Why Things are On Your Mind

It's been a bit since I've posted, hasn't it? 2017 has been a roller coaster of a year so far, with lots of personal ups and downs. But as we move toward mid-year, I've been feeling stronger and better, with lots to look forward to. I hope to write more on the blog this summer - with a 30 Before 30 update, as well as some travel recaps and some reflection and plans for the future.

Currently, it's summer, which means that the nature of my work on a college campus shifts and changes. I'm much more project-focused in the summer; the day-to-day event and advising grind is minimal, and we can take a step back to focus on some big-picture thinking.

One of my projects for the summer is to read Getting Things Done, a productivity-focused book that came to me highly recommended by some friends and colleagues. Although I'm an active Bullet Journal user and lover of all things organization, I'm also a recovering procrastinator (Hi, my name is Cassidy, and I'm a Procrastinator), and I'm always on the lookout for systems, tips, and tricks to help me focus and get things done. Thus, reading this book!

I'm reading a little bit at a time, and in the introduction to the GTD system, the author, David Allen, talks about the importance of getting things OFF your mind in order to clear it, so you can then focus on getting things done.

His theory about WHY things are on your mind really resonated with me. I've quoted it here:

Most often, the reason something is on your mind is that you want it to be different than it currently is, and yet:

• you haven't clarified exactly what the intended outcome is; 

•  you haven't decided what the very next physical action step is; and/or

• you haven't put reminders of the outcome and the action required in a system you trust. 

 First, let's talk about that deep why: "the reason something is on your mind is that you want it to be different than it currently is."

Whoa.

From feeling guilty about not writing in this blog more, to wanting to work out and get in shape, to stressing over my to-do list at work, I constantly live in a world where I want things to be different than they are (and by different, I usually mean better). My intentions are so pure; I want to make a difference; I want to be a person of integrity; I want to be joyful; and yet...

• I haven't clarified exactly what the intended outcome is

Feeling guilt about neglecting this blog is NOT doing anything to move me toward my intended outcome - publishing regularly on this blog. And yet, by naming that outcome, I relieve some stress - I have identified the specific thing that I would like to be different. That idea can feel big sometimes, though, which leads to...

• I haven't decided what the next physical action step is

If all I do is bug myself about "writing more," but haven't given myself the specific task of "write a blog post NOW," or "tomorrow" - if I haven't given myself a small, manageable, action-step-chunk to work on - then my intended outcome won't be reached, and the Thing will still be On My Mind. Then, of course, there's...

• I haven't put reminders of the outcome and the action required to meet it in a system I trust

The jury's still out on this one - I look forward to continuing to read this book and see what system that Allen recommends to Get Things Done.

But actually writing this blog post and this post's content were both inspired by an exercise that Allen runs through, and I'll leave you with this method, and encourage you to think on what's On Your Mind:

I suggest that you write down the project or situation that is most on your mind at this moment. What most bugs you, distracts you, or interests you, or in some other way consumes a large part of your conscious attention? It may be a project or problem that is really "in your face,' something you are being pressed to handle, or a situation you feel you must deal with sooner rather than later.

...Got it? Good. Now, describe, in a single written sentence, your intended successful outcome for this problem or situation. In other words, what would need to happen for you to check this project off as "done"?

...Now write down the very next physical action required to move the situation forward. If you had nothing else to do in your life but get closure on this, what visible action would you take right now? Would you call or text someone? Write an email?

...Got an answer to that? Good.

Was there any value for you in those two minutes of thinking? If you're like the vast majority of people who complete that drill in our seminars, you'll be experiencing at least a tiny bit of enhanced control, relaxation, and focus. You'll also be feeling more motivated to actually do something about that situation you've merely been thinking about till now. 

So, what's been on your mind? Why?

A Breath of Fresh Air

Take a deep breath.

Slowly, exhale.

Do you feel it? Do you feel the tension ease? 

Do you feel that tightness in between your shoulder blades loosen? Do you feel that weight on your heart lift?

For all my education buddies out there, breathe that sweet air. That's summertime. (For those of you who are still plugging away, don't give up! The light is there, waiting for you at the end of the tunnel.)

As I've blogged about before, as much as I love what I do and the students I work with, summer is a time to breathe easy. It's a time when the rush, hustle, and bustle of the school year dissipates, and calendars open up to days without structure, days full of free moments. Of course, this doesn't mean that idleness reigns supreme; on the contrary, summer is a time when I seek to be more productive than ever. Summer is a time when I can break out that ever-growing project list, and block out whole uninterrupted hours of my day to get things done (as opposed to the school year, when my students pop in and out of my office like the Caddyshack gopher). 

But summer is also a wonderful time to reflect on the academic year past - I have completed 2 school years at IU now (and the calendar two year anniversary is in August). It is a time to think about how I've grown as a professional, and how I can continue to stretch myself. It's a time to reflect on all the things I've learned, and to ponder what lessons I still have yet to learn. 

I'm going to be productive this summer, for sure. I plan to do quite a bit of writing this summer, both here on the blog and also some professional topics. I plan to clean and organize my office and my apartment, continuing my #OneWord theme of "simplicity" and practice streamlining my life. 

But more than anything, I plan to breathe the sweet summer air. I plan to spend time with friends, making memories to last a lifetime. I plan to relax, to stop pressuring myself to perform 24/7 and to just spend some time just being, living, breathing. 

Take another deep breath.

Slowly, exhale.

It's summertime, y'all. 

Musings on an October Day

Sometimes, one gets the urge to write, and so one must indulge oneself, no matter if one's thoughts are cohesive. (One also occasionally sounds like the Queen of England. We are not amused.)

~

It's FINALLY feeling like fall in Indiana, and Mother Nature isn't the only one dealing with changes. It seems as if everything is in flux right now, but not necessarily in a bad way. I've made a few life changes on my own account for which I'm VERY proud of myself:

FIRST: I started taking a modern dance class once a week. It is the day when I leave work at 5 p.m. like normal people do, and it is the day when I pretend to be Jody Sawyer from Center Stage and just dance my little heart out (regardless of my feet!).

SECOND: I was invited, accepted, and initiated into Gamma Phi Beta sorority as an alumna initiate, and I couldn't be happier about my new sisterhood. I am thrilled to join a long history of women who believe in inspiring "the highest type of womanhood," and I am already so impressed by the alumnae and undergrads that I've met who are now my sisters. I can't wait to get more involved with the chapter here at IU, and to get to fully experience being a Greek!

~

Work continues apace. I am in the midst of my second year as a professional at IU, and my fourth year (SO weird to think about) in a student affairs role as a para/professional. On the one hand, there are moments when I am 1000% confident in who I am as a colleague and advisor; I relish the times when I (finally) know an answer to a student's question or when I am able to provide historic or institutionally contextual perspective to a discussion. I'm expanding my network and deepening my friendships on campus, and I'm FINALLY feeling like a Bloomington "townie." On the other hand, and I have been assured that I am NOT alone in this, there are moments when the dreaded "impostor syndrome" still plagues me, and when I feel like I have been working at this job for a little over a month instead of a little over a year. Thankfully, I have a supportive supervisor and encouraging colleagues, and so I strive to make it through each week a little wiser and a little more equipped professionally.

~

Nerd Alert: the GREAT news is that I'm getting the chance to take part in some awesome professional development opportunities this fall - not only is IU hosting this year's Indiana Student Affairs Association Drive-In Conference (yay day-long pro.dev.!), I also had a presentation proposal accepted at an upcoming regional conference in Ohio! ACUI, one of my professional organizations (the Association of College Unions-International, for those of you who are curious), is hosting my region's conference in a couple of weeks, and I'll be presenting on how to talk with and teach college students about fiscal responsibility in programming (using my own students as a case study). Yeah, I know, I'm a big nerd. But I really like my job and my students are really smart, and I can't not brag on them! I'm also excited to get to talk with other professionals in the midwest about the work they're doing, and see if I can't get some really great ideas to bring back here to our Union.

~

I'm getting the travel bug again. It happens every couple of months, so I'm right on schedule. While the bug will be partially satiated by the aforementioned conference in Ohio, I'll REALLY be getting my travel fix for Thanksgiving, when I get to make a grand return to the motherland for some turkey with good friends and another best friend's WEDDING festivities! (Which will be held at The Salt Lick. Yes, you may indulge in jealousy, while I indulge in delicious barbecue.)

~

I realize, at the end of all this, that it's like a newsletter for my life. But I really have gotten the blogging itch today, and I realized that it's been two and a half months since I last updated this blog, and so I felt some routine life updates were in order. I've been pondering some deeper issues that will hopefully become blog posts sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, I wanted to put it out to the universe that I'm alive and pretty darn content with life.

(As a treat for making it all the way to the end of this post, you now get to watch what must rank as one of the cutest videos of all time. You're welcome.)

The Best Advice I Ever Received: Cover Letter Edition

Writing twice in a week? (almost) Unprecedented! But, per my commitment to do some personal reflection and some professional development, I come to you now with a topic fresh on my mind: the oft-dreaded cover letter.

(cue dramatic music. and yes, that link goes to exactly where you think it goes to.)

As you may remember, about a year and half ago I wrote one of the most dramatic and, in retrospect, silliest blog posts about how much I hate writing cover letters. But it was true then, and if I were applying for jobs now, it would probably still be true - I really, really don't like writing cover letters. Honestly, the first one is the hardest; by the time I was applying for my umpteenth jobs in May, June, and July, I had my structure and writing process down pat. But those first few were rough, in more ways than one: not only was it difficult to write the letters, but the content was definitely a rough draft.

Thankfully, I had the advice and oversight of wonderful friends, colleagues, and mentors, who gave me great feedback and helped me craft my perfect cover letter. And because I know there are quite a few recent grads out there who are still job searching (which is TOTALLY OKAY, you are NOT ALONE, you will NOT BE UNEMPLOYED, JUST BREATHE!!!), I wanted to pass along some of the best cover letter-writing advice that I got from my colleagues on to you.

It's never too late, my friends, to jazz up your cover letter and really make it sing. (I don't know where those music metaphors came from, but there you go). For me, making my cover letter really shine came down to a few top tips:

1) Make the cover letter sound like you wrote it. Thanks to my dear friend Amma (her blog is linked here, READ IT for reals) for this piece of advice and for a few others on this list... your cover letter needs to sounds like YOU. It is quite possibly the first impression an employer will get of who you are, and so it needs to sound like you! Now, I'm not saying you should go full-on informal prose for this tip ("Yo, whaddup search committee?" is probably a big no-no), but there should definitely be elements of YOU in your cover letter (as opposed to your letter sounding like you ripped it off of a "how to write a cover letter" website or Word template). This may take some tweaking, but eventually you can strike a good balance of professional and personally reflective.
My example: my cover letter always started with a "Hello!" It was friendly, open, and reflects me and my personality.

2) Don't be apologetic for your mad skills. This GORGEOUS piece of advice came down from my awesome theory prof (shoutout to you, Brad Cox) through my friend, colleague, and mentor Mackenzie (mad props for her counsel and advice always). I'm gonna get real here: one of the hardest parts of the job search is seemingly bragging about yourself, or, in more normal terms, "self-promotion." It's something I'm not super comfortable with or something I'm very good at (Amma wrote a great blog post about it earlier this year).  But it's a reality of the job search - you need to try to represent how AMAZING a candidate you are. With that, one of the easiest traps to fall into as you're writing a cover letter are the following phrases (see if you recognize any in your cover letter):
"I have had the opportunity to..."
"I am privileged to..."
"I have the chance to..."
Sound familiar? Here's the truth that Brad and Mackenzie passed on to me: while it may seem in your head that you're being honest (let's get real, some days it's a real privilege and honor to do what we do in student affairs), on paper, it seems like you're apologizing for the skills, experiences, and jobs that you've had and accomplished. As Brad put it, "No. You didn't 'have the chance' to do this, you DID IT. You didn't 'have the opportunity' to do this, YOU DID IT."
When you think about it, that makes sense, huh?
And let's be real in another aspect - writing cover letters can be hard because you can't waste or mince words. So don't waste any words apologizing or downplaying your skills and experience, OWN THEM. You DID plan that event. You DID advise those students. It doesn't sound arrogant, it sounds confident and that you have taken ownership of your abilities!

Last but not least...
3) Tell the employer why you're interested in their position. This is another gem passed on to me through Amma, and I can't tell you how meaningful this piece of advice is. Again, I know that you don't want to mince or waste words in your cover letter. But here's the deal - if you spend the whole cover letter talking about why you're qualified for a position, and never touch on WHY you want that position or WHY you want to work at that institution or in that office, it stops being confident and starts reading like you send the same cover letter to every single employer.
And listen, it's FINE if you use the same basic words and structure for your cover letters; I certainly did! But there should be some unique piece in each of your cover letters that addresses one particular institution alone, and tells them why you're even interested in the position.
I promise you, adding this piece to your cover letter, especially as an entry-level professional, can set you MILES above other candidates. The job search is a two-way recruitment process; not only are you trying to sell yourself to your potential employer, but the employer is also trying to get you interested in working at their institution! So if you don't indicate that there's at least a modicum of interest in an institution or office - it could be in their mission statement, in a specific program or model of operation that they have, in their student population or departmental philosophy, whatever - the employer will wonder why you even want the job in the first place! (And I know that there's more to it than just being employed :). )

So there you have it. Those are the 3 best pieces of advice that I received about cover letter writing for student affairs positions.

Have you received any stellar advice? What would you pass on to new generations of student affairs professionals?

It's Not About [So]Me

Lately, there's been a particular topic on my mind; one that, as a practicing Christian and specifically as a Catholic, is very close to my heart: the church season of Lent.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar or a little rusty, Lent is the season immediately preceding Easter, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday (the day after Mardi Gras for you Louisiana natives), and spans 40 days. The Catholic church especially intends Lent to be a time of solemn reflection, leading up to a holiday full of rejoicing. Christians are familiar with stories from the Gospels, describing Jesus' temptation in the desert, and how he stayed strong in the midst of the world's temptations through prayer and fasting. Keeping in mind the constant goal of being followers of Christ (that is what "Christian" means, after all!), the church (again, the Catholic church especially) encourages all its members to spend the season of Lent like Jesus did--engaging in prayer, penance, and fasting; working on our spiritual discipline; and constantly strengthening our faith through any and all means.

So as you can imagine, there's a spirit of sacrifice and self-denial surrounding the season of Lent. Lent, for Christians, is all about remembering that life is hard, but in the end, the reward is incomparable. Lent is all about denying the self, and focusing more on "things above" than things here below.

I bet at this point you've figured out where this is leading--I'm going to share with you what I decided to give up for Lent. Some of you who read this blog may already know, but here it is: I decided, for the 40 days of Lent, I will not take part in my usual/daily social media outlets (specifically Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr).
**Note: Yes, I realize the irony of sharing these reflections via blogging, a medium that many consider to be social media, but please humor the method to my madness :)**

Those of you who read this blog regularly, most of whom know me pretty well, will know that this is quite a sacrifice (which, of course, is the point--giving up something for Lent is not supposed to be easy). I use Facebook to keep in touch with my high school, college, and grad school friends who live across the country from me. I use Twitter for multitudinous reasons, chief among them a) engaging in professional development with other student affairs professionals across the country, b) live-Tweeting movies, and c) talking about Beyonce. I use Tumblr to keep on top of my pop culture consumption; without it I would not have known so early that Disney is putting a Boy Meets World sequel sitcom, featuring much of the original cast, into production (if you didn't already know this, REJOICE WITH ME). And I use Instagram... well, I'm not really sure how I use Instagram yet. There's not really a streamlined purpose for it for me. I do enjoy looking at pictures of my friends' meals, though, so that's something.

TL; DR: I am almost CONSTANTLY engaging on social media. I have apps on my phone; as soon as I wake up in the morning I'm checking Instagram photos and seeing funny tweets that popped up the night before. When I have a moment at work, I'm scanning Tumblr for the latest updates or taking a few moments out of my day to tweet encouraging messages to friends and students. I check Facebook daily to make sure that I haven't missed any friends' birthdays and to post funny Buzzfeed articles on buddies' walls. From the moment I open my eyes in the morning to the moment I close them at night, I am plugged in and connected to my many networks.

So I did some reflecting right before Ash Wednesday this year, about what to give up for Lent. And I realized something very important: while the amazing networks are, after all, the POINT of social media, all of my social media outlets are doing something for me that I did not intend: they are distracting me. I am constantly drawn to pull up Facebook (assuming, in a very silly way, that I will have some notification that wasn't there 30 seconds ago); I am constantly drawn to send a new tweet or to see what new celebrity-based topic might be trending. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, I allow myself through social media to be distracted. And it's not only at work (although work is primarily where distraction is a BIG problem)--in the mornings, when I wake up, my time could be better spent getting ready for the day, rather than spending 15 minutes checking all my social media apps. Instead of reading Twitter as I eat breakfast, I could be spending some quiet time reading my Bible and doing a devotional, mentally fortifying myself for the day ahead. Instead of spending hours perusing Tumblr after I get home from work, I could be reading a book or cozying up on my couch to watch a movie. Instead of trying to capture the perfect moment to share with friends on Instagram, I could be experiencing the moment.

Lent, ultimately, is about removing the distractions of this world and the temptation to gratify the self. To use church phraseology, it's about "dying to the self" (denying the temptation of constant self-centeredness and selfishness) and being reborn in the faith, with daily motivation found from and intended focus on "things above": God, and what He is doing daily in this world and in my life. So this Lent, that's what I want to do--focus more on things above, rather than things here below.

And hopefully, this focus on higher things--on what God is doing daily in my life, about how I can serve Him better--will lead to a better life here on earth, one that is less centered on me and more centered on others. Serving and loving others is one of the highest pursuits in this life, and I want to give my all to that end.

So, adios, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr. We'll talk again in about 40 days... or maybe not. This no-distractions thing is pretty awesome, once you get used to it. 

I'm moving on up!

Good morning, faithful readers!

So, as you can tell, I've done a little changing up, and my blog is now brand-spanking-new in hosted website, format, and title. Here are some reasons for the changes:

1. Website: Although I admire Tumblr very much as a site and will still maintain my account there, the purpose of the site is geared much more towards microblogging, and since my posts are generally pretty reflective and not-so-micro, I figured it would be best for my site to reflect the purpose of my blog. So here I am, on the ever-faithful Blogger (sponsored by my homeboys, Google)!

2. Format: You'll notice a new design on my page. I LOVE reading (post to come about that!), and books and reading and writing make up a significant portion of the passions of my life, so why not have books as my background? Additionally, you'll notice a handy-dandy little side bar that shows you my Twitter feed updates. Twitter has become a huge part of my life, personally and professionally, and so I'd like to connect my online identities, blogging and tweeting. Which leads me to my next point...

3. Title: One of my biggest goals with this blog switch is to be a lot more intentional with my writing and my online identity in general. The #sachat community on Twitter (see the Twitter post to come for more info) talks a lot about personal branding, and I want my brand to more accurately reflect me! So with that, I'm moving the focus of my blog from my growing up process (because, let's be real, I'll be growing up for the rest of my life) to my constant search for meaning in everything. Writing is a huge part of my life and a huge catharsis for me, and it helps me think more about why I do what I do and make plans to be more intentional with everything that I do. So with that, I borrow some words from the band Jack's Mannequin for the blog title (the song is called "I'm Ready," and it's a goodie), and some even more brilliant words from one of my favorite poets, William Wordsworth for the description--I want to fill my paper (or your computer screen) with the breathings of my heart. I seek to be genuine in everything I do, and that includes this blog!

However, don't let all this "intentionality" and "genuineness" talk scare you away... I'm just trying to be more authentically ME! (Although if I scare you, you probably shouldn't be reading my blog anyway, huh?)

With that, it's time to go on with my day, but look for another new update soon. :)