Orange-Type Karma

Remember how I talked about putting myself out there and seeing positive results? You know, Bill Murray? Well, it continues.

The day after I wrote that post, I was pulled into one of my company's executive's offices and he asked me if I would be interested in taking a new position.

Long story short:
This executive was so impressed by the work I submitted for the competition he created a job position just for me. I'm technically the "Operations Analyst" but it's really a mix of executive assistant, project guru and get-it-done-right operative.

It's bad ass.

Seriously, I am using my mind in a way I love, it stretches me and I can see my work making a difference throughout the company. It's amazing.

As for continuing my good karma: We just launched a new product, PageInk, and for the launch we had a little party at work, part of which you could spin a wheel to win a shirt, hat or pen. I have been wanting a PageInk hat so badly, I'm not even sure why. So, I told myself I would win. Badabing-badaBOOM! I now own a PageInk hat. I was happy*.

*"Happy" is an understatement. "Stoked" is more accurate. I literally ran out of the party to yell at DeNeige telling her I had won. Thank goodness my friends get my weirdness.

Scenes from the weekend

Chocolate-dipped ice cream from Maceys.

Ducklings all over the place.

Taylor flying our kite.

Why, Thank you Bill Murray!

This year I have been working on being more aggressive in taking advantage of opportunities that expand, showcase or otherwise involve my talents. I have an issue with people seeing my skills because I have this weird fear where I feel like I haven't reached my true ability, and I'm embarrassed by that. But that's dangerous, because you can't reach your potential without putting yourself out there. Right?

So this year, I was published in the Huffington Post here. I was a finalist in the Stratejoy "Living Life on Your Own Terms" contest. And most recently I submitted 20 pages of content for an intra-company contest. I took liberty with the topic and submitted an internal re-branding proposal.

As one of the winners I received a chunk of change and I will be part of the committee to finalize the documentation.

Booyah.

In response, my dear co-worker, Whitney, gave me this:

Fact.

Work Lessons and Life Mottoes

Working full-time has been a great opportunity to really learn. Let me bullet-point a few things I have found to be especially pertinent to career-minded women and to me.

1. Talk More. We hear all the time that we need to listen more, but it goes two ways: we really do need to talk more. I have spent a lot of time listening and talking with my co-workers about general life issues and specific life problems. I have always loved listening to people, because I feel like I am able to "get the interesting from them" but really it helps me establish myself, my goals and my direction. And I am astounded at how much people just need to be heard aka they need to talk.
2. Self-confidence. Two office-girlfriends and I have made this picture our new life motto. Women have an uncanny ability to be our own worst enemies. And so, we have all decided enough is enough. We are beautiful, we are smart, we are capable and dammit, the world is going to know it!
   
   
   
   
3. Do work. The number one thing I've tell myself is to just do work. No matter how boring, how unrelated it may seem to my long-term goals, or how much I may begrudge it, just get it done to the best of my abilities.

     

First Goal: 21-day Yoga Challenge

Interesting how you make a conscious decision to focus your life and things just fall into your lap! Thank you Twitter, and Yoga Journal, for bringing this to my attention: 21-Day Yoga Challenge!

Starting January 9th, 2012, I will receive daily newsletters describing that day's practice. I'm told it will include a video link, practice tips and information about the week's direction.
There are three parts to the challenge:

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Nutrition

The challenge will guide me through different mediations, new forms of yoga and once a week I will eat a vegetarian diet. 

I'm really excited! I already believe in the importance of yoga and mediation and I've been toying with the idea of eating raw for a month, so this will be a great way to start the new year.

Who is interested in doing the challenge with me?! This is a social thing!

Strong Women Career Advice

These are passionate people who lead the dramatic changes going on in our industry and are taking new approaches and using new tools and channels.

-Melissa Waggener Zorkin, SEO, President and Founder of Waggener Edstrom

One of the ways I will grow and develop during the deployment is to focus on public relations. I was astounded at how perfectly my personality fits the public relations mindset. I wrote some thoughts about advice from successful women in public relations on my other blog, here. Check it out, and let me know your thoughts about balancing life, love and career.

New Goals: A Military Wife

I have purposefully waited to write this post because I wanted things to be finalized before I made anything "blog official." Taylor will be deploying with his Utah Army National Guard unit to Afghanistan on January 15, 2012. Yup, less than a month after we get married.

Needless to say, things are crazy right now. I'm in the final count-down for the wedding with last minute to-do lists and coordinations and I'm mentally preparing myself with long term goals and short term goals for his departure. Weird that I'm going to be a military wife. The military spouse transformation will be complete with military ID, power of attorney and military spouse benefits.

The thing that keeps me going is knowing that things are going to be okay. We'll be married, we have been separated before and we love each other. Plus, the overriding feeling (even at times stronger than the pain of him leaving which I already feel) is that he is suppose to go. I can't fight it, and it makes his national guard duties easier to accept and support.

Next week I should have some down time because he starts training so I am going to do a "strong women" list of my goals or ideas of how to be successful for the next year of full-time army. If you are, were or know any military spouses, feel free to connect us. If there's anything I've realized in the past month it's that support networks are the only way to stay strong during a spousal separation.

Lots of love,

Hilary

Evolution

I came across this poster when I was doing some research about former Bogota politician, Antanas Mockus.

All politics aside, I think this is intriguing. I believe in evolution (a silly thing to say unless you remember that the stereotype of religious people is they believe the modern theory of evolution is inherently exclusive from the creation story and that I am a religious-type person) and I am engaged to a military man and I identify with the girl on the bike.

The future of our world must be the little girl on the bike. Things have to change, either by our decision or by circumstances.

I'll get off my soap box. I just felt like sharing.

Electronic Validation

Last week, the Huffington Post College section posted a tweet asking if anyone would be interested in writing a post about the Occupy Wall Street Movement. I answered and put together a 500 word op-ed. I don't do well at writing my opinion about a popular and complicated situation because I don't feel I'm qualified to make judgments. A very Socratic mindset of the more I learn, the more I realize I have no idea. But I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity; if a college educated woman who seeks out education and understanding is afraid to say something, who is educated enough? I know I'm not the most educated and I'm definitely not an expert but I am smart enough.


So here it is: I was published on the Huffington Post. I am more proud of this than I seem to be.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hilary-hurst/the-disappointing-sheen-o_b_1023744.html

A Vintage Winter

I love autumn outfits and I love vintage pictures so obviously this picture is perfect and I want everything about it. Brought to you by my late-night thoughts. You're welcome.