All I Ever Needed to Know…

I learned in Kindergarten.

I always loved that little ditty. You know what I’m talking about, the poster hanging up in elementary schools across the nation, boasting about how Kindergarten is the hotness. When you think about it though, it is kind of true. I mean, aside from your parents, Kindergarten is where you learn the basics of life…how to hold scissors and cross the monkey bars…how to meet new friends and color inside the lines.

And I don’t know about you but the monkey bar lesson has come in pretty handy in my world. I shudder to think where I’d be without it.

So I’d thought I’d break down some of the most fundamental Kindergarten lessons and see how they apply to Gen Y’s current state of affairs. Break out your giant, bright red number two pencils and listen up.

Play fair. I’m going to go with old faithful on this one, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” (Oh Rev Run is wise beyond his years.) Whether you’re a member of a large sales group or spend every waking hour chained to a cubicle solo, teamwork is involved in your career. No one can do it alone, so in order to stay focused and advance at work you have to be able to play fair. Know your strengths and weaknesses so you can pick up someone else’s slack and pass off more difficult tasks to balance out the load. Be open to others’ ideas and really listen, don’t just hear what someone is saying. It’s the little things that will make your workday easier for you and your team.

Say sorry when you hurt somebody. Being that I’m turning into my mother more and more every day, I’ve realized that I’m a pretty empathetic person. I’m on the same page as Oprah when it comes to sympathizing with my fellow man. I genuinely feel for others regardless of my involvement in the situation, so I’ve never had any problems following this golden rule. But that’s not always the case for our generation. A lot of Millennials find it hard to own up to mistakes or to apologize for something they did. Instead they justify and rationalize any action or consequence to avoid the confrontation. However sometimes it’s better to just be honest and put it out there. No one is going to consider you weak if you apologize. It takes a much bigger person to own their actions and truly repent when stepping out of line.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Enough said.

Live a balanced life. This one is perhaps the toughest. It’s insanely hard to reach the perfect balance between your professional self and your social self. It’s different for everyone because everybody has a different schedule, or a different idea of happiness. Regardless, you shouldn’t put all of your eggs into one basket. Keep your life diversified and don’t fall into a routine. At least try not to fall into a routine that doesn’t involve margaritas.

-Marilyn

Change We Can Believe In

By turning out in record numbers at the polls Millennials helped elect the first African-American President of the United States and put a big plus one in the karma points column for our country. Kudos to you.

Having only been of age to vote for four years now, the world of politics was somewhat alien to me. I followed in times of major elections or extreme policy decisions, but never on a daily basis. I’ve never felt compelled to immerse myself in the affairs of pot-bellied ex-lawyers who care more about their own pockets than the constituents who put them there. I was living the John Mayer-ish “waiting on the world to change” kind of lifestyle.

But never again.

This election shocked my reality more than I could ever imagine. It’s not just about Obama or McCain, blue or red (although I’m pretty proud to be a Virginian who got to see her state swing left for the first time in over 40 years). It’s about the fact that we mattered.

Never would I have believed that young people would be so fervent about their government. As an employee at a university I was stopped nearly every day in September by some student asking me to register. I assisted students as they planned large debate watch parties. I was even there when the future First Lady herself paid our campus a visit.

Gen-Y turned out approximately 23 million votes in this year’s election. That’s up 20% from 2004. That’s more youth voters in the history of any election since 1972 (when the voting age became 18-years-old).

So in the wake of one of the greatest politically historic moments of our time, I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks Gen-Y. It’s because of each and every one of you. It’s your voice America hears now.

And that’s the change we need–that’s the change we can believe in.

-Marilyn

The Incredibles

What a great movie and a great idea.

Seemingly ordinary people can do amazing things.

Her’s the thing though, YOU, that’s right you, can be incredible too.

And it doesn’t take Pixar’s dedicated animation team to turn that into a reality.

Recently, Derek Halpern, a fellow Brazen Careerist, and I started a conversation about his post “How to be Incredible”.

I think this topic is great because it’s something we can all relate to. We would all be lying if we were to say, “No, I don’t want to be incredible, feel incredible, etc.”

The big idea is to keep YOU in mind.

Before starting anywhere else, think of your personal definition of incredible. What does being incredible mean to you? When was the last time I felt “incredible”? Jot down your thoughts and feelings to get a better understanding.

Follow Derek’s tips. Create your own. In the end though, what matters is what you want to achieve.

You may create a great set of goals, action plan and rally up the troops, but if you aren’t 100 percent ready to change your life and make it incredible, it won’t happen – trust me.

As Mirage, a character in the Incredbiles said to Mr. Incredible, “The supers are not gone, Mr. Incredible. You’re still here. You can still do great things. Or…you can listen to police scanners. Your choice.”

YOU can still do great things. You can be incredible. Or…you don’t have too. It’s your choice.

-Aida