gross little ant trails for ONE TINY PIECE of granola that had fallen out of the cereal box when I poured my cereal and fell on the floor. ONE PIECE!!! I was so mad. So, I cleaned my apartment top to bottom for 5 hours to get rid of unwanted ant visitors and just clean the place in general (which felt amazing.) This leads me to my next lesson...
2. Do your dishes immediately.
My last roommate is AWESOME at this. We didn't have a dishwasher so I learned to do my dishes quickly after I'd eaten or made my meal. I have a dishwasher in my new place but guess what? My new place has ants and guess what attracts ants? Food so now I just keep in the habit of doing all my dishes as soon as they're used. And it feels AWESOME.
3. Clean your makeup brushes regularly.
I get sick fairly frequently. Maybe on average once every two months? (Does this seem frequent/more than the average person my age?) I don't know. But SH pointed out that I rub my eyes a lot. I may be a hand washing freak, but he makes a great point. Rubbing eyes, nose, ears, mouth you name it is a big no no if you want to avoid spreading germs. Guess what also spreads germs? Makeup brushes. Guess what I rub around my eyes, nose and mouth? My makeup brushes. I need to get on a cleaning schedule because not only is it gross, it could be spreading bacteria around my face. (Also not good for skin care.)
4. Develop a good work routine.
I struggle with routine. I really do. I love the idea of packing my lunch every night before work the next day, and waking up at 6 to shower and shave my legs and go to work but the reality is that just doesn't happen. I'm going to make more of a conscious effort to improve my routine so that I maximize the hours in my day and turn non productive time into productive time. I want to wake up earlier while still getting enough sleep (which means I will have to get to bed earlier...), I want to save money by packing my lunch, I want to look and feel professional when I get to work so I need to groom myself appropriately, do my hair and makeup as I see fit and dress the part, etc. All of these are goals. I'm learning. I also don't have a great way of organizing my time. Does anyone have good organization apps for an iphone to recommend? I need good life hacks, people!
5. Work Out Regularly. Enough said.
I feel infinitely healthier, happier, and more fit when I work out regularly. For me, regularly means 3-4 times a week, at least. I like to work out by going to krav maga and kick boxing classes. That has really helped me get in shape and feel good about fitness and my health. When I neglect my workout routine, my stress levels soar.
*Bonus lesson: DO NOT CHECK EMAIL BEFORE BED.
I learned this yesterday when I checked my email at 11:30pm. I was already getting in bed super late, I wasn't feeling well, I was tired, and then I checked my email when I heard my phone bing. I got an email that in the moment made me feel awful - only to seem much less threatening in the light of morning. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Not to mention emails are often work related, stress inducing, spam, newsletters, -- all things that are much too stimulating when you are about to fall asleep. Just say no. Put your phone across the room and turn it on silent.
I'd love to know, what are some of your life lessons that may have been painful at the time but you're thankful for now? Any tips on any of the above items? Thanks for reading!
Here are some lessons I've learned lately that hopefully will help me be better in work, play, and just life in general. (I hope some of them help you, too.)
1. Clear space makes for a clear mind.
Don't come home to clutter if you can avoid it. I am notorious for taking off my jacket and leaving it draped over the dining room chair, or leaving my shoes at the door, clothes draped over my side table, etc. Why? Why do I purposefully leave things around when it takes approximately 2 minutes to put said item in its rightful place? My mom has been trying to teach me this for years but I just haven't quite gotten the knack for it yet! Well, guess what has helped me get the knack for putting stuff away...
ANTS!
On Superbowl Sunday (before the game had started) I discovered I had ants in my apartment. Now, I am not a "dirty" person- I may not be super tidy all the time, but I keep a clean space (aka not "dirty" though perhaps cluttered.) These ants were (I kid you not) making their gross little ant trails for ONE TINY PIECE of granola that had fallen out of the cereal box when I poured my cereal and fell on the floor. ONE PIECE!!! I was so mad. So, I cleaned my apartment top to bottom for 5 hours to get rid of unwanted ant visitors and just clean the place in general (which felt amazing.) This leads me to my next lesson...
2. Do your dishes immediately.
My last roommate is AWESOME at this. We didn't have a dishwasher so I learned to do my dishes quickly after I'd eaten or made my meal. I have a dishwasher in my new place but guess what? My new place has ants and guess what attracts ants? Food so now I just keep in the habit of doing all my dishes as soon as they're used. And it feels AWESOME.
3. Clean your makeup brushes regularly.
I get sick fairly frequently. Maybe on average once every two months? (Does this seem frequent/more than the average person my age?) I don't know. But SH pointed out that I rub my eyes a lot. I may be a hand washing freak, but he makes a great point. Rubbing eyes, nose, ears, mouth you name it is a big no no if you want to avoid spreading germs. Guess what also spreads germs? Makeup brushes. Guess what I rub around my eyes, nose and mouth? My makeup brushes. I need to get on a cleaning schedule because not only is it gross, it could be spreading bacteria around my face. (Also not good for skin care.)
4. Develop a good work routine.
I struggle with routine. I really do. I love the idea of packing my lunch every night before work the next day, and waking up at 6 to shower and shave my legs and go to work but the reality is that just doesn't happen. I'm going to make more of a conscious effort to improve my routine so that I maximize the hours in my day and turn non productive time into productive time. I want to wake up earlier while still getting enough sleep (which means I will have to get to bed earlier...), I want to save money by packing my lunch, I want to look and feel professional when I get to work so I need to groom myself appropriately, do my hair and makeup as I see fit and dress the part, etc. All of these are goals. I'm learning. I also don't have a great way of organizing my time. Does anyone have good organization apps for an iphone to recommend? I need good life hacks, people!
5. Work Out Regularly. Enough said.
I feel infinitely healthier, happier, and more fit when I work out regularly. For me, regularly means 3-4 times a week, at least. I like to work out by going to krav maga and kick boxing classes. That has really helped me get in shape and feel good about fitness and my health. When I neglect my workout routine, my stress levels soar.
*Bonus lesson: DO NOT CHECK EMAIL BEFORE BED.
I learned this yesterday when I checked my email at 11:30pm. I was already getting in bed super late, I wasn't feeling well, I was tired, and then I checked my email when I heard my phone bing. I got an email that in the moment made me feel awful - only to seem much less threatening in the light of morning. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Not to mention emails are often work related, stress inducing, spam, newsletters, -- all things that are much too stimulating when you are about to fall asleep. Just say no. Put your phone across the room and turn it on silent.
I'd love to know, what are some of your life lessons that may have been painful at the time but you're thankful for now? Any tips on any of the above items? Thanks for reading!
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