Think Kit Day 20 - My 2012 VIP

It's sad to think of the number of people who's strongest impact happened after they left this earth...Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickenson, Edger Allen Poe, Tupac. It took their deaths for many people to realize the difference they made in life.

I'm sad to admit that this is also the case for a woman by the name of Louise Adams Dunckel...or as I liked to call her, Gramma.

My Gramma was a unique combination of southern bell and bombshell vixen. Beginning in the seventh grade and up until she left us, she was a platinum blonde and was sure to inform all females who came into contact with her of the benefits of being one. Her red lipstick was never far away, and like any classy lady, she was sure to reapply several times a day. One of her favorite phases was "oh, heavens yes!" and once in reference to a boy I was acquainted with, she told me that "he was the kind of boy who she'd let put his shoes under her bed."

My Gramma never forgot your birthday and always sent a card. In later years, these were homemade cards that she printed on the computer so she could personalize them to each family member and friend she was sending it to. She loved Christmas and always started shopping for the following Christmas shortly after it was celebrated. In looking around my apartment, her creative sense of gift-giving can be seen everywhere, from the 'Noelle's Kitchen' crock that holds the ladles and spatulas that I never use, to Babe, a ceramic pig that sits close to my entry and protects me from intruders.

On June 3, in the early hours of the morning, my Gramma passed away. Unexpectedly. At her funeral, the church was packed, and virtually every person in attendance donned her favorite color - RED. Gramma liked red. Red, red, red. It was apparent the number of lives she touched in her life, but I had idea the impact she would have in death. I still miss her terribly and am fearful that I will not make it through Christmas without shedding buckets of tears. Losing her has changed the entire dynamic of my family, almost as if she was glue holding us all together.

I regret so much in terms of my relationship with this woman. I regret that I didn't call her as often as I should have. I regret that mocking manner I used when describing her to my friends. I regret that I took her being there for granted. Most of all, I regret that I didn't get to tell her how much I loved her before she left us.

I love you Gramma. I always have and I always will. I miss you and I wish you were still here. I wish you could fix us.


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: Who made a difference for you this year?

Think Kit Day 11 - Measurement

I try not to think about how much time I spend doing anything in particular. Mostly because I believe I'd start to second guess my actions or the amount of time I spend obsessing on any one thing. However, I wanted to examine how I would like to spend my time (ideally) in 2013. Visiting friends, working, treating myself (as in #treatyoself). I came up with the following chart and am hoping I can stay close to this matrix of responsibility next year.

Clearly, my largest priority will be work. It's where I'll spend the majority of time and since its affords me the ability to do pretty much everything else on the list, is what will have the majority of my attention. A close second will be the Indiana Junior Chamber. Serving as State President, I plan to do a lot of traveling, connecting with members throughout Indiana and motivating them to make their chapters impactful in their communities.

Following those two major focuses, comes my health. I have big plans for myself in 2013, and if all goes according to plan there will be some MAJOR changes in terms of my health. And by major, I mean AWESOME. Devotion to friends and family are relatively the same, however since my family isn't local, I will have more opportunities to spend time with friends and will just have to make the time I do have with my family count.

The last three areas go hand-in-hand. Personal growth will include leadership trainings, self- discoveries, reading books that enrich my life, anything that will be solely focused on making my life better. Treating myself can be anything from getting a pedicure, to shopping and dining out. The last aspect, and probably one that I currently spend WAY too much time on, is leisure. This includes watching TV, facebooking, etc. I anticipate that with everything else going on, I probably won't have too much time for these activities and will need to force myself not to procrastinate, thus filling my time with these activities.

This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: Draw a pie chart or Venn diagram of your year, possible activities: eating, drinking, sleeping, working, playing.

Think Kit Day 9 - This is a secret.

When I have a bad day, when I need to just take a break from everything, when I want to unwind - there's one thing I do. It helps me clear my head, it helps me rejuvenate...it alleviates my stress. I'm almost embarrassed to be sharing it with the world, but at the same time, I'm sure no one who knows me will be surprised to find out what it is.

Underwear dancing. Yes, you read that right. Underwear. Dancing. Step one - I close my blinds. Trust me, no one wants to see what is about to take place. Step two, I strip down to a tank top and undies. I'm not sure why, I think I just feel like clothing is too constrictive for what I'm about to do. Plus, it kind of makes me feel sexier. I usually also turn the lights down low, just in case the blinds fail me.

Then...I let go. I dance for however long it takes me to feel better...10 minutes, 20, sometimes I've danced for 50 minutes straight. It helps me clear my head and completely shut my brain down. I don't allow myself to worry about finances or upcoming deadlines, I just focus on the music and letting myself go. That's the important part of underwear dancing...letting go. Back in college when I was a regular in the East Lansing bar scene, I had to make sure I was mindful of my dancing...it had to be sexy...booty shaking, shoulder swaying, typical come hither moves. But this kind of dancing is unrestricted. I just bounce or jump or head bang...whatever comes to me through the music. Its definitely not a sight I'd want anyone else to see. 

It's me time. It's one favorite things to do and if you've never done it before, I highly recommend. It's freeing. Go ahead, I promise not to watch.


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: What did you do this year when things got hectic? How did you unwind?

Think Kit Day 7 - life visions

I'm currently in Tennessee attending the US Jaycees State President's retreat. We're learning skills to serve our chapters in 2013.

Earlier we were instructed to write our name and two goals in this board along with all the excuses keeping us from achieving them on the back. Tomorrow we will bust through the boards and our excuses. I can't wait.

This is why I want to do with my life next year. Bust through my excuses.

I'll be sure to post photos of the busted board.

Think Kit Day 6 - #loveindy

I'm a HUGE advocate for the City of Indianapolis. I think its the best place to live in the whole, wide world. Mind you, I've only lived in about 3 other places, but in comparison to those, Indy takes the cake!

Part of my mission to move downtown included becoming more apart of this awesome city and less of a consumer of it. Living on the northside, I didn't feel like I really knew the city as well as I could, and I didn't benefit from it. I mean, sure, I give back to it...through community service projects and purchases, but I didn't belong to it. Moving to Herron Morton Place helped me attune myself to the localized aspects of Indianapolis, and my goal in 2013 is patronize those establishments more.

Back in May, JCI Indianapolis held an awesome event, Loving the Circle City. This event attracted more than 100 Indianapolisians (that's a thing, right?) who seriously heart Indy and are committed to showing others what a great place it is to live. We hope to make this event annual and continue to grow the love, finding ways to spotlight our city to our peers, the state, and the nation.

So, in summary, in 2013 I want be more involved in my community by immersing myself in it. Shopping local, promoting and patronizing local establishments and telling EVERYONE how much I love my city!

This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: How do you want to get involved in your community this year?

Think Kit Day 5 - I'd like to use a lifeline

I used to think I would like to be a journalist...it seemed like so much fun to be in a fast-paced environment breaking stories and being the person "in the know". This all sounded great and dandy until JRN 200 my sophomore year of college. I had to write stories that included interviews. I had to bother people, take time away from whatever they were doing, to ask questions that may or may not even be interesting to a general audience. And most of the time, to get these interviews, I had call people...on the phone. I absolutely despise talking on the phone. 

That being said, I'm not doing today's Think Kit assignment because it involves interviewing other people. Instead, I'm using a Lifeline, and choosing a different topic that resonated more with me and my reflection process through this project. Plus, I thought listing my 10 favorite things from 2012 sounded like a LOT of fun!

Top 10 Favorite Things from 2012

1. Noodles and Co. - Until I moved downtown, I'd never really tried Noodles and Co, mainly because as a person with Celiac Disease, anything with noodles in the title doesn't really sound like my sort of eatery. However, they offer gluten free noodles, and several options that will not make me feel icky. Score!

2. Angry Orchard Cider - I cannot drink beer [see reference in favorite thing 1], therefore I am always searching for a delicious alcoholic beverage that I can enjoy with my friends. I've never been much of a liquor drinker, so cider has always been a great option. This year I was introduced to Angry Orchard, which isn't as sweet as Woodchuck, and isn't as dry as Strong Bow. It's a perfect medium.

3. Smart Girls at the Party - This is an awesome group of woman who are encouraging young girls to be themselves, not conform to what society says is right or wrong, and just be themselves. I think its great in the world of Kim Kardashians and Britney Spears to have positive roles models that all females, young and old, can look up to. It also helps that my favorite actress Amy Poehler is a main stake in this group of women.

4. Dress Barn - I know what you're thinking...old lady clothes. However, I happened to find myself in a Dress Barn over the summer on an off chance, and they've really retooled their style. When you're a plus sized cutie, it can be difficult to find affordable, stylish clothing that is age appropriate. Thankfully, Dress Barn fits the bill.

5. New Day Meadery - I planned a JCI event at New Day this summer, not knowing what an amazing establishment it was at the time. It's now become one of my favorite places to hang out with friends, take in the local Indy scenes, and enjoy some delicious Honey wine. YUM!

6. Replacing Milk with Soy - I've started ordering soy drinks from Starbucks as opposed to nonfat drinks. I find that I don't react to them the way I can milk drinks, and they make the beverage more flavorful than if using nonfat milk.

7. Instagram - I know. I'm a conformist. I've bought into the "everyone can be a photog with this iphone app" mantra. I'm okay with it. It makes my pictures look better, it makes me feel artsy, and choosing filters is just plain ol' fun!

8. Zumba - I find zumba to be a fantastic workout! I enjoy working out as it is, but adding the dancing and whooping just makes it that much better. I'm far from good at it, but just dancing around and working up a sweat makes me happy.

9. Blogging - I'm not new to blogging...in fact, back in the days of Myspace, I had a relatively well-followed blog. But as I've gotten older I've found that my stories aren't as funny, and I'm just too busy to sit down and write my thoughts for others to read. But this year I've really gotten back into blogging. This project is helping me make it a priority, and I'd love for the habit to stick into 2013.

10. The Walking Dead - OH MAN. I seriously heart this show. When I started watching the first episode, I was completely grossed out and had to stop myself from turning it off several times. But there there was a cliff hanger and I HAD to find out how it was resolved and the next thing I knew it was four hours later and  I was too scared to leave my apartment. I've become totally desensitized to the zombies and the graphic nature of the show. I know that the writing isn't very good but I frankly do not care. It is an addictive show and I cannot get enough of it.

Think Kit Day 4 - Ripened with Wisdom

I spent the majority of this past year feeling very mediocre. Like I was just going through the motions. I woke up in the morning, I went to my job, I did my job adequately, and I came home. It was fine. I wasn't miserable, per say, but I definitely was not happy. I didn't care about my work, I didn't feel like I was serving a purpose, I wasn't engaged.

To top it all off, my company seemed to be a sinking ship. Three major layoffs in a little over a year, people leaving and their positions not being replaced, constant talk from the higher ups about slashing budgets and scrutinizing every penny spent. While this didn't seem to be affecting me personally, it didn't give me a whole lot of confidence in my future there...or a future of the business at all.

Then in July, while talking to a fellow JCI member, he mentioned that his office was hiring a newly created position. We spoke little about the position and what the organization did, and the following day I emailed and asked for a job description.

When I looked at what the position entailed, I was nervous. I'd never professionally done event planning...my background is in marketing and communication, this job didn't call for that at all. It was program management. Sure, I had experience doing that, but...it wasn't....what if I couldn't....I don't know...

I didn't feel confident about applying for the job. Even though it sounded like something I would love to do, it wasn't exactly my background and I felt positive that I wasn't qualified in the least to do it. Additionally, in our conversation about the position, he'd mentioned the salary to me - $9K more than what I was currently making. How could I even justify that I was capable of receiving a pay increase of that magnitude? 

After sharing the position description with some family and close friends and receiving their blessings that I could, in fact, do this job, I sent my resume. I wasn't sure anything would even come of it. But I took the chance. That turned out to be the wisest decision I made in 2012. I got the job. I absolutely love it. I'm happier than I've been in a long time. I no longer feel mediocre or that I do not have a purpose. I feel complete. 

Moreover, I'm so excited to see what 2013 will bring. Surely new challenges as I grow comfortable in the position. New tests of my leadership ability. More confidence in myself. More engagement in my organization. The opportunities seem endless.


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: What is the wisest decision you made this year?

Think Kit Day 3 - Meet Me in...Indy.

So back in August, while vacationing in California, I went to visit a physic. Now, this was just a fun activity and I didn't seriously put any weight into the things she told me...until they started coming true. For example, she informed me that I would have a new job by October. Now, I'd been looking for a new job for quite sometime, and had already applied for a few positions, including the one I currently have, but I thought it seemed unlikely that I'd have a new job that quickly. Low and behold, I was offered a position on September 26th. The second thing she mentioned was that I'd be moving into a two bedroom apartment. Now that was just silly. Why would I need two bedrooms? And, once again, by chance I found an amazing apartment that I LOVE and could afford and it is two bedrooms. Creepy, right?

The third thing she told me is the one thing that I actually hope does come true. She informed me that I'd meet the love of my life in either six days, six weeks, or six months. Now, clearly, the first two options have passed, but the third, six months, will happen in February. If that was to happen, I'd be elated.

Its not a secret to anyone who knows me that I hate being single. It's not because I need someone to do for me or take care of me, its because I want someone to be crazy about me. I want someone who thinks I'm amazing. And, I want someone I can take care of. I am really hopeful that I will meet this person in 2013. I've spent a lot of time denying that I want it, or pretending that I don't care if it happens or not, and I realize that's totally a farce  There is no reason why I don't deserve to be happy and make someone else happy. So, I'm putting it out there in the universe....I'm ready. I want to meet my forever person.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm banking on this happening in February like the physic said. In fact, considering some of the plans I have for myself next year, that'd be kind of inconvenient  However, I'd love for it to happen at some point in the next 365 days. 


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: If you could meet someone new in 2013, who would it be? Or would you rather spend more time with someone you already know?"

Think Kit Day 2 - Unplugged

So, I missed yesterday's prompt because, well, I was unplugged...I woke up yesterday with a twinge of a headache which I attributed to the bottle of Honey Mead from New Day Meadery I'd drank the night before (so yummy).  But as the day evolved, the small headache, combined with a lack of caffeine (cross your fingers I get that Keurig for Christmas), transformed  into a full on migraine. 

So needless to say, I spent the majority of the day in the silence and darkness of my bedroom. I slept mostly, thankfully. What saddens me most is that I didn't get to do any of the unplugged things that I was planning to do - catch up on reading the memoir I just started or continue to practice my knitting. 

Sometimes I think our bodies just tell us that they need a break. They need time to be dormant and recover from our lives. I hope my body feels that I am fully recovered and will not revolt against me again, because this month is going to be CRAY CRAY and I am ready for it!!

In 2013 its going to become increasingly difficult to unplug. The requirements of my job, the duties I will have with the United States Junior Chamber - it will all create a lifestyle where I have to be connected to people - physically and digitally - a lot. However, I am going to commit to taking at least one day a month to completely unplug for 12 hours. Whether its a Sunday where I turn off the phone and hide the computer, or a weekend in a different part of the state, visiting with members and being completely engaged in my surroundings and NOT looking at Facebook and Twitter. At least one day a month I will force myself to unplug from my devices and spend time engaging in other ways.


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: "Unplug for an hour, a half day, or a whole day. Choose a time that feels a little uncomfortable. How did you feel? What did you do? Reflect on your experience  How much did you unplug this year? How does this experience make you feel about unplugging in the coming year?"

Think Kit Day 1

Here we go!! Beginning today I'll be taking one month to reflect on 2012 and visualize 2013 through SmallBox's Think Kit! This year has been a roller coaster for me and I'm excited about the opportunity to celebrate it a little before ringing in 13 (and my 32nd year of life).

Today's mission: Choose a photo that encapsulates my year. Honestly, this was pretty easy. As I looked through my photos, one jumped out as the obvious selection. Not because of the subject matter (which, in my personal opinion, is breathtaking ;) ), but ore because of what it represents.

This is me [DUH]. This photo was taken on October 5, 2012. It was taken on the last day of my old job. The last day ever at a place that sucking the happiness and joy right out of me. Since leaving that place, I've been uplifted. My new job is the perfect place for me to be. My happiness has increased tenfold in the last two months. You can seen just how happy I am in this photo to be leaving. That can't even match how I feel right this minute, thinking about how thankful I am for where I am now and what I'm doing.

Sure, there were 10 months that happened before this photo was taken, and I'm sure there are plenty of other significant things that happened in that time, but this is the one that perfectly encapsulates my year.

It was my turning point.