Thursday, May 27, 2010

Everything is good and I'm better than Everyone else!

How do you get going in the morning? For me it’s taking the dog out, coffee, hair, makeup, shoe choice, grab breakfast out the door, with a spattering of GMA intermixed. Which as I come to the end of my internship and the beginning to what I can only assume are bigger and better things, I realize is something I need to change.

Last week, I came across this video and realized something is obviously wrong with me. This little girl, who can’t be more then 5, is giving herself a pep talk in the mirror in the morning. I feel this is something not only I but everyone should be doing everyday. Instead we just rush though our day mindless, hoping it will end so we can go home.

Imagine how your day would be different if you stood on your bathroom counter in front of the mirror listing everything you liked about yourself and your life and then ended it with saying you could do “everything is good and I'm better then everyone else.” Can you imagine the power you would feel as you head out the door? Okay, the reality of you standing on your bathroom counter is probably small, or impossible if you're like me and don’t even have a bathroom counter, but the idea is there. Why don’t we take time each morning and stand in front of the mirror and say the things we like about ourselves and lives?

I’m thinking about doing this. Every morning for a month, after coffee, shoe choice, and makeup but before running out the door, what if I stand in front of my vanity mirror (ironic I know) and tell myself, with such arm swinging vindication like this little girl, how great I am and all the things I like about myself and life. I wonder if it would be the same everyday, and would my outlook on life and my job search be different? Does personal positive reinforcement really do anything for a person’s day-to-day life? Something to consider and try, I’ll let you know how it goes. Less humor today but uplifting, no? Until next time…..

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Come on Boys, Girls can play too!

So I did something today that is rather out of the ordinary for me. I applied for a radio host position. Not just any radio host position but one on 950 KJR, the all sports station. I know what you’re saying, “but Britt you are not a man, you don’t drink beer, and although you have sports knowledge you don’t follow it close.” All of which I would agree, however, my question to you is why not? I mean, what do I really have to lose? Besides, in my opinion, I would be great at it, and here is why.

  1. Although, yes I love fashion and am more on the “girly” side, I am often told I think more like a man.

  1. I am more sarcastic than most. Yes, partially it runs in the family, but people seem to think its funny, if not insulting, which is sometimes funny, admit it. When I worked in the sports bar men loved my sarcasm. Plus I don’t look all that bad in a football jersey, which in my fashionable opinion is a plus.

  1. Why not have a girl as a host, and more importantly why not it be me? Erin Andrews has paved the way for women in sports and she did it still being herself. Plus I have a journalism degree, public relations experience, I learn quickly and I actually can throw a baseball overhand really quite well.
I know this is a strange idea, but I feel what knowledge I have of sports mixed with what I could learn and my dedication would make me a great host. Come on boys, let's have a little diversity in the sports world. Besides I already have a jersey with my name on it.

Until next time…….

Friday, May 21, 2010

Are you a Specialist, or just Special?

Hello readers. This post is not going to teach you a lesson or really have a “light jog, light jog” message like my past posts have. Really, it is just going to be more of an observation than an inspiration.

As some of you may know, my internship ends next Friday and as I look for jobs I realize all of them are for specialists, presidents, managers, or expert. My question to these companies is where do you expect to find these amazing, very qualified people? If you ask me, I would guess the people with 10 to 12 years experience who have the ability to be a “specialist” or a “manager” either have jobs. On that note how do they expect someone like myself and the young age of 30 to have 10 to 12 years experience? That would mean I got an awesome job at 18 or 20, doubtful. 

I propose to you hiring companies, to look to those of us with not the amount of experience but instead the drive and ambition to become a “specialist.” Whatever knowledge we lack could be quickly learned and then we could be molded into the amazing specialist, president, or manager they are looking for. President Britt, has sort of a ring to it.

Until next time….

Thursday, May 13, 2010

That's Right I'm a Gigonomicist...

So I recently discovered I am more of a trendsetter than I actually realized. Two days ago I was watching Good Morning America during my morning coffee and makeup ritual. They were talking about the new “thing” in the job market right now, called Gigonomics.

Gigonomics, for all you who choose to watch the Today show and not Good Morning America, is how a number of unemployed people in today’s society are doing odd jobs using skills they already have as a way to stay financially afloat, till they are able to find "real" employment. 

As my internship comes to an end in two and a half weeks and I begin to try to figure out how to keep myself busy without the enjoyment of full time employment, I’ve discovered I have will be partaking in gigonomics unknowingly. One may say I am a gigonomicist (yeah it’s a word). For example, I will be helping out the Illy coffee rep at a fashion show serving espresso. Luckily, my first job was as a barista, so I of course know how to use an espresso machine. Then come June, I will start some contract work using my public relation and social media "skills" while I wait for real employment. I will also, occasionally dabble in secretarial work and an occasional blog post or piece of copy.

Although this is not my ideal situation, for now it works and continues to add to my "eclectic" number of references. Don’t get me wrong I am still desperately looking for full time employment but until then, just call me Britt the Gigonomicist. Maybe I should have business cards printed....until next time.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Light Jog Light Jog

Six weeks ago I convinced my friend Alyson to sign up for a ten week boot camp with me, held outside twice a week for an hour and a half. She signed up, mainly because I told her only the great things about it; gaining of guns (muscle), great way to get in shape, and the inches you loose. What I did not happen to tell her was how much it would rain, that she would get some sort of eye infection, that her ass would hurt, and she would hate me every Tuesday and Thursday for the next ten weeks. I knew better than to tell her this part, I wanted to sell her on the idea.

Well we are in our seventh week and although she hates me every other day she still is pushing through; we even signed up for the next ten week session. How did I get Alyson so sign up again or really even stick with it, because let’s face it boot camp SUCKS! Ok, I actually kind of enjoy it. I have yet to figure out what I enjoy the most; the being soaking wet as I am yelled at and mascara is running down my face, in that oh so attractive manner, the laying in mud (at least I hope it’s mud), or maybe it the feeling of accomplishment. I think the best part is mainly the running. In boot camp, as you would expect, you don’t just run a little, you run MILES. All this running would be fine if it was flat miles, but hills, dog runs, forests, and oily wet parking lots, are not flat miles. Did I mention boot camp SUCKS?!

Well, when Alyson and I are running, being the speed demon that I am (not really) I run much faster than Alyson. However, I don’t want her to give up, no one wants their friends to give up. So what I do is run next to Alyson and say, probably to her annoyance, “Light jog, Light jog.” At first this was a joke. However, it has now turned into our mantra for accomplishing things that are hard. When I had to run that final hill last Wednesday I had no strength left and I heard my voice in my head saying “light jog light jog”. Alyson told me she hears the same thing, even when I am not running next to her, “light jog light jog.”

SOO, what does this have to do with my not having a job, which I still don’t. EVERYTHING! Basically, what I found is that in order to find a job you must constantly “light jog, light jog.” Clearly I am not going to get anywhere in a sprint, I am not a sprint runner, never have been. However, I sometimes think I am a sprint runner in life. I get all excited and think I will succeed the first time and as fast as I can go and than realize it is not at all how I hoped and I get tired, frustrated and pass out, metaphorically of course. Based on this, I have found I must remember to keep my voice in my head telling me to always “light jog light jog” and I will get to where I am going, hills, rain, mud and all.

With that said, the question arises of whether it is bad to hear voices in your head? Doesn’t that mean you are schizophrenic? For that matter is it narcissistic to hear my own voice in my own head? I mean Alyson hearing me is one thing but me hearing me? I suppose my schizophrenia should be saved for an entirely different post (Or should it? I don't know. I think it should. Me too). Until next time……