Happy Meals & Happy Employees

Last week, I went to the NIU PRSSA Al Walker Lecture. Steve Levigne, Vice President of U.S. Strategy and Insights for McDonald’s* (I hadn’t heard of them either) and fellow NIU alum gave a presentation on McD’s social media strategy. He gave several case studies (I love a good case study) and gave a great overview on where their strategy has been and where it is going.

And as much as I love case studies and as much as I wanted a shamrock shake the entire time he was talking, one thing he said really stuck with me in the question and answer portion.

A PRSSA member had an interview the following morning for a social media internship. She asked him what McD’s looked for in its tweeps: the team managing the McD Twitter account. Besides a background in social media (obviously), one of the major traits was positivity. Social media is definitely a place to keep your spirits up, as a poor attitude can be reflected in what you (a company, or even just one person) post. Fans (and friends) don’t log onto Facebook or Twitter to hear snarky** or negative comments.

Taking this a step further, I think every employer looks for positivity in the interviewees. The economy isn’t at its best (when can we stop saying that?), and companies are looking to hire people who will have high morale and smiles on their faces at the end of the day. I’ve learned a lot in my three years out of school. This list includes: always make a fresh pot of coffee if you take the last cup and those in the workforce are wearing more hats than they’d initially anticipated. I am one of those people, which is something you’ll never hear me complain about because I hate being bored. And though work can be tough and even overwhelming at times (at any job, for anyone), I’ve been reminding myself how lucky I am to have a job and to have health insurance and to show off my big, white, never-braced (you’re welcome, mom) smile.

If I were to give one piece of advice to someone going into an interview to get that job and to get that health insurance, it would be to smile and show the employer that you have the will and the confidence to better yourself and the organization.

*Disclaimer: I hardly ever call McDonald’s by its full name, but have adoringly nicknamed it “McD’s.” I realize that this is hardly an original nickname. However, being a fellow “Mc,” I feel I can call the chain pretty much whatever I want.

**Unless said snarky comment is absolutely hilarious. But that takes perfect execution, otherwise the comment is mean and awkward. For all parties involved.

I Did It: Bucktown 5K

You guys, it’s my favorite season - FALL. I love fall for many reasons: all things pumpkin (...spice lattes, … pie, … carving), the turning of the leaves, Halloween, hoodies and yoga pants, tailgating, and most importantly, RACING SEASON. Yes, people run year-round, but my favorite time to run is in the fall. It’s cool enough where I can log 5+ miles before I break a sweat, but warm enough where I don’t feel like my fingers or nose are going to freeze off. Plus, there’s the whole ice thing.

This is by far our best race photo yet. I especially love it because the girls look like my body guard.

 

This weekend, as my kick-off to racing season, I ran the Bucktown 5K with my friends Becca and Stacie. I was a virgin to this race, but Becca and Stacie had told me that it was fantastic - mostly because of the goodie bag. This year, the bag included a Chicago themed half-zip fleece. I also received a coupon to Club Lucky, a traditional Italian restaurant with delicioso signature martinis.

 

The Bucktown 5K also has a Taste of Bucktown following the race, where you can use your food tickets to get treats from neighborhood eateries. This year’s Taste featured*:

• Olivia’s: Runners refresh—apples, oranges and bananas.
• Starfruit: Smoothies and kefir.
• Choppers: Hot dogs, brats, hamburgers, and pizza puffs
• West Town Bakery: Delicious cake balls.

 The course is overall flat and very manageable. In fact, I ran my new 5K personal record. I will definitely be doing the race again next year.

*list copied from the Bucktown 5K website

Monday Motivator: Tech + Fit

I cannot say that Mashable's list of The 35 Fittest People in Tech surprised me. After all, it takes the same drive and focus to achieve your mental and physical goals. Just as you're not going to become the co-founder of Foursquare simply by dreaming, you will not lose those last ten pounds by sitting on your arse. The people on the list work at tech monsters including Google, Facebook and Microsoft, so I have to ask: what's your excuse again?


Now, go out there and GET IT!

Monday Motivator: BIRTHDAY EDITION

I've never been big on New Years' Eve. I feel the expectations and hype are too high and the resulting night is typically a letdown. In fact, my most eventful NYE in recent memory was with my sister's friends in St. Louis, where many of the pictures looked like this:

So where am I going with this? And why am I talking about NYE in August? Because today is my birthday - my personal New Year. Included with the hype of the new year is the expectation to make XXXX year the "best year yet." I'm never quite recovered from my post-spending/gifting/gifted/food hangover (Christmas) enough to make a list of things I want to change about myself in the upcoming year. But birthdays - birthdays are the best time to evaluate my life and see where/who I want to be in a year.

24 was a great year. I took charge of my physical health and am starting 25 in the best physical condition I've been in ever, really. It was also the year that I started exploring new continuing education opportunities (I took an online grant writing class and have signed up for an HTML class this September) and took an interest in reading (Find me on Goodreads). It was also the first year I felt that I well-managed seeing my friends post-college. These were all things I had struggled with (and from what I can tell, most people do) when transitioning from college to the "real world."

But, being a total cliché here, I think 25 will be even better. Using the things I did at 24 to better myself, I intend to position myself as a better athlete, employee, student, and most importantly, friend. To give you abridged version, I will be writing more, learning new skills (computer and otherwise), and spending more time with my friends and family. Updates on how that goes to come next year - for now, just let me celebrate my first day of being mid-twenties (ACK).

Monday Motivator

"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny." - Albert Ellis

It has taken me a long time to learn this, as I'd like to think it does with everyone. If you are not happy with the way your life is going, do something about it. Choose a new career path, start working out, volunteer for a local charity. I do realize there are people in this world with challenges they have no control over. But if the challenges in your life are ultimately by choice - change it. You have the power to better yourself and your life.

Happy Saturday to the 4x100 Team!

Seriously, how fantastic is our 4x100m team? And setting a new record? Well done, ladies; you deserve to have a great Saturday.

Image via

Girl Power of Olympic Proportions

I have been keeping a close eye on the 2012 Olympics, not just because of Nathan Adrian, but because of all the incredibly talented female athletes who are competing in the games. Watching Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor tear it up on the volleyball court or Allyson Felix gun it in the 200m is nothing short of inspiring*. But here is my problem: not all women agree with me on this. I’m not one to pout when I don’t get my way (OK, sometimes I do, but that’s usually involving my family or boyfriend), I just don’t understand why so many average non-Olympic females have become catty about this year's female athletes. In the Self article, Why Focus on Olympians’ Looks Misses the Point, Robyn Silverman, Ph.D., a body image expert and author discusses why women do this. She says "there is a tendency to want to cut people down… We try to cut them down to make them more like us.”

But ladies, COME ON. These women workout 6 days a week for hours at a time to be on top of their game – they have made this their lives for the past 4+ YEARS. We should be focusing on their overall performance, not their appearance. This cattiness may be the cause for the lack of female athlete endorsements, as well. A University of Delaware article discusses a study conducted in which “Ads that focused on athletes’ attractiveness often elicited negative responses from female participants.” Are we that intimidated by women who are at the top of their physical level? If I had a daughter, I would much rather she look up to Kerri Lee and Misty May than Kim Kardashian.

And yes, I will be the first to admit that I have days when I feel physically inadequate. But I go for a run and feel better because I DO WHAT I CAN. We need to keep in mind that if we work hard, we can reach our ideal fitness levels. And above all, we need to stop comparing ourselves to other women. "The only person you'll ever have to be better than is the person you were yesterday." I spent a few minutes looking up who said this (to no avail), because it is so true. It's true for all of us.

*Note: I wrote those post before I knew all three women had received gold medals for their performances, as I've been avoiding Olympic outcomes until I can watch the games at night. BOOM.

Fat Ass 5k

Having hailed from central Illinois, my boyfriend gripes when we have to go to my parents' house for the weekend. He claims that there is "nothing to do there" because he is a spoiled brat who grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago. I guess it also has something to do with the fact that he has not yet had the pleasure of experiencing the Fat Ass 5k, a race in the heart of downtown Springfield.

On Saturday, May 12, I jumped in the car with my folks and headed to downtown Springfield. We got to the race course painfully early, as my mother was convinced that parking would be a hassle. We found a spot on the street and headed toward the starting line. The race started at 10am but when we got there at 8:30am an impressive crowd had formed by the Old State Capitol.

My parents and I camped near the radio station tent, which was providing the get-your-blood-pumping tunage. More and more people filtered into the general starting area while faux stretching, dancing and talking. As 10am approached, I headed toward my corale. My parents stood close by, my father explaining that it made more sense than to walk back to the walking corale, only to walk back up to where they would be standing.

My fellow fatasses.

The National Anthem played and a man in the distance yelled "Gentlemen, start your engines!" What I didn't yet realize was that up at the front of the race was a group of motorcyclists - on hogs, if you will, for the sake of the Fat Ass mascot - who literally started their engines.

It could not have been 20 feet ahead of the starting line that Cold Stone Creamery was passing out sample sizes of their ice cream. I turned the corner to find the first band and the next refreshment stop. Coors Lite had set up shop and was passing out beer (to those of age).

The route was overall flat and included treats such as doughnut holes from Mel-O-Cream and corn dogs, in addition to the water stops.  Live entertainment (including the likes of Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters) was around just about every corner.

Mmmmel-O-Cream

If you have not been to Springfield, I would recommend this weekend to plan your trip. You can also check out the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Memorial Library and explore the downtown shops. I would also recommend stopping at Cafe Andiamo; their lattes are delicioso.

39.3 - The More/Fitness Half Marathon

I would just like to start out by saying that I REFUSED to title this post "Third Time's The Charm," as that is the number of half-marathons I have now completed. I recently (OK, 4 weeks ago) hopped on a plane with my sister and my running shoes to head to NYC for the More/Fitness Half-Marathon in Central Park. While I could tell you about the fabulous things I did over the 5 days (Evita on Broadway, talking to Amy Poehler/attending the most bomb-diggity improv show I will ever see, LowerEast Side Food Tour, etc.), I'm going to stick with details about the race.

My sister and I arrived in the city around 11pm on Friday, April 13th and pretty much crashed as soon as we got to our hotel. On Saturday morning, we took the subway up to the general area of the Metropolitan Pavilion where the Health and Wellness Expo was being held. The expo had some really great vendors. I have got to say that my favorite stops were with Athleta, Jenny Craig, Aveeno, Playtex, Florida Grapefruit. *Photo Disclaimer: I didn't include all the free tampons I received but THANKS, PLAYTEX!

The race started at 8am on Sunday, April 15. We left our hotel at about 6 and headed to Central Park (CP). I was feeling pretty good in my Adidas running capris and tank, hoping it wouldn't get warmer than it was (low 50s). As we got closer to the park, we did what anyone else who underestimates the enormity of CP and followed women who looked like they knew what they were doing/on a mission to the corrals.

We checked our bag at the gated area (guarded by NYC's finest - the Road Runner club members), stopped by the CP public restrooms (I HATE PORTA-JOHNS) and headed to our corral. Then we waited. I've been working recently on getting over the mental speed bumps in running. For me, it's difficult to not get over the "I'm going to be running for the next 2+ hours" of distance running.

And so it begins

I did NOT realize how many hills CP has. When I read over the race course (2x around the six mile loop of CP + another 1.1 mile) I figured that a park in the middle of NYC would be flat and scoffed at the hill warning. From what I remember, and I remember it well, the northwest corner of CP has the most hills. The other roughly 3/4 of the park is a very pleasant run. We set the pace that we maintained through most of the race. 

Roughly 2.5 hours later, my sister and I completed the race. I do have to say, the end was a tad anticlimactic. While I very much appreciated the water/Gatorade stops along the race route, I wish that we would have had more substantial snacks at the finish line. Cups of water were handed out, along with apples and bagels. I will say the exit from the course into the CP area that held the post-race party/our baggage check-in went very smoothly. The post-race party was lacking as well, but I might be saying that as an out-of-towner who wanted to enjoy free swag before padding back to my hotel.

My sister and I, sweaty and accomplished.

I would definitely run the race again. The experience of running in a race like this, in one of the greatest (read: not greatest, Chicago is the greatest ;) ) cities in the world is exhilarating. I prefer the occasional urban race - how often do you get the chance to run up the middle of State Street in Chicago, unscathed? - but still love the idea of a jog through the breath taking scenery, set in the middle of a concrete jungle.

True Grit.

For the past year, I have had this Women's Health magazine article on my refrigerator. You can read the full article here, and I suggest you do. If you don't feel like reading it - Oh, c'mon! - I'll give you the breakdown.

It starts off talking about a woman named Micha Burden - a woman who wasn't a stellar swimmer and was somewhat out of shape - who wanted to compete in and win the U.S. Open Water World Championship. So, she hired a performance consultant (Kenneth Baum), worked her butt off, and as all happy/motivational stories go, she won.

The article discusses the importance of grit when attaining a long-term goal. Some people have it and some people don't. It goes on to cite studies of those who are successful in their fields and those who are not. In one instance they discuss a group of children that they follow into adulthood and see that "... the only difference between the most successful and the least successful of the bunch was that who scored real-world achievement possessed traits such as perseverance." The article then provides a "Grit Scale," used "to rank an individual's level of perseverance," from Angela Duckworth, Ph.D. who developed the scale after a 2002 study.

It then goes on to discuss the cultivation of grit. While some people are born with that mind-set, it is also possible to be developed. Dean Keith Simonton, Ph.D. and Tara Jones, Ph.D. offer some fantastic tips on developing your grit. These tips include:

"You first have to pinpoint a long-term goal that you're willing to work hard to obtain, even if it means overcoming obstacles." (Simonton)
"Performance goals are about the training, putting in all the hours or miles so that you can reach your final goal." (Simonton)
"It's about doing something because you want to... It's critical for persistence." (Jones)

Another key ingredient in grit is optimism.

"You can train yourself to view things in a more optimistic, positive way. It's about challenging your own beliefs." (Jones)
"Recording your successes on a regular basis helps bolster positive thinking." (Jones)

The article itself is a great motivating tool. It has that "YES, I CAN!" feeling and leaves you wanting to set those long-term goals. I'm definitely going to keep their studies and tips in mind while training for my half-marathon on April 15. Do you have any goals? Everyone should, and this article shoes that with a little grit and sweat, anything is possible.

Every man needs a Molly. Every girl needs a Kate.

That's right. I just referenced a Say Anything song in a blog post. That's how hard I rock. This post isn't about Say Anything, however. This post is about having someone who helps you stay on track and realize/achieve your goals. This post is about Kate.

My friend Kate and I try to meet up once a month. I realize how pathetic our goal of meeting up so seldom is, but it's a goal. And it's our goal. During that time we devote hours catching up and discussing our lives. Our topics range from work to our latest Pinterest findings - please, don't hate - and anything in between.

I really appreciate the time I have with Kate because not only is she a fabulous friend, she is also a tremendous mentor. And though I'm sure me telling her this would make her face as red as her hair, I'm drop dead serious.

Kate has been a tremendous outlet for expressing my life and career goals. Talking them through with her and hearing what her goals are, helps me gain momentum in achieving my goals. Yes, I discuss these things with my boyfriend, but having a woman's thoughts and support on matters can be very beneficial. I often feel that men and women have completely different ways of supporting each other. If you tell a man what your goal is, he will tell you that you should achieve your goal and that is that. Women tend to support your goal but then ask questions about the specifics behind it and give somewhat of an outline in achieving the goal.

This is why I suggest everyone go out and find their Kate. Or maybe you already have a Kate in your life. Perhaps you have that friend, or handful of friends, to whom you express what's on your mind. If so, consider yourself lucky and be sure to keep in contact with your Kate. If you are anything like myself, you will leave your meet up feeling confident and inspired.

Monday Motivation: Happy Presidents' Day! Edition

Happy Presidents' Day!
Here's your Monday Motivation.

x

on the road again

If you live in the Chicago area and are currently reading this, do yourself a favor. Go outside and go for a walk. Or 6 mile run.

Yes, I am back and training for my third half marathon. Side note: Does it count as training for your third event? Or would "prepping" be more appropriate? Either way, it is gorgeous outside and anyone with who is able bodied should throw on some sneakers and a jacket and head outside. Plus, we all need to take advantage of these winter days where the sun is out and you won't freeze your tail off by going outside.

More to come. Promise.