The Case for Disposable Cameras

Overworked? Over-stressed? Overwhelmed?

These words have become the new norm in our culture’s vocabulary and are how most of us describe how we feel. I recently read an article on NPR about the “New Perfectionism” that has developed in our society. It got me thinking about this unspoken pressure to do everything (and do it well) as we strive towards this unrealistic ideal of perfection.

People are super-stressed, and it’s not just from work. The internet has put a wealth of information at our fingertips, so now when we buy something, we can read 100 customer reviews to find the perfect blender. Our smartphones have millions of apps that let us do things that weren’t possible even just few years ago. And it seems like there’s always a newer version of the iPhone coming out. I just can’t keep up.

What really sums up the New Perfectionism for me is those one-time Kodak cameras. I especially loved the underwater ones. But you had to wait until you got the photos developed to see what you actually captured. Sure, some of the them were blurry, but there was something special about looking through those photos. Today, everyone with a smartphone has a camera on them at all times. Then you can delete, edit, and share that photo within a matter of seconds. Instant gratification. Instant perfection.

Sure, I think it’s important to continue to learn and grow as individuals so we can progress as a societal group. And I agree that a competitive spirit can be beneficial. But how much is too much? These days, it seems like the pressure starts building early. I certainly don’t remember having to interview to get into a top-tier preschool. I went to the preschool that was on the same block as my grandparents’ house, so it was easy for them to pick me up at the end of the day. Parents feel a lot more pressure now to start their kids on the “right track” as early as possible to get them into the best colleges and jobs down the road.

New Perfectionism and growing societal pressures are hard to avoid though. They’re around us every day. That’s why I think it’s so important that we let go every once in a while. Learn to be happy with what you have. Try new things, but don’t feel pressure to be the best at it. We can all live a little more peacefully. So, whenever you feel the need to be perfect, think about that Kodak camera.

I leave you with this quote from the NPR article:

“Information isn’t knowledge. And information that is fast and cheap, like fast, cheap food, isn’t nourishing. But it is hyper-stimulating. And so it is, really, terrifying.

The bottom line seems to be that we know too much, understand too little and we are way too scared of what we might be missing…Seen in this context, our focus on what we put in our mouths and the way we organize our family life can seem almost like a form of madness. It is a symptom. We are overwhelmed.”

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Give Me a Break!

As I sat down for lunch today, I started thinking about how to better plan out my days and use my breaks most efficiently. We live in a society that seeks and rewards efficiency. There’s always a new kitchen gadget that prepares our food faster or new technology that stores thousands of e-books for us to read in one device. Basically, we want to do everything and we want it already done.

The thing we often forget is that getting down-time is equally as important. If you’re go-go-go all the time, eventually you’re going to burn out. This got me thinking about time management, and how to find a balance between getting stuff done and getting some rest. Time management is never something that’s done, complete, or perfect by any means. But I wanted to think about ways to get more me time, given there’s only 24 hours in a day!

Lunch Breaks

Have you ever eaten at your desk while continuing to do work? It’s the worst! But a lot of workers feel pressure to be working all the time, whether it’s a message from management or from themselves. Be sure to check your employee handbook to see exactly how much time you have for lunch (and check out if you are allowed other break-time). A lot of workplaces allow the freedom for people to take longer breaks if they add that time to the beginning or the end of the day. This is great for people that want to use their break to run errands or do a quick workout.

My office gives 30 minutes for lunch and I try to get out at least once a day for a 10 minute walk (twice if my schedule permits). If the weather’s nice, I go to a park to eat my lunch. I use my shorter breaks to walk, get my body moving, and clear my head. It’s clear that sitting in an office all day sucks. So when you do get those breaks, don’t think about work!

Happy Hour

After a long week of work, you and your friends want to drink your feelings and bitch about work. I get it. I do it too, but your health and your wallet will thank you for keeping those happy hours in check.

My strategy: I allow myself one happy hour a week. This doesn’t include if I’m going over to someone’s house for drinks or a date night, although I still factor those things in my budget. The other days of the week, I’m either working with my personal training clients, exercising, running errands, or relaxing at home. I really value my down time! Spending an evening with friends is my reward for exercising and crossing off items on my to-do list during the week. And really, what could be better than good conversations and laughter?

Bedtime

This is probably what I’m worst at, as far as time management goes. I have a difficult time shutting my brain down, and that’s not a good start to getting a restful night’s sleep. What I’m trying to get better at is planning a routine an hour before I want to be in bed and drifting off to sleep. That hour is for finishing up tasks, thoughts, anything that could keep my mind racing into the night. That way, once it’s actually bedtime, my mind and body are fully ready and present. I just need to get better at reminding myself! I plan to set an alarm to get myself into this routine.

Vacation

It seems pretty self-explanatory, but plenty of people are still stressed on vacation. I’m talking about those people who overbook to try and experience as many things as they can during those days. Just because you’re away from your daily life, doesn’t mean you can’t fall right back into that routine! Remember that this time is for you, and that vacation is about rest and relaxation, not about efficiency. Remind yourself to sit back, enjoy, and let time pass without keeping your eye on the clock.

• Men’s Health: 10 Steps to a Hassle-Free Vacation
• Web MD: 4 Tips for a Less Stressful Vacation
• Care2: 5 Tips to Beat Vacation Stress
• New York Times blog: How Vacations Affect Your Happiness

Seems like everyone has tips on how to have a stress-free vacation. Whether it’s a week-long vacation or a ten minute walk during the day, how do you make time for yourself?

The Gift of Silence

Living in a city for the past three years, I’ve come to learn the value (and rarity) of silence. I’m more appreciative of a lot of things as I get older: my parents, paying rent with money I’ve earned, learning from my failures; but I think silence is something I have always had a strong connection to. Growing up as an only (and introverted) child, silence was part of daily life. Silence balanced out the noises in my life:  from kids on the playground to the blaring television at my grandparent’s house. Coloring by myself or making up stories about my stuffed animals was an every day occurrence. Little did I know that this silent alone time would eventually become a source of healing.

Silence serves so many purposes. It gives your ears a break from noise pollution. It gives your mind a chance to absorb and retain information. It helps you listen to your body. It gives you an opportunity to reflect on the day. It helps you stay in the present moment. It refocuses you when you’re feeling frazzled and stressed. The whole objective of silence is to reach a clearer more peaceful state of mind. A peaceful state of mind a truly a luxury. Just ask any parent. Despite city living, I’ve been able to find ways to incorporate silence into my life, including meditation. There’s a part at the end of every Jungshin Fitness class I instruct that focuses on meditative stretching (also, stretching: another thing everyone should do more often). No matter how stressful or noisy my day has been, those few minutes of silence really does wonders.

I find that, too often, people don’t allot enough (or any!) time for silence in their lives. They’re always on: whether it be on a computer, on a phone, or in a noisy place. I’m guilty of this too, but once you allow yourself a few minutes of silence, you’ll see how valuable yet simple it is. So this holiday season, set aside some time for silence. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

The Importance of Failure

I’ve pondered a lot (in my head and on my blog) about what it means to be an adult. Is it solely based on age, or when you can’t communicate before you’ve had your first cup of coffee, or when you suddenly realize that summer isn’t a three-month-long vacation any more? Whatever the equation is for adulthood, I think at least part of it has to do with acknowledging and/or overcoming your fears. I started thinking about fears as I was reading Ellen DeGeneres’ latest book, Seriously…I’m Kidding, and she began to talk about taking risks. One quote in particular is still stuck in my head from last night’s reading:

“When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.”

On a similar note, another book my dad lent me (that I really should finish now that I think about it) talks about how as a society, we praise success and look down upon failure. We no longer give credit for trying, only trying that results in success. It’s ingrained in us that we should be good at everything we do. But how can we know we’re good at something unless we try? As Ellen points out, both success and failure are important. You can’t have one without the other, or at least, you can’t fully appreciate success without having failed first. If everyone was afraid to try something new or different for fear of failure, we’d never get past crawling and eating mashed carrots. We’d never have chocolate-covered pretzels!

So I started to think about my fears and anxieties, and how they came to be. After all, they had to have come from somewhere! Since I love lists, I figured I’d list things that I’m either afraid to try because they’re new/different or because I’ve “failed” at them in the past and am afraid to try again. I put “failed” in quotation marks because often times when we say that word, there are certainly worse things that could have happened. Like how “epic fail” became a way to describe unfortunate or funny occurrences  but nothing that’s actually life-ruining. It’s all relative. But it can be hard to gain perspective. To help, I gave myself a little exercise in fails-turned-into-successes:

My “failures” and anxieties:

• Not making my high school volleyball team
• Eight years of Spanish and not being able to speak it
• DC Networking events

How I deal/dealt with them:

• I refocused my energy on other sports, and I can still enjoy playing recreational volleyball
• I often use Spanglish phrases such as “Sí se puede” and “Yo soy fiesta” (thank you, Rob Gronkowski)
• I avoid them at all costs unless there’s free food or wine

What I realized after this exercise, however, is that I’m still stuck on the concept that I should only be doing things that I’m good at. Ellen also gave some good advice about how to deal with fears. She says that we shouldn’t look at the bigger fear because that will drive us away. Rather, start by taking small risks. She says eat an apple without washing it or swim only 27 minutes after eating. I know she’s being funny, but she’s right. Start small, then go from there. Perhaps being an adult is about realizing that everything takes time; that the things we avoid due to fear and anxiety are just things we can overcome if we go one step at a time.

Caucuses, Cardio, and Crafts

Hello again! I know it’s been a while, but I’m trying to slowly get back in tune with my online self. The last few months have been both busy for me and for the city I live in. I have to say it’s been a great week to be in Washington D.C. After closely following the election at a friend’s place, a group of us headed down to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to join the celebration that was already underway. I won’t go on much more, but as far as political things go, I’ll let Rachel Maddow speak for me:

On a more micro level – the reason I’ve been busy over the last few months is that I’m finally starting to do some training work. Fighting Trim now has 3 Jungshin students, and I couldn’t have asked for a more grateful and quick-learning group. They’re about a month into the program and I can already tell that they’re getting stronger and in better cardiovascular shape! Over on the personal training side, I’m still working with BodySmith to find clients. So, while I haven’t started training there yet, when I do get my first client, I’ll be ready with a fitness assessment and first workout for them. I’m eager to start, but I also get that November and December will be a bit slow with people travelling for the holidays. That’s why I’m counting on the flood of people wanting to hit the gym and get started on their New Year’s resolutions. If that sounds like you and you live in D.C., give me a call! You’ll have Michelle Obama’s arms in no time :)

Speaking of the holidays, they’re creeping up quickly. Maybe it’s the cold winter air setting in, but I could have sworn summer was just a few weeks ago! Holidays mean making plans with friends and family, which can be both exciting and stressful. As if my work life wasn’t busy enough, I’ve also started thinking about homemade holiday gifts. I don’t want to give too much away just yet, but if you head over to my Pinterest page, you’ll get an idea of where I’m heading. However, these plans may change after Saturday when I hit up the Crafty Bastards arts and crafts fair at Union Market. I may have to be held back from the infinite abyss of crafts.

A Season of Change

There’s something special about fall. It marks the end of summer, the beginning of the school year, and the highly-anticipated break in humidity. You reignite your love affair with espresso brown, dark purple, and burgundy. You start to remember how nice it is to wear jeans without feeling hot and sticky. The smell of wood burning in a fireplace makes you smile. Everything just seems a little bit different at the start of fall, even if the only thing that’s changed is the color of the leaves.

Well this fall, things don’t just seem different, but there are actually some huge changes happening! Since getting certified this summer, I have continued working with Fighting Trim to develop their programming, and even more recently, I was offered a position at BodySmith Training Gym in Washington D.C. as a personal trainer! I haven’t really started yet, in terms of working with clients, but I plan to start slowly (part-time) and test the waters a bit. Get myself used to major changes in smaller doses. I’m really not sure what my schedule is going to be like, but I know it’s going to be quite different than what I’m used to with an office job. Once things pick up and I begin to work with clients, I’m sure I’ll have to figure out!

Still finding my way in the grown-up world; I’ve realized how important is it to follow my passions, try new things, and pursue a career that would be fulfilling for me. For my first job out of college, I feel like I’ve learned a lot of things that I can apply not only to work, but life in general. This job has helped me identify when I’m most/least productive, how to work best with different personalities, and how to use my strengths to my advantage. But perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned from this job is what I definitely don’t want to do – work in an office all day. However, with personal training, I have the opportunity to try out something that really gets me excited. Sure a paycheck is nice, but why not get a paycheck while also doing something you truly enjoy. For most of my life I’ve taken the safe route. I was stayed away from change; too afraid of the unknown possibilities. But change can be good. As I was once told, you spend so much of your life working, you might as well be happy with what you do.

Adult Education

I graduated from college three years ago. Now that doesn’t seem like a long period of time, but it means that’s how long it’s been since I’ve had to study for an exam. I started reading through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) textbook to prep for my personal training certification exam, and I suddenly remembered how hard studying is. Or maybe it’s just been so long that I forgot how to study.

I’ve heard people say it’s easier to study after going to college for the following reasons:

1. You’ve had years of schooling where you’ve established and fine-tuned all the basic study skills you need
2. What you’re studying now is a personal choice, which means studying should be more meaningful/enjoyable/effortless
3. If you’re working at a 9-5, you’ve got plenty of evening and weekend hours to dedicate to studying

But this list is missing one big factor, which is that you need practice in order to maintain or get better at something. I haven’t “practiced” studying in three years, which would mean that I’m out of practice. I’m not saying that I haven’t learned things over the past three years, it’s just been in a more real-life non-academic setting. I’ve attained skills that are practical and can help me in my daily life, which doesn’t include taking exams.

So, how does one get back into the practice of studying? If I knew the answer, I wouldn’t be asking the question. I’ve tried just diving right back into reading, taking notes, highlighting, and making flashcards. It’s been okay, but I still feel like there’s a step missing. Like with practicing a sport, if you haven’t played in a while, you don’t want to  just go straight into it without adequately warming up. What I need is a mental warm-up that will get me back into studying shape. Any suggestions?

Trailblazing

Breaks are a necessary part of life. Yes, including breaks from blogging! If we never took breaks, we’d never have a chance to rest, recharge, and look back at the things we’ve done. Or a break could help us avoid getting into a downward spiral ending in doom and destruction – sometimes I find it helpful to picture the worst case scenario so I realize that I’m nowhere near it. Yes, thankfully I’m not facing the downward spiral of doom, but I am looking to switch things up from what I’ve been doing for the past three years.

Looking back at the last three years, I can’t really complain about my life. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in Environmental Studies, got a job at an environmental non-profit in D.C., and maintained a great relationship and circle of friends. Everything all bright and cheery from the outside. Three years later, I’m in the same (job) boat and ready to jump ship, swim around in unknown waters, and find a new boat to sail in. Or if you’re more of a land-based metaphor type, I’m ready to blaze my own trail instead of walking on one that already exists.

Well trailblazing isn’t exactly my forte. I usually do well once I’m given directions, it’s giving myself directions that’s the issue. I’m a person that likes instruction and derives satisfaction from completing a task someone asks me to do. I’m okay at giving myself a pat on the back, but I really thrive on external recognition. I was the child who liked getting stickers on a tests, athletic award ceremonies, and trophies. Basically, I wanted to know that someone out there appreciated the effort I put in. This has proven to be both a good and bad quality to have. On the one hand, it usually motivates me to do things for other people, not expecting anything in return other than a gesture of gratitude. On the other hand, there are plenty of situations in life where there’s no one  there to cheer you on.

Sure, I’ve got friends and family that are there to support me, but when it comes to down to it, I’m the only one who can get me to do something. After all, people can only cheer me on if I make the decision to do something they can cheer for. This time it’s a career change. I’ve always been a fitness enthusiast, and my goal is to turn that passion into a career. I’ve already started by teaming up with a small gym in D.C. that specializes in martial arts and bootcamp-style workouts. I went through certification for Jungshin Fitness, an exercise program that incorporates wooden swords for a full body workout, with other trainers from the gym. At the certification, I was really encouraged to be among people with different backgrounds and from all levels of experience. Through the gym and Jungshin Fitness certification, I’ve met some great people and established meaningful connections. I may be my own boss on this journey, but that doesn’t mean I have to do it alone.

Jungshin Short Sword Training Workshop. Location: Sport & Health, Crystal City, VA

My next steps are to begin instructing Jungshin Fitness classes and studying for my personal training workshop and certification. Stay tuned for more updates on my journey in following my own direction and becoming a personal trainer.

In Between Zero and Fifty

This past weekend, I turned 25. I rented a car, the only thing other than running for the House of Representatives that 25-year-olds can do to as a right of passage. Now, I could go on and on about how all the milestone birthdays have already passed and how 25 is SO OLD, but I’m not going to do that. Why? Because 25 really isn’t that old. Since most old people are crotchety complainers (and I just said 25 isn’t old), I should be embracing my quarter of a century, not begrudging its very existence.

Sure, I still have my parents health insurance as a back-up and I will always love boy bands and sprinkles on my ice cream; but I’m pretty sure that I’m an adult by the most basic of definitions. I mean, I’ve got an apartment in the city, a steady job, and a 401(k). Also, I found a helpful list of things that I should no longer be doing now that I’m 25. What, I shouldn’t be making lists?!

But, the “Quarter Life Crisis” isn’t just an excuse for us 25-year-olds who don’t have our lives figured out yet. It’s a real psychological phenomenon that’s been scientifically proven. A blog post from New Scientist explains the five phases we go through during a quarter life crisis.

Phase 1 – A feeling of being trapped by your life choices. Feeling as though you are living your life on autopilot.
Phase 2 – A rising sense of “I’ve got to get out” and the feeling that you can change your life.
Phase 3 – Quitting the job or relationship or whatever else is making you feel trapped and embarking on a “time out” period where you try out new experiences to find out who you want to be.
Phase 4 – Rebuilding your life.
Phase 5 – Developing new commitments more attuned to your interests and aspirations.

Assessing myself: if there was a phase 2.5, that’s definitely where I’d be. What does that say about being 25? That there’s a lot of time spent in the “in-between.”

I said I wasn’t going to complain, and the reason is that I’m trying not to attach age to accomplishment. Accomplishments, big or small, can happen at any stage of a person’s life. There’s a lot I have to be proud of, but my impatient side expected I’d feel older, worldlier, and more accomplished at 25. They say that’s true of the millennial generation in particular. We all just thought we’d have more things figured out by now.

That said, I am trying to be more patient about optimistic about eventually get where I want to be. I’m not there yet, but where I am is okay in the meantime. It’s normal to not know where you’re headed and people make career changes throughout their lives, but for now, I’m going to embrace this in-between 25-year-old thing.

Courtroom Baller, Espresso Shot Caller

It’s been a long week and thank goodness it’s finally Friday. Today, I had the joy of starting my morning by going to a D.C. city hearing about my “inappropriate use of a trash receptacle.” I won’t get into all the details, but to make a long story short, I was accused of littering because someone took mail sent to an address I lived at two years ago and put it in the trash. At the appeal hearing this morning, the prosecutors didn’t even show up. Case closed. They knew they didn’t stand a chance against my impeccable evidence. Oh, you better believe I was ready to go all Law & Order and plead my case to prove my innocence, but I didn’t even get the chance to.
Ever since I served on a jury a few years ago, I’ve realized that court isn’t as sexy as they portray it on tv. To be fair, my first impression of court was based on Ally McBeal. But I will say, it’s still pretty damn empowering to win a case, regardless of how it happens. I plan on telling people that I won my case AND that I did so, representing myself. Didn’t even need a lawyer. Booya!

It’s kind of a strange day when you’ve been to court before 10am. So what was my next logical step? Coffee of course, as a reward for my judicial prowess. As a prestigious Starbucks gold card holder, I got a free birthday drink certificate in the mail. I didn’t go so far as this guy, but I still got a fancier and more expensive drink than I usually get. Vindicated and caffeinated, I embarked on my brisk victory walk to work. It’s easy to lose some perspective in the daily grind of life, but today was a reminder of how important it is to appreciate all of life’s victories, whether big or small. After all, it’s not every day that we can say we won a court case. Unless it’s today…and you’re me.