About four years ago I went with my friend Ali to my first yoga class. She convinced me to go with her because I will try any new workout at least once. In all honesty, I assumed this would be a case of one and done... no way would I like breathing, chanting, and quieting my mind. And I am not even that flexible! Nevertheless, I went and have been going at least once a week since.
There are a few things that initially struck me about yoga, which kept me coming back. The first aspect was breathing. Yes, it is really weird to hear random people moaning and grunting as they put their bodies in positions like a power lunge. But, once I learned that each motion is tied to a different breath, it became stress-relieving to breathe my way through something that seems really difficult. Eventually, I began to apply this principle to my life: "If I can breath through another round of chair pose, then I can get over that awful date".
The second facet was the learning curve. Yoga is a journey - which is why a session is called a "practice". Each class brings something new. Sometimes I feel really great about my practice and others I know I could do a bit better. What I take away from each class is that I can push myself to learn something new at my own pace, however I feel in that moment. This is not necessarily something we get to do everyday. In jobs and our life we have to go with the flow, but that's typically someone else's flow. Your bosses, your friends, your parents- they all have an idea of where you should be at any given moment. But, in yoga and my practice- I can just be where I want to be. Either in child's pose or kicking ass balancing in tree, it becomes my choice.
Discipline is another element that kept me coming back to yoga. While it is my choice on how I want to handle my practice, I have to have a goal in mind. What brought me to my mat today? What do I want to accomplish? We should all have a goal in mind as we approach our own lives and various situations. Whether it's a difficult conversation, finishing a project, or what outfit you are picking out for the day, it is easier to get the ending we want if we have that mindset at the beginning.
I think everyone has their "thing" that helps them get through the monotony of everyday life. What is yours? As I've moved through the last four years, yoga has become a staple in working through changes and feeling good about myself at the same time. Simply put, it has helped my get to the next level.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
My Journey to Giving Back
To be completely honest, the idea of giving back was not something I thought about often. Maybe it is because I grew up in the era of Bill Clinton, when prosperity was as real as the economic downturn is now. Or maybe it was because I was lucky enough to not have to think about what it meant to really have nothing. But my eyes have been opened, especially in helping Zack with his company: DoGoodBuyUs (more on this later). Whether it's money, time, a Subway gift card to a homeless person, or just sharing a story, if you are one of the lucky ones to be able to give back- this is the time to start.
My parent's are the example by which I hope to emulate my life. As a therapist and a social worker, they literally define giving back. My dad has worked across every government program to offer help and guidance to those less fortunate to pay for private care, and my mom the social worker, well you only need to look at the definition of her job to know how selfless she is. But, I work in business and in the business world social responsibility is not nearly as important as what the next pay raise will be. Or is it?
Of course it is! Little by little, I have embraced the notion of giving back into my life. Zack founded DoGoodBuyUs in August 2011. The notion is to aggregate goods made by non-profits and charities into a central eCommerce site. Furthermore, to help market and sell these goods for people who may not have the resources to do so. This exposure to those less fortunate and diseases we may be faced with has had an immense change on me and what I value. It is imperative that we take a step back from all we spend money on and take some of it to give back. If you're inspired, take a look: http://www.dogoodbuy.us
I am one of the lucky ones. And if you are reading this, you probably are as well. Think about the causes that are important to you, think about the fact that no matter how bad it is for you, it is probably much worse for someone else, either in the United States or abroad. Take the time to give back. Trust me.
My parent's are the example by which I hope to emulate my life. As a therapist and a social worker, they literally define giving back. My dad has worked across every government program to offer help and guidance to those less fortunate to pay for private care, and my mom the social worker, well you only need to look at the definition of her job to know how selfless she is. But, I work in business and in the business world social responsibility is not nearly as important as what the next pay raise will be. Or is it?
Of course it is! Little by little, I have embraced the notion of giving back into my life. Zack founded DoGoodBuyUs in August 2011. The notion is to aggregate goods made by non-profits and charities into a central eCommerce site. Furthermore, to help market and sell these goods for people who may not have the resources to do so. This exposure to those less fortunate and diseases we may be faced with has had an immense change on me and what I value. It is imperative that we take a step back from all we spend money on and take some of it to give back. If you're inspired, take a look: http://www.dogoodbuy.us
I am one of the lucky ones. And if you are reading this, you probably are as well. Think about the causes that are important to you, think about the fact that no matter how bad it is for you, it is probably much worse for someone else, either in the United States or abroad. Take the time to give back. Trust me.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Cycle of Friendship
We all have a moment when we realize that we've left our "post-college years" and officially moved into our mid/late twenties. For some it's when our voicemail message changes from, "Hey it's me leave whatever" to "You've reached (Full Name). Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Have a great day!". For me, it was when I realized that the amount of friends in my "speed dial" shrunk from 20 to 5.
I did not take this realization lightly. Actually, I was really upset. My whole teenage/adult life revolved around my friendships, from coordinating parties to continuously meeting new people- so what was this change all about?
Naturally, I brought these concerns to my parents to get perspective. Was this "normal"? They assured me that this was all part of growing up. But, I was used to being on the same page as my friends: SAT's, college, pledging, disobeying our parents, graduating college - while this new phase seemed to put us all in different places at any given time. And that was weird.
I came across an article that helped me understand what may be happening: while our social networks are growing digitally, when it comes to closer circles of friends you lose some and replace with new friends after about seven years. With all of the changes that happen to us in life this kind of made sense. I started dating Zack about a year ago, and coupled with a challenging new job my priorities shifted. I am sure this is a common tale, but nevertheless a very real one. Have you had a similar experience?
It then dawned on me that this change is about balance. As we get older there are more things to juggle on the ever-growing list of things to do. Between work, passion projects, family, and dating, the effort we are able to put into maintaining all our friendships falls down the list. While this was immediately disconcerting it made me focus on the friendships that matter.
I am extremely lucky to have found (and maintained) lifelong friends during the most awkward of times: Middle school. I found additions to this circle during my tenure at the University of Maryland and added a few in my post college- NYC life. I've even been able to call family a part of this circle of friends. After focusing on what matters I learned that friendships are more of a journey, a marathon even. At certain times we will be in sync, and there will be others when we are not. But the true friendships, the ones worth the long investment will always be there.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Remembrance
Yom HaShoah was yesterday. What is Yom HaShoah? It is the day where we remember the atrocities of the greatest genocide of our time- the Holocaust. So what does this mean for you and me? First of all, I don't believe you need to be Jewish to understand the horror of what occurred, there's no family that went unaffected during those times. However if you are Jewish there is a certain clench in your stomach you feel when you stop and think about what happened to those two generations removed from us.
To me, remembrance is something I am not sure how to handle. In Isreal, the whole country stops for two minutes in a moment of silence. But what can we do? Do you light candles and say a prayer? Is there a walk or a race that would raise awareness? Would anything suffice? Maybe I am being small minded. Readers: is there an example of something symbolic in your life to show your appreciation for someone or something?
I am not sure of the exact moment I became aware of the responsibility of being Jewish. I imagine it started when I went to Isreal in 2007. It was not about the hardcore rules of being Jewish, either. I am fairly Reform, I don't remember the prayers from my Bat Mitzvah, I can hum along in temple, but that's the extent. The history is where I began to feel a connection to my religion, moreover where I came from. This fact is not unique to being Jewish, it is what Americans have always fostered a bond over.
Religion is obviously a tricky topic. Which is why I don't want to go there. I want to lay the foundation of where I am in my discovery of a personal connection to Judaism, but that does not have to ring true for everyone reading.
What should ring true is the responsibility we all have to remember and then speak up for others. I've read countless articles that clearly demonstrate how aware the USA was of what was going on in Germany. Not just to the Jews, but to anyone who was 'different' or a risk to the ideals of the state. Domestically, the USA has come some way. As far as Foreign Policy, we waiver between isolationism and shoving democracy down other people's throats. The Holocaust should teach us understanding.
We should remember the Holocaust for that reason. To show that understanding is the only way to solve an issue, any issue. For us, forgetting was never an option. Remembering is a noble and necessary act.
To me, remembrance is something I am not sure how to handle. In Isreal, the whole country stops for two minutes in a moment of silence. But what can we do? Do you light candles and say a prayer? Is there a walk or a race that would raise awareness? Would anything suffice? Maybe I am being small minded. Readers: is there an example of something symbolic in your life to show your appreciation for someone or something?
I am not sure of the exact moment I became aware of the responsibility of being Jewish. I imagine it started when I went to Isreal in 2007. It was not about the hardcore rules of being Jewish, either. I am fairly Reform, I don't remember the prayers from my Bat Mitzvah, I can hum along in temple, but that's the extent. The history is where I began to feel a connection to my religion, moreover where I came from. This fact is not unique to being Jewish, it is what Americans have always fostered a bond over.
Religion is obviously a tricky topic. Which is why I don't want to go there. I want to lay the foundation of where I am in my discovery of a personal connection to Judaism, but that does not have to ring true for everyone reading.
What should ring true is the responsibility we all have to remember and then speak up for others. I've read countless articles that clearly demonstrate how aware the USA was of what was going on in Germany. Not just to the Jews, but to anyone who was 'different' or a risk to the ideals of the state. Domestically, the USA has come some way. As far as Foreign Policy, we waiver between isolationism and shoving democracy down other people's throats. The Holocaust should teach us understanding.
We should remember the Holocaust for that reason. To show that understanding is the only way to solve an issue, any issue. For us, forgetting was never an option. Remembering is a noble and necessary act.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Role Playing
After my first week at my current job, I turned to my boyfriend (We can introduce him now: Zack) and said, "I wonder who I will be within the company". Zack looked confused. I tried to explain that in my past experience people, and specifically women had a certain personality role to play within the workplace. Didn't he know what I was talking about?
This got me thinking, was I approaching my office relationships through the lens of yearbook superlatives? Do women need to fulfill a type or role at work to succeed? Let me provide some background:
My first job out of college was with a giant media agency. While the work I did was a huge building block in my career, the agency was also a catch-all for college graduates looking to determine what they wanted to do within the "industry". This included promoting a college-like atmosphere for socializing. So I took my usual role as social planner. I created really strong relationships outside of work, but not necessarily ones that showcased my hunger to succeed.
My second job was with an equally large media agency. I decided to change my role and strictly be about the job. Well, that only worked for a few months. I'm inherently social and hard-working... could I do both? I tried it out and managed to balance nights out with my co-workers and lots of late working nights. So it makes sense that I walked into my third job (this time at a kickass social marketing company) and was unsure of what role I would play.
But blog-readers, that is not the point. We as women are used to being categorized. As the party animal, the shopper, the gossip, the bookworm, whatever. Which is not fair. Women have proved themselves to span any type of stereotype. Look at Christine LaGarde who runs with IMF, Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State, or Sheryl Sandberg COO of Facebook. There are plenty more and can we categorize these women? No way. We can party and be hard-working. We can love clothes and also care about politics. The list should be never-ending.
xoxo
This got me thinking, was I approaching my office relationships through the lens of yearbook superlatives? Do women need to fulfill a type or role at work to succeed? Let me provide some background:
My first job out of college was with a giant media agency. While the work I did was a huge building block in my career, the agency was also a catch-all for college graduates looking to determine what they wanted to do within the "industry". This included promoting a college-like atmosphere for socializing. So I took my usual role as social planner. I created really strong relationships outside of work, but not necessarily ones that showcased my hunger to succeed.
My second job was with an equally large media agency. I decided to change my role and strictly be about the job. Well, that only worked for a few months. I'm inherently social and hard-working... could I do both? I tried it out and managed to balance nights out with my co-workers and lots of late working nights. So it makes sense that I walked into my third job (this time at a kickass social marketing company) and was unsure of what role I would play.
But blog-readers, that is not the point. We as women are used to being categorized. As the party animal, the shopper, the gossip, the bookworm, whatever. Which is not fair. Women have proved themselves to span any type of stereotype. Look at Christine LaGarde who runs with IMF, Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State, or Sheryl Sandberg COO of Facebook. There are plenty more and can we categorize these women? No way. We can party and be hard-working. We can love clothes and also care about politics. The list should be never-ending.
xoxo
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Polar Shifts
Dear Diary,
Oh wait, this is my blog post not a personal journal! Except that is not entirely true!
There is a fine line between writing about myself and my perspective and thus, running the risk of offending anyone. That is not the point here, but if I use hypothetical situations instead of an array of real-life examples then I am dry toast.
Yesterday I breached the topic of women and conversation. Today I want to build on that. Why is saying what we want to say polarizing? Men have an easy time speaking their minds because if someone is upset with them they accept it. They grunt, they wait it out, they know it's not the end all be all. But women do not handle this the same way. We want to fix it- right now. So instead of getting ourselves into a situation, sometimes we simply say nothing or even worse, what we are "supposed" to say.
I've been told my whole life that I can make outrageous, polarizing statements. I've flat out scarred friendships because I thought it was important to state my opinion. It's not that confrontation doesn't upset me, it's the opposite. But as time has gone on I've realized that speaking up shouldn't make the permanent fixtures in my life go away. Maybe we will squabble, but hopefully it puts the relationship in a better place than it was before.
We're encouraged to speak our minds and yet we rarely do. When we do choose to speak up we are more apt to duck behind Facebook, Twitter, or the worst, GChat in order to get our point across and avoid controversy and conversation. This is what the world is turning to but I believe that there is still a crowd out there that would prefer to merge the old fashioned forms of communication with ever evolving technology. That means that controversy is unavoidable, and who says that's a bad thing? That's all for today.
Oh wait, this is my blog post not a personal journal! Except that is not entirely true!
There is a fine line between writing about myself and my perspective and thus, running the risk of offending anyone. That is not the point here, but if I use hypothetical situations instead of an array of real-life examples then I am dry toast.
Yesterday I breached the topic of women and conversation. Today I want to build on that. Why is saying what we want to say polarizing? Men have an easy time speaking their minds because if someone is upset with them they accept it. They grunt, they wait it out, they know it's not the end all be all. But women do not handle this the same way. We want to fix it- right now. So instead of getting ourselves into a situation, sometimes we simply say nothing or even worse, what we are "supposed" to say.
I've been told my whole life that I can make outrageous, polarizing statements. I've flat out scarred friendships because I thought it was important to state my opinion. It's not that confrontation doesn't upset me, it's the opposite. But as time has gone on I've realized that speaking up shouldn't make the permanent fixtures in my life go away. Maybe we will squabble, but hopefully it puts the relationship in a better place than it was before.
We're encouraged to speak our minds and yet we rarely do. When we do choose to speak up we are more apt to duck behind Facebook, Twitter, or the worst, GChat in order to get our point across and avoid controversy and conversation. This is what the world is turning to but I believe that there is still a crowd out there that would prefer to merge the old fashioned forms of communication with ever evolving technology. That means that controversy is unavoidable, and who says that's a bad thing? That's all for today.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Hello Blogosphere!
Hello blogosphere nice to meet you! My name is Rachel, I am 27, and happily living and working in NYC. Sound familiar? Of course it does. But wait a second, let me explain why you should keep reading below the fold. If you can relate to the following situation then please read on:
I recently found myself at the epicenter of a traditional housewarming party. After an hour of talking the traditional niceties (boyfriends, matching shirts, Williams-Sonoma products) I found the conversation was dwindling and realized that it lacked any depth. After a year of engagement parties, weddings, bridal shower etc, it was my ah-hah moment: Given the availability of news at our fingertips, how can this be all we talk about?
Before you think, this girl is "shoulding" me, let me caveat. My Pinterest profile is literally my favorite site (sorry Facebook). I love the fact that I am moving in with my boyfriend (and even excited about decorating). I know every Essie color, that neon is in (and always will be), and that stripes are actually a color (Hi Kat).
So what is my point? We can and should know way more. And then, we should feel empowered to talk about it. Right? It would be great if the above scene played out with some conversations around the upcoming election putting women's issues at the forefront, or how we can help put a stop to our strained economy. It did not, even with trying.
So what does this tell me? If you've made it this far I hope you are nodding your head at the following that I've learned recently: most women don't give a shit. We've taken for granted that our mothers worked hard to get us to a place where we have a "choice", to work, not work, compete with men, whatever. We've forgotten that 100 years ago we could not vote. In America, we're lucky and we get to turn a blind eye.
I've been surrounded by the need to question and debate my entire life. Education is and was at the forefront of my daily life. So here I am, starting a blog.
And that, is what I want to discuss here. Musings on everything from how to make my flats smell better, to how hard it is to write a business email even though I am college-educated, to why Ann Romney should not claim she "works".
Come back and fuel the conversation.
xoxo
I recently found myself at the epicenter of a traditional housewarming party. After an hour of talking the traditional niceties (boyfriends, matching shirts, Williams-Sonoma products) I found the conversation was dwindling and realized that it lacked any depth. After a year of engagement parties, weddings, bridal shower etc, it was my ah-hah moment: Given the availability of news at our fingertips, how can this be all we talk about?
Before you think, this girl is "shoulding" me, let me caveat. My Pinterest profile is literally my favorite site (sorry Facebook). I love the fact that I am moving in with my boyfriend (and even excited about decorating). I know every Essie color, that neon is in (and always will be), and that stripes are actually a color (Hi Kat).
So what is my point? We can and should know way more. And then, we should feel empowered to talk about it. Right? It would be great if the above scene played out with some conversations around the upcoming election putting women's issues at the forefront, or how we can help put a stop to our strained economy. It did not, even with trying.
So what does this tell me? If you've made it this far I hope you are nodding your head at the following that I've learned recently: most women don't give a shit. We've taken for granted that our mothers worked hard to get us to a place where we have a "choice", to work, not work, compete with men, whatever. We've forgotten that 100 years ago we could not vote. In America, we're lucky and we get to turn a blind eye.
I've been surrounded by the need to question and debate my entire life. Education is and was at the forefront of my daily life. So here I am, starting a blog.
And that, is what I want to discuss here. Musings on everything from how to make my flats smell better, to how hard it is to write a business email even though I am college-educated, to why Ann Romney should not claim she "works".
Come back and fuel the conversation.
xoxo
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