Five Minute Friday: Begin

I tried to figure out when was the last time I participated in Five Minute Friday. I'm thinking it's been well over a year.
Wowsers.
I didn't realize how quickly time has flown by and how I've neglected my little piece of the virtual world. I'm glad to be back today. I woke up and felt the urge to write a little something about this day. When I logged on to see the word for Five Minute Friday, it became apparent that writing today is a must.

BEGIN.
Today is the first day of a whole new world for me. Just a little over a week ago, I spent my last full day as a full-time accountant working for a large corporation. Today, I start my new job as a full-time Creative Logistics Coordinator for a start-up that specializes in Social Media Strategy. In just a little over an hour, we are meeting at a co-working space located in the heart of downtown (close enough for me to bike or walk to!) to get started.

It is time to begin something new.

I've spent a lot of time over the past two years wondering what I should be doing with my career and if it was time to make a change. I've blogged about my frustration with work a few times here, but I wasn't really taking action. This opportunity was literally handed to me by a dear friend and I could not be more grateful. I am so excited about working for someone who is visionary, smart and cares about people. I'm so excited about working from home and working one on one with people. I'm so excited about having an opinion and LEARNING!! I can't wait to learn more and more about all the various aspects of social media and the importance in our world of business today. This is a great position for me to learn, grow and stretch my skills.

I've spent the past couple of days off of any type of work and just settling into a routine. I can't even tell you how happy it has made me. Getting up in the morning to read my bible by the sunrise with a hot cup of coffee, getting in a cool run and meeting friends for coffee. Showered and ready to go by 8:30- feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I've picked up on my Arbonne business and set up a home office to run all my work out of. I've reorganized and got back into some healthier habits. I've been walking around with a permanent grin on my face, realizing that THIS is how I should have been living all along- free from the confines of a job lacking the things that make me, me.
So, without further adieu, let's BEGIN.

I'm so excited about today! But I don't have time to keep writing here this morning as I have to get off to work soon :)
Check out all the ways others interpreted BEGIN over at Lisa Jo Baker's blog. And you can see all my prior Five Minute Friday posts by searching the label #FMF.

Happy Friday and cheers to new beginnings!!

Sunday 7 1-26-14

I haven't done a Sunday 7 since October. Eeek.

January is almost over and we are in a new year. So much is changing and so much is the same. Either way, I have things to share. 

1. I feel it's important to mention this first because it's a big deal. I've made a pretty big decision about my future working self and it involves a lot less corporate and a lot more of being my own boss. I don't have all the details figured out yet, but I have made a goal to get out of the corporate rat race by the end of the year. It's going to be a lot of work and a lot of dedication, but I'm ready. It's time. (This article is cheering me on)

2. I've been working out a lot. Trying to get back up to 30 mile weeks and lifting 2-3 times a week. This means I'm spending a lot of time at the Y and getting up early. It's hard getting up in the dark to workout, but every. single. time. I'm glad I did.

3. It's January. For most of us, that means resolutions of some sort. I've been sticking to my 100 day challenge. I've missed 1 day so far and I don't plan on missing any more. It's been a dark winter and I'm still pulling myself out of the muck on a daily basis, but having intention and purpose helps.

4. I've been reading a lot. I have read 3 books so far this month and I'm currently in the process of reading 3 more. I don't know how to read one book at once, I like a variety. I highly recommend 'We Are Water' by Wally Lamb. Next up for me is Elizabeth Gilbert's latest. 

5. Movies. T and I have seen some good movies so far this year. American Hustle on our annual New Year's Day movie date and just this last week we saw Her. It is bizarre and beautiful. I love the cinematography and the story. Before you think it is a weird movie about a guy in love with his phone, go see it. The message is so much deeper. 

Post movie discussions at the brew pub

6. I'm leaving the country. In about 3 weeks I'll be spending a week in El Salvador with a group of people from my church. I'm nervous and excited and nervous and REALLY EXCITED. This is my first trip out of the country and my first mission trip. I also just got my first passport. So. many. firsts. If you think of it, pray for safe travels and open minds. I've had a little bit of weird anxiety dreams about this trip. Thanks friends.

7. Roxy is a senior citizen. My pup turned 8 this week. Which is really 56 in dog years which means she gets early bird specials and discounted movie tickets. Really, she just remains being the best heater/snuggler ever as evidenced by this sleepy Saturday afternoon nap picture. 

What have you been up to lately? Did you make any goals for 2014? How is your progress?

Good Fruit (17/31)

I spent the afternoon on a farm doing ‘harvest work.’

Really that work was pulling up tomato and pepper plants and cutting string that down that was supporting them.

The string was tied to a series of metal stakes locked in the ground. Each stake standing about 5 feet tall. AS we were pulling plants and clipping strings, Eric, the farm manager, was telling us how short the tomato plants were this year. They barely grew to half the stake height, about 2 ½ feet at the tallest. He said normally the plants were just as high as the stakes.

I looked at the tomato plants I was pulling up. Many of them were still heavy with produce gone bad from the cold temperatures and I thought, just because something doesn’t grow as big as it should doesn’t mean it can’t bear good fruit.

Those plants produced plenty of tomatoes all summer. They didn’t get the proper heat at the beginning of the summer and not enough water at the end of the season when it was dry and hot, but they still produced fruit. They locked into the soil and they grew what they could.

I think sometimes we are placed in situations in life that are not ideal. Not our dream.

Currently, I’m in a career and a job that I really just don’t like that much. I could give up. I could wither up and die because I can’t reach full potential in this spot.

Or I can dig in and produce fruit. It may not be the best fruit- but its fruit nonetheless.

I never liked the term ‘seasons’. When people say: ‘Oh we’ve just been in this really hard season of life.’ I always thought it sounded sort of cliché and it wasn’t a term I would use. I think that is because I never really understood it.

I can say, without a doubt, I am in a tough season right now with my job. I KNOW this is not what I’m supposed to be doing with my life. I also know that for now, I have to.

It’s a season because at some point it’s going to end and something new is going to begin. Just as the heat of summer fades away and the cool dark days of fall set in, the love affair of me and corporate America is growing cold.

But you know what comes after the dreary, cold days of winter?

Spring.

Light and warmth.

New growth.

Tonight I spent a couple hours at the coffee shop with my upline (fancy business term in network marketing for sponsor) hearing success stories about the business I’m starting.

These people were just like me- in a place in their career that was demanding and unfulfilling, feeling like if they had more time they could do the things they really wanted to do. And then this opportunity came along.

These men and women have not only been able to supplement their income. They’ve been able to:

• Quit a corporate job for their own schedule and more family time
• Enable their spouse to quit a dead-end job for something they really love
• Start a dream business
• Start a nonprofit and use their success to fund a cause they are passionate about

I have never felt so encouraged in my entire life.

THIS is what I’ve been looking for. The perfect vehicle to my BIG dreams- opening the coffee shop, writing, volunteering and being a ‘stay at home’ person.

The best part about this business?

In order to be successful all I have to do is share my story.

I’m a connector innately. I want to meet you and share my dreams and have you tell me about yours. I want to talk about how those dreams can come true. I want to see you succeed. Deep down, I have a lot of love for everyone. Seriously- everyone. I just really love people.

And I cannot WAIT to start sharing the love. This business is just the beginning.

I’ll keep plugging away, day after day, to produce fruit during this time. I’ll dig in and do the hard work.

But I’m really looking forward to the next season.

Two things:

1. I did ZERO editing to these pictures. That's how beautiful the farm was.

2. If you are at all interested in what I'm up to, please email me. I want to tell you about it!! nicmarie17@gmail.com