care . grow . strengthen |
5/25/2019 0 Comments There's a Rock in My ShoeIt was a perfect 75 degrees and sunny, a slight breeze that was just enough to keep me from breaking a sweat as I walked through the park. I had the Good To Be Home podcast on listening to the benefits of a digital vision board, when I felt it. That annoying rock stuck in between the tread of my shoes.
I ignored it at first, thinking that it would shake it’s way out, I mean it happens sometimes and I’d rather not stop and deal with it right now. Then it just became too annoying that I stopped, lifted my foot. Much to my surprise, there wasn’t just one rock in my shoe, but the treads had tons of rocks, both big and small and only one was causing the irritation, and it wasn’t even the biggest one. P.S. why do shoe company’s make it so easy for pebbles to get stuck in there, I feel like that could be avoided #productidea. Anyway, as I sat there and cleared my shoe from the mini irritations, I took a few deep breaths some of frustration and others from the big hill I’d just climbed up. Then I placed my foot firmly on the ground and started walking with renewed energy. It’s utterly amazing to me how our bodies have a way of telling us to stop. Sometimes we don’t know all the things that have been weighing us down but whether it be an injury, a bad cold, or that blah feeling we get when we are feeling unfulfilled, we are forced to sit, reflect, and heal. While we often wait for that rock in our shoe to trigger this rest, it’s really all the little pebbles which we ignore that causes the breakdown. That pile of clothes that has been sitting on the ottoman in your for a week while trying on 18 outfits just to find the perfect look for a random Tuesday. Those shoes that have needed to be repaired but you keep wanting to wear them so you walk around with a horse-like click clack. Trying to take small steps to minimize the sound, but you can’t help but think it’s the loudest thing that everyone can hear and it definitely doesn't sound like the lady boss strut you are going for. That friend you’ve been meaning to contact, the appointment you’ve been meaning to make, the recipe you’ve been wanting to try. The list goes on and on and as the list get’s longer, the stress begins to build and quite literally with the pebbles, weigh us down. So how can we remove the pebbles on a daily basis, rather than waiting for “the big one” to slow us down?
If something comes on your list, or you see it as you walk down the hall and it will take you less than 60 seconds to do, then do it right there and then. There is no point to adding this one to your to-do list whether it is a physical list or the list floating in your mental load. Just take care of it right away and then it won’t be nagging at you for who knows how long and taking up mental space and time that is much more useful for the heavy hitters.
This is not saying do-less. I’m a firm believer that we are able to do it all, however, what it is saying is slim down your daily list. Write down all the things (longer than 60 seconds) that you need to do and keep those recorded, so you don’t forget them, but then on a daily basis, take some time to narrow your list to the top 3-5 things. The things that MUST get done that day.
On a monthly basis, go through your long list and ask yourself does this really need to get done? If it hasn’t made the cut for the top 3-5 for a month, maybe it isn’t as important as you thought. Our perception of what is important changes and evolves as we do. You know that pillow you “had to have” and 6 months later you were so over. We do the same thing to ourselves with our to-do lists, so let those expired items go. There is no magic wand for taking stress out of our lives, we always have it in some form. But what we do have, is our ability to take control of how it impacts us by the little actions we do each day to manage it. The number one way to manage stress is by not ignoring it but by dealing with it head on whether it’s the 60 second snap or a bigger item. This isn’t to say you may step on a big rock occasionally that makes you pause no matter how well you manage it. It is saying, however, that you won’t have to face that rock everyday if you deal with the little pebbles instead. Every day I work on these same things. Not every day is perfect, but with a system to fall back on, I find that I can focus and keep things moving. Much like the first step of my walk after the cleared out rocks in my shoe.
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You know that feeling where an idea comes to your head and it's super clear, super achievable, and you think, "I got this!" Then as you begin to dive into the details of what it takes, you start losing confidence, doubting that it's possible and doubting yourself altogether. These are typical feelings when doing a DIY project, well honestly, they are typical feelings for any project. Even in my full-time job doing project management, the same feelings build and fall through the lifecycle of any endeavor. Most of the time, the lows are outweighed by hard work, momentum, and a cheer at the end of a successful deliverable. Every now and then, however, even after hours of painstaking troubleshooting, fixes and adjustments, the end product just isn't what we hoped for and that ominous word, "failure", breaks through in a sentence filled with disappointment and a hefty, burdensome feeling of time wasted. This recently happened to me in one of my DIY projects. If you've been following along on Instagram stories, you know over several weeks, I have been working on a PVC pipe, collapsible clothing rack for Little Foodie events. The original design called for just a tall rectangle with a couple feet that were perpendicular at the base to make it stand. After round 1 of working with the PVC pipes, I realized it wasn't going to be sturdy enough so I went with 4 legs and more of a 3D rectangle to give it more structure and stability. It worked, it seemed mostly stable and ready for action. Then I decided to paint the standard, marked up white pipes a copper finish to give the illusion of a copper pipe stand. Well I didn't take into account several things. 1) After painting the individual pieces, the joints didn't fit as tightly together so the holes that I had drilled "exactly" for the wood pieces didn't quite line up perfectly anymore. 2) The paint made it 10 times harder to take a part and left a bad residue on your hands every single time! By the time we got this display up for it's first show, the paint had chipped in several places and although it looked great and gave us some good height at the booth, I also was worried about 85% of the time that any large gust of wind or slight bump from a customer was going to send the whole thing into full on TIIIMMBBERRR! Here's the thing, although I have come to accept that this was a DIY fail, what I also have reflected on is all the good that came from it. 1) I learned how to cut PVC pipes (shout out to Tim at Home Depot for showing me the ropes) 2) I learned to always buy an extra can of spray paint. 3) I learned that PVC pipes don't join to the exact same place every time you take them apart and but them back together and even the smallest changes at each joint can greatly impact the rest of the structure. 3) I got the dent in my bumper fixed while at home depot by a serendipitous mobile repair shop in the parking lot. 4) I cleaned out the inventory/supplies closet and storage unit to make room for the new display. 5) I confirmed that the height for the Little Foodie events really helps our display and although this wasn't the long term solution it was a great prototype to show what would help make our display better. 6) I had fun sharing the process with everyone on Instagram stories and getting your feedback along the way. 7) I realized that over the course of the last year, I've done 15 DIY projects and this is my first "fail" so I'd say that it's pretty good odds. It may not have been the blockbuster success of a DIY that I was hoping for, but it still brought many lessons and will give me knowledge and patience to be able to think through the next project. So whether it's a project at work, at home, or a project in the community, remember, that problems will always arise. You will battle through some to victory and others will end with a less than hoped for outcome, but either way there is good to be taken away, lessons to be learned and growth to be had. Most importantly, don't let the failure of one project stop you from pursuing others. No matter how many times you face failure, the biggest failure you can have is not trying again. Do you have a project that didn't work out as planned? What did you learn from it? I'd love to hear in the comments what "failed" project you were able to turn into promising lessons learned for the future! xoxo, |
Perfect Vases for Spring Flowers |
Reflecting on 2018 and preparing for an even better 2019
It was just about 1 year ago when Brad and I were lying in bed talking about our side hustles. I had just recently shut down my handbag business venture, aLign, and was feeling a little disheartened around the whole thing. The idea had really been good, I had gotten great feedback when people saw it, (now there are some bigger companies that have a bag just like it) but at the end of the day, there were no buyers, or if there were, they certainly didn’t know about me. As I lay there, I thought about what things had gone well and what hadn’t, and I realized that the parts I loved most about the venture was to design. As I progressed with the thought a dream unfolded to have a shop filled with treasures from my favorite places and people around the world, to create, and to share with a community of amazing people. Basically, to do all the things I loved to do outside of my typical 9-5 working hours (although, who really works hours like that nowadays, it’s more like from email to slack to text working hours). Either way, with a bit of reflection, I jolted upright and thought, well why the heck am I not just doing that already. Why do I have to wait for something else, or some other business idea to be successful to enable my true passions to take hold.
I literally hopped onto my phone and bought the domain name for beyondtheclock that very second. I didn’t exactly know what it would be yet, just a place for me to share my passions outside of work, but I knew that I needed to make it happen.
After a little bit of time setting up the website, I wrote one of my first posts planning my year for myself and sharing it with all of you to help keep me accountable. Here’s how I stacked up and how I plan to keep my goals moving forward next year.
I literally hopped onto my phone and bought the domain name for beyondtheclock that very second. I didn’t exactly know what it would be yet, just a place for me to share my passions outside of work, but I knew that I needed to make it happen.
After a little bit of time setting up the website, I wrote one of my first posts planning my year for myself and sharing it with all of you to help keep me accountable. Here’s how I stacked up and how I plan to keep my goals moving forward next year.
Professional
2018 Goals
- Better management of my to-do list - I came up with a system that really helped me using the reminders feature on the mac and iphone. I create multiple lists and then a single hot list that I move the top 3 things to accomplish each day onto to really keep things prioritized and moving.
- Learning more about marketing and social media - I studied Instagram quite a lot and learned a ton. There is still a long way to go but between content generation and understanding the algorithm, I think I made a big dent on this goal that I'm excited about.
- Being more consistent on Instagram - The first half of the year was definitely better than the second. I posted almost every single day up until June. When we launched Little Foodie in July, my focus shifted to that Instagram account. I'm hoping to get back into more of a balance between the two in 2019.
- Be more confident in asking for the things that will help me grow.
- Build maturity around product development and product launches/commercialization strategy. This is driven both by my full-time work in the cancer care industry as well as with Little Foodie.
Decor
2018 Goals
- 12 DIY projects - I ended up doing 9 DIY projects and 3 new recipes (all linked below) so I made it to a version of 12 and am excited to do more next year.
- Pin design inspiration at least once a week - I didn't end up doing anything with Pinterest and focused more on Instagram in 2019. Next year will have a bit more focus on Pinterest to expand my content.
- 20 DIY or Recipes
- Expand my knowledge and use of Pinterest - Create a pin for every blog post
Wellness
2018 Goals
2019 Goals
- Plan a menu on the weekend with all groceries purchased to be ready for the week. - I probably only ended up doing this a total of 6 weeks out of the year. Next year we may try one of those meal prep companies like Blue Apron to see how that works for us.
- Eat out for lunch only once a week. (Bring my healthy leftovers instead, also much better for the wallet). - It's more like twice a week on average which I think is an ok balance but I hope that with some shifts I make on meal planning in 2019, this can be more of a reality.
- Move 7 days a week with at least 4 being more intense workouts - To be honest, I didn't do the best job tracking this. Once we got our dog Stella, I definitely move 7 days a week walking her, however the intense workouts are more like 2-3 times a week.
- Continue to explore meditation/visualization to find what works well for me. - I started doing this more towards the end of the year and it has really helped reduce my stress so I am excited to integrate it further into my wellness routine.
2019 Goals
- Plan 3 weekly menus that rotate throughout the year - I think this way it will be more manageable to do but we will see.
- Add stretching and guided meditation at least once a week. Keep more intense workouts to 4 times a week.
Travel
2018 Goals
- Document my trips more consistently - I actually did a great job with this on my Instagram stories and it was so fun to get questions and comments from everyone learning more about the places.
- Continue to document on Insta stories and incorporate more aspects into blog posts as well.
Things I added:
Although I had specific goals, there were a few items that weren't on the list that I added throughout the year. They took some time away from my other goals but were so worth it.
- Beyond the Clock Design - I launched my home and commercial design work and had 4 clients. It was so much fun to get to work on my passions and find fun ways to make spaces that people love
- Little Foodie - I launched a kids apparel and gift company with one of my best friends. It has been so much fun and we have such great feedback that I'm excited to see where 2019 takes us.
It’s amazing what happens when you write something down. Overall, I’d give myself a B+. I may not have tracked everything to a T and I definitely fell off from workouts and blogging here and there, but overall, I kept at it, I found my way back and I enjoyed every second of it along the way.
The very best part about this whole thing is the people I have met through Instagram, collaborations, emails, and friends I have reconnected with through new conversations. I smiled with delight when I received a text from one of my old friends asking for advice on some new living room décor. I don’t think she ever would have thought of me for a question like that prior to this year and it feels amazing to know that the work I’ve been doing is resonating with others.
I know that with working a full-time job and running a baby company on the side, this blog doesn’t always get my full attention, however, I can’t thank each one of you enough for following along on this journey with me through thick and thin. Each like, comment, and email that you send, fills my heart with one of the greatest joys and it means the world to have you here.
As we head into the last few days of the year, I wanted to say THANK YOU and get ready for a 2019 filled with fun new content and giveaways to hopefully help keep you motivated and inspired for all things you love beyond the clock. Happy New Year!
The very best part about this whole thing is the people I have met through Instagram, collaborations, emails, and friends I have reconnected with through new conversations. I smiled with delight when I received a text from one of my old friends asking for advice on some new living room décor. I don’t think she ever would have thought of me for a question like that prior to this year and it feels amazing to know that the work I’ve been doing is resonating with others.
I know that with working a full-time job and running a baby company on the side, this blog doesn’t always get my full attention, however, I can’t thank each one of you enough for following along on this journey with me through thick and thin. Each like, comment, and email that you send, fills my heart with one of the greatest joys and it means the world to have you here.
As we head into the last few days of the year, I wanted to say THANK YOU and get ready for a 2019 filled with fun new content and giveaways to hopefully help keep you motivated and inspired for all things you love beyond the clock. Happy New Year!
xoxo,
Jessica
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You know those times where it feels like you wake up, drink your coffee and it just isn't doing it for you? Where your energy feels low, you want to sit and do nearly nothing, and your just not sure if you're doing the right things with your life?
I called it my quarter life crisis at 23, 24, 25 and 26.
No, not every day feels like this, but it's more like you are going along with life, everything seems on track and then SMACK, you run into a wall that tells you, "something just doesn't feel right".
Now you may not have it on a bi-annual basis like I do, but for those times where you need a little inspiration, encouragement, assurance, or knowledge that you are not alone, these 5 are my go-to's.
I heard a quote once from a famous business coach who said, "90% of this things I'm going to talk about today are not new to you, but it's the reminder that makes all the difference".
Personal development is a lot like business development. If you want to grow the best business, you have to keep adjusting, changing, and strategizing all towards a mission or vision. . So likewise, if you want to be the best version of yourself, you have to keep growing and intentionally living out your passions and purpose.
Each time I listen to these (I'm a big audible fan!), I hear something familiar in a refreshed way that helps me take a deep breath and feel confident in chasing my dreams. Hope you enjoy and if you've been wanting to give Audible a try, you can now give it a go and get two free audiobooks! Click here for more info.
Looking forward to hearing which one your favorite is in the comments!
I called it my quarter life crisis at 23, 24, 25 and 26.
No, not every day feels like this, but it's more like you are going along with life, everything seems on track and then SMACK, you run into a wall that tells you, "something just doesn't feel right".
Now you may not have it on a bi-annual basis like I do, but for those times where you need a little inspiration, encouragement, assurance, or knowledge that you are not alone, these 5 are my go-to's.
I heard a quote once from a famous business coach who said, "90% of this things I'm going to talk about today are not new to you, but it's the reminder that makes all the difference".
Personal development is a lot like business development. If you want to grow the best business, you have to keep adjusting, changing, and strategizing all towards a mission or vision. . So likewise, if you want to be the best version of yourself, you have to keep growing and intentionally living out your passions and purpose.
Each time I listen to these (I'm a big audible fan!), I hear something familiar in a refreshed way that helps me take a deep breath and feel confident in chasing my dreams. Hope you enjoy and if you've been wanting to give Audible a try, you can now give it a go and get two free audiobooks! Click here for more info.
Looking forward to hearing which one your favorite is in the comments!
xoxo,
Jessica
Trust Yourself
For these three, don't get hung up on title names, instead just take a listen to the first few chapters and prepare to get enlightened by everyday things seen through new insights.
The Universe Has Your Back
Gabrielle Bernstein |
You Are A Badass
Jen Sincero |
The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck
Mark Manson |
Train Yourself
To find ANY talent takes discipline. Olympic athletes spend thousands of hours perfecting fundamentals to build theirs and guess what? They all have coaches. In fact, most people hone their talents through coaching, so think of these three as your very own personal coaches to help get you the discipline you need to find and ignite your talents.
The 5 Second Rule
Mel Robbins |
The Talent Code
Daniel Coyle |
The 10X Rule
Grant Cardone |
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