As I was sitting at home working on Mastery Tests for my new job today I couldn't help but reflect at how 2011 was a complete whirlwind...wait, wasn't 2010 a whirlwind? 2009?...Honestly, the past several years have been so trying for me but out of it I have become a stronger person inside (and a little outside). You see, I've always been a firm believer that lasting through adversity only makes a person stronger. It can be a game of survival. It's similar to what I say after a really tough workout, 'well, I'm not dead so I must be stronger.' The past couple of years have proven my own theory. I know people experience the unexpected and other adversity at points in their lives, but mine seemed to escalate and explode this year.
On a positive note, I had closure on a couple of issues in my life and am happy to move forward... A wiser, funnier, and up for the challenge of creating my own future type of Cat Woman. Despite the turbulence, I have managed my life's situations in ways that have kept things moving forward, kept the people close to me sincere, and myself humbled (almost hitting rock bottom, almost). I sometimes wonder if this journey that is my life will ever slow down, but I don't know if I want it to. Often it's not the end result that matters, but rather, the journey. So, on that note I am ready to close the chapter on the year of Kicking Life in the Shins, also known as 2011, and move on to make 2012 The Official Year of Kick Ass. Continuing the drive of grabbing life by the horns, throwing it around a bit, and officially kicking its ass will bring new accomplishments and success with same ol' me. All the while continuing to make my journey a fun one.
Yours in strength (inner and outer),
~Cat~
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The value of a smile..
Yesterday was Monday, and it was raining. Usually I don't let those two factors determine my mood. But yesterday I was in a pretty crappy mood. Then of course, lately my stress levels have been pretty high, so unfortunately, the fact that it was Monday AND it was raining effected me a little bit. I typically look at Monday's as a fresh start. New week. New business. New opportunities. Another chance to start the week off right and make it better than the previous week.
As an entrepreneur and a person who works in sales, most of the time I am conscious of my appearance, demeanor, facial expressions, perspective, etc. Always asking myself the question: "Would I approach me?" Anyone who owns a business, talks with others on a daily basis in business, or has a market to serve understands the fact that one must be 'approachable'. Not stand-offish and bothered by others' inquiries or conversation. People pleasing isn't the key to success in business, but relationships are key, so it's important to be trustworthy, approachable, and smart. So with that in mind my personal 'ism' to success in life is: "Smile, you'll make more money." Of course it's a simplistic approach, but in perspective a person is more likely to attract others when he or she has the outward appearance of being happy. The easiest way to share that feeling is to simply smile. Be happy to help others. Engage with others. Be genuine. Smile. I have even gone so far as to get dental work done to make sure I'm at least confident in my smile and folks aren't turned off by my smile.
Back to Monday...after the meeting my mood felt a little better because the meeting was positive, encouraging, and very informative for the sales team. Pumped and ready to book appointments. The stresses of my personal life and finances still pressed on in my mind though. When I stopped at the gas station and was walking in to go put '20 on 5' (yep, times are tight when I'm paying cash for my fuel) and a woman walked out of the store as I'm walking up, classic suburbanite climbing into her Lexus SUV, dressed nice, hair and makeup near perfect, and she looked at me and just flashed the nicest, most courteous and genuine smile and said 'Hello'. Now how can I not respond to that? I mean, I definitely did not want to be 'a snooty bitch' and not respond, or flash a 'fake smile' so I smiled back. I was pleasantly surprised and returned the 'Hello', and it was genuine. A friendly interaction that could have been shrugged off, but the fact that it re-aligned my perspective on my Monday issues making me realize that the only way to go is up, the whole thing felt good.
The whole 'incident' got me thinking that life's not so bad, and that there is a lot of value in a genuine smile. The value perceived may vary by person, but think of how a smile can change your day or better yet, someone else's day. I'm not trying to be the rah-rah smile cheerleader, but if you want to make a difference in someone's day or your own, flash a pretty little smile and see what happens.
~Cat~
As an entrepreneur and a person who works in sales, most of the time I am conscious of my appearance, demeanor, facial expressions, perspective, etc. Always asking myself the question: "Would I approach me?" Anyone who owns a business, talks with others on a daily basis in business, or has a market to serve understands the fact that one must be 'approachable'. Not stand-offish and bothered by others' inquiries or conversation. People pleasing isn't the key to success in business, but relationships are key, so it's important to be trustworthy, approachable, and smart. So with that in mind my personal 'ism' to success in life is: "Smile, you'll make more money." Of course it's a simplistic approach, but in perspective a person is more likely to attract others when he or she has the outward appearance of being happy. The easiest way to share that feeling is to simply smile. Be happy to help others. Engage with others. Be genuine. Smile. I have even gone so far as to get dental work done to make sure I'm at least confident in my smile and folks aren't turned off by my smile.
Back to Monday...after the meeting my mood felt a little better because the meeting was positive, encouraging, and very informative for the sales team. Pumped and ready to book appointments. The stresses of my personal life and finances still pressed on in my mind though. When I stopped at the gas station and was walking in to go put '20 on 5' (yep, times are tight when I'm paying cash for my fuel) and a woman walked out of the store as I'm walking up, classic suburbanite climbing into her Lexus SUV, dressed nice, hair and makeup near perfect, and she looked at me and just flashed the nicest, most courteous and genuine smile and said 'Hello'. Now how can I not respond to that? I mean, I definitely did not want to be 'a snooty bitch' and not respond, or flash a 'fake smile' so I smiled back. I was pleasantly surprised and returned the 'Hello', and it was genuine. A friendly interaction that could have been shrugged off, but the fact that it re-aligned my perspective on my Monday issues making me realize that the only way to go is up, the whole thing felt good.
The whole 'incident' got me thinking that life's not so bad, and that there is a lot of value in a genuine smile. The value perceived may vary by person, but think of how a smile can change your day or better yet, someone else's day. I'm not trying to be the rah-rah smile cheerleader, but if you want to make a difference in someone's day or your own, flash a pretty little smile and see what happens.
~Cat~
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Somewhat girlie night..
So, as I was feeling a little girlie tonight drinking my Skinny Girl Margarita and listening to my Adele station on Pandora, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of sadness and guilt whenever Amy Winehouse showed up on the playlist. I'd think to myself, 'No other voice will compare to her', and 'So bummed I never got to see her in concert.' I have a couple of her CD's, and her F*#k Me Pumps is one of my favorite songs. I have always had a soft spot for gals with soulful voices: Amy, Joss, Adele, and Etta as they have somehow touched a part of my heart because of the depth and soul that their voices so represent. Historically, there have been artists that have fallen to rest in peace at the same age and time in their careers as Amy did, but you can't help but feel sadness that no one was there to help her come out of her dark place before she fell. Was this a classic case of the rock star lifestyle? Or is it just a reminder of how deep and lost artists (musically or any other art form) can get at certain points of their careers? The pressures to produce material, fallen relationships, loneliness..they all play some role in an artist's journey. The evidence is often in their songs. For the average person, obviously seeking solace in drugs is not likely to lead to a productive solution. After all, what kind of boss will say it's ok you missed a meeting because you were hungover from your overdose the night before? Sorry, a bit of cynicism. But, it kind of serves as a lesson. A lesson to not fall to the bottom alone. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. One is typically not so bad, after all, who doesn't appreciate a little down time and alone time every once in a while?..but when you fall and find yourself lonely versus alone is when you have to find the strength to seek help. Oftentimes, that is a test of one's inner strength. So, is it fair to ask if some of the artists that have searched for solace in a mind altering drug really that strong of a person? Sometimes, the answer is no and the unfortunate issue evolves to the pressure of being a celebrity. Part of the full circle. Amy did say that she was 'just a musician'. What kind of 'musician' are you in your corner of the world?
We can't go through life seeking for a cheat way, easy way, no effort way, non-challenging way..you get my point out to find minimum exerted effort in life and call it successful, right? Adversity comes full circle. Your inner strength is tested in times of adversity. Pressure to get the job done right, produce a sufficient amount of sales numbers, athletic statistics, write and record a hit song..an internationally known musician just has extra perks, right?..Oh, wait..so it's ok. Mental issues have a way of exposing their ugly heads when a person is lonely at the bottom with no one to help pick them up, or when the pressures of your career lead to such intense amounts of pressure that you crack or cave into an easy way out..only to find yourself alone when it comes to crunch time. I can't help but wonder if the element of self-responsibility becomes a factor that needs to be re-evaluated? Well, I'd say yes. After all, in the end we are each responsible for ourselves and our own actions.
R.I.P. Amy. I will jam your beautiful, troubled songs, and keep you in my memories for years to come.
We can't go through life seeking for a cheat way, easy way, no effort way, non-challenging way..you get my point out to find minimum exerted effort in life and call it successful, right? Adversity comes full circle. Your inner strength is tested in times of adversity. Pressure to get the job done right, produce a sufficient amount of sales numbers, athletic statistics, write and record a hit song..an internationally known musician just has extra perks, right?..Oh, wait..so it's ok. Mental issues have a way of exposing their ugly heads when a person is lonely at the bottom with no one to help pick them up, or when the pressures of your career lead to such intense amounts of pressure that you crack or cave into an easy way out..only to find yourself alone when it comes to crunch time. I can't help but wonder if the element of self-responsibility becomes a factor that needs to be re-evaluated? Well, I'd say yes. After all, in the end we are each responsible for ourselves and our own actions.
R.I.P. Amy. I will jam your beautiful, troubled songs, and keep you in my memories for years to come.
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