Jealousy, backstabbing, and gossip— Oh my!

This weekend I overheard the following conversation:
Woman #1: I didn’t like her from the moment I saw her.
Woman #2: I know what you mean. I read an article yesterday and someone from her high school said she was “shallow.”
Guess who they were talking about?
Sarah Palin.
That’s right. That’s how these two women were talking “politics.” Not […]

We don’t want the same things (and that’s ok)

I don’t want what you want.
Assumptions
Why do some people insist on pushing their own life goals or values on others? Why do they make assumptions about you and your life goals based on your gender, education level, race, geographic location, and other demographics? These are questions I’ve been pondering quite a bit lately.
Here’s an example: […]

It’s tough, but listen to criticism anyway

Hearing criticism, even constructive and polite criticism, can be painful. I mean, really, who wants to hear about the things they do wrong?I’ve got news for you - You do!The fact is most people, when hearing a criticism about their work or their actions or whatever, will immediately go one of the following routes:

Denial. […]

Random thoughts on Girl Meets Business

I recently wrote a post for Twenty Set called Four Things Every Young Professional Should Start Doing Right Now. The most recent comment asks about how to deal with being a young person in business. I have been thinking about this for a while now and I was planning on writing a post about it. […]

An Introvert’s Guide to Networking (Part 2)

Introverts aren’t exactly known for small talk.
Deep conversations with one or two close friends, yes. Strategic discussion in small meetings, sure. Small talk, not so much.
In Part One of An Introverts Guide Networking, we discussed how to actually go about circulating the room. In Part Two, we’ll discuss how to hold a conversation with someone […]

An Introvert’s Guide to Networking (Part 1)

Are you an introvert?

Does a crowded room of people overwhelm you?
Do you feel drained after interacting with a lot of people?
Would you rather be at home writing on your blog than at an event?

If you answered yes, you’re probably an introvert.
Being an introvert is different than being shy. Introverts would rather be alone […]

Four lessons my dog has taught me about life (and how that relates to business)

Lucy has taught me a lot over the past three years, and I write this post to honor her and our friendship (and only half-seriously). Here are just a few of the things she has taught me:
1. Face your fears; it may be worth it.
Fear is something Lucy and I have in common. Of course, […]

The worst piece of advice I ever received (and lessons learned)

Like many college students, I suddenly decided that my major was all wrong. I had intended to go into teaching, thinking I would be a high school English teacher.
Then I went to my very first course on teaching. Everything about it was all wrong – the professor, the students, the coursework, the first […]

Why I gave up on my dream

I started writing stories at the age of 5. At 8, I asked my dad if I could use his computer to write a book. He agreed, and for months I typed my story of Constance, my main character, using some kind of DOS software (all I remember is a black screen with orange […]

Are you ignoring the rest of your life?

I’ve long disliked the work/life balance for several reasons:

Most of us spend 40, 50 or more hours a week at work. “Balance” just doesn’t seem like the correct word to describe that.
It’s often a term […]