The Passionate Voice

Processing Random Thoughts

• Career, Lifestyle

I’ve found this week to be draining for some odd reason. I alluded to this yesterday on Instagram.

I’m not sure if its the lingering hangover from Daylight Savings time or a flurry of ideas that are sitting in my brain. Regardless, that aching feeling of wanting to get the ideas out is enervating. I shared the photo of paint splatter as a way to try and capture what I {think} my brain looks like on the inside right now. I was glad to hear from other on instagram who could relate.

And so, to find a solution, I figured I would share some of these random thoughts. The thoughts that are swirling around in my head. Expect some blog posts to come from these:

Positivity. This is the basis to the world functioning better. There can’t be enough of it in the world and I’ll admit, some days, the realist in me sets in more than the optimist. I’m not sure if research supports this (send me any papers you find if it does!!) but am I wrong in saying that millennial’s seem more positive than baby boomers (cue the tomato throwing now, I’ll duck). It is so refreshing (regardless of age) when you sit down at a table and have a meeting or conversation and sharing of ideas when it is all positive. Positivity, or the lack there of sometimes, is why I sometimes question if more millennials are not pursuing careers in the sector I work in, Agriculture. So many thoughts on these two ideas – millennials being more positive and positivity within the sector I work in and how millennials view it.

Millennials. In keeping on this same topic, I am one. A millennial. I talk about them a lot here on the ol’ blog. And they seem to be a conversation starter. Scratch that, its all people have been talking about for the last 5 years or so, since it became apparent that we as a generation weren’t going away. When people recognized that we’re going to leave a profound impact on this world and not to mention, we have surpassed baby boomers as the largest generation now. Well, at least in the US according to this article. Millennials seems to be at the forefront of many of the conversations within my social circles and network recently for some reason. Especially when it comes to career conversations. Things like the role of millenials on Boards; what millennials value that differs from baby boomers; and is the workplace ready to evolve to these values. Either way, I have lots to say from my experience (both professionally and personally) so look forward to blog posts upcoming!

Motherhood. Is it OK to feel that you want to go back to work earlier than expected once you realize your baby can now breathe, eat and sleep on his own and perhaps doesn’t need you like he use too? Blake’s crawling away from me tells me that he is going to be just fine come May (his first birthday). Also child care, why doesn’t anyone talk about the beast that is finding child care? :S

Personal Brand. Ok, one more millennial thought. It seems that every millennial has or wants too establish their own personal brand along with maintaining their role/jobs within a company in their 9 to 5 job. This can be done, but with a bit of sacrifice on the millennials part and the company depending on expectations. Where previous workers/generation were so loyal to their company’s brand, are workplaces ready for this millennial “selfishness” as I’ve heard it called? And even more, are workplaces OK with millennial’s side hustles perhaps taking the spotlight away from the work millennial’s do in their 9-5’s?!

Creativity overload. As a creative entrepreneur, how do my fellow CE’s quiet your thoughts? How do you stop, or should I say, harness, the creative ideas waterfall that can come on the most random days? Do you write everything down on paper and pen? Put it in your iPhone notebook? How do you orgnaiz the thoughts? How do you tell your brain right at bedtime to stop thinking and put the ideas to rest? Literally. I would love to hear your tips!

Productivity. I am almost done this book and it is hands down, one of the best books I’ve read in a while. An easy, simple yet thought-provoking read, it has calmed my mind as a women but also fueled my motivation to want to do better, but in a more efficient way. Grab your copy, you won’t be disappointed!

[Photo Source]

The Discomfort with Sharing in a Social Media #Selfie World

• Social Media

IMG_4134Let’s have an open, honest conversation about #selfies.

Is anyone else as uncomfortable as I am with sharing anything and everything with the world? Does anyone else have trouble taking selfies like I do?

Ok, glad we’re on the same page.

Yes, you may see some selfies on my instagram account, but it still doesn’t change the fact that I have a bit of discomfort in taking selfies, pictures that seem to be a cultural norm, if not a social media expectation now [Note: Here is what Merriam-Webster defines as a selfie]

I remember seeing someone a few years ago using a selfie stick thinking, ‘I will never use that stupid tool to take a picture’ and fast forward a few years later, I celebrated a year ago this week that I was in Alberta with my family….. taking photos with, you guessed it, a selfie stick.

The photo below shows my husband so eloquently capturing a photo of me, taking a photo of myself, in Lake Louise last year, to capture the fact that I used a selfie stick.

IMG_4566

It turned out to be a pretty handy tool when my arm also wasn’t long enough to capture this great photo below with my family in front of Lake Louise as well last year (our first time travelling out of province altogether as a family!)

IMG_4576

I’m not sure if the discomfort I have with selfies is because I’m in the sandwich millennial generation as I like to call it, where we are those millennials who were introduced to the internet and social media later in our teenage years and use social media more as ‘tools’ than we do as a daily sharing mechanism.

Keep in mind too, if I’m a millennial who has discomfort with sharing information and taking selfies, imagine how people of previous generations feel about us sharing everything and anything with our tribes. I can understand their ‘frustrations’ with our millennial generation, if you will.

I am amazed at the stuff that some people share with the world – with people they don’t know, but again, as a consumer of that same stuff from some of my favourite bloggers, I can see why the personal details and touches like selfies work to create a captive audience and following.

And don’t even get my started on the latest social media platform fad, Snapchat or Instagram Stories. The idea of talking business to myself while looking into a phone just isn’t appealing yet, even though I know that it will be one of the next platforms I try and embrace for business purposes here at the Passionate Voice.

Here’s to trying to take more selfies  – and to one day doing Snapchat with #nofear! 

Food for Thought [volume 7]

• Food for Thought

Happy Easter weekend, friends!

Most of my food for thought articles this week are more ‘sobering’ in nature, which is something as a member of the millennial generation I think we need often. I am all for the positivity of ‘find your passion’ as long as your willing to work hard at that passion.  Sometimes we need that dose of reality to put things into perspective. Enjoy these reads!

  • Loved these 20 pieces of advice from ‘old people.’ One of the lines I think would be most suitable for our millennial generation to consider is, “People always say, ’’Make sure you get a job doing what you love!’’ But that isn’t the best advice. The right job is the job you love some days, can tolerate most days, and still pays the bills. Almost nobody has a job they love every day.” So true! Its a reminder for our generation that we can try and follow our passions or try and find our dream job but the reality is, the perfect job doesn’t exist (there will always be good days and bad ones!)
  • Along those same lines, this honest article by Mark Manson entitled ‘Screw Your Passion’ has a dose of reality as another reminder when we need to ensure our feet are planted firmly on the ground. This line resonated: “But more importantly, what I want to say to these people is this: that’s the whole point — “not knowing” is the whole XXXXX point. Life is all about not knowing, and then doing something anyway. All of life is like this. All of it. And it’s not going to get any easier just because you found out you love your job cleaning septic tanks or you scored a dream gig writing indie movies.”
  • After finishing The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington, this article about ‘busyness’ and what it is doing to us as individuals and as a society is something I am totally paying attention too more personally now. What are things I do to myself that aren’t necessary to survival, both personally and professionally. What are things I can do to help myself relax a bit more and enjoy myself are things I am asking myself more often now, especially as the baby’s due date draws closer and closer (less than 2 months to go!)