A Lesson on Patience: The Newest Diet Fad

In a world of instant gratification, one of the hardest lessons to learn (and to keep learning) for me is patience. This morning my daily planner, which is themed after the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, had this quote:

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee." ~Marian Wright Edelman

This is a hard concept worth grasping but makes the whole patience thing a lot more tolerable and a lot less painful. I first experienced this principle about two year ago when I finally decided to change my mind about losing weight and being healthy.

It was a 10 second clip I overheard on the TV one morning when listening to a health segment on a talk show - something I almost never do! The health expert explained that when first starting out to get healthy more often then not people go balls-to-the-wall getting in the gym and going on a fad diet - literally shocking their system into becoming a health nut. The problem is, that doesn't work! 

Our minds are very powerful and after one or two balls-to-the-wall sessions you start to think a certain way:

• This is too hard to maintain
• I'm not seeing any results yet/This isn't working
• It was a lot easier to not do anything and ignore the body shaming or negative self image talk

And then in a few months/weeks/days it's back to the couch.

The health expert suggested a simple solution: just do what you can, when you can and eventually a little will turn into a little more and then a lot! (This is all my translation, if you didn't catch that).

So two years ago I paid $10 to join a small gym, hopped on the treadmill and walked as fast as was comfortable for 25 minutes and then left. For the longest time I thought you had to spend at least an hour in the gym 5 days a week to be healthy, but after 3 months of going to the gym for 25 minutes a day for 3 days and pushing myself to walk a little faster than the day before, I started losing weight. It wasn't extremely difficult to add an extra 40 minutes into my day (with travel) to get in more than 0 minutes of working out, because that's what I was doing before. 

In that time I gave up my first love, television. I realized I would get sucked in to watching 2-3 hours of prime time TV on a nightly basis and for me I couldn't just watch one episode. Now I could fill that time with more active activities like cooking, playing outside, going for walks, anything! And the 40 minutes I spent getting exercise felt like chump change in my day.

After the exercise went from foreign to habit, I started focusing in on my diet which had not changed at all during the added exercise except for adding more water and craving less salt during which I still lost weight!

So I introduced vegetables into my diet in the form of green smoothies which helped acclimate my taste buds to veggies and I soon started valuing them far and above what I had before. I very, very slowly cut back on my portion sizes in a way that I almost didn't feel the difference from one day to the next. After some time I cut out fast food and minimized my juice/soda intake (coffee was off limits!).

This whole process was slow, spanning over a year and a half, only making one small adjustment at a time and letting my body acclimate to it's new lifestyle - and that's just what I did. I didn't decide to lose weight or get fit. I decided to live healthy and if it took 5 years to get healthy, I would still have the rest of my life to be healthy and that was good enough for me.

Through a lot of personal transition I lost some of my focus on living this healthy lifestyle, but I'm still 50 pounds lighter than what I weighed at my heaviest. I'm no longer afraid of the gym or vegetables. I cut back on ice cream in favor of chocolate. I still keep fast food to a minimum and I love my green smoothies. 

I am two years closer to feeling the success of a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life and I'm working on applying the principles I learned in having patience through getting healthy to my financial situation, my career goals and contributing to making this world a better place.

For you entry-levelers it may seem impossible to reach your career goals or even life goals, but if you start with one step today, you'll be miles ahead in no time. Each day counts and when your patience is wearing thin, remember to do just one thing to move you one step closer to your greater goal. 

Starting Over: Entry-Leveling Again

So much for that Resurrection post. Here I am again, starting over again. I'm used to it by now - starting over that is. 

You may or may not know that I was engaged and as of 4 very long months ago (to the date) am no longer engaged. I still have people asking when am I getting married. It's like being asked - what's your biggest failure in life less than 6 months after it happened - it still stings a little. 

But failure, this was not. It stings like failure, yes, but this was a victory. I found myself in the toughest position I had ever put myself in and God pulled me out. No one, not even myself can take credit for the events that have taken place over the last 4 months. With his grace and gentleness, I swallowed my pride and let the fear of God and his awesome wonder-working power lead me, and not my fear of others. 

It was painful, awkward, embarrassing. It was nothing I had ever experienced before or hope to experience again. But God sharpened me and at the same time was so gentle, showing me the areas of my brokenness that needed to be surrendered to him while surrounding me with those who truly loved me. 

God's power displayed through this season was awe-inspiring. It was the same power that he has to make his will come to life, the power he has to use the weak and powerless for his divine purposes, that showed me the endless possibilities of my life, if I just surrendered it to him. 

I'm so grateful. The healing process continues and I can't wait to see what God has for me next. He started with a new job in a new place - very funny God! I'm enjoying being stretched in my new position and experiencing new things. I'm entry-leveling again! The dramatic changes in four months is hard to manage, but God is walking beside me, always speaking softly, nudging me on.

The verse I picked when I was baptized at the ripe age of 8(ish) has carried me through my life. It is my anthem and now the extended passage is my decree: 

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end."

Psalm 119:105-112 NIV 

Look forward to more entry-level life posts in the near future (nearer than 2-3 months this time).

Resurrection

Wow! It has been a very long time since I've posted anything. How tragic. I write all the time for my job so it's no wonder that I haven't had any urge at all to "put pen to paper" and write for myself. It's time to resurrect this bad boy and get moving again.

Yes, it has been almost two years since I've graduated college but I promise you there are still so many lessons to share and entry-level doesn't go away with time. If you go through life and learn nothing and process nothing you'll be an entry-leveler forever.

Turns out I'm a verbal processor and by verbal I also mean a writing processor. So I've been sitting on all these thoughts and observations and I'm afraid I've been at my entry-level position because I just can't climb the hurdle that is my mind. "Get out of the way self!"

This is the resurrection of my blog and it's coming back with vengeance - taking down all your preconceived notions about the lameness that is an entry-level life. Entry-level life is the best! You can make a ton of mistakes, learn how to fail and fail hard, apologize, recognize and be stronger than ever. You can do things that would get most people in trouble but because you didn't know you couldn't do that, something AMAZING happened!

Be fearless my fellow entry-levelers. Own your entry-levelness. Be a learner, be coachable. Crave mentorship and wisdom.

Life will get you down no matter where you are in your career, but God is faithful and he will surround you with the people that you need to #LevelUp.

Okay, this was a good talk. Let's reconvene soon. I've got lots to catch you all up on.

P.S. I noticed my resume is pretty old by now, but I would still encourage you to reference it for entry-level position.

Confidence to Follow Legends

I love my job. I know that's kind of a big deal and I'm so grateful to God for him allowing me to be in the field I want to be in, doing what I want to do, supported by an incredible staff, doing amazing things just 4 months after graduating college.

But nothing is perfect. That's the problem of living in a fallen world. Whether you work in an amazing place or not, you will run into problems. One in particular that I have experienced is walking into a new position that was previously held by an all-star. People who have come before you and cast a long shadow can be very intimidating. Whether they are still employed there and in a different position or have moved on completely, you have to compensate for the loss.

The few times this has happened to me my initial reaction was to learn what they did and do it exactly the same therefore, the team would get the same results. The problem with this approach is that it only takes into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of the other person. Not only will the team lose out on the potential you have to build and grow in your position, but also there's a good chance you'll fall short of filling the legendary shoes of those before you.

If there's anything I've learned from following legends is that I need to have the confidence to be myself and cast my own shadow. You do too! If you don't know your strengths and weaknesses by your first entry-level job, 1) your college didn't do much for you did it? and 2) you have to make that a priority. Take a test! There are a billion free strength tests online. When you learn the tools you are equipped with by God because of who you are, you will be able to reach your potential.

Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, be confident you can use them. Own your position and the tasks you are asked to do. Do them to the best of YOUR ability. The best thing you can do is become incomparable to the person who was in your position, not necessarily because you are better, but because you are yourself - a unique human being created by God.

Have a great week!

Weekend Warriors

I'm THE worst at keeping up with this blog. I'll blame it on summer and all the recent traveling I've been doing, but honestly I've never been good at keeping up with a blog. BUT I do have 9 posts under my belt and that's worth keeping up so I won't be throwing in the towel anytime soon.

Speaking of my travels, I consider myself a weekend warrior. I have no idea where I learned that term but I like it and I like living it out. As an entry-leveler you may not have very many obligations and therefore you may have an awful lot of time after work and on weekends. My suggestion - use it! It's great to have a restful weekend here or there, but don't forget you are starting out at a new job and you're in the midst of change so use it to your advantage. Try new things, go new places, meet new people. You're already doing that at your new job, so why not take it elsewhere and build your entry-level network.

Get your Yelp app out and try a new restaurant or bar. Go to museums, take a road trip, start hiking. I'm blessed because I strategically placed myself in California - a state full of things to do at any time of day, any day of the week. Some places may require some work. Try local or community events.

For those of you that are unemployed your weekends are just as much your weekdays, but since you have so much free time don't forget that its okay to have fun and take a break from your full time job of being unemployed. Plus, it's another chance for you to network and possibly find a new job. The last thing you want is to burn out from weeks of applications. Your best friend is Google and the search phrase "Free things to do in ____________."

The more active you are in trying new things, the better you'll be able to take on change. It's adaptability and agility. That's applicable to any area of life. So join me in becoming a fellow weekend warrior and fight the good fight of living up your weekend. Take advantage of the 30+ hours you have not sitting at a desk doing entry-level things.

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. Proverbs 10:4

Batman and Other Things

I'm back! I know it has been a while but life gets busy when you're employed and happen to be a professional weekend warrior (if you don't know what that is then you're not enjoying your weekends enough).

For those of you who caught my blog early on you may have noticed some changes to previous posts. Let me tell you - you never stop learning. Those changes were made because an important realization in my life based on some unforeseen circumstances.

I've done you all the injustice of being a hypocrite. I've talked about rising above and kindness, when in reality I have not done so with previous posts. As a Christian believer I know I am not the one to serve justice where justice is due or even judge where justice is due. 

This past weekend I was watching Batman Begins, when the character Rachel spoke to Bruce about justice verses revenge and profoundly said, "No, they're never the same, Bruce. Justice is about harmony. Revenge is about you making yourself feel better." I do not consider my most recent posts as my go at revenge and I want the emphasis to be on the lessons learned, but I do realize the things I have been saying have not been Christ-like and in no way has it been an example of rising above. Harmony was not accomplished in any way.

So from here on out I plan on keeping it classy. My focus has always been and always will be on the life lessons I've learned while being an entry-leveler. I look forward to writing more about my personal experiences, the things that have worked, and the stuff that hasn't. Life is tough enough as it is - no need for all of us to go through the hard stuff when we can learn from one another. 

I'm sincerely appreciative to all those who read my blog and struggle everyday with life. Keep up the entry-level sub-par work.

The Other Woman

Welcome back! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and as always I hope you get a little something out of it. 

Competition in the workplace can be a good thing, but it can also be a really really bad thing. I was hired for a position that was also filled by someone else... awkward! Let me tell ya - pay means nothing if you're living in fear of losing it.

When the woman arrived to work I already had a bad taste in my mouth. To make things worse she was 20 years (give or take) older than me and had been working in the industry for about the same amount of time.

Over the next three months the other woman and I lived in a constant state of competition. Whether it was all in my head or not she was the enemy.

Competition can be good and bad for a company. In this case it was bad, but I did my best to manage it with grace. If you ever find yourself in the position of fighting for your place be sure to constantly scan your moral compass. When I compromised my values for the sake of safety in my job or winning the task at hand I took away from the opportunity to build up instead of tear down.

Later on the other woman and myself had a chance to talk about what had all happened and we both realized had we let the competitiveness go we could have built an empire between our two sets of skills. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but it was sad to know that I had let three months of opportunities go because I was afraid to lose the job I ended up leaving anyways.

God was so good to mend that relationship before I left, but it won't always work like that if collaboration and kindness can't break through harmful competition.

See you next week. It's going to be a good one.