The Friday Five: Self-Reflection

Today's Five on Friday is a bit different in light of the insane week I have had. Seriously though, I have had so much to do in such little time (part procrastination, part Relay for Life, part unavoidable deadlines) that I feel more like a zombie than a human. I wore workout clothes to class two days in a row...this might mean nothing to y'all, but that is a pretty unusual thing for me to do. Life just got so crazy and in the little pockets of free time I had, I found myself evaluating my habits and character. Admittedly, I don't know why this happened, but I am glad it did, so in honor of that, today's Five on Friday is going to be 5 areas that I can improve on in my life.

This is actually a really hard thing to publish and I feel a bit exposed doing it, but that's all part of being a blogger, right? Well here it goes, here are the five things that I think I could improve on:

1) Time Management

This is a broad term for a host of issues. Its not that I am late for class, in fact I am usually early for my 9am on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I tend to leave at the last possible second. I get stuff done, I just wait until the last possible moment and then end up arriving right on time and a bit frazzled. A lot of life could be more enjoyable if instead of waiting until I have to do something, I get it done and then have time to relax more.

2) Working Out

Okay, big shock here, pinning various workouts does not actually have a direct correlation with working out. For all the time I spend thinking about how I want to get back in shape, I could actually just go out and do it. A runner's high is a real thing and I miss those. Plus, I feel more energized and I sleep better when I regularly exercise...oh and so much less stressed!

3) Care Less

I am such a worrywart and I get embarrassed at the drop of a hat. Seriously, I hate awkward situations and have been known to make them more awkward because I get uncomfortable. More than that, I constantly worry about what others think of me and how my actions influence that. I mean, if I post a personal photo to Instagram, I shouldn't worry about the fact that the significant majority of my followers aren't looking for that, it is my Instagram after all! 

4) My Faith

I might have fallen off the Catholic wagon a bit. It's not that I don't love my faith or God, it's just that I haven't been the greatest about going to church and praying. I find myself really only praying when I am asking God for something and not just doing it because I want to develop my faith and relationship with him. It's not that I think God spites me for this, I just think that I could really improve this area of my life and that it would bring me some peace of mind.

5) Building my Brand

I love this concept from Kate White's book and I wish I took it to heart a bit more. I am a business-minded person and thinking of all my actions as something that represents my personal brand would be a great way to go forward in life. I already believe that you get out of life what you are willing to put in and I need to take that mentality and run with it.

What are five areas you need to improve on? I just think this is a good idea to take a moment for self-reflection. Take a minute to think about it and if you want to share them with me, I'd love to know (you can comment or shoot me an email at sugarsnappearls@gmail.com)

xoxo,

SSP

Woman Crush: Kate White

Fun. Fearless. Female.

That is the motto of Cosmopolitan magazine and I believe that one of their former editor-in-chiefs might just embody that better than anyone else. Kate White is an inspiration to women, especially to those of us who are about to start or just starting our careers. She is passionate, smart, and knows how to get the job done. I mean, she got the job of being the editor-in-chief of Cosmo without even applying, and if that doesn't show how amazing she is, I don't know what will. Of course, White has done more than just build the brand of Cosmo, she is also an amazing author. Carly Heitlinger, the blogger behind The College Prepster, raved about White's book, I Shouldn't Be Telling You This, a while ago and I knew I would have to read it.

{via}

Now, we know she is great, but what about this book caused me to declare her an inspiration and virtual mentor? White's book does more than just shine a light on women's success or failures in the working world, she actually gives some amazing advice on how to get out in the working world and absolutely kick butt. I am not going to sit here and list out what she says because y'all have to read her book, but I will tell you that she has helped me to reevaluate my life and my success. I actually bought the book in the fall, but didn't have the chance to finish it until the plane down to Tampa, primarily because I hadn't had the time I wanted to dedicate to reading the book over the last few months. 

Every time I got the chance to read her book, I felt like she was not only telling me how to approach situations in the working world, but how to absolutely dominate them. She doesn't inundate you with repetitive, common knowledge information. If she was just telling me that I have to go out there and dress well and be engaging in an interview, this book wouldn't be worth my time. Instead of those run-of-the-mill ideas, it seems that White cracks open a vault of those secrets CEOs use to get to the top without ever sharing. Of course, there are some chapters that focus on skills I already have or don't apply to me, but overall, I feel like I learned how to better myself through this book.

One my favorite pieces of advice she gives is identifying the importance of and growing your own brand. Admittedly, I can more directly relate to this because I have a blog and that is a brand within itself, but to think of the effort I put into my blog and life as reflecting on my own personal brand gives it some tangible worth. How you present yourself will dictate where you get in the personal and professional worlds.

The coupling of advice and anecdotes prevented it from reading like either a memoir or a self-help book. I would say it reads more like a long coffee date than anything else. On that note, I think having coffee with Kate White would be amazing, just to have the chance to chat with her about all the experiences she has had and what she has learned. Since that is a bit of a stretch, I will settle for getting my advice from her book. And why not take the advice of an incredibly successful, poised, and inspirational woman? There is no need to reinvent the wheel and, if you read her book, you will be steps ahead of the competition out there in the real world.

Now, some of you may be wondering how this compares to Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, and I have read both. While I enjoyed Sandberg's book, I felt like White was more helpful for where I am in my life. White gives more advice on how to succeed, while Sandberg brings to light how hard it has been to get women to speak up and earn the same respect as men in the working world. That being said, I would recommend both, just being aware that you will get a different message out of each of them, which is actually a good thing!

I reviewed White's book and others on GoodReads and if any of y'all are on there, I would love to connect. I am such a book worm and am always looking for new recommendations. Have you read Kate White's books? What is your favorite piece of advice from reading them?

xoxo,

SSP

Struggles with Stress

"Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere."

-anonymous

Thank you, Pinterest, for that quote. That was actually one of the first quotes that I ever pinned and I still remember thinking about how accurate it was and how much it pertained to my life. I am such a worrywart. I stress out easily and then lose sleep and nothing good comes of it because I am too tired and stressed to produce at my full capacity. I am trying to really work towards embracing stress management tactics because I know that I am as guilty of this rocking chair life as anyone else.

Worrying is pointless, stress can be crippling, and life still goes on. Somehow out of all the messes that I have gotten myself into one way or another, a quote that a wise man once recited to me rings through:

"Some of the worst things in my life never even happened"

-Mark Twain

This is a quote I tell myself daily now. We are capable of spending so much time worrying that we forget about the here and now. I am not saying that stress will ever disappear, and sometimes a crunch deadline is just the motivation I need, but I am saying that we can manage it. For example, I am pulling late nights in the library this week preparing for next week's exams so that I can enjoy my brothers' visit to UVA this weekend. I am managing my stress, sure it will still come around, but there is no sense in hoping on my rocking chair of worry for what the week will bring

1) Plan Ahead: Take your syllabus or important work email and put all the deadlines in your agenda, google calendar, etc. Make sure that you know what's coming up so that you're prepared for the weeks ahead and that you don't get caught off-guard and have to scramble to get all the work done.

2) Make a List: No this isn't the same as number 1. Making a list means that you should make a to-do list of everything you need to do to prepare for an exam, work presentation, etc. If you have a checklist, you can benchmark your progress and feel more productive as you ensure you get everything done and having a plan means that, while it may be overwhelming at first, it is doable.

3) Relax: Do not spend so many hours in the library that you go cross-eyed if you can help it. Read a book, watch Netflix, or just do something that will let you decompress from the stress and pressure of work or school. 

4) Release Endorphins: Let's take a page from Elle Woods on this one. Exercise is such a great tension relief and it is also a nice study break. Take a break for a run or to go to the gym and come back feeling reinvigorated and ready to take on the rest of the day's studying.

5) Sleep: There are several studies that show if you are sleep deprived, you may as well be drunk. Well, that doesn't sound particularly conducive to effective work or exam taking. Get some rest, you will be far more productive in a few hours of alert studying than that crappy prep we have all done at 4 in the morning...it just doesn't work!

6) Eat Well: Start your day with a balanced breakfast. Get some brain food, jumpstart your metabolism, and take on the day. No one wants to be hungry and stressed...especially if you're a stress eater (totally guilty of this one).

Essentially, the key to stress management is staying on top of your game. Falling behind is when stress really tends to seep in. There is no point in worrying about something that we cannot change, but it will probably happen all the same. Just try to manage this stress and make it a mild motivator rather than a crippling burden.

How do you manage your stress?

xoxo,

SSP