We stayed at a cabin that didn't get cell service, so being disconnected from the rest of the world was a nice change up. As my boss says, "creative minds need to break their routine and escape into nature." I definitely felt as if a getaway was just what I needed. We skipped the early morning rush and got to the mountain after lunch. It was so refreshing to being around snow and playing outside. Even if it was almost 60 degrees outside, it still felt like an escape into the best parts of winter. Also, I pretty much just described Narnia. |
This past weekend I did some exploring at Cataloochee Ski Resort in North Carolina. The occasion for this trip was my boyfriend's 25th birthday. He is even more ambitious than I am when it comes to wanting to try new things, especially sports. I've only gone snowboarding one time before, and I didn't do very well. But I was dying to try again, and Vinnie had never been so I thought it'd be the best way to celebrate his birthday. We fell down a lot. I also caused a lot of domino effects when we got off the ski lifts. But on a positive note I got to ride with my headphones on so I could get really zoned in on what I was doing (Bassnectar while boarding was the besssst!). I got pretty good at controlling my speed, and I know it was a good workout because I'm more sore than I've ever been. Overall, I really scratched an itch to do something extreme. Snowboarding is a sport that pushes you to keep going. Even if it hurt like hell, it was still fun enough to do it again and again. I'd say it was a complete success. Check out more photos from my trip below!
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Today I was inspired by my boss Mrs. Paula. She is the President of her own public relations company called Public Affairs and is also the Director of Corporate Relations for the Atlanta Press Club. I've been her intern for about a month now and she's already taught me so much about relationship building (something that I've been intimidated about when it comes to important business people). I find myself filling the margins of my notebooks with her tidbits of wisdom (that I affectionately call "Paulaisms") throughout the day. A LESSON ON RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENTYesterday we ran into a situation about empathy, and the importance of being empathetic with your clients. One of the businesses we've been working with in sponsorship arrangements was just dealt an ugly crisis situation. There were plenty of headlines on it, but I wasn't aware of it until I had gotten to work that afternoon (another takeaway from this is how critical it is to scan the media for news about the businesses you work with). One of the APC directors had sent an untimely email was that morning requesting non-urgent information from a business that just went into full on crisis mode. My boss and I discussed how this move damages relationships because it appears as if we are not empathetic with our clients and that we don't care about their issues, when that isn't the case. It can make us seem self-centered or ignorant (something no publicist ever wants to be seen as). Reputation management can work both ways in business.
Inspiration is vital to the creative process. You never know where it's going to come from, and when it hits you, it can be the greatest feeling ever. We need to strive to inspire each other, and be open to inspiration as often as possible. Much of the reason why I created Eclectic Avenue was so that I would have a platform to reach and inspire as many people as possible in any way that I could. Some of the most common things that inspire me are music, quotes, conversation, nature, and art. I don't think it's a coincidence that most of these stem from other people, because I've always been inspired by those around me and I feed off of others' energy on an intense level sometimes. Empathy is one of my most prominent traits and I'm grateful for this because it allows me to be a leader and a motivator and a coach. As a writer, I'm still trying to figure out how to translate thoughts and feelings into messages. But if you're open to hearing what I have to say, it's bound to make you think and stimulate your mind. My new series Inspire Yourself is where I will share many of my inspiring moments so that they can radiate and spread positive energy even further. The more open you let yourself be, the more you will grow and learn. It all starts with you, though. Let your imagination run wild.
Welcome to the inaugural posting of I Read This Somewhere, a series that aims to share my opinion on the many things I read. I let my eyes soak up all that they fall over, which is anything from news articles, other blog posts, quick buzzfeed lists, rolling stones articles, books and novels, and lyrics and poetry. Sometimes these posts might be lists of things you should read, sometimes I may analyze an article that got me thinking and put my two cents in. Either way, I read it somewhere and I want to share it with you. That's what life is all about; a continuous cycle of information gathering, opinion formation and the actions that result of it. I've never thought of myself of a big reader, but it turns out I've been seriously underestimating myself. I don't read books and novels nearly as often as my brother (an English teacher who can read faster than I can speak) or my mother (an avid member of her book club). My style of reading has always been different from the rest of my family and I'm just now realizing that I might even read more than they do on a daily basis. I gravitate towards articles and quick reads. And now whenever I read something, I'm coming up with new ideas for blog series (point and case.) FEAR NO HEADLINEI came across an article on LinkedIn by Forbes called The Day Bill Belichick Discovered Public Relations by Fraser Seitel. I was totally sucked in by the headline alone; being a PR major and a Patriots fan sealed the deal. I was a bit surprised by the brash tone that it began with. As a fan of the team, I've lived through plenty of disappointing headlines about the Patriots. The Aaron Hernandez scandal, SpyGate, losing two Super Bowl games, Tom Brady's knee injury, plus others. I know the media has never been a friend of Bill Belichick. How ever these stories influenced public opinion, for Seitel to say that these things caused the Patriots to be perhaps the most hated team in all of sports just left a bad taste in my mouth. The author came off with such a negative bias that I almost dismissed his credibility right off the bat.
As a student, I've found that one of my favorite aspects of PR is crisis communication. In PR, when you are able to prevent or respond to crisis in a tactful way, you've done the definition of the job. I applaud the Patriots for consistently getting the job done in every aspect and inspiring me to do the same in my life. I can't think of a more worthy team for a Super Bowl ring. Give me your thoughts on Deflategate in the comments below!
Needless to say, I'm still not 100% an adult, but I feel that having the opportunity to experience that event was a good way to ease me into it. I'm excited and will be slightly more ready for the next one in March! Until then, I urge you to do one thing that brings out your inner non-adult, just because you never know what sort of perspective change it can bring.
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Writer, stargazer, believer in human beings. Die-hard rock and roller with an insatiable urge to dance my way through life.
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