April 28, 2015 – #ActOfKindness

Happy Tuesday! Today’s #ActOfKindness — bring in a homemade baked good for your office.

Don’t Forget, THIS Thursday (April 30th) is Pay It Forward Day! Visit pifdayusa.com to learn how you can get involved. Post your photos of your random acts of kindness, tag your photos with #tagyourgive, and challenge your friends/family to spread the love!

April 24, 2015 – #ActOfKindness

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do that same for you.” – Princess Diana

Today’s #ActOfKindness… send someone a note in the mail 🙂

THIS Thursday, April 30th is Pay It Forward Day! I encourage everyone to celebrate and take part. Visit payitforward.com to learn more!

April 21, 2015 – #ActOfKindness

“Yoga is the journey of the self, to the self, through the self.”

Today’s #ActOfKindness was gifting a friend a month membership to one of my favorite yoga studios, Bala Yoga.

April 16, 2015 – #ActOfKindness

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” – Lao Tzu

Spring is a great opportunity to clean thing up in your life! Donate or give away all those clothes that you never wear anymore 🙂

April 9, 2015 – #ActOfKindness

 Today’s #RandomActOfKindness: Buy someone a cup of coffee.

#ActsOfKindness Project

Throughout my life I have always found enjoyment in doing random acts of kindness for others. With that thought in mind I’ve decided to start documenting the #ActsOfKindness I do as well as sharing those of others. Here’s to PAYING IT FORWARD!

“We rise by lifting others.” – Robert Ingersoll

This first #ActOfKindess comes from none other than my Mother. A woman who has taught me there is no limits to giving, and for that I am grateful. Every time I look at these flowers I smile 🙂

The Business Lessons I’ve Learned Working for Ex-NFL Players

Six months ago I began working in the office of two ex-NFL players.

Kerry Carter and Joe Tafoya own a sports and technology firm called JumpIt Media. Both have extensive and impressive pro football careers, but what I find more remarkable is how these two do business.

Having a rich pro football career is one thing, but being able to bridge the gap into a successful post-football career is another.

Here are the seven lessons I have learned from working with these two inspiring businessmen:

1)    Have a system in place –

• Staying organized is crucial. Having a personal system in place helps define the larger tasks and goals of the company, keeping everyone informed on what’s happening.

2)    Teamwork is key –

• A business functions much like a professional sports team. In order to achieve the end goal it takes the effort and teamwork of all players.

3)    9-5 doesn’t exist –

• Work hours are based on when work needs to be done; it’s as simple as that.

4)    Create goals –

• Know your end goal, create a plan of execution, and map out how you’re going to get there.

5)    Take time to have a laugh –

• It’s important to remember to stop and have a laugh every once in awhile. For example, frequent “dance breaks” in the office are a great way to relieve some stress.

6)    Hustle, hustle, hustle –

• Don’t miss an opportunity to connect, network and get yourself out there because you never know where it may end up.

Design and Delivery

Public Speaking.

Being an average public speaker is easy. Being an engaging, interesting, thoughtful speaker… thats a tough one! I just came across a great parody video titled “Every Presentation Ever,” where all those nasty annoyances and mistakes of giving a simple presentation make there way into an incredibly amusing and very relevant video.

Let’s watch first:

Every Presentation Ever: Communication FAIL

I found this video from an article called “The 10 most important lessons for speakers”. As a Communications major in University, not only do I have a passion for public speaking, I enjoy helping others become more confident, engaging and credible speakers. I spent a great deal of time in University facilitating and instructing fellow students on the basics of public speaking. It is a skill that one can continuously be working on, tweaking and improving.

And here are a few small personal tips of mine:

• Practice, practice, practice. Knowing the subject you are speaking about and practicing your speech will translate through your presentation.
• Nervous before your presentation? Relax your body, close your eyes, and take multiple deep breaths. Re-focusing your energy on your breathing, will help calm nerves and jitters.
• Water. Its always ok to have a bottle of water with you just in case you need a little hydration mid speech or if you tend to get dry mouth.

Remember to enjoy yourself, have fun and be enthusiastic!