Monday Musing: BREAK THE ICE

Let me just begin saying how much I loved Katie's Monday Musing post from last week. It is so easy to dread Mondays - counting down the days until the clock goes to five on Friday afternoon. But Mondays are a fresh start to a new week, leading to a chance to have fulfilling days of work. Mondays should be embraced, making you want to face the challenges that are thrown you're way so that you can push ahead of your own expectations. My goal for today is to keep that in my mind - that this Monday is another chance to make things happen.

On that note, I've been learning a few things about the professional world since starting my job last week. Sure, it's not easy being the new guy (or girl, in my case). It can be intimidating to keep introducing yourself to more experienced colleagues or ask questions around the office. Coming off of my last two years of college, where I felt like I pretty much had things down pat (and people were coming to me for advice), it can be a little disheartening to start from the bottom once more. Although I can easily get anxious about not knowing everything at once (yes, I am Type A and a perfectionist to the max), I've come to embrace the fact that I don't have it all together and that. is. okay. Read this Everygirl article if you haven't already - it sums up my current thoughts and feelings about what lies ahead.

The first year of post-grad life is all about learning from others, and most importantly, learning about yourself. Even though I've only been in Birmingham for a few weeks, I've learned that there is so much out there for me to learn. This is really a time for me to be a sponge, soaking in words of wisdom and learning from my mistakes. College, in many ways, is a bubble. In terms of academics, you're concerned with checking off your list of classes, major requirements and filling in your time with leadership opportunities and activities. The real world however, isn't a checklist. It's about proving yourself and taking advice from others to keep you moving forward. Your degree alone doesn't get you there.

To move forward, no matter where you are in life, you have to break the ice at some point. Whether that's reaching out to someone in a different department than your own, networking with someone you've been meaning to talk to or taking the leap in a different career, it's up to you to make it happen. It can be scary to take more on your plate or leave what's comfortable, but if you do, you'll find your work that more rewarding. The responsibility is on you now, but that doesn't mean you're completely alone. There are people who want, and who will, help you along the way. Find those people, wherever you are. Ask them questions. Pick their brains. Reach out to them when you need help. Volunteer when they need help. Tell them when you want to learn more. 

Breaking the ice is easier said than done, right? I have to continually remind myself to work harder than I ever have, and show (rather than say) why I want to do what I want to do. One reason I chose to move all the way down to Birmingham was to meet other people and learn from those in a workplace I have admired for years. I could have chosen the easy route and stayed in Raleigh, where I felt comfortable. But that's not the choice I made, and I hope to make the most out of where I am now.

I encourage you all to make today count!

Love,

Julie