Bring it On!

What's on your mind? Do the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer have your brain fried? Are you thinking of escaping the summer doldrums by striking up a steamy affair? Want to call out a friend who just won't get off your case lately? Whatever it is, bring it on! I'm here to help :)

Hardly Working?

Several people I know (I may or may not be included in this group) are in limbo about their jobs and job situations right now. I think it's a combination of being in their mid 20's, being a little resentful that they're not where they wanted or expected to be at this point and a little ambivalent about where they even want their career paths to take them...and the fact that it's really hot out these days. Seriously, how can you be motivated to work hard and pretend to love your job when it's either so muggy out you want to dive into the nearest fountain with all of your clothes on or it's so nice out that you keep staring out the window (if you're lucky enough to have one!) and counting down the hours until your outdoor lunch or fun happy hour or pretty much any other activity that's bound to be more exciting than work comes along!?!?!?

Regardless of the factors involved, I've heard some of my friends describe their work situations as the following: "OMG-this-is-not-what-I-want-to-be-doing-with-my-life-but-I-am-so-broke-it's-not-even-funny...I-am-just-trying-to-make-some-money-and-I'll-be-happy-when-something-better-comes-along!" These people graduated from college, had career-oriented majors but may have veered off the traditional or expected career path (or taken the road less traveled, if you want to be poetic about it). They are now working to support their spending, hoping and maybe even looking to find something better, and it's quite likely that they hate their jobs and feel unmotivated/uninspired/bored most of the time. When people say things like "At least you have a job in this economy - be thankful!" - they cringe.

Rightfully so, I say.

We are generation Y (aren't we?). People have written books about how we feel so entitled because we all grew up getting trophies and awards and positive feedback from our parents and "you can do anything you want" speeches. Seriously, look up "generation Y books" on Amazon.com and the book titles range from "Not Everyone Gets a Trophy," to "Managing the 'Me First' Generation," etc. (Proof)

And though maybe it's true that we are the "me" generation and it's ridiculous to feel entitled to X amount of money or X kind of high-profile job after having been in the "work force" for less than five years (!!!), we have seen people our age and only a few years older achieve such amazing things (Facebook, anyone?) that we strive to stand out, be better, find a quick fix so we're not like all the other so and so's. But we might not always have that million dollar idea or the energy or motivation to work so hard for it, and we are secretly hoping for it to fall into our laps. I don't mean to be overly critical of my generation, but I guess that's what I am being. I'll admit though, that even I sort of feel like I am "owed" something, or there's some magic measure of my success/happiness that I'm (damn it!) not reaching, but should be. My fiance and I have literally sat in front of the computer trying to think of business ideas that could get us rich...quick! We've seen it happen so much that we've almost convinced ourselves that we deserve this, just because we are smart and educated and really, really, ridiculously good looking. I mean, really.

This fiance of mine recently sent me an article called "10 Attitudes of Successful Workers," which basically says it's all about your attitude. I think I am inclined to agree. When I want to be miserable at work, I make myself be miserable at work. When I've given up, I decide to stop learning - I already know it all since I'm a Generation Y-er anyway - and I don't appreciate the little things I like about my job because I am so dead set on looking for the next-best thing. It's a vicious cycle - am I making my work experience miserable or is work making me miserable? It can certainly be a combination of both, but I've been trying these last couple of days to follow these 10 shiny, happy pieces of advice, and I've noticed that when I try to influence my attitude to be more positive work is a better place to be.

So, I suggest checking out the article and seeing if any of that works for you, no matter what generation you are or where in your career path you might be. If there's something that's working or not working for you at work,(could I use that word any more in this sentence!?)please share! I think the four people following this blog could really benefit from someone else's advice! And with that, I am going to take my overdue lunch break and enjoy the beautiful weather (thankfully it's not a jump in a fountain with your clothes on kind of day), and when I get back I will be ready to dive back into work and maybe actually enjoy it...a little!

Sleep On It

What's the best piece of advice someone has ever given you? If you're anything like me, it's quite possible that it's something your mom has said to you in the past - probably more than once. Uh oh, I think I just heard the sound of someone X-ing out their browser window!

For me, a great piece of advice has been "sleep on it." It usually means that you're facing a decision that you shouldn't rush into making, and that you could benefit from some time to weigh all the options. I don't know how much sleep actually has to do with it (unless you're deciding on a new bed), but it definitely has a lot to do with taking your time. Which can be hard when we're programmed to "think fast" and "act now" and we're constantly reminded how quickly time flies (see Jenerous' comment about Facebook stalking exes at work) and how opportunities - how life - (think of the quote from Ferris Bueller's Day Off) can pass you by.

I think taking some time and giving things a little more thought - whether it's something kind of silly like holding off on an impulse buy or something more serious like deciding whether to forgive someone for hurting you - is always worth it. What's the rush?

So, again I ask, what's the best piece of advice someone has given you?

Taking my own advice

Today I decided to take my own advice and do something I've sort of been wanting to do: start a blog. Honestly, I am not entirely sure why. Maybe I'm just bored and need a new project. Maybe I want to help people in some small way. Maybe I think I am funny and this will be a positive use of my sarcasm. By the way, this is an advice blog. Which is funny, because I am pretty horrible at taking advice. And vitamins. But I think I've always given my friends decent advice, and they keep asking for it in a variety of situations, so it can't be that terrible. So, here goes. I predict this little blog project will be little more than a personal journal of sorts, but maybe a few friends (who are also in their mid-twenties and bored at work/a little frustrated with where they are compared to where they thought they'd be in their lives right now) will take pity on me and ask for some kind of advice that they may or may not actually need (thanks in advance), and we'll all get to have a little fun and maybe even learn a thing or two. Who knows. So, bring on the questions! Dating, career, money, food, health, saving the whales - I'm sure I can help figure it all out, or at least make you chuckle a little while I try.