Although my morning routine is fairly repetitious and customary from the time I throw on my bathrobe, enjoy my morning cup of joe, and head out the door, there’s something during that time frame that I couldn’t imagine my life without. It’s an activity that I’ll forever be passionate about, speak highly of to anyone and everyone, and practice every single day for the rest of my life. That activity is physical exercise. When I reflect on my life over the past few years since I began exercising regularly, one word comes to my mind: fulfillment. Each and everyday, I honestly believe I live a fulfilled existence because of not what exercise does for my physically (although, without question, that is a benefit), but what it does for me mentally. It gives me mental clarity and calmness, provides me with natural energy to fulfill my day’s obligations and responsibilities, and allows me to enjoy that present day and not worry about the past or what the future might hold. Additionally, it helps abstain me from three well-known negative emotions that many people struggle with on a daily basis, which include:

1. Anger: Although I’m a fairly level-headed individual, there are moments and events that have the potential to spark the emotional rage which is anger. Instead of entering into or reacting to a negative situation furiously, the practice of exercise helps me think rationally and objectively. Too many times when a person is angry they only view it from a subjective viewpoint, which is tremendously unhealthy for your mental welfare. Exercise gives people the opportunity to channel their emotions, especially when they feel that they can’t take the situation anymore.
2. Fear: Arguably, fear is the negative emotion in which daily exercise conquers to the greatest extent for me. At the end of the day, fear is a choice. Exercise taught me that I’m not going to live my life worrying and being scared about every situation or experience, no matter the size or magnitude. When we are afraid, our first impulse is to tighten our bodies and shut down our minds. We become the opposite of receptive and full of life, and this is a massive hurdle to learning new skills in the workplace, to collaborating, and to making interpersonal connections. Reducing fear and constant worry and opening yourself to new possibilities (some that you might never have even dreamed of) will open your world to a new sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
3. Jealousy: Jealousy is a negative emotion that many people cope with on a daily basis. Especially when you consider the world we live in today where technology and social media make it much easier to view other people’s lives, including their accomplishments, promotions, and material possessions, among other things, it’s common for the feeling of jealousy to spark rather quickly in people. However, similar to anger and fear, jealousy is an emotional reaction to believing scenarios in your mind that are not true. By changing what you believe, you change what your imagination is projecting and you can eliminate these destructive emotional reactions. Regular exercise is fundamental in terms of steering clear of this negative emotion and being able to control our thoughts without prejudice. After all, the only person that you should be striving to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

Also, while there’s a misconception that you must devote hours of your time at the gym to reap the benefits of physical fitness, nothing could be more from the truth. You can reap all the physical and mental health benefits of exercise with 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. Two 15-minute or even three 10-minute exercise sessions can also work just as well. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel better. Additionally, you don’t have to suffer in order to receive the benefits. Research shows that moderate levels of exercise are best for most people. These types of exercises include yoga, walking, bicycling, swimming, and many more. What’s more, if you’re new to exercise and are looking for a way to get started, I would recommend you schedule your workout at the time of of day when your energy is highest. Moreover, I would recommend you focus on activities that you enjoy and are comfortable with. As you move and start to feel a little better, you’ll experience a greater sense of control over your well-being.

I believe, without a doubt, that if we all set aside a half an hour every day just for ourselves to focus on improving our mental well-being, that this world would be a much better place. One of my all-time favorite quotes is, “Life is not merely being alive, but being well.” That passage has and will continue to inspire me to live each day to the fullest, not worry too much about the past and/or the future, and be the most easy-going, full of life, and loving person possible.

Thank you for reading!

— Chris

 

 

 

I can remember it all too well—it was the summer of 2013 and here I was, fresh off graduating with my undergraduate degree from Ball State the year prior, and I was working a position that I strongly disliked. I was employed as a consumer sales representative for a small sales and marketing firm in Indianapolis, where I would travel to local Sam’s Clubs and Kroger’s throughout the Central Indiana area, selling anything from steak knives to overpriced personal massagers. Working 50+ hours a week (with only Monday’s off), which doesn’t even include the travel (sometimes the locations were more than an hour away), selling items that I had no passion for, and interacting with people who 80% of the time had absolutely no interest in talking with me, was not what I had in mind when I walked across that stage and received my diploma in May of 2012. Honestly, there was numerous days where it was a challenge to go into work and complete my daily tasks. For me, I’m at my best when I’m naturally enthusiastic about my work and this position was taking its toll on me mentally, physically, and emotionally. However, when I reflect on the position almost 2 and a half years later, I know for a fact that I wouldn’t have the job I have today if it wasn’t for this aforementioned position. Below, you’ll find the 3 reasons why I wouldn’t have the position I love today if I didn’t have this experience.

1. It Taught Me How to Appreciate Having a Job (and the Demands That Come With It) – When I give thought to my time at this position, the first thing that comes to mind is how grateful I was to have a job. Especially in today’s super-competitive job market, I was fortunate to have a job that allowed me to boost my resume and increase my overall experience for future employers, as well as improving a number of professional skills. In addition to this, it showcased to me just how demanding, time-consuming, and exhausting having a job entails. I struggled during this time with the fatigue of the position and finding ways to wind down after the long days of work. Nevertheless, it ultimately taught me that you can’t bring your work home with you and that it’s important to reserve time for yourself, your family, and still spending time doing what makes you happy as an individual. As a matter of fact, I began practicing yoga during my time at this position and it changed my life in more ways than I could have imagined. It vastly improved my mental well-being by creating mental clarity and calmness that completely changed my outlook on numerous areas of my personal and professional life.
2. My Professional Skills Before < My Professional Skills After: As briefly mentioned, I’m grateful for the position in the fact of how much it enhanced several areas of my professional skill set. The first one that comes to my mind is my professional speaking and overall speech as a whole. Truly, this position bestowed on me the confidence needed to be able to speak to people on a daily basis, especially large groups of people. Each and every day, I would be at the store selling merchandise to groups ranging from 5 to upwards of 50 people. In retrospect, I still chuckle when I think about my first few times speaking in front of complete strangers, nevertheless, after I did it a few times I started to figure it out and my poise began to build.  Isn’t that the case when you embark on anything new in life though? While you might struggle the first few times with something completely new and unfamiliar, after you do it a few times your confidence slowly begins to rise. Furthermore, this position improved several other professional skills, including my problem-solving, planning, leadership, and adaptability.
3. It Ingrained in Me the Determination and Perseverance to Find a Job That I Love:  As most people realize and comprehend, when you work at a job that you’re not passionate about, it takes nearly double the energy to fulfill your obligations and responsibilities. Subsequently, the fatigue and stress your experience invariably follows the amount of energy that you deliver. As someone who had to endure the stress, fatigue, and agony of working a position that I didn’t authentically love, it ingrained a deep fire in me that I was going to do whatever it took to work a job that I loved with all my heart one day. Moreover, I recognized that it was going to take more than just this position to attain the job I desired and, consequently, I was going to have to put in several long days & nights, as well as continuing to push myself in all areas of my professional skill set. This meant going above and beyond what my job description entailed, fine-tuning my writing, communication, and listening skills, and exerting 100% effort every single day.

I can honestly and wholeheartedly say that I’ll forever be thankful for this position. If reading this and you’re aspiring to work at a position you love one day, my advice would be to stay patient, continue to go over and above what’s asked of you, and remember to advance your professional and networking skills. Following this position, I still I had to work two more positions (albeit, I enjoyed them much more ) until I obtained the position of my dreams today. It’s critical to respect the process of advancement and realize that not everything you want to happen is going to overnight. With that, I leave you with some words of wisdom:

“Success isn’t an upward trajectory, it’s a winding road. The awareness that the bigger your dream or ambition, the harder you have to work is vital.”

Thank you for reading!

— Chris

 

The importance of advancing your education and receiving a degree in higher education, to the highest degree (no pun intended), is unprecedented. The opportunities that it has extended to me go far and above more than just a diploma. It has broadened my mind and outlook on several facets of my personal and professional life, in addition to improving my critical and analytical thinking skills; it has disposed on me the confidence, skills, and knowledge to be able to complete my job as effectively and efficiently as possible; and, lastly, it prepared me to enter the so often called, “real world” and pursue and persevere until I achieved the ultimate goal of working a profession that I genuinely love and in a field that I’m passionate about (and I can wholeheartedly say that I do for both of those!) However, as much as I learned from my college experience, I know that there are aspects of the real world that I didn’t learn in college. That’s not to say that my professors at the time weren’t attempting to enforce these subsequent principles, nonetheless, I’m confident my mind at the time was focused on far more important things (Joking, of course). Below, you’ll find the five elements of the real world that I didn’t learn in a classroom:

1. Don’t Just Be On Time, Be Early: As I write this right now, I can vividly hear my stepfather saying to me, “If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re early, you’re on time.” Frankly, I couldn’t agree more with this statement. Being early gives you a chance to fix possible mistakes before an important presentation or meeting, gives you a buffer from potential traffic delays, and it gets you noticed. Arriving to work 5-10 minutes early gives you the chance to speak with your supervisor or director, informally or formally, without the demands of the rest of the team getting in the way. Additionally, it makes you stand out from the crowd as someone with a commitment to the task at hand.

2. Build a Strong Relationship With Your Fellow Colleagues: While a strong professional relationship is what I envision the majority will think when reading that, and by no means should this be considered invaluable, I want to focus on the significance of building a personal relationship. Specifically, if you work in a field or occupy a position that delegates you to be around your co-workers a great deal, it’s fundamental that this is a spotlight on a daily basis. As much as we want to focus on work and the next task at hand, it’s refreshing to dial it back from time to time and get to know your colleagues on a more personal level. Who knows? You might even learn something about them that could be of value to your organization or business. Still, when this is a focal point, you consider the people you’ve met and worked along the way much more than colleagues-they’re your friends.
3. A Job Description is Completely Useless: As much as I understand the significance of educating potential candidates on the descriptions of a job, you can toss it out the window on your first day. If your plan is to follow that description down to the tee and only do what’s on there, you can plan on being shown the door. You need to develop the mentality that you’ll go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure all of the days assignments and responsibilities are finished. Furthermore, when you put an emphasis on achieving the task in front of you with an objective outlook and demeanor, it shows your colleagues that you’re focused on the success of your organization, not just yourself. Go ahead then, toss that job description in the trash!
4. Nobody Wants to Hear You Complain: Granted, the bulk of this can be attributed to my lovely parents, nevertheless, the “real world” solidified the magnitude and importance of this to me. Now, when I say “complain,” I’m not talking about those times when you discuss your problems in an attempt to search for solutions. I consider that to be constructive and commendable.  Moreover, I’m not referring to those occasions when you share your experiences with friends or relatives in the context of bringing them up to date on the latest developments in your life. After all, part of being human is sharing our experiences and supporting each other. I am referring to the kind of complaining that is counterproductive. Instead of complaining about a particular assignment or task at work, approach it with a positive, spirited mindset that you’re going to do whatever it takes to get the job done in a timely, effective fashion. Truthfully, no matter where you work or what your job is, there’s going to be those long days, tasks, and events, among others, that challenge you more than others and can potentially spark a negative attitude or outlook. Regardless, rather than complaining, it’s far better to focus your attention and energy on those steps you can take to solve, or at least lessen, your dilemma.
5. Become an Early Riser: As much as it pains my younger self to write that, I actually enjoy the mornings and the peace and fulfillment that come along with them. The days of waking up at 10, 11, even noon, are far behind me and I couldn’t be happier to have them over. I’m slowly, but surely, turning into a so-called, “morning person.” When you become an early riser, you’re able to go about your day at a slower, less frantic pace than if you had received an extra hour or two of sleep. You can enjoy your cup of coffee at your pace; enjoy some light exercise or yoga; prepare a nice, wholesome breakfast; catch up on some reading, e-mails, or other work-related tasks; or enjoy the sunrise. An hour or two that is reserved just for you, before your day begins, is an incredible way to improve your life. The fulfillment you experience more than makes up for any sleep you miss out on.

In all honesty, I wouldn’t be the person, husband, colleague, etc., I am today without the aforementioned principles. While they were tough to learn and accept at times, it’s because of them that I have the strong, resilient, and positive mindset that I have today. I believe applying these simple, practical strategies would help people find more peace and fulfillment at not only work, but in life as well.

What has the real world taught you that you didn’t learn in a classroom?

Thank you for reading!

— Chris