Janice Dickinson has my back!

This is a true story…

On Friday night, a group of my friends and I got together to celebrate my boyfriend, Brenden’s birthday. Our night began at Rare View, a roof-top bar in mid-town Manhattan. After sharing a couple bottles of champagne and enjoying the nightfall among the city lights (the bar is true to its name!); we made our way to one of our favorite Friday night spots, Rockit. Previously, this weekly, Friday night party was located in the theatre district but last Friday was the unveiling of their new venue in Chelsea. Rockit’s special guest DJ this past Friday was none other than the world’s first super model, Janice Dickinson. More recently, she has been known for her countless appearances as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model, and her T.V. show The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency.

Upon our arrival to Rockit, my friends and I were feeling energized and ready to dance. There were eight of us altogether waiting in line, five guys and three girls. We we’re dressed to the nines: Brenden and I in bow ties, our girls in party-dresses and high-heels. We get to the door and the doorman announces that we won’t be able to come in because there are girls in our group and that there are already too many girls in the club! (Keep in mind; this is a gay-club). At first, we we’re polite asking if we could pay for bottle service or simply wait for some people to leave. We explained that we were frequent patrons of the club (Although, I’m certain the door-man recognized us.) and that it was Brenden’s birthday party. Nothing would change the doorman’s mind. I was absolutely appalled. I have never been refused entry to any club! Reluctantly, we stepped out of line and began to devise our next move for the evening. As we we’re deliberating we moved towards the side entrance.

Unexpectedly, a limo pulls up to the side door, and out steps Janice Dickinson! She walks right by me as she enters the side entrance and I exclaim “Janice!” She stops turns, takes a good look at me and before she has a chance to turn around I begin explaining the whole situation to her. She looks at the rest of my group and at the crowd that has begun to circle around us and says “Oh honey, that’s just not happening.” She looks around and proclaims, “Let them in. They’re with me!” She asks for the owner of the club and demands that we’re allowed in, immediately. I give the doorman, a callous glance before entering smugly, Janice by my side. Needless to say, we danced the night away! Not only can Janice work it on the runway, she is an excellent dancer and well... let’s just say, she gave DJ-ing her best shot.

I will remember this night forever. I can’t believe that Janice Dickinson had my back! I’m glad that she understood the wrongness and the prejudice that this doorman and this club were encouraging. Friday night was amazing, but I have to say that is completely unacceptable and embarrassing that a gay club would discriminate against women. I expect gay clubs to be open and accepting of everyone. The gay community is fighting so hard for our right to equality. How can we demand equality for ourselves if we don’t grant others the same respect? Don't they know that these girls are our allies? They're fighting right along side us, on the front line! I'm so disappointed, and thus, I can firmly say that I will not be returning to Rockit.

Questions Answered

As you may or may not know, I’ve been dating someone new for the past couple months. About a week ago, I discovered this book entitled 1000 Questions for Couples by Michael Webb. I didn’t have any intention of buying this book; after all I’m still in the very beginning stages of my relationship. But, there was an offer to receive a sampling of 33 questions sent to your e-mail; 3 or 4 questions each day, for 9 days. So each day, I’ve been exchanging answers with my beau. I’ve been learning things about him and about myself. I think that many of the questions are great questions to consider regardless of whether or not you’re in a relationship. Below are just a few of the questions presented as well as my answers:

What five things have you done in your life that you are most proud of?

In no particular order:

1. Moved to New York / found a job in New York.
2. Graduated with my undergrad (in 3 years!).
3. Worked hard to get in great shape / grown to feel content with my body.
4. My relationship with ..….. Although we weren't right for each other, I learned and grew so much from our relationship and deciding to leave him has been one of the most important decisions I've had to make.
5. My friendships/relationships with friends and family. I have a lot of great people in my life- like you! These relationships take time and effort but they are by far, the most rewarding thing in my life.

Do you prefer receiving expensive gifts or ones that come from the heart?

Hmmmm... I like both! But I definitely prefer to give someone else a gift! I'm so lucky. I basically have everything I could ever want! If I want something, I get it. So generally feel like I don't need to receive any gifts- I'd rather just give!

What one skill do you wish you had learned but haven't yet (Play the piano? Learn a foreign language? Fly a plane? Etc.)?

There are a lot of physical things I would like to learn. As you know I'm really in to fitness so I think it would be fun to take classes to learn gymnastics, break dancing, pole dancing, etc. I just think I'd enjoy learning anything else cool and athletic to do with my body.

If you could live one year of your life all over again without changing a thing, what year would you choose? Why?

I would choose this past year. It has been amazing. I love New York City. And I love the person I've become since I became single again. Probably for the first time in my life, I feel like an adult all by myself. I've felt completely free to be myself, learn, explore, and grow. The past 12 months have been perfect- I would do it all over again, without changing a thing.

Broadway Bares 2010

This past Sunday, at midnight I went to the twentieth annual performance of Broadway Bares. Each year Broadway and off-Broadway performers, celebrities, and a countless number of volunteers come together and offer up their time, talent and energy to produce a steamy burlesque performance that attracts thousands of spectators. The best part: all the proceeds go towards the fight against AIDS! This year’s show was entitled “Strip-opoly,” and it was AMAZING. A few big-name stars of the show included Vanessa Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Lucy Liu, Jane Krakowski, Katie Finneran, Alan Cumming, Christopher Sieber and Reichen Lehmkuhl. Not to mention the long list of major sponsors that made this event possible. Not only was the show wildly compelling and entertaining, it was dangerously hot and sexy. Some of the strip-tease moments even made me blush!

It’s so inspiring to see the number of individuals that unite for this cause. Together, the amazing cast, directors, choreographers, volunteers, sponsors and audience members raised over a million dollars (the most ever raised in the 20-year history of the event)! I am so proud to support this cause; and honestly, I had such an incredible time watching the show, that there’s really no reason not to!

For more info, check out http://www.broadwaybares.com/.

A blog about a blog...

I have been blogging for exactly one month now and this is my twentieth post. At first, I didn’t know what to expect from blogging, but I can honestly say that it is such a rewarding experience for me. I’ve been posting my blog on several sites, and sharing it on my facebook and twitter accounts just to see what works best. Each day when I look at the number of views, I’m shocked and grateful that people are actually reading it!!! I’ve been so impressed with the number of responses I’ve gotten from family, friends and even people I’ve never met before! Most people send me a personal message or e-mail rather than actually posting a comment for everyone to see. It’s been a great opportunity for me to reconnect with old friends and to make some new ones too.

I’ve also been pleasantly surprised that each day, I have something new and exciting on my mind to talk about. Until now, I’m not sure if I realized the amount of change and learning that one person can experience in just one month. Now that I have so many of my thoughts and experiences written down, I can look back and actually see the lessons I’ve been learning and the choices I’ve been making. I think that when something’s in writing, it creates a certain level of accountability. Whether you write down your goals, keep a journal, or write a public blog free for anyone to see- I think that keeping a record of your personal thoughts, ideas and experiences is a great idea! It’s helped me to reflect continuously and stay focused.

I’m discovering that I really like writing, so I plan to keep on doing it. I hope that if you like reading, you’ll keep coming back for more. And, I hope that if you have a question or comment, you won’t keep it to yourself!

Xoxo

Micah

The Real Housewives...

Why am I so obsessed with Bravo’s “The Real Housewives” shows??? I can’t stop watching. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the housewives of Beverly Hills, New York City or New Jersey. Each show I find fascinating. Of course they’re dramatic, outrageous and ridiculous. But I think what has me hooked is their glamorous way of life. What is it exactly that makes these women so different from the rest of the population? What makes them so interesting to watch? And how did they all attain such wealth, fame and success? All the women on these shows expect to live lifestyles of the rich and the famous- and they do! So, they must be doing something right. Right? I’ve written blogs about the importance of researching individuals who have already accomplished goals that you want to accomplish. I think that an important step to getting what you want, is asking others who already have what you want how they got it. So does that mean that watching these shows can help teach me how to become successful? Could it be possible for me to actually learn something from the Real Housewives??? Now, that’s a scary thought!

Money Money Money

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was reading What Should I Do with My Life? by Po Bronson. I’m just finishing up the book and today it really unleashed some internal questions for me. Basically, this book is a compilation of stories of numerous individuals’ lives and their careers. The author is pretty objective; he basically just recounts the various ways in which people have obtained success and fulfillment- which means something different for each person.

Today, I read a story about a man named Mark, who was making $250,000 a year as a VP for Wells Fargo. He essentially just up and quit his job one day because he felt uninteresting and unfulfilled. His career was basically the only thing he had going for him. This type of “revelation” is common throughout the book. However, what intrigued me about this story is that after a few years of pursuing a more “meaningful” calling, Mark realized that he had left behind the best thing he ever had. Ultimately, he found another great paying, corporate job and returned to living a life of luxury.

Throughout this book, many of the individuals examined, come to reject materialism in order to pursue something that they feel gives their life more meaning. I have to admit, as a young person trying to succeed in New York City, many of these stories are hard for me to relate to. Growing up in America, we’re exposed to so much wealth and so many opportunities. It seems only natural to desire money, power and success. Of course I want to be a Vice President of a major corporation. Of course I want to wear designer clothes. Of course I want to own a fancy condo in a Manhattan luxury high-rise. Is there something wrong with that? Should I feel shallow and one-dimensional for my pursuits? When I compare Mark’s story to many of the other people in this book, he certainly seems a bit less honorable.

Nevertheless, I think I can rationalize my drive to succeed and my materialistic nature. What I’m choosing to take from this book is that for me, it’s okay to want fame, fortune and success as long as I maintain a certain level of balance in my life. I can’t let myself forget about relationships; or forget about my passions, forget about reading books, or forget about the world. Money/salary should not be my only measure of respect or accomplishment. And most importantly, I shouldn’t work myself to death just to make money- it’s not like I can take it with me to the grave. I know deep down inside that money can’t buy happiness. But that doesn’t mean I won’t work hard. And it doesn’t make it wrong for me to like nice things… like the super cute Trovata seersucker check shirt I bought today! ( :

Work it!

The other day, someone said to me “I’m not like you Micah. You work because it’s what you love to do. I view work as a means to an end. I work to make money.” I have to say, I was a little shocked when I heard this. Although I love my job, I wouldn’t say that retail-buying is my life passion. I find my job/industry interesting and I think buying is a great match for me and I’m very grateful to do what I do. I can see myself working in this industry for a long time. But, it’s not like I grew up dreaming of being a buyer. My situation is very different than someone who’s always dreamed of being an artist or an athlete or an astronaut. I think that some people are born with a passion or talent and they just know that that’s what they’re meant to do. Most people however (like me), simply try to find something that they like to do or that they’re good at.

Even though work may not be my passion, I don’t think of work as simply a means to an end. I think that far too often people have this attitude about work that they’re being ripped off. They think “what’s in it for me?” They want to make more money, period. My advice is that if you want to make more money, consider ways that you can contribute more value. (Note: this does not always mean “working harder.”) This is true for corporations or entrepreneurs. If you want to make money, you have to offer something that is of value. Of course, some people get lucky; the world is certainly not always 100% “fair.” BUT, more often than not, if you can figure out a way to produce something of value to your company or to your customers- you’ll stand out and move forward.

I’m continually saying that you can accomplish anything if you just stay positive and focus on what you want. But it’s not magic. You have to take action. And if you want to advance your career, you have to bring something to the table that people want. You have to contribute value. This is my attitude and I think maybe that’s why people perceive me to be so invested in what I do. Work is not my passion, but I do think that work can be a mutually advantageous opportunity.

All that glitters...

This past weekend I went to a house party in the village to help my fabulous friend Meb celebrate her birthday. Meb is anything but typical. She is innovative, creative and unique; truly one of a kind. Even in Manhattan, the melting pot of the U.S., this girl catches your eye on the street! For one thing, she has a curious infatuation with glitter and all things sparkly. Naturally, her birthday party was a glitter-themed celebration. At the party, she made her impressive assortment of glitter, shimmer and sparkles available to all of her guests so that by the end of the night, everyone was well made-up and bedazzled in true Meb-fashion!

I’m still getting to know Meb but one thing I’m sure of is that she’s not trying to put on a show. She’s just being true to herself. That’s awesome. It’s no surprise that she attracts friends and admirers like a magnet. The mixture of her creativity, confidence and her down-to-earth attitude is almost as refreshing as a diet coke! If you don’t believe me you can find out for yourself by checking out her blog at http://glittersleuth.wordpress.com/. That's right, Meb's a blogger too!

You might be wondering why I would be endorsing another blogger’s work. Well, one of my core beliefs is that anyone can accomplish anything they want. Therefore, there’s enough good to go around. Forget about competition and focus on getting what YOU want. Of course, Meb is my friend and I don’t really think of my blog as competing with any other blogs (there’s really no reason you would read just one instead of the other). But my point is that that taking enjoyment in other people’s success will only help advance your own success. Taking the time and energy to sincerely be happy for others can be almost as satisfying as taking pride in your own work and accomplishments. But don’t keep it to yourself; be sure to congratulate others and acknowledge their achievements. Positivity yields more positivity. So good job Meb, keep writing, keep up the good work, and keep being YOU!

balance

I’ve been a bit stressed out this past week. I’m in the beginning stages of a new job and a new relationship. And, I’ve been fighting this terrible cold for almost two weeks! That’s right; somehow I managed to get a cold… in June. As I’m sure you know from reading my blog, I’m generally a very positive and optimistic person; and, I typically don’t get stressed. In fact, I thrive under pressure. I believe that the reason I’ve been a bit, shall we say “cranky” this past week is because I’ve been forgetting a valuable component of my life approach. I’ve been forgetting to be content with the present. I have these wonderful new beginnings in my life and yet I’m single-mindedly focusing on the various steps and improvements that need to be made. Focusing so much on the future is actually preventing me from enjoying the present.

I believe that I (or anyone) can accomplish anything they desire. I believe in the power of positive thinking. You can have anything you want in life; you just have to stay positive and focus on what you want (instead of what you don’t want). For example, if you’re looking to get in shape, don’t think to yourself “Ugh, I’m so fat.” Instead, think “I want to look like that!” Of course, the next step is to take action to get what you want. Once you know what you want, start doing research to figure out the best way to accomplish your goal and then take action. It’s really quite simple.

BUT, one important part of the equation that I’ve been forgetting is the importance of being happy with the present. At times, I get so wrapped up in my goals- what I want, and who I want to be; that I forget to be grateful for what I have right now and who I am at this very moment. This part is crucial. It’s just as important as taking action.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “it’s the journey, not the destination that’s important.” I actually disagree with this quote because I feel that BOTH are equally important. If you don’t focus on what you want, then how are you ever going to get it? You have to think with the end in mind. How else are you going to attain your goals? However, at the same time, if I can’t be at peace with where I am at this very moment- I’ll never be at peace. Since perfection is something unattainable and abstract, I can keep trying to make progress and advance everyday- but there will always be more work to do. If I forget to appreciate myself for who I am today, then I’ll never feel satisfied. I’m looking to find the delicate balance between pushing myself to the limits while taking time to appreciate the ride.

Just say "YES!"

I have this amazing friend, Lydia, and one of my favorite things about her is that she always says “Yes!”

“Hey Lydia, wanna try out this new restaurant?”

“Sure!”

“Hey Lydia, you should check out this hot yoga class I’ve been going to.”

“I’ve never tried it before. I totally wanna go!”

“Hey Lydia, let’s dress up as clowns to volunteer at a hospital for children!”

“Yea, it sounds like a good cause, plus I love to play dress-up. Count me in!”

“Hey Lydia, I bet I can beat you at a crab-race all the way to the other side of the beach. Last one there has to sit on a jelly fish!”

“Bring it on, sucker!”

Now don’t get me wrong, Lydia isn’t apathetic or just a complete door-mat. If I were to ask her to do something against her values, or ask her to vote for a candidate she didn’t agree with, she would certainly stand her ground. But what’s so inspirational about her is that she doesn’t let anything hold her back. She’ll give anything or anyone a chance.

On the other hand, I’m sure we all know somebody whose natural disposition is to disagree:

“Wanna go to the grand opening of this new club?”

“Ugh, I’m sure it will be totally packed. I always get my drink spilled. I’m tired.”

“Hey, you should apply for that new job!”

“There’s no way they would hire me. I don’t even have experience.”

“Why don’t you invite that guy you like to my party?”

“Nah, I don’t think he likes me. That would be so awkward.”

In college, I took this acting/improv class and one of the lessons my professor taught us was to always say “Yes.” If you we’re doing improvisational theatre, and your fellow actor started out a scene by asking “Hey! Aren’t you that famous T.V. game-show host!?!?” You should say something along the lines of “You’re damn right, I’m Louie Anderson and you’re the next contestant on Family Feud!!!” If you we’re to say “Ummm… no, that’s not me,” then the scene would just end or lose momentum. Improvisational theatre is a lot like real life. In real life, we don’t always know what’s next. We don’t always know what to expect and we don’t always know how things are going to turn out.

If something unexpected happens and you hesitate and let fear, laziness, or pride hold you back you might miss out on a great opportunity. Let’s say you get a new boss at work. It might be your instinct to think “well, I liked my old boss,” or “why should I listen to this new guy?” or “what if my new boss doesn’t like me?” My advice is to say “Yes!” Let your default be to go for it and to try something new. Give life the benefit of the doubt. Who knows, your new boss might have a lot to teach you; they may really appreciate the hard work you do and promote you more quickly than your old boss would have. If someone invites you to try something new, go for it! What do you have to lose? Step outside your comfort zone! As far as I’m concerned, life is too short to say “No.”

Pretty People

So if you’ve been reading my blog throughout the past couple weeks, you may be thinking that for a blog entitled, “When Good Things Happen to Pretty People,” I’ve been talking a lot about the good things in my life, but I haven’t talked much about being pretty. Like I stated in my very first blog, ‘I believe that anyone can be pretty, and I believe that everyone can achieve great things in their life.’ The key is to focus on what you want and take action to get it. In my second blog, I talked about looking to others who have already accomplished the goals you want to achieve and then asking for advice. Well, today I’m going to tell you 8 ways that you can look and feel “prettier,” right away. As a self-proclaimed pretty person, I think I can offer some pretty excellent pointers on how to become a pretty person!

1. 1. Smile more! Happy people are pretty people. So, if you’re not feeling so happy right at this very moment, try smiling. It could be the first step in turning your whole day around.

2. 2. Eat right. You’ve heard it before: increase fiber, eat lean proteins, cut out processed foods, decrease sugar and saturated fats. It’s true, when you eat healthy you feel better. I’ve never seen anyone eat a bag of Doritos or a candy bar and say “Wow, I feel so good about myself right now.” Do what’s right for your body. Even after one day, you’ll look and feel the difference! So then do it again the next day, and the day after that.

3. 3. Drink lots of water. This is so easy to do; you don’t even have to think about it. If you have access to internet and can read my blog, you probably have access to clean drinking water- so drink up! Drink water instead of soda, alcohol or that nasty caramel frappucino!

4. 4. The right haircut. Don’t underestimate what a new haircut can do for you. It can compliment your best features or even take years off your age. Seriously, if you’re debating on splurging to go to a salon with great stylists, it’s totally worth it!

5. 5. Moisturize and wear sunscreen. Take care of your skin; this is a no-brainer. Again, it’s totally worth splurging on a good facial moisturizer. You’ll thank me for this in 20 years!

6. 6. Wear color. Believe it or not, simply by adding a splash of color to your outfit you’ll immediately look younger and get noticed more. Step out of your comfort zone and stop limiting your wardrobe to black, grey and neutral colors.

7. 7. Stand up straight. Good posture is sexy! If you have poor posture, it’s probably because the muscles in your shoulders, back and abs are week. Try lifting weights, stretching or doing yoga to improve strength and develop those muscles to stand up straight.

8. 8. Laugh out loud. Laughter is good for you and it’s contagious. I read that laughter causes a number of chemical changes within our body; laughing reduces stress, releases endorphins and can even help strengthen your immune system. Make it a point to laugh out loud every day!

A New Beginning

Today was Day #1 of my new position at work. For the past year and a half I’ve been working as a Planner with my company; today I officially made the transition to buying. There were so many great things about my Planning position- I LOVED my boss and I had the opportunity to work with an AMAZING buyer. But, in relation to my talents and interests, buying will be a much better fit for me. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while and although today was quite busy and hectic it was also quite satisfying. Immediately I feel at home, like this is where I’m supposed to be. I reviewed an assortment of styles from top designers, wrote orders, talked on the phone with vendors, scheduled appointments and worked to troubleshoot all the little obstacles that popped up throughout the day. I know that this is just the beginning and I’m so excited for what the future holds!

family reunion

I spent this past weekend in Moline, Illinois for my nephew’s high school graduation and a family reunion. It was so great to see nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and cousins that I had not seen in years. I have quite a large family on my dad’s side, and no one lives even close to New York, so keeping in touch can at times be difficult.

My father had an entire life before me and my mom. I was born many years after all of my half-siblings. In fact, most of my nieces and nephews are even older than me! Can you believe that I’m only 23 and I’m somebody’s great uncle?!?!? Needless to say, I’ve sometimes wondered where my place is on this side of my family. I grew up in a different generation and in a different part of the country than all of my siblings. Not to mention that I have a pretty unique personality and outlook on life anyways. Ever since my dad passed away, when I was 13, I’d kind of felt like I was no longer a part of his family.

Well, a couple weeks ago, I received a message from my nephew and an e-mail from my niece, both inviting me to attend this reunion. At first I didn’t think I wanted to go, but then I considered that taking initiative to connect with my family was my responsibility too. My nephew and niece had reached out to me so now; I had an opportunity to make an effort of my own, and actually make an attempt to get to know some of my relatives a little better. Although I was only in town for a few days, I truly felt like I was able to bond with my family. For the first time, I feel like many of my family members got a chance to know who I am and what I’m about (keep in mind it’s nearly been 5 years since I actually spent time with many of these people).

Of course I value and love my friends as if they are my family; they are the people I spend the most time with and I care for them deeply. And I absolutely adore my mother and my youngest brother (my mom’s son) whom I spent a lot of time with growing up. But I’m realizing that perhaps, as humans, we have an instinctual and subconscious bond to the people we’re related to; regardless of whether or not we’ve spent a lot of time together. We have the choice to ignore that connection or to nurture it, and embrace it. Despite the fact that I haven’t seen some of my family in years, I felt an instant connection revived this weekend. Somehow, I could just feel that I naturally shared something deep and common with so many of my relatives. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to experience this connection, I’m beginning to truly appreciate the value of family.

Below are some pics from this weekend.

Nas

If you read yesterday’s blog, you know that I had a bit of a hectic day yesterday and that I didn’t make it to the eyebrow threading salon in time before closing. So, today I went back to see Nas, at Threading & Beauty on 33^rd between 3^rd and Lexington- because there’s no way I’m going out of town this weekend without PERFECTLY groomed eyebrows! Nas is amazing. She’s sweat as can be and is very talented at what she does; my eyebrows look perfect every time!

For those of you who have never heard of or tried threading, it’s a very old method of hair removal that originated in India. Basically, they use cotton thread and roll it along the surface of your skin entwining the hairs in the thread, which are then lifted quickly from the follicle. In my opinion, it is more precise than waxing or tweezing because it removes one clean line of hair all at once. Also this, it’s usually less expensive than waxing because it doesn’t require any chemicals or harmful products- just cotton thread. At Threading & Beauty it only costs me $6! That’s less than a cocktail at happy hour! Plus, when you receive an excellent service at a great price, you feel terrific leaving a hefty $3 tip! ( :

Xoxo

Micah

Take a deep breath.

Today was one of those days where it felt like I had a million things to do. I woke up in the early hours and got to work before 8 a.m. I was exceptionally busy and productive today, although I still have so much to work to complete before I go away for another long weekend. I had to leave work by 4:30 p.m. so I could make it to a doctor’s appointment. After that, I went shopping to get new luggage for my trip. Next, I rushed to get my eyebrows threaded but alas I arrived just after the salon closed for the day. Then, off to make an appearance at a rooftop birthday party in mid-town. Then, I cabbed it back to the Upper East Side just in time so that I could get in a good workout before my gym closed. Suddenly, it’s eleven o’clock at night and I realize I haven’t taken even a moment to breathe today! And on top of all that, I still have to write this blog!!!

Well, although my days can sometimes be hectic and crazy, I find that one thing that really helps to keep me centered is meditation. I tried it just for a few minutes during my cab ride tonight and felt so much more relaxed and less crazed by the time I got to the gym. Meditation can mean many things to different people. To me, it means taking time to breathe deep and enter a state of relaxation and to then focus my thoughts and my awareness. It’s something that I’ve only taken interest in recently and I honestly don’t know that much about the various techniques that exist. I certainly believe there’s a huge opportunity for me to learn more about it!

For me, one thing that seems to work is to begin by breathing deeply and counting backwards from ten to one. With each breath I tell myself to relax and try to clear my mind of all clutter. Then after I’ve finished counting down, I repeat in my mind one or a few phrases that I want to focus on. For instance if I was trying to relax/focus before a job interview the phrase might be something like: “I’m so grateful to be working as a blank making blank amount of money”. I believe that meditation can be used for many different objectives and I look forward to exploring new different ways to relax and focus my mind.

Xoxo

Micah

What Should I Do with My Life?

I’m reading this book right now entitled What Should I Do with My Life? by Po Bronson. By the title, I’m sure it probably sounds like a self-help book. So, you may be thinking… “Of course you’re reading something like that Micah; but, that’s not for me.” Well, let me tell you that I may or may not have discovered this book in the “self-help” section of Barnes and Noble… BUT it is not your typical, step-by-step, lecture-filled manuscript. Basically, the author travelled around the country for several months interviewing various people about their lives and their careers. The book simply relates the many distinctive stories of these various individuals, the paths they’ve chosen and their experiences.

I was inspired to read this book after writing my blog entitled “Just Ask,” in which I suggest that when we have a goal, we look to others who have already achieved a similar goal and then ask for advice. I figure, that by reading other people’s success stories, I can be inspired and learn how to be more successful and feel more fulfilled.

I’m really enjoying the book because it seems genuine and un-censored. Not every person interviewed is necessarily successful by society’s standards. Different people make different choices in order to feel fulfilled. One theme though, that seems to be recurring throughout many of the individuals’ stories, is that people make mistakes. Very few people get it right without slip-ups along the way. It’s normal for people to get off track from time to time. It’s encouraging to know that everyone feels lost at times. But that shouldn’t stop you from searching, dreaming, and trying. The important thing is that if you’re not content and you want something more, you take action to make your dreams a reality!

Xoxo

Micah