"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone." -Reba McEntire

Stylish- Fashion and philanthropy have a well forged relationship. It feels amazing to look good and know it has benefitted a cause by doing it. Wearing a t-shirt and jeans is a great fashion standard and now there is one way to make a great t-shirt feel even better. Sevenly is an amazing online store selling stylish new t-shirts for affordable prices. Not only are they incredibly chic but $7 from every shirt goes to the cause it is promoting. I love combining two of my passions so I thought I’d share the joy with you!

Forward thinking- Women have been breaking glass ceilings, marching for their rights, and burning bras for decades because as women we are responsible for building a better tomorrow for the girls that come after us.  As women who grew up in America, we are so lucky to have been given an “I can do anything” attitude. We are told our intellect is admirable and ambition is amazing but the still the unspoken undertone is still your looks are most important. I read this interesting article on speaking to young girls and maybe we as women are perpetrating some of this “your looks are what matters” attitude. I am still developing my opinion on this but it certainly has made me think twice when talking to young girls the past week.

Attentive- Celebrating things at the office whether it be birthdays, projects, or anything in between usually comes with sweet treats. If you are bringing in an item for one of these celebrations it is considerate to think twice about possible allergies. Whether you are baking the treat at home or purchasing something from the store, be sure to put a note next to the treat letting people know if there are some of the typical allergens inside such as nuts, milk, or eggs. Most people with bad allergies are very cautious of the food they eat but your secret ingredient could be hard to notice and the cause of someone’s allergy attack so it’s just a nice gesture to have it posted.

Love and Best Wishes,

Ellen

"As you breathe in cherish yourself. As you breathe out cherish all beings." - Dalai Lama

Good Listener- Have you ever met someone who when you speak to them you feel that you may be the only person in the world. Some people have a beautiful talent of listening. I am at the core a talker but am striving to be a better listener. In my efforts to achieve this goal I am trying a new tactic in conversations, when appropriate answer with questions rather than opinions. This gives me the opportunity to listen more to the other person and perhaps hear something I would have stifled had I offered up my opinion so quickly. 

Positive- It is easy to imagine the bad but a true gift to think towards the good. I often lay awake at night skimming through all the things in my life I'm sure are about to collapse and I'm sure many of you do to. But what would happen in our lives if for every worry we had we willed ourselves to think of one hope. So my new goal is every time a worry comes to my mind I will acknowledge it and let it go then think of one hope for something positive in my life.

Green- There are many ways to help the earth and yourself. Recycling can be hard if it’s not offered in your neighborhood and a hybrid or electric car is not in my budget at the moment but one way I am making an effort is to shop local. I am buying all of my produce from a locally owned farms and farmers markets. This way there is no shipping or packing, also it just tastes better. Not sure where local produce is sold? Check out this website to find a spot.


Love and Best Wishes,
Ellen

I'm not funny. What I am is brave. - Lucille Ball

Persistent- Finding employment as a young person is incredibly taxing and sometimes discouraging these days. Most of the entry-level positions are filled by people who have already been working for 5-10 years and their resumes will beat ours in experience every time. Do not settle for submitting a resume online and crossing your fingers. Be persistent. Most companies vet the potential job seekers resumes through an HR department before the hiring manager ever sees it. If it is a position you truly want and honestly have the credentials for, call the company and ask for the department your position would be in. Once sent there ask who the head of the department is and an email address to reach them. Sometimes you will hear no but other times you may just get lucky and find an in. Email the person and let them know you have applied though the correct places but you wanted to introduce yourself and why you are right for the position. Managers like a person with guts and the determination to follow through. 


Expansive- Learning is one of the most amazing things we can do. Expanding your mind beyond your current thoughts, beliefs, or ideas can be invigorating and exciting. I love hearing a presentation or podcast about something I knew nothing about before and leaving the talk with a new look on  what I previously thought to be the reality of a situation. Set aside an hour per week for yourself to deliberately learn something new. I like listening to TED talks there is such a variety of amazing, insightful presentations you can choose what subject area you are interested in and instantly start listening. 


Courteous-  Staying with the family of a friend or significant other can come with many stresses and awkward moments but some can be avoided by simply minding your manners. Simple things show your host your respect for their home. Number one, always make sure, even if staying multiple days, make the bed everyday! It may sound simple but you wouldn't believe how many house guests wont. Also on the last day there strip the bed for your host and fold it all in a neat pile on the corner of the bed. Once that is done I like to keep a thank you note with me in my bag. I write a quick thank you for their generosity and leave it on the top of the pile for them to find. 


Love and Best Wishes,
Ellen 

"You have to be willing to give up the life you've planned for in order to live the life that's waiting for you." - Joseph Campbell

Affectionate- To those I love affection is not a problem but when first meeting people I’ve always been more of a handshake kinda gal. This can cause many awkward moments when it comes to initial introductions. They go to hug you go to shake and somewhere in the middle an awkward squeeze and uncomfortable feeling occurs. Obviously in the professional world handshakes are appropriate but when it comes to meeting friends of a friend or parents of the significant other which approach do you take? My new strategy is if my friend or significant other cares for you then one day I will too so lets start our journey with a hug.


Thrifty- Buying gifts for friends and family can take up a large amount of your budget every year. Sometimes the perfect gift at a great price pops out of nowhere but for those that are hard to buy for a gift card can be great! Check out this website and you can buy giftcards for less then they are worth. You save money and time and the person gets to pick exactly what they want!


Courage- Things in the work place can be hard to wade through. In this economy for many of us just getting a job is as much as we hope for. As a young professional we've been told not to look like a job hopper to stay for a couple years and bear it. But is the price worth it if you come home mad more days then happy? It can be scary to reevaluate what you do for a living especially if you've got a couple of years under your belt but if your unhappy it may be better to follow your emotions and research a new type of job and how to get the training to achieve it. It will take courage to move on but a new life could be just around the corner. 

Love and Best Wishes,

Ellen

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." - Epictetus

Cheerful- Bringing cheer to others is a surefire way to bring joy into your own life. If you are feeling a little down its time to do something for another. Head to Target and purchase a box of sandwich bags, a pretty shaped post it note pad, and various travel sized toiletries. Fill each bag with a few toiletries and an encouraging hand written note on the post its. Find a local women’s domestic violence shelter and donate the bags. They are always looking for donations of that type and it will help you spread cheer to others. You won’t feel to bad yourself either. 


Aspiring- Wanting to be better is always a great thing in your life but change takes action and thought. If there is something you aspire to in your life may it be work or weight loss keep it at the forefront of your life. Sit down and write yourself a letter about why this is so important to you and keep it in a drawer next to your bed. Read it once a week. Sometimes hearing things from yourself is the most influential way to grow.


Loyal- Being loyal to a friend especially in a tight group of friends can be more challenging than expected. Spats start and what should have stayed between two becomes a battle of taking sides. When you find  yourself in this situation keeping the level middle is the most important thing you can do. Tell each friends you understand their position on the subject but you because of your love for each you cannot take a side. If you do take a side when the dust settles everyone will remember the cross things you said about the other and make them wonder if you might say something as horrible about them. 

Love and Best Wishes,

Ellen