What I've Learned in the Past 24 Years

I was in law school and gunning for that perfect big firm summer associate position. What no one told me is that the interviewing process would involve lunch. At a fancy restaurant. With fancy food. And more silverware than I’d ever seen having grown up in a small Illinois town where a big night out was Red Lobster.

I’m going to try and bring humor to this blog series, because, let’s face it, some of what we do as professionals is funny (especially when you look at it from the outside). That said, I’m going to start this blog series out on a more serious and philosophical note.

Yes, we talked about communication last week, but it’s worth writing a bit more on this topic, because so much is gained and lost in what’s said, not said, missaid, misunderstood, and not conveyed reassuringly, etc.

Life is full of actions that are simple but not easy. Want to lose weight? Consume less calories than you burn. Want to save money? Spend less than you earn. Want to accomplish a goal? Build out a plan with a timeline and stick to it.

That slack in the rope is an opportunity cost, and every day that it persists, there’s a dollar value associated with that opportunity cost.

Control the things you can is my mantra when things get busy, start to feel overwhelming, and I get that tight feeling in my head and chest.

Why are we talking about style in a blog about professionalism?

This is your friendly reminder to make it a weekly task to stay in touch with your network.

I have a strong gratitude practice, and near the top of the list every day are the amazing women in my life. I could write a novel about this, but for the purpose of this blog, I’ll focus on my annual girl’s trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama.