March Fireball Bonus: Get a Free 30 Minute Stress Busting Workshop with Diana Antholis!

Amanda Abella — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:00:38 +0000

Phew! Can you all believe it's March already?!? Time flies when you're having fun, right?

I am so excited to share with you all March's Fireball bonus! My awesome blogger buddy and go-to fitness guru Diana Antholis has been amazing enough to create a bonus just for GMW Fireballs! If you haven't been following this blog for very long then you can check out the incredible interview Diana and I did when she launched her unique fitness program - Unleash Your Sexy! We recorded this interview about a year ago and since then her business has helped countless individuals find their center, get balanced and get healthy!

Just recently Diana launched her first ebook Unleashed: Live the Balanced, Centered and Sexy Life You Deserve and it quickly became a best seller on Amazon! Some of you have already picked this up, but in case you haven't here's why you should:

1. It's less money than a couple of lattes from Starbucks.

2. This isn't necessarily about dieting or losing weight (though it can definitely help!) - it's about living an overall healthy lifestyle including mind and body.

3. It's a handy guide to keep around for when you fall off the health wagon or need some quick stress busters

4. She gives you effective tools to deal with stress, fear and anxiety! Tools that actually work!

5. She's loving and gentle. This book in no way makes you feel inadequate or suggests you should strive for perfection. The point is to live a better life, not your stress yourself out with trying to create it.

6. She's got an exclusive bonus just for Fireballs - a free 30 Minute "Find Your Center" one-on-one stress busting workshop!

Here are the deets:

Stress sucks. And it's very unsexy.

Your "Find Your Center" 30-minute session is designed to help you figure out what the heck is stressing you out, how to get over it, and move on sooner rather than never.

During your 30 minutes together, you and Diana will:

- Identify what is giving you a headache or elevating your stress levels (read: making you feel like a crazy person) this week.

- Find out how your thoughts are fueling your stress and how to put out the fire.

- Discover the ways you can immediately feel better, breathe easier, and center yourself to conquer your stress and tackle your day.

That's right - for the price of a day at Starbucks you get an awesome guide AND a free half hour coaching session with Diana!

How do you get in on this?

This month's Fireball Bonus is ONLY for email subscribers - current and those who subscribe during the month of March. You will receive instructions all month long on how you can snag this awesome offer!

1. Sign up for the Fireball Newsletter! You can use the form below, on the side bar, below the header or the Pop Up.

2. Check your email for instructions all month long!

3. Current subscribers: Check the sidebar of the weekly blasts for instructions.

I hope you guys get as much fulfillment, joy and happiness out of Diana's work as I have! Here's a to a healthy March!

Discalced Carmelites? For those of you who don’t know, she was met with loads of adversity and opposition, even within her closest circles! But she still did it! She knew she was on the right track despite the difficulties - and the result? - she wrote beautiful works like The Interior Castle (which I recommend to anyone), was named one of the very few female Doctors of the Catholic Church, whipped the Carmelites into shape and founded her own order of Catholic nuns which is now known worldwide.

I also remembered something one of my favorite authors, Gabby Bernstein, says when people start cracking open and doing some serious work on themselves and discovering what they love - for a while there stuff can be really, really uncomfortable. In fact, things may get way worse before they get better. And this is an awesome sign! It means you are on the right track and your ego is trying desperately to bring you down! Your ego will start pulling out all the stops when you’re on to something amazing and it’s our job to recognize that and keep going.

So, for those of you who are knee deep in self-reflective work, are working toward a massive passion project, or are just starting to figure out who you really are and what you want to do with your life - don’t get disheartened when challenges come up. That just means you are on to something amazing

great stories for social gatherings!

At the 200 interview mark I was starting to notice patterns among people. This was right at the beginning of starting my life coaching certification so I was becoming very aware of the problems people are facing not just on the job hunt, but within themselves and life in general. Below you'll find a few of the patterns I have noticed:

People get in their own way. Their egos are strong and loud.
Lack mentality is an epidemic. Most of them have some crazy fears around money and scarcity.
People who act like complete jerks a) don't usually notice they are doing it and b) have something very funky going on inside of them.
People let their job problems seep into every part of their lives. Or, vice versa, which may be even worse.
People are VERY quick to judge themselves and others.
People don't put their money where their mouth is. They talk a lot about changing, quitting their jobs, running their own business and the like but never do anything about it - and they certainly don't want to financially invest in their own betterment!

See? I told you this job might make you lose faith in humanity. But for me, it's been an eye opener. I already had a feeling that people were living on autopilot, merely existing rather than living, but conducting all these interviews has certainly proved it. At the end of the day, regardless of what issues they were bringing into my office, most people had the same basic problems: they weren't really living and they'd been hurt. Maybe even really hurt.

This prompted me to start reading and researching the psychology of happiness. I asked myself some very basic, yet fundamental questions. Why are we living this way? Why are we so quick to judge, control and attack ourselves and others? Do we have a predisposition to viewing life in a negative way? Is this genetic? How come only a few people seem to really be happy? And how can we spread the happiness?

What resulted was a journey (and a newfound love) for metaphysics, other forms of philosophy, spiritual teachings of all kinds, psychology, neuroscience and quantum physics. My Catholic upbringing had already exposed me to some of this stuff, but after witnessing first hand how people are sleeping through life I needed to know more. Never in a million years did this English major think she'd say "Wow I'm totally digging - and understanding - neuroscience right now."

My research was astounding. Turns out we have a set point for happiness. Fifty percent is determined by genetics, 10% is determined by circumstances outside of ourselves (car, money, house) and the other 40% is totally up to us. By this point its not rocket science. Things like chronic stress and anger make us feel like shit. Meanwhile things like exercise, community, feeding our brain with good stuff and proper management of our emotions makes us feel better. The point here is that happiness is up to us - we have more control than we think!

You know what else is interesting? Having material things doesn't make much of a difference. Sure, if you take a homeless guy and give him some food and a roof over his head it's going to really affect his happiness quotient for the long term. But if you go from maybe $100,000 to $500,000 or even $1 million the positive affects don't last very long. Ever notice how millionaire athletes are notorious for blowing through their money? Or how some people keep finding themselves in the same financial problems even when they make more money? Have you noticed the string of suicide and crimes in the athletic world lately? Or how some of the world's most famous actors and musicians are so deeply troubled? Thats because material wealth and success affects our happiness to a minimal degree.

Oh...and this one might actually blow your mind. We affect our surroundings. Our thoughts and our feelings can affect other people, animals and even our reality - and there is science that really backs this up! The idiom "I'm getting a good/bad vibes" is based on actual science!

Of course, we all already know this stuff. We're born knowing this stuff. We can feel it. Some people even tell us these things long after we've forgotten. So why aren't we listening?

Below you'll find some great books and documentaries on this very subject. I promise you won't look at life the same way again.

What the Bleep Do We Know?

I AM

The Unleashing Part 1 by Osmar Vindel (This one really goes into a bunch of other resources as well. Way too many to count!)

3 Magic Words

Happy reading + watching everyone! Feel free to share any thoughts or resources in the comments below.

Think Traffic mentions how people who are considered experts in their field do not take on just anybody as a client. They have an application process, a waiting list and only offer free services occasionally.

Marie Forleo talks about the importance of identifying ideal clients in her video "Do Your Clients Drain Your Energy?". (Very good video!)

Ramit Sethi (I Will Teach You to Be Rich) and Derek Halpern (Social Triggers) also talk about the importance of knowing what kind of customers you want to work with on a podcast they did together.

And of course, you can't have a post like this without mentioning Seth Godin, who pretty much coined the idea of building your tribe. (If you don't know who Seth Godin is at this point you need to watch this and this.)

So as you can see, some of the leading online experts in marketing, sales and numbers all seem to agree on the same thing.

Bottom line: Get clear on who you WANT to work with.

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of going to see one of my sheroes speak live and in person. On Thursday night I went to The Standard on Miami Beach for Gabrielle Bernstein’s May Cause Miracles Book Launch Event.

If you’ve been following the blog for a while then you know I am a huge fan of Gabrielle Bernstein and her work. I have been following her for a little over a year and can testify that what she teaches about spirituality, positive psychology and meditation actually works!

I use her tools, techniques and teachings on a daily basis and have truly seen miracles occur - from managing my day job and having abundance to this blog becoming a major vessel for an empowering message. And, if you saw my Kick Ass Books for an Awesome 2013 video then you know that her teachings helped me have the easiest breakup recovery ever.

It is her work that helped me not only witness, but stop playing crappy records in my head. I now notice when I have thoughts like “My job blows”, “I’ll never make enough money”, “My ex is an asshole”, “I suck” etc. etc. Now instead of getting caught up in them I disengage and choose to see love instead. This kind of perception has literally created a better outward experience and has certainly helped me better deal with life’s occasional obstacles.

Gabrielle Bernstein has taught me and countless others how to live in an empowered love filled way. Following her work has literally changed my life for the better and I am constantly sharing these tools with you all because I whole heartedly believe in their power. (By constantly I really do mean constantly. You can read about my journey following Gabby here, here and here.)

So as you can imagine I was pretty excited to see one of her lectures live instead of on Vimeo. And I was certainly completely ECSTATIC when I got to meet her!

I met Gabby Bernstein! Squeal!

Autographed copy of May Cause Miracles and a pass to enjoy The Standard Hotel & Spa. Miracles indeed!

Seriously, dream come true! It's moments like this that make me realize how grateful for everything. If it wasn't for writing this blog that constantly forces me to look inward, take care of my side of the street and most importantly serve others, I may have never stumbled upon this incredible teacher. And I certainly wouldn't have had the balls to hand her a business card (Yes, I did do that. Make that two best selling authors I've slipped my business card to!)

You know what else makes me feel grateful? This beautiful setting on the water. I am so blessed to live in such an incredible city!

Getting ready for Gabby on the Bay!

I know a lot of you already follow Gabrielle Bernstein, but for those of you who don't here is a rundown of some of my favorite lessons:

Forgiveness is the bedrock of a happy life.

Relationships are assignments.

Gratitude is the only attitude.

Focus on the content instead of the frame.

Treat your romantic relationships as more brotherly and treat your friendships as more romantic (Good one!)

The Universe has your back.

Win an Autographed Copy of May Cause Miracles!

Since I purchased a VIP ticket for the event I got an EXTRA copy of Gabby's latest book, May Cause Miracles. And guess what? I got her to autograph it for you! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below (you may need to click refresh) to enter! I can't wait to share this amazing guidebook with one of you lucky readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

latest Lifehack article going live, my YouTube channel tripling in subscribers, blog coaching clients, creating my life coaching structure and getting ranked as one of the 20 Must Read Career Blogs for the Young Job Seeker by Under 30 Careers I've been celebrating for a week!

But wait - it gets better! On Friday January 11th I was asked to be on a HuffPost Live panel to talk about millenials, boomerang kids and the economy! Several of you watched LIVE and showed some serious love! You guys really came out to support us against the typical millenial bashing that usually occurs in the media. YOU GUYS ROCK! Check out some of the awesome comments below:

You can watch the entire segment by clicking the image below. Or click here.

Tweetable:

Check out this awesome @HuffPostLive segment about boomerang kids, millenials and the economy! via @amandaabella Buffertweetable text

NeuYear Calendar Giveaway

Okay guys, and now for the second part of this post. I want to give a HUGE shoutout to NeuYear for sending me over a FABULOUS calendar! Those of you who are on the Email Insider list already know how in love I am with these calendars - and a couple of you have even purchased one! But for those of you who don't know, the guys over at NeuYear created these beautiful 2013 calendars that let you see the entire year, allow you to track your goals, allow you to give yourself weekly ratings and are design friendly!

In celebration of a New Year and an awesome week, the guys at NeuYear sent me an EXTRA calendar to give away on the blog! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

30% Discount on NeuYear Calendars for Email Subscribers

If you can't wait for a raffle then make sure to subscribe to the Grad Meets World email list! NeuYear has created an exclusive 30% discount code just for GMW subscribers! Just sign up at the bottom of this post and you'll instantly get your 30% discount code. Here's to a fabulous New Year!

Photo via HA! Designs - Artbyheather @ Flickr

At first I must have looked at him like he was nuts, but he continued anyway, "When you went through your break-up a few months back your girlfriends took care of you. They got you out of the house, they supported you when you were down. Plus, you had all these women empowerment groups to go to which helped you focus on something else other than your break-up. Women who read your blog sent you encouraging emails from all over the country. You even knew what books to read! Us guys...yeah we don't have that. We're told to suck shit up and deal with it on our own."

He was right. I was floored.

This inspired me to do a little research for all the amazing dudes who read this blog (my friend being one of them). After all, I've always got sweet stuff for the ladies (being that I am a woman it's just easier) but I've never put anything together for my male readers.

Some of you may be rolling your eyes, but I know for a fact you deal with a lot of the same crap us ladies do. Why? Because we're all human and we're all in it together. Besides, you read this blog so clearly you have some sort of interest in your own well being.

Granted, the difference lies in how you deal with stuff. Am I going to tell you to get in lotus position and share your feelings? Not exactly. Unless that works for you, of course.So bear with me as I dish on why men should get on the self-help bandwagon.

How many times have you felt like you had no outlet for how you feel?

Probably quite a few. That's because entire generations of men have been told to conceal their feelings and "man up." They've been told to pick themselves up by their boot straps and dust themselves off. Don't get me wrong I love a strong confident dude as much as the next girl & I certainly don't want the guy I'm dating to be more into chick flicks than I am, but that doesn't mean you have to shut down and suppress how you actually feel.

As humans we need to deal with life. That means we get curve balls thrown at us, go through heartbreak and encounter disappointments. Emotions come up regardless of what genitalia you happen to don and for that reason alone you must learn how to deal with them. Take WWII vets for instance, they were expected to just forget about the war and move on with their lives. Consequently, many vets did just that and ended up with PTSD instead.

Moral of the story: deal with your emotions.

Does this mean get in a pow wow, take up Pilates and share your feelings with every person you encounter? Absolutely not. It just means find something that works for YOU. For instance, does working out help you get clear? Maybe you can take up mixed martial arts or some sort of sport. I have one male coaching client who boxes and has started a daily routine of plugging in his headphones and jamming out to some tunes. Those two things alone help him deal with whatever is coming up for him.

How many times have you felt alone? Like you're the only one feeling a certain way?

Again, probably quite a few times. Old habits die hard, and even today men are much less likely to seek help from others or therapy than women are. In my own experience with dating, the only thing that really ensues is a distant man who pushes away for the sake of "being strong." With the more severe cases they only end up projecting whatever emotions haven't been dealt with and hurting people in the process. Women have, of course, been taught to do the exact opposite and what usually ensues is an argument we see mimicked on sitcoms all the time.

Now if all if you dudes are doing this it's no wonder you feel like you can't read that book, call a friend or find a therapist. Hell, you may feel like you can't even talk to another dude! Notice how absurd it is that a man feels like he can't talk to another man about problems they both share! Given that you are all hard wired differently than women are, wouldn't it make sense to talk to a person who can see eye to eye with you?

We, as a society, need to change the conversation. It's not just women who deal with emotions, men most certainly have them too and there is no reason they should be less encouraged to deal with them in whichever healthy way they see fit.

Did you know your health could be at stake?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, men turn to drugs and alcohol at twice the rate of women. Men are also more likely to experience anxiety disorders like PTSD. Some research suggests that women suffer from more cases of depression, however experts are starting to think that the numbers are skewed simply because women are more likely than men to recognize their depression and seek help.

Men are also more likely to deal with their emotions in unhealthy ways. This usually results in self-medicating with substances, anger, frustration, irritability or even violent outbursts. Men are also more likely to die by their own hands than women are. Why? Because although women are more likely to attempt suicide they prefer pills while men tend to go straight for the hand gun.

Clearly, whatever it is men are doing (or in most cases not doing) in the interest of their own mental health isn't working out.

Where can men go for some self-help?

Lucky for you I've become somewhat of a self-help aficionado thanks to this blog. Below you'll find a list of resources for all you gnarly dudes.

TokiiLab - They have games, fun articles and yes, self-help resources for men! In fact, you can thank these guys for shedding light on a lot of the astonishing statistics found in this blog post.

The Daily Love - This breakout blog which was recently featured on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday was started by a guy! It also features a ton of other male health experts, coaches and thinkers so you can live your best life.

Tony Robbins - You can't have a blog post like this without mentioning Tony Robbins. You just can't. YouTube the guy and prepare to have your mind blown.

Kute Blackson - Check this guy out for some awesome videos that are all focused on liberation. He's also go great relationship advice.

Deepak Chopra - An incredible speaker, teacher and doctor who has a nifty way of mixing spiritual principles and practices with science. Whatever you're dealing with, he's got a meditation and a million books.

Ekhart Tolle - A powerhouse whose books will change your life.

The Art of Manliness - This blog is just effin' awesome. A blog full of substance and smart content to counteract all the crap in men's magazines. Also a nice power of example that argues against the recent theory that millenial men are louts.

Perhaps this list isn't as a long as it would have been if it were written toward women, but it's definitely a start! Do any of you men know of any great websites or books for your fellow dudes? If not, how about you start one? There's clearly a need for it.

Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr

Spirituality/Positive Psychology:

May Cause Miracles: A 40-Day Guidebook of Subtle Shifts for Radical Change and Unlimited Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein

(Bonus: I'm totally digging Doreen Virtue as of late. If you're feeling open minded or your spirit needs a boost I highly recommend this.)

Money:

The Mint Manual by Tim Murphy (Check out a full length review here.)

The Law of Divine Compensation: On Work, Money and Miracles by Marianne Williamson

Kicking Ass:

Audacity Rules by Coach Jennie (Check out our one-on-one interview here.)

Amazon Store

For more of my favorite personal development books visit my store on Amazon.

Tweetable:

Check out these amazing books for rocking 2013! #health #money #geny #career via @amandaabella Buffertweetable text

Click here to read the entire post.

2. Figure out how you work.

Hit the ground running or baby steps? Everyone is different. I personally have to do something everyday in order to create a habit. Other people are more successful when they start small, like starting off going to the gym once a week instead of everyday.

Look back at your past successful resolutions. How did you approach it? Did you make a commitment from the get go or did you ease into it? Once you figure out what works best for you, use it.

3. Start early.

This is my favorite tip - start a few days early! Last year I started practicing my healthy resolution on December 26th. It made it seem like there was less pressure and by the time January 1st rolled around I was already a few days in.

This year I'm doing the same with my green juice resolution. In fact, I started on Christmas Day

4. Use life's curve balls to your advantage.

One of the biggest reasons people have a tough time with resolutions is because life inevitably gets in the way.

Been through a breakup? Got laid off? Illness? No problem! Use these less than desirable situations to your advantage. Get creative and use the energy these situations bring up for good.

Don't get me wrong, if you need to take a few days to readjust, do it. But you also have to look at the silver lining - and guess what, you know have more time to cultivate those resolutions. Besides, focusing on something else other than your hardship - like doing something good for yourself - can make a huge difference in the healing process.

For instance, when I was feeling a lot of anger after a breakup I upped my fitness routine and started kickboxing. I was still taking care of myself, was using the anger to get a good workout in and was releasing whatever crazy emotions were coming up through physical activity.

The result? I've got arm definition for the first time in my life (see picture below haha). My abs are tighter, I'm stronger, I've got more endurance, my mood has improved and most importantly, I've made health and fitness a regular part of my life.

2012 resolution completed, even with one of life's curve balls.

5. Enlist some buddies & declare your resolution.

Do you and a friend both have a similar resolution? Join forces! Go to the gym together, work on your side hustles together at a coffee shop, train for that marathon together, whatever! There is some serious strength in numbers so take advantage!

This is also a great way to keep yourself accountable. By declaring your resolution out loud it gives you a sense of commitment. The friends you enlist can also help keep you on track (just like you can help them).

6. Have fun! Don't be so hard on yourself!

We're not perfect, and as a result we're going to fall off the wagon. The plan of action here isn't to be so hard on yourself - that just brings up feelings of guilt, anger and a whole bunch of bullshit that won't serve you.

The solution is to acknowledge the goof up, give yourself a pat on the back for getting as far as you did and picking yourself back up again the next day. Sometimes it takes a few tries before something sticks, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

At the end of the day resolutions are meant to improve our lives, not make us feel miserable.

So what are my resolutions this year?

Health & Fitness: Start juicing, baby! I got a Breville juicer for Christmas (the same one in the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead) and I'm ready to use it! I've been experimenting with green juices and smoothies for a few weeks and I truly feel it's time I make a commitment to those micro-nutrients and make myself some green juice for breakfast everyday (as I am writing this I am on Day 2).

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to keep up, join in and show me your juice!

(Optional resolution: I've been reading up on the health benefits of massage thanks to Kris Carr. In 2013 I will try to get a massage once a month to help my muscles out.)

Money: In 2013 I hope to max out my Roth IRA contribution for the year. The max contribution is $5,000 and I already contribute $1,200 automatically. Only $3,800 to go! I plan to do this with the help of Impulse Save. If there is anything that Impulse Save has taught me it's that little savings here and there add up quickly.

Career: There's nothing really new in the career sector other than continuing what I've been working toward since starting this blog. I need to continue testing my coaching chops as I move through the ICA program. I also hope to become actively involved in local networking and career communities. I've got a couple of workshops I'm working on that will help me get involved, give back and help me with one of my ultimate blog/career goals of speaking & live events.

I also hope to attend at least one conference in 2013. I upgraded my Delta Skymiles account & have accumulated a ton of miles for United. It's time to start using those suckers!

Are any of my fellow bloggers attending any conferences in 2013? Which ones? Want to split the cost of accommodations? Email me and let me know

What are your resolutions or goals for 2013? Feel free to share in the comments below!

fill out this survey so I can better serve you in 2013.

Photo by Amanda Soler Photography

In a nutshell.

I tried things differently this year. It was a year when my post-grad anxiety started to subside, I succeeded in starting to put my health first, reconnected with Miami and even started dating again. Despite the hardships that sometimes ensued, like upsets at work or serious heartbreak, it's the best year I've had in a long time. It's also the most calm I have felt in what seems like years. No regrets.

I also made tremendous progress financially, within my career and in my personal relationships. A lot of it is thanks to this blog and it's readers. You guys not only inspire me, you also help keep me accountable and for that I am forever grateful.

2013 will be dedicated to planning workshops (already have two in the works!), partnerships and creating a space where millenials can share, grow and learn from each other as we create our careers, our health, our personal experiences and our lives. I want this to be a space where you guys can come for positive reinforcement, resources and connections.

With that being said, please make sure to fill out this survey so I can better serve you in 2013.

Thank you all for another incredible year!

The Ultimate 2012 Round Up

What a year for Grad Meets World! Apparently some of the topics discussed got some serious attention! With that being said here are the top posts from the year:

10 Top Notch Gen Y Blogs of 2011

Why It's Okay to Be a Boomerang Kid (This little number sparked quite a controversy and even got my blog featured on The Consumerist! You guys had some awesome things to say in what turned into a healthy debate.)

4 Signs That You May Be an Entrepreneur at Heart

10 Odd Things You Should Never Do at a Job Interview

Some of my personal favorites...

Love and Relationships

How Do You Deal With a Breakup? 7 Steps for Getting Over a Breakup

The Love Manifesto: 23 Principles to Help You Thrive in Your Romantic Relationships

Side Hustling

How I'm Making Over 1K from My Blog This Month

10 Lessons Learned from 2 Years of Freelancing

3 Ways Your Blog Can Make You Money Without Being Sleazy

Career

Just for the Ladies - Resources to Help You Kick Ass in Your Career

20 Lessons Learned from Conducting 200+ Interviews

5 Ways to Get Your Life Back from Your Job

How to Network Like a Pro (The Non-Sleazy Way)

Money

10 Biggest Obstacles to Financial Success in Your 20s

Calling Yourself Out on Emotional Sp ending

Health

Learning to Love Your Body

How Do You Practice Self-Love?

How Poor Health Can Cost You A Lot of Money

Favorite Things I've Written for Other Websites

6 Things That Keep 20-something Women from Financial Success - Forbes

How LocalLEVO Is Helping Me Through a Breakup - The Levo League

Interview Tips from Hiring Recruiters: How Not to Be an Idiot in a Job Interview - The Levo League

New Grads: Are You Being Unrealistic in Your Job Search? - SALT

Top Free Networking Tools and Events for Post-Grad Millenials - SALT

Can You Come in for an Interview - Tomorrow? - The Daily Muse

4 Ways to Deal With Big Life Changes - Lifehack

3 Ways Freelancing Can Land You a Full-Time Job - Simply Hired

How I Plan on Getting My Savings Back After Spending $6,000 - Careful Cents

20 Lessons Learned From 2 Years of Blogging

Grad Meets World turned 2 years old this year! 2012 truly represents a year of tremendous growth for this blog and myself as a person. With that being said, here are some of the most important lessons I've learned.

1. It's okay to be vulnerable for your readers. In fact, it makes for true connections.

2. Building a practice of any kind - saving money, exercise, meditation - is like strengthening a muscle. It takes time, work and dedication, but the rewards are sweet.

3. You can use your own hardships to reach out to others and help them.

4. At the end of the day we're all human. We have the same victories and we have the same hurts.

5. It's more than okay to take a break and recharge.

6. I'd rather have fewer clients who pay well then a bunch of projects that pay shit.

7. My life coach training constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone.

8. The only certainty in life is uncertainty - it's what you make it mean that matters.

9. You have to think of the bigger picture in terms of your career - not just what your paycheck is. That is to say, what's going to benefit you in the long run? What extra stuff can you do? How can you go big?

10. Learning how to manage your boss is probably more important than actually managing your job.

11. Forgiveness is the bedrock of a happier life.

12. It's okay if you have a different path than what others want for you.

13. Make your friendships more romantic and your romantic relationships more brotherly. (Favorite lesson from Gabrielle Bernstein & A Course in Miracles. Really came in handy this year.)

14. I'm not going to die if I don't pay off my credit card in full one month. I just have to make sure not to make it a habit.

15. Sometimes it's okay to take a risk with your money. And it's certainly more than okay to invest in yourself.

16. Your relationship with yourself is the most important one you will ever have.

17. Your family cares for you and they want what's best, but sometimes you have to tune them out in order to become who you are meant to be.

18. Having compassion for someone who hurt you is not rolling over and playing dead. In fact, if you can see the humanizing factor in every undesirable situation you're going to heal much faster (and more gracefully) than you ever imagined.

19. You can be open and honest in every aspect of a romantic relationship and it'll work for however long its supposed to. If it ends it's not because of being so open, it just wasn't meant to be. Simple as that.

20. Networking and getting involved in your local community is one of the coolest things you can do for your career - and for yourself.

Personal 2012 Milestones

Partnerships: I teamed up with American Student Assistance as one of the writers for their SALT blog. It's been an incredible experience as I share my career experiences with others who are just starting out. They are also some of the coolest people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Keep a look out in 2013 for a Career webinar by yours truly and SALT!

Writing: This year was HUGE for me as I got published on one of my favorite business publications - Forbes! This was all thanks to the incredible team over on Glass Heel. Make sure to check these ladies out for anything you can possibly need to go from cubicle to board room! I also started writing for The Daily Muse, Lifehack and continued writing for my favorite career ladies over at The Levo League.

Community: I went on a networking marathon during the latter half of 2012. I am proud to be a part of The Levo League's LocalLEVO Miami chapter and have connected with such incredible ladies as a result! I also got to meet The Levo League co-founder Amanda Pouchot, Community Manager Maxie McCoy and The New Professional's/The Daily Muse's Angeline Evans! Furthermore, I got together with local Spirit Junkies and Gabrielle Bernstein enthusiasts to start a group of women who are there to support each other, help each other and be like spiritual running buddies. It's truly been an incredible opportunity to meet so many like minded ladies living in my own community! Here's to helping each other elevate not only our careers, but our lives as well.

Life Coaching: In April 2012 I officially started my life coaching certification course. The entire process has been a huge eye opener and I see myself using the skills I've learned in my writing, in my personal relationships and at my job. I've also taken on a couple of clients (both long time readers of the blog) to help me create a program and test out exercises (thanks to the both of you for being so patient with me!). In 2013 I will be putting things to the test with workshops and webinars. Make sure to sign up for the email list to stay updated!

Fitness: December 26, 2012 marks one year since I decided to practice yoga on a regular basis. Regardless of what is going on in my life I always find myself back on the mat. I've had the absolute pleasure of getting to know incredible teachers at Prana Yoga Miami and take tools I learn on the mat into my daily life. Yoga is truly a gift and I am thankful to have incorporated it into my life. In September 2012 I also picked up mixed martial arts/boxing and have been steadily going ever since. I can feel (and see) the changes in my body and it feels great! If you're ever in Miami make sure to check out Arena Combat Sports for a hell of a workout and some pretty cool people.

On a personal level: I have made some incredible connections this year as I maneuver my way through the crazy city of Miami. There's always something going on in this vibrant town and for that I am so grateful! I also opened up on a much more personal level through a romantic relationship, released some fears that had been holding me back and got a huge lesson in compassion and forgiveness. I've really opened up this year - both in my personal life and on this blog - and the process has been a beautiful one.

What's next in 2013?

1. Live workshops and webinars!

I've teamed up with some incredible people, both locally and online, to bring one of my blog dreams to reality - workshops and webinars! I've got a fitness goals workshop in the works with an awesome Miami personal trainer & I'm teaming up with a couple of great websites to create career development workshops in the Spring. Keep an eye out for more info!

2. Newsletter

One of my goals for 2013 is to write up monthly email blasts for my loyal subscribers. You guys are the lifeblood of this blog and if it weren't for you this blog wouldn't be what it is today. I plan on cracking myself open and going deep in these posts so make sure to sign up for insights you'll only get via email.

3. How can Grad Meets World improve?

My goals is to help you guys in your post-grad lives. I get a lot of material from my own life as I learn to maneuver finances, my career and personal relationships but I want to make sure these things are helpful for you. Please feel free to use this contact form to send me any insights or suggestions. Or, please make sure to fill out this survey.

Thank you again for another incredible year for Grad Meets World! May all your goals, wishes and dreams come into fruition as we enter a New Year!

Grad Meets World » Personal Development