16 Things I've Learned

It has been five years since I entered the professional world, unless you count working on a farm hoeing weeds since eighth grade. I have learned a thing or two since entering this dog-eat-dog world. I know it is a measly five years and I may not have the wisdom of a 40-year-old, but I feel like I've grown from a dysfunctional, insecure employee into a hopeful leader someday.

1. You may not be as good as you think, but you may not be as bad as they think you are.
I thought I was a good editor and then I met an editor who eats, sleeps and breathes adobe premier.
I also thought I didn't know as much about sports compared to my coworkers, however, I do know quite a bit. Real recognizes real.

2. DO NOTE LOSE YOUR CONFIDENCE
If you lose your confidence it shows in literally everything you do in the professional world, whether it is your wardrobe or your professional presentations.

3. Commit 100 Percent into EVERYTHING
Yes, that includes the espresso you make and the lunch you get for your boss.

4. Only care about what your boss thinks
If he has a problem with you, you have a problem....a big problem. Try to be proactive and fix it before it gets out of hand.
However, if your coworker has a personal opinion about you, tell them thank you and move on about your day.

5. Trust is the end all be all
You know the rambling you've been doing....running around in circles trying to explain yourself....STOP! You sound like you are making excuses and that does you no favors in the trust department. #Sketchy #Shady

6.  Join organizations
Not just because your boss is telling you, but as an investment for yourself and the company you work for. Networking. Networking. Networking. Don't just be a 'board member', do more, be active, and be a part of a committee. Everything you do is an investment into your future and your company's reputation.

7. Stop taking things personal
Ladies and gents, no one is out to get you unless you're in broadcast....lets just pray for them. haha
But seriously, if there is one thing I have learned, it is to stop taking things personally. If I would have learned that at Ramar Communications, I would have saved myself from numerous panic attacks. I am pretty sure I aged ten years there during my three year stint.

8. What balance?
There is no secret formula to business and personal life. You have to figure that out before you get frustrated at your boss when it is your fault for not making the boundaries necessary for you to successfully operate.

9. If you think you are working hard, work harder
Are you giving 100 percent every day? If the work environment is relaxed, that does not mean you should take advantage of that benefit. Trust me, I use to do that without even realizing it, sorry, Paul. :) Being punctual for everything, even the start of the day creates a routine and improves your own evaluation. If you need to stay late for a pressing deadline, stay late. Kick it up another notch!

10. Document everything
If you are questioned about something you were responsible for, make sure you document correspondents that could later verify your explanation. Credibility works wonders. It sucks, but you must watch your own back, no one will do that for you.

11. Take the next step, don't find the solution
I have taken jobs to get out of my current position, because I was unhappy. Did that fix the problem? No. Are there problems at each place of employment? Yes. Are you going to fix that person that drives you nuts? No, and there is going to be someone like that at every work place. So take the next opportunity as the next step in your career to better yourself professionally, not as a solution to your current problem.

12. Be the student
I have a ton of pride which gets in the way at times. It is okay to ask for help and to learn from other professionals. YOU and I. DO. NOT. KNOW. EVERYTHING.

13. Be the teacher
I went to a conference the other day and the speaker said back in the day a leader was in front of the team and was considered a leader by their title, their pay and their responsibilities. Today, that is different. Seniority is not the end all be all. If you have experience in that particular situation like reporting, sports information and marketing, speak up dang it!

14. R-E-S-P-E-C-T
If you have lost it within your team, look at yourself first. Is it the way you are communicating? Is it the way you have allowed your coworkers or your boss to communicate with you? How can you change the dialogue? Because trust me you can not change that person or make them respect you.

15. Let it go
If you are right, fine. Do you want a trophy? It is not going to happen. DO NOT EXPECT ANYTHING FROM ANYONE. Just because you might tell someone, hey great job, does not mean they will do the same for you, so LET IT GO.

16. Be Proactive

If there is a problem/situation or you messed up (people make mistakes) be proactive and take responsibility. Be honest and try to put the fire out before it turns into a wildfire and your own seat is hot. 

Simply put: Sometimes you have to put on your favorite heels, red lipstick and take on the day. Fake it until you make it and be fierce while doing so!

3606 42nd St.

I promised you I would write a more meaningful blog post rather than write about my love life and things I am constantly working on to improve. To be completely honest, I have had trouble writing this post. I don't think it hit me util the closing papers came in the mail. After owning my home for four years, I officially closed on my first home and my first investment last month, but 3606 42nd never felt like an investment.

After living at the Grove Apartments for one year, I decided to put my monthly pay check towards something I could own rather than toss my money away. This was my mother's idea, because she and Dave Ramsey are pretty tight. Financial geniuses, I tell you. At the time I had two best friends - Elizabeth Mack and Roshni Bohre - and for some crazy reason they thought it would be cool to live with me and in all honesty I would have not bought the house unless they agreed to live with me.

After looking at 41 homes, I bought the 42nd home on June 1, 2011 as a junior at Texas Tech. I used to smoke hookah (it is totally legal folks) and because of the friends I met at the hookah lounge they helped me put my home together. My father drove up with left over paint from his house, and in the heat of the summer my entire group of friends I had made maybe two months prior came to help me paint every single wall in my home. We had two hookahs and a thirty pack of Coors Light in the middle of the living room. We painted every wall in the three bedroom/two bath home in four days. They never asked me for a dime. That is how awesome my friends are.

My two best friends would be my roomates heading into our junior year. We knew the worries, "You don't ever want to live with your best friends," but I would not change it for the world. I learned from my friends. Did we have extremely tough times, yes, but we had hella-good times as well. We had a rule that you had to dance every time you entered a room in the home. This led to random dance parties, which are always necessary! Another bonus to having friends live with you, you get to decide between three people who will take on the black widow in the shower, unless you have a designated wildlife fanatic who just takes the lead. Yay, Lizzy! We threw the best parties and worked our butts off the next morning to clean our home. I'm pretty sure our "Open House" had at least 100 people in attendance and 50 in the garage, but was it a memorable party for months....yes! That is hard to accomplish at Texas Tech. The standard is pretty high.

We shared memories, heartache, scary times and wonderful memories. 3606 42nd was not a college house, we didn't treat it like one and we found solace in it. I literally can't tell you all the memories we shared those first two years, because they are too personal and there are too many to count. We were the three best friends anyone can have and we grew leaps and bounds together.

I learned to be a landlord, and let me tell you being a landlord with your friends is much tougher than being a roommate. I hated it, but I wanted to take care of our home. Nevertheless, it brought out the worst in people including myself, but I think we all grew from those experiences. My friends/roomates taught me how to be a better landlord and an even better friend.

The timeline of who lived in 3606 42nd St. is as followed:

2011- 2012 Roshni Bohre, Lizzy Mack and myself
2012- 2013 Lizzy Mack, Evan and myself (part-time)
2013 - Jordan Travis, Marlon Kraus and myself
2014 - Marlon Kraus, Jenna Bosscher and a craiglist dude (not a good situation)
2015 - Brandon Ma


A side tid bit: get your property taxes and insurance escrowed. That was a fun bill in January. I would say I had no business being a landlord at 21, but I learned about real world experiences you do not learn in class like property taxes, writing leases, home insurance, being a manager of an investment and a manger of tenants, while learning to be the 'handy-man.' I am blessed to have experienced that early on in my adulthood. For example, what it cost to replace a water heater or you just take cold showers until you get paid.

I learned how to handle having a tick issue, a mice problem, a weed control situation and other things you learn about after you sign the closing documents. Turns out I needed to redo my plumping in the laundry room and fix the duck work in the ceiling. Of course the inspection did not say in little letters, "Hey, just a heads up, in a couple months your water heater will go out, while your dog needs shots and your dryer will be ruined." However, I would not even know about these things if it wasn't for owning my first home. I really can not quantify the valuable knowledge I walked away with.

I hope that 3606 42nd meant as much to people living there as it meant to me. That home hosted countless Insanity workouts, parties, gamedays, dances, tough conversations, fights, hugs, tears and created amazing friendships. Some friends grew and some weakened, and all for the better in my opinion. Our home also hosted numerous pets including a wiener dog, a chocolate lab, a cat, a snake, and a turtle.

This is my way of saying thank you to the nine people who lived in our home. Thank you for being patient with me and caring about 3606 42nd as much as I did. Thank you for the fabulous times and the ridiculous fights. Thank you for turning down the AC to save money, thank you for hosting garage sales with me, thank you for waiting for me to mow the yard while the backyard was a jungle. I can not thank you enough and I hope our home holds a special place in your hearts as much as it does mine.