the new me…

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Life is truly good right now. It’s relatively balanced and I’m just happy. I’m so glad to be back at this point in my life. I have great friends who love me, a great job, a great family and some great goals that I am reaching. It’s busy, and every minute is scheduled, but it feels good.

So, the new me? Well, the new me is really just the same me, but it’s the way I view myself. We are all labeled throughout our lives. For some reason, I was labeled as lazy and truth be told, the label was given for a reason–when I was twelve. The tough thing with labels is that, even when they no longer apply, the sticky residue is hard to get rid of, like on a picture frame where someone idiotically puts the price tag on the glass (whoever thought that was a good idea should be shot–okay, well not shot, but really, who thought of that?). Anyway, back to my point, over the past few years I have proven that I am anything but lazy, although the past six months have really solidified that. Not only am I not lazy, but I’m an assertive, fun, hard worker. And, over these past three weeks of being in school, again, I’ve realized that I’m no longer a procrastinator or class skipper.

It feels so good the shed those labels and start to work away at the residue. Unfortunately, those people who have known me a long time don’t necessarily know how to allow me to remove the residue. It’s not intentional but, to them, I am this particular person. That’s the person they’ve always known and loved and change is not always comfortable. So, there are some growing pains to be endured. I have to assert myself (which is one of my talents now) and kindly ask those individuals to please refrain from teasing me about certain things because such comments are a) hurtful and b) no longer true. Not the easiest adjustment to make, but well worth making.

Oh, and the fact that I’m training for a half-marathon and ran eight miles last Saturday, get up at 4:00 am to go to the gym and will be running another eight miles tomorrow also aids in the removal of the residue.

Yes, life is good!

Strategy for Staying in the Zone

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This was a memo I had to send to my professor about how I stay “in the zone”, as he put it. I liked the exercise. It was quite useful to think about the things in my life that keep me balanced. So…here’s what I wrote.

Throughout my life, I have been in several situations where keeping my cool was necessary. As a director at a salon, I was often dealing with upset clients and personnel problems. It was during this time that I really learned how to keep my cool under pressure.

The most important thing I have learned when it comes to staying in the zone is planning and prevention. The best way to not be stressed out about a problem is to plan for it and prevent it, or at least alleviate anything that might make the problem more probable. This applies in my personal life, as well as my professional life. For instance, if my goal is to get up in the morning to go to the gym, I think of all possible problems that might keep me from that goal, i.e. going to bed too late, snoozing my alarm, etc. Then I find solutions before the problems occur. I go to bed early enough and I put my alarm across the room so I have to get up to turn it off.

The next step to staying in the zone is to keep my life balanced so that no aspect completely takes over. I have my life separated into four categories: spiritual, emotional, physical, financial. There are times when one of these requires more time and attention than the others, but if I can keep things as balanced as possible, I find that I am a much more calm and collected person. I don’t get easily upset, I don’t lose my patience and I don’t worry. For this semester, what that means is getting my school work done, making sure that things at work are running as smoothly as possible, reading my scriptures, praying, attending church and the temple and going to the gym daily.

The last thing I do is to try and keep things in perspective. I like to look at things using a formula of 10/10/10. How important is this 10 minutes from now? 10 months from now? 10 years from now? And then I make decisions or deal with problems accordingly.

What I’ve noticed is that, as I have gotten older and had a little more life experience, I just don’t get worked up about things. I am direct and I definitely mess up, but when things are balanced and I can keep things in perspective, I just seem to be able to stay “cool”.

We’ll see how this works in a boardroom, as I have yet to have that experience. But I think that this philosophy should serve me well.

friday night confessions…sarah style

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My friend, Sarah, has a blog (see the link to the left) called “Confessions of a Twenty-Something Drama Queen” where she “confesses”, usually in lists of 10. And I like it, so I’m copying her today.

1. Work has been super busy this last week as I have been down two (sometimes three) employees over the last two weeks (I only have three) and, while it has been busy, I have been enjoying the fact that I was able to go it alone and I am loving the praises of me that are being sung. It’s true…I love being good at my job.

2. I went and saw Freedom Writers tonight and I really enjoyed it. Anytime I watch those types of inspirational movies (kids make it out of gangs to succeed) it makes me want to do something like that with my life…then I think about how long it would take me to get my teaching certificate, what it would cost and what I would make…and, well, I change my mind. But I do volunteer…or I’m trying to.

3. The cd exchange (you can read about that chez Sarah as well) is one of the best ideas ever. I came home to a new cd tonight (I’m listening to it right now) and it was such a happy surprise. I love music.

4. One of my student employees got back from her extended break today and I was so excited. As much as I love being praised, I like being able to get all of my job done even more. Plus, she’s just a fabulous employee…and she brought me gifts and who doesn’t love anything from Marks & Spencer, seriously?

5. I’m supposed to run 7 miles tomorrow, but I don’t really want to. I was using my consulting class as an excuse not to (we were going to meet tomorrow), but now we’re not meeting tomorrow, so I really have no excuse.

6. I’m addicted to Veronica Mars and can’t wait for the new episode on Tuesday. And I’m excited that I’m hooking other people. It’s a very clever show.

7. I love my accounting class. It’s how my mind works. I think business is the way to go for me.

8. I am loving my new haircut and color (pics coming soon). It is so fun. I’m figuring out all of the different ways I can style it. Today it was diffused with some barrel curls–super sassy, and who doesn’t love a sassy blond…and I don’t just mean the hair?

9. We are covering poetry in my English class and I am less than excited. I wish that I would have just taken the final the first go around of this class…although I do love my professor, so that helps.

10. I’m so excited to sleep in tomorrow. I can’t sleep super late because I have hours of homework and I’m going out tomorrow night, but I will love not hearing an alarm at 5:30. Happy, happy thoughts…and on that note, I’m off to bed.

the crush…

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Okay, maybe not the crush, but a crush. What is it about a crush that just makes life better? And I’m not talking about an “Oh my gosh, if I don’t go out with him, my life just might end,” type of crush, but more of the “Oh, he’s really cute and really nice. He probably has a porn problem, but in the meantime, I sure like daydreaming about what could be if the world were perfect, but what won’t be because, first of all, the world is not perfect and second, I have way too darn much going on in my life to deal with someone else’s baggage right now.” You’re thinking “cynical”, but really, you know what I’m saying is true.

It’s the perfect type of crush. You get to enjoy the daydreams, but when you find out that he just started dating someone, or that he has a million issues, or whatever, you’re not sad or upset or hurt. In fact, you probably won’t even stop daydreaming because, well, it was never something you really wanted anyway.

And I’m glad to be in a place in my life where I have those kinds of crushes and where I actually admit to people that know the guy that I have a crush. Once upon a time (my whole life until yesterday), such was not the case. I think I was always worried that my friends would think, “Why does she have a crush on him? Doesn’t she realize that he is way out of her league?” Or that if nothing happened with the crush, they would pity me. But, that has never been true and what I’ve finally figured out is that I’m a catch. Not perfect, not Super Girl, but a catch. And sharing crushes is fun. Man, did I miss out in high school…and college for that matter.

Someday the crush will come along and it will last my whole life (see, I’m not all cynism), but in the meantime, here’s to perfect crushes (celebrities included :-), happy daydreams and great new cd mixes that have become the soundtracks of those daydreams (thanks Sarah)!

moods…and more

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I wish that you could all be in Utah and hang out with the friends that I get to hang out with here. They are truly fabulous. I like being an adult and having adult friends who are in similar stages of life–constant transition (IMPATIENT).

Last night, for visiting teaching, my companion and I went to dinner with the girl (yes, I will always say girl unless someone is obviously over 50–and even then it’s questionable) we visit teach (RIGHTEOUS) and her companion came with us (they visit teach my companion-CONFUSED). We went to Bombay House (JOLLY), a fabulous Indian restaurant here in Provo (SURPRISE), and we just chatted. It was so fun. That is what I think visiting teaching is supposed to be about–really becoming friends (no, I didn’t mean eating out) to the point where you really would call those women up if you needed something and it would be normal and comfortable. Next month, we’re heading to Sundance for a half-day of skiing. How fun is that (EXCITED)?!

And on to tonight, which is what really sparked this entry (THOUGHTFUL). Tonight, “Jen and the Gang” (like “Cool and the Gang” but better; this is my new term for this particular group of friends…we all know each other through Jennifer, so I think it’s appropriate-RESOLVED), came over to my house for an interactive dinner. We made pizza. We then played the game Moods. We started by following the rules, but as this is a very dramatic group of people (not in the bad way, perhaps animated would be a better way to put that-PLEASED), that proved to be a little boring. So, we modified the rule…and good times were had by all.

I could try and describe this experience to those of you who weren’t there, but it wouldn’t work. All I can tell you is that my eyes watered and my cheeks still hurt from laughing (JOYFUL!). And the best part is that this particular group of friends makes me want to be a better person. I guess a better way to put it is that they bring out the best in me (CONTENT). I know that sounds a little cheesy and cliche, but it’s true nonetheless. They are fantastic and they are all so nice. Catherine, a friend of mine (so now she knows Jen), came over a little later in the evening and she fit right in. It was fabulous (RELIEVED)! I always stress out when different groups of friends interact because I like them all, but I worry that they won’t like each other (ANXIOUS).

I wish that the good times would translate through my little blog (HOPEFUL)…but they won’t (DISAPPOINTED). Just think of the last time you were with a group of people and you all just kept laughing. Tonight was all about the adjective. And the best part is that there is no drama. I would guess that we all have our moments (or in my case, chloments :-), but never anything major. In fact, I only know about my own little moments (EMBARRASSED). It’s so easy.

I think in my “old” age (MOCKING)–I love saying that because the only thing that makes me think I’m old is the fact that I’m Mormon and single and I don’t really think I’m old)–I’m finally at a point where I can just say “no” to drama (RELAXED). I get to choose that. Do I want to always be kind to people? Ideally, yes. But do I have to be friends with everyone? No. And there’s nothing wrong with that (HONEST).

To “Jen and the gang” – here’s to more good times and chepleazy chloments full of bash!