Back to school season is upon us. Whether you’re just starting school, returning for another semester, or are an old alumni reminiscing about the old days (me); you can sense when another chapter of life is about to begin. This “feeling” got me thinking... what advice would I give to myself starting college if I could do it all again? Dear younger me: 1. Get out of your comfort zone There are over 20,000 people at this university. Get out and meet people. Stop being shy and stop catering to other people. Yet, I pretty much kept to my hallmates my first year. Fast forward, met my now husband my junior year because I joined an organization. 2. Do NOT study in your dorm room For peeps sake, the library is next to your dorm and it’s the PERFECT place to study. Seriously, anywhere can be a study spot - the cafe table, the atrium lounge, or outside! I wouldn’t find this out until the 2nd semester, as I was almost failing out of college and trying to figure out what went wrong. 3. It is okay to change your major Freshman year is about finding out what you enjoy and what you aren’t good at. Biology, Microbio, genetics, and chemistry aren’t your thing. From engineering, to psychology, to human nutrition, foods, and exercise…you’ll be okay. I really wish students had more guidance and counseling in this because choosing your career right after high school is too much pressure. 4. Utilize the things you’re already paying for: career services, counseling, gym GIRLLLL, things in the real world are EXPENSIVE! Start using career services, mental health counseling, and the gym sooner. I didn’t use these until my junior year and man, how life would be different! 5. Sprinkle the fun classes into your schedule, don’t save them for senior year School is not a sprint, it’s a marathon; so enjoy every step of the process. I saved the educational prep classes of “Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Training” for my senior year because I thought they would be “fun” classes. And I really wish I didn’t do that because this, THIS right here, helped me discover my passion and now career. In the end, you have to accept that things happened how and when they did to get you to this very point in your life...but being the person that you needed when you were a shy freshman today, makes a big difference for someone else tomorrow. What advice would you give your younger self? Let us know in the comments.
1 Comment
Around 07:15 EST on Friday, September 14, 2018, Hurricane Florence, a Category 1 storm made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This storm has wreaked havoc on the mid-atlantic and southeast US over the last 4 days. Although the majority of our team work remotely throughout the United States, Wilmington, North Carolina is the global headquarters to Globetrotter Wellness Solutions main offices, warehouse, and home to me, Steven Trotter, the principal of GWS. Today’s blog post is a little personal, a little about community and hope, and a little bit of a book review. On August 28, 2018 a tropical wave appeared on the watch radar for the National Hurricane Center. By September 1st the system officially became tropical storm Florence. Florence seemed to not make her mind up on her path or if she was going to maintain or gain strength. What went from something we weren’t even concerned about became quickly the center of our attention. The path of this storm seemed a little unusual; most storms that hit the Carolinas typically come from the south/southeast direction and sideswipe the coast. It was quickly noted that this approach was definitely not Florence’s plan. On Sunday, September 9th I spoke with 2 friends and we all agreed that something was off about this storm. It gave us an uneasy feeling and me personally, I felt this storm was different and the feeling I was getting was not good. We quickly made our hurricane preparation plans as Florence became a category 4 storm and her path was going to be a direct hit for Wilmington, North Carolina. When you make this plan, you go through your risk management strategies. Hopefully you have your risk transfer in place already by having insurance; living on the coast requires, at minimum, to have a wind and hail addendum and based on actual property may require hurricane or flood. Since this is a passive strategy, you can spend your energy on risk mitigation. Risk mitigation is built on decisional balance are creating a pro/con list. For me, I started with my non-negotiable task lists such as removing any items in the yard, patio, or on the house that could turn into a missile. From there it went to securing electronics, creating a packing list, putting items to higher ground, collecting items such as passports, social security cards, birth certificates, and other important documentation, calling in prescriptions for Roxy (my beloved American bulldog/boxer mix), and filling the car with gas. I chose not to board up my windows because with my decisional balance I felt that this wasn’t as important as the other things I had to do given the amount of time that I had left . Also, my home isn’t directly on the water (spoiler alert: it is now) and the neighborhood is in suburbia and not a heavily wooded area. The Third Place As we were preparing for the evacuation and when the storm path became clear, businesses began making decisions on closing. Over the course of my career, I have noticed and been directly involved with when I managed fitness facilities, is that the gym or recreation center will stay open as long as safely possible. Here’s why. The Third Place. In Ray Oldenburg’s book, The Great Good Place, he discusses that the third place is important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and (in my opinion most importantly) a sense of place or belonging. If you are unfamiliar with this concept, the first place is usually the home, the second place is usually the workplace or school, and the third place is the anchors of community life. Churches are often people’s third place as well as coffee shops, social settings, salons, and other recreation and community centers. Starbucks strives to be a third place to match their mission of “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” I’m sure you are shocked to see that I am writing this blog at a Starbucks in Raleigh, North Carolina the city where Roxy and I evacuated to. For many people, the gym is their third place; it’s their sanctuary. The gym has always been there for people; it’s been there for people through marriages, divorces, births, deaths, celebrations, and grievance. It’s more than a place to workout; it's a home away from home and in dire times such as natural disasters (whether it’s mother nature or our lives) it’s the sense of community and belonging that we need. The Community Wilmington, North Carolina is strong. More importantly communities are strong. We have witnessed throughout history that no matter the storm, no matter the community, we pull together, and fight the fight together. Honestly I don’t know a lot of my neighbors other than the occasional chat in the yard or the wave as we are coming in and out of the cul de sac. Can I do a better job at this, absolutely. Will I do a better job at this when I am able to get home, absolutely. Even though quite a few of our neighbors don’t know each other, here is what I have witnessed in the last few days; most people evacuated however some folks stayed. People have evacuated to many parts of the east coast because depending on where you evacuated you might have been told to go to different locations due to where the storm’s projected path was that day. In Ginger Zee’s, chief meteorologist for ABC, book Natural Disaster: I cover them I am one she so perfectly sums up a storm’s aftermath. “Most people walk around after the initial tragedy, bewildered. Then they often start acting irrational, looking for house keys to a home that is no longer standing, or standing in line at a drugstore that’s been knocked to the ground. Eventually, sadness and some level of acceptance sets in. Hopefully, in the final phases of grief, we realize we are grateful to be alive and that we need to shift our focus off ourselves and onto helping others. We’ve all seen the footage and pictures of the first responders and the ordinary people who put themselves at great risk to make a tourniquet out of a belt for a victim or swim into dangerous waters to bring a stranded boy and his dog onto a boat. It’s quite inspiring, and in a weird way it’s what convinced me to write this book.” I’m sure if you have been keeping up with the news you have noticed that Wilmington which was a peninsula up until a few days ago is an island that is completely inaccessible by land. Food, power, supplies, fuel, and potable water are all scarce. Cell service is shot and many people stranded there aren’t even sure what’s happening. People who have evacuated are seeing the flooding, people being rescued by boats and helicopters, and the destruction from afar and are unsure if their homes are still intact. People are helping people. In the neighborhood Facebook groups, neighbors that have never met before are now meeting virtually and realizing who is who. People that stayed are going to evacuees’ homes to take pictures, organize immediate repair if needed, and giving people closure on their wandering thoughts. People that stayed are taking gas, food, and water to each other. People with 2 story homes are inviting people without a second story over so they can get to higher ground. A lady even took the rest of her fuel to a stranded news team so they could get out. People are volunteering and helping each other. People are doing exactly what they should be doing. What’s Next To be completely honest, when writing this I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to take it. Mainly because, I am not actually sure. What I do know for sure is that Roxy and I made it safely to higher ground and we have tons of friends, family, and colleagues that love us. That’s what matters the most; everything else...that’s what insurance is for. When will we be able to go home? Good question...we don’t know but we will be fine. Weathering the Storm It’s a fact that this isn’t the first hurricane to hit and it sure as hell won’t be the last. When you are weathering a storm, here’s a few tips for you:
Closing thoughts Storms are inevitable. We will all go through them and most likely more than once. Whether this blog resonates with you based on Hurricane Florence or perhaps another storm in your life remember this “No matter your storm, it never rains forever. It can’t and it wont.” - Ginger Zee Ways you can help:
I have always believed in Wilmington, and now I hope you do too, the big reveal
Hello and welcome to Keepin’ it 100, where I’ll reveal the secrets to life in ~100-word blogs and ~100-second vlogs! By “secrets to life” I’m obviously exaggerating… But here are some guaranteed topic genres:
Wellness (obviously), Motivation (I’m a quote junkie), Marketing (my true craft), and Features (I’ll host content-expert guests to cover other topics). If you’re wondering why I’m relevant to speak on any of these, check my bio! First up, a vlog covering my trip last week to Wilmington. Highlights included strategic planning with GWS, shooting photo/video at a Clifton StrengthsFinder lunch-and-learn hosted by Steven, and celebrating the launch of this blogspot with some beach fun! Hope you’re ready - I’m excited to keep it 100 with ya. Peace, Love, and Wellness,
(Note: I don’t own rights to the music. Song Credit - “Elephant 2k18 - Bobby Rock Remix” by Funkin Matt, Bobby Rock)
Earth Day, celebrating environmental wellness, and finding your purpose Happy Earth Day to our big, beautiful Earth! Earth Day is a reminder that Mother Nature should not just be celebrated for one day, but all year round. Remember, momma knows best. This is the perfect time to evaluate your environmental wellness and find your purpose within your community. Here are 10 tips to help you achieve just that! Reduce 1. Transportation. You heard it from me: It’s cool to carpool. Carpooling not only saves time, money, gas, but the environment too! If carpooling isn’t realistic try walking or riding a bike instead of a driving when you have nearby destination. 2. Scoop the poop. Your dog’s poop that is! Be a good neighbor and pick up after your pooch. Odds are your neighborhood has rules that require you to. Not convinced? Their droppings if left unscooped, have the potential to transmit diseases and get into our water systems. No one wants that! Earth is our home and you wouldn’t want someone dropping off the nasties at your house. 3. Straws. Stop the suck. When ordering drinks politely decline the straw. Most of all straws end up in landfills. Like most other plastic, it can also end up in the oceans and hurt the marine life. Because of their composition, some plastic will not degrade for hundreds of years! Some places, like the Philippines are making a statement (1). However, companies like McDonald's are catching on and doing something about it (2). McDonald's is planning to trial out paper straws which can be composted. 4. Unplug electronics. Your home probably has some energy vampires. For example, do you only use your toaster every now and then, but keep it plugged in all the time? You are wasting your money. All electronics whether turned on or off use electricity if plugged in. Pull the plug when not in use, save energy, and save some money on your next bill. ![]() 5. Enroll in online billing. Save the trees and your mail carrier some time by signing up in online billing. This may seem like a small task, but all that paper really does add up over time. Reuse 6. Reusable bottle. Americans alone use over 50 billion plastic bottles a year (3)! Think about where those bottles are now: in the ocean, in a landfill, or on the sidewalk. Save yourself money, save the environment, and invest in your health by carrying a reusable bottle wherever you go. 7. Vegetation. Try your hand at gardening. Start small perhaps with house plants, then try an outdoor garden. Gardening can be a wonderful hobby that not only helps Mother Earth, but can provide you food if you plant produce. Remember, plants release oxygen and intake carbon dioxide. They are literally filters for what us humans output daily! If you have the space, try planting trees in your yard too. 8. BYOB. I’m talking about grocery bags! Get your mind off of the party scene. Reusable grocery bags are all the rage and for good reason! Invest in these bags so you don’t have to use the paper or plastic bags at the grocery store. Even better, due to the material, if you try to bring in all the bags in one trip, they are less likely to break compared to the paper and plastic ones! Recycle 9. Recycle. You’d be surprised how much recyclable material you have. If you don’t have curbside pickup, find a recycling drop off center near you. This simple step could mean what once could have been trash in a landfill will get re-purposed into something else. Ah the circle of life. Now you can walk away proudly with that warm, fuzzy feeling that you did your part. I’m proud of you for it! Replenish 10. Take care of yourself. In all this talk about taking care of your environment remember to take care of yourself first. Your closest environment is the body, in which you live you. Start there, and then treat your surroundings with love and kindness. Before you know it, you will be making big impact with small changes. We were all put on this earth for a reason. Some people spend their whole life searching for it. Where are you on your journey and how do you want your story to be told? Your decisions and actions now, impact not only your future but the future of those who have yet to come. The power is in your hands. One action today changes the outcomes of tomorrow, and I know you’ve got it in you. “The world doesn’t want to be saved. It wants to be loved. (That’s how you save it.)”- Unknown References Alicia EveretteA millennial wellness enthusiast trying to figure out life. Coupon Queen. Experimental Chef. Personal Trainer. Aspiring Health Coach. ![]() Professional Development is a term we’re hearing more often in the working world. Why is it so important, you ask? Continuous development is what leads us to the newest inventions and technology. The same mentality can be used to continuously improve employees, making professional development a must in the workforce today. Professional development is something that should always be on your mind; even if it isn’t on your supervisor’s. Today’s blog will focus on how you can stay on top of your professional development game. 1. Certifications and Continuing Education Look for certifications that you could obtain to continuously develop your skills. If you’re already certified in something, make sure you are keeping up with your continuing education credits to maintain that certification. Another piece of this to consider is balancing your skills. For example, being a fitness instructor is a great skill; however, have you considered diving into nutrition? Gathering skills that complement each other make you a valuable asset to any team. 2. Seek out a mentor Find a someone you truly look up to and aspire to be like. If you don’t have a particular person in mind, research the branches that your career path can take you and find a mentor that you admire this way. Make an effort to create the mentor/mentee relationship. This could be something as simple as asking someone out to lunch one day. If your company has a mentorship program, even better! 3. Conferences Feeling in a rut or wondering why you are even in this profession? Attend a conference! Conferences allow you to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Attending sessions can rejuvenate you and provide fresh ideas. And in all honesty, hearing why your peers started their journey may inspire you to dig deeper and remember why you started your own. 4. Webinars/Podcasts If you are part of a professional organization and they are offering a free webinar, listen to it! Podcasts are something that I’ve recently been into. I listen to them when I go for a walk or have a long drive. By doing this, I’m using my time wisely and learning new information. 5. Blogs Blogs provide a constant stream of current information on a variety of topics. Find a few that relate to your career or your goals. Hopefully ours is one of them! Subscribe, read, learn. 6. Staying Updated Current developments in your field will change the way it is perceived. Staying current with new technologies, discoveries, trends and progress can make you the trendsetter and get you ahead of the curve. By being active, you could even change the game yourself! Follow these tips to stay on top of your game! After all, the greatest investment you can make is in yourself. By: alicia Everette A millennial wellness enthusiast trying to figure out life. Coupon Queen. Experimental Chef. Personal Trainer. Aspiring Health Coach. It's one month into the new year! How are your resolutions coming along? If you are human, which I hope you are if you are reading this, the honest truth is that you have probably had some setbacks. Life happens, and I am here to reassure you, that is okay. Obstacles are actually opportunities in disguise. Our perspective on situations or the angle which we choose to view them, can paint drastically different pictures. If given the chance, everyone could name obstacles in their life, but it is how we overcome them that puts together our story. Today’s blog will provide you strategies to view obstacles as opportunities and how to stay on track with your goals. 1. Ask yourself, is my goal SMART? Naturally, your answer may be yes since you thought of it. However, SMART is an acronym. Specific- Is your goal vague? Make sure it is detailed. Example: I want to save $50 per week for 20 weeks to pay off debt by June 1, 2018. Measurable- How will you measure progress? Example: You should be able to track your progress by counting your money sum weekly. Attainable- Is this goal actually achievable? If not, you are already setting yourself up for failure. Example: Base the amount that you save weekly on your current spending habits. If you are living paycheck to paycheck you may need to scale back your goal. Realistic- With my available resources, can I achieve this goal? Example: Will you be sacrificing your lifestyle or others around you to achieve this goal? Time-Based- Am I giving myself enough time to achieve my goal? Example: Have you calculated if $50 for 20 weeks will pay off all your debt? If it doesn’t, then adjust your goal. 2. Write down your goals. On physical paper, this makes them more concrete and tangible. 3. Keep yourself accountable. Tell your friends, family, or coworkers about your goal; they can help keep you on track. Post it on social media. What else is Instagram for? 4. Reward yourself for the small victories. Break down your goal into smaller ones and celebrate the wins. Worked out 3 times per week for a month? Treat yourself to a manicure. 5. Ask yourself, are you ready for it? Taylor Swift says it best. Is this the right time in your life to take on this goal? Are your surroundings conducive to your goal? Do you have the tools and resources to succeed? Last, but not least: 6. Remember the bigger picture. If you are beating yourself up because of one slip up, remember the grand scheme of life. A year from now, are you going to remember that one day where you ate a piece a chocolate or are you going to remember how hard you worked to achieve your goal? Failing is a part of success and it is what we learn from our failures that gives us the knowledge to succeed. Think, if you fell and broke your leg…you wouldn’t get up and walk on it, right? That is how you have to think about your goals. Falling once will not do you in, but continuously falling back into a cycle does. In the end, an obstacle is just a hurdle on your road to success, and all you have to do is jump to stay on track. And if you fall? Get back up one more time than you fall down and you win the race. By: Alicia Everette A millennial wellness enthusiast trying to figure out life. Coupon Queen. Experimental Chef. Personal Trainer. Aspiring Health Coach. |
Details
Who we areJust a team of round pegs in a square hole changing the world one interaction at a time. Look back at it
March 2020
Categories
All
|