inspiration – Page 5

You Majored in What?- Not Your Average Career Book

April 16, 2012Books, Entertainment, Inspiration, Life2 Comments

As a recent graduate, the process of finding the right career has been quite scary. I heard of You Majored In What? by Katherine Brooks through my best friend and instantly picked it up. It was a refreshing take on job search in a non-linear matter.

As somebody with a Bachelors of Music as well as a degree in Entertainment Business Management, I thought my path seemed pretty linear. However, this book taught me that there are other ways to think. They implement what is called the chaos theory, and how our experiences in life can bring us elsewhere. As a graduate of something non-traditional, I’m always hit in the face with the question, “So, what are you going to do with that major?” and any career aspirations I have are often ones that are really awkward to explain to people.

You Majored in What? offered great advice on creating my own path and ignore what other people think about where I’m headed. It was a motivating book that taught me how to re-frame experiences into learning opportunities, no matter what they are.

There are some great exercises to discover what your true passions are. I found out that besides music, mine were psychology, social media and visual arts. In addition, there was great advice to interviews, resume writing and crafting your own personal story.

The book gears towards destroying the linear career path way of thinking. For example, just because you majored in engineering, doesn’t mean you have to be an engineer. To anybody who thinks they are stuck in a rut job search wise or even if you want to change your career trajectory, this is a wonderful eye opening book to pick up.

I leave you with this quote:

The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different. – Peter Druker

25 Things To Do Before I’m 25

April 13, 2012Inspiration, Life4 Comments

I started this year with the idea that I would do 30 day challenges each month. I quickly realized that they were not for me. There are people out there that have lived fulfilling lives by challenging themselves every day for 30 days, with something different every month. However, in my active and busy life, it became more chore of a chore than a way to inspire and improve my way of life.

Instead I am making a list of goals and fun things to do before I turn 25. Me and my best friend value the word goals instead of resolutions because it sounds realistic and attainable. Here is my list of various learning experiences and adventures to go on before I turn 25:
in no particular order

Listen to all 1000 albums in the book, 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die by Tom Moon. What’s in this book ranges from things everybody knows to some really ethnic and obscure things.
Finish Wreck This Journal. I’m close to half-way done, but I really want to finish it so I can buy the rest of Keri Smith’s books!
Reunite with my best friend. She moved back home to New Brunswick when we graduated university. However I hope to visit her there or meet her halfway, perhaps at Osheaga!
Get to Level 25 in Prolobe Ear Training Program
Read 25 Books and blog about what I’ve learned from them
Finish the Google Adwords Certification Program
Redesign Ride the Tempo
Go on a burger inspired road trip. I just really want to visit the places they mention on the Food Network.
Do the CN Tower Skywalk. Anybody wanna go on a walk outside the CN tower with me?
Fill my dream journal and reflect on it.
Organize a show with artists featured on the music blog
Do something athletic. I have to admit that I’m the least active little person in the world.
Play 25 new songs on the piano
Interview 25 musicians 4 down 21 to go.
Get 250 subscribers on Youtube
Defeat 25 iOS games
Meet 25 new people
Eat 25 new things
Move to downtown Toronto. I miss the excitement of living downtown!
Buy a new wallet. I have had the same wallet since grade 9. It’s pretty broken and manly looking, but for some reason I have never been inclined to buy a new one.
Go to a casino. Don’t worry I know my limits! I just have never been to one.
Crochet something useful
Build an online portfolio site
Attempt to write a song
Do something inspired by somebody I don’t know This one is out in the open.

Lessons I Have Learnt from Draw Something

April 5, 2012April 5, 2012Art, iOS, Technology, Video Games3 Comments

elvis — Really horrible drawing I did of Elvis

If you don’t know already, Draw Something is the new mobile game sensation. It’s basically a set of Pictionary that you can play with your friends who have Apple and Android devices. I have been playing it for a couple of weeks now and through observation I have realized and learnt many things.

Celebrities are really hard to draw. I try my hardest not to use words when I am drawing clues. I think it’s cheating. However, when you get hit with a celebrity, it can become hard.

drake — This is Drake, boyfriend didn't get it.

britney — Name the first generic blonde person you can think of!

People draw people that look like themselves. Whenever the drawing requires the use of a person to describe something, they always seem to look like the person who drew the picture. I’m guilty of this too. My people always look like the doodles of me that I do on My Life In Drawings. Other people do this too though. My friends who have blonde hair draw blonde people. Those that have curly hair draw curly haired people. Even if it takes an extra step to do these things.

pegasus — Guess the hair colour of the person that drew this.

It can be used as a genius marketing plan. Companies should insert their names into this game. Subliminal advertising after all. And hey, if your logo isn’t recognizable for anybody to want to draw it, maybe you should do something about that.

Continue reading ➞ Lessons I Have Learnt from Draw Something

Things I Learned So Far From Video Blogging

February 21, 2012Life, Social Media, TechnologyLeave a Comment

On my music blog I started making video album reviews. It was definitely something that I had my doubts of doing because of some great fear of not being liked or that people would make fun of me. It has only been a few weeks, but here are some things that I took away experience so far:

Continue reading ➞ Things I Learned So Far From Video Blogging

No Coffee Challenge: Half-Way Point

February 14, 201230 Day Challenge, Drinks, Food, Life5 Comments

February is a short month, therefore I’m already half-way through my challenge of giving up coffee for a month. I can tell you that time didn’t pass by fast at all in the beginning. The first few days were highly dreadful. I would wake up with headaches and quite nauseous. This all happened because I did not drink my usual cup of morning coffee.

I began to find ways to help my body feel awake and refreshed. Some things worked and others didn't. Here is what helped me:

Splashing Face with Cold Water
This sounds almost stupid, but the cold water on your face really does refresh and wake me up.

Walking the Dog
There’s nothing more refreshing than fresh air. Walking the dog became a good way to activate all my joints and muscles as well absorb some sunlight. Sometimes I think my mood is directly related to my weather and seeing the sun really does brighten my mood. I also love it when Teddy meets a new friend along the way!

Tea/Hot Chocolate
It’s really hard to give up caffeine entirely so for those times when I needed a bit of a jolt tea helped. I find green tea makes me sleepy though. Black tea works best. Hot chocolate with a hint of cayenne pepper and cinnamon is also a great way to spice up the morning!

15 minute naps
Sometimes you just need to nap and taking a little 15 minute power nap can be what I need. It’s a great way to rest the eyes and get them away from the a billion screens that make up my life.

I hope I can continue to ignore coffee for the month. However, I have a business meeting on Friday at a coffee shop called the Roastery. Would it be too pretentious to order a tea?

30 Seconds of Courage Goes A Long Way

February 3, 2012Life3 Comments

Despite being a quite sociable and easily approachable person, I can be very shy at times. However, over the years I have learned there is no reason to be. In addition, I’ve learned the importance of networking and meeting people in furthering a career.

Here’s a tip I live by: Pretend to be brave for 30 seconds.
Nobody knows who you are at these events and they don’t need to know you are probably peeing your pants when you try to talk to them. Just take a breath, introduce yourself and for 30 seconds pretend you can take over the world. The brave you (even if it’s pretend) will suddenly shine through and you’ll ask yourself was it really that bad?

This can extend past networking. Maybe it will help you talk to that beautiful girl/boy in the coffee shop window. Anything you are afraid to do or think you won’t be good at, just give it a shot. It took a lot of courage for me to start Youtube video reviews. but then I realized by doing them how much fun they are.

Take a chance at something.. even for 30 seconds.

30 Day Challenge: February Edition

February 1, 201230 Day Challenge, Drinks, Food, Life5 Comments

January’s challenge was an hour of practice every day. In an increasingly busy life, it was unrealistic and fell through at times. However, it taught me that I missed it and still loved it and that I needed to schedule a couple sessions in my future weeks. Now that it’s February, it’s time for a new challenge and I will do the impossible..
I will give up coffee.

I think I’ve become too dependent on coffee in keeping me awake. Keeping away from caffeine altogether is impossible as it is in drinks as well as chocolate and deserts and hey, February has Valentine’s Day.

I have at least 2 cups each day and they are loaded with sugar. It keeps my heart constantly pumping quick and (which I don’t think is that healthy) and feeding me a ton of hyper energy. I picked the shortest month to give it up, but I hope it will lessen my need for it and lower my risk of diabetes from too much sugar. My coffees tend to be 1/3 sugar and if I’m out the most caramel filled.

I chose the shortest month to do this but guess what? It’s a leap year.. damn. As stated in earlier posts, 2012 will be a year for monthly challenges of self-improvement. Join me and challenge yourself at something!

Life After School is a Little Bit Scary

January 30, 2012Education, Life3 Comments

On Saturday, I officially graduated from Metalworks Institute, ending once and for all my life as a student. Now what?

Continue reading ➞ Life After School is a Little Bit Scary

I Think I’m A Recovering Hoarder

January 15, 2012January 15, 2012LifeLeave a Comment

I was on a mission to clean my room. I had a gigantic garbage bag ready to throw things away but my mind kept going, I need this. Luckily, I got past that and finally uncluttered my drawers and closets full of things from the past. The majority of the things I threw out fell into one of these categories:

Continue reading ➞ I Think I’m A Recovering Hoarder

Inspiration in Colours

January 11, 2012Art, Life2 Comments

The other day I went with my sister to Staples because she needed some things for school. I realized my new Pacman journal had been lacking inspiration lately, stuck in a sort of writer’s block. Then I realized inspiration just like life isn’t black and white. I decided to make my journal as colourful as life and my thoughts are supposed to be.

Are you stuck in a rut with writing?

Perhaps, adding a little colour can spark that brain. Don’t worry, I’ll stick to coloured pens on paper. I think you‘d all stop reading if this blog had multicolour text.
Your life should be more than just black and white, a pop of colour anywhere whether it be pens, make-up, wardrobe can add a little twist in your life.