Walk Into the Future

Tag: Development

  • Navy SEAL Museum (teambuilding)

    “No one can whistle a symphony.  It takes a whole orchestra to play it”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

    My Walk into the Future continues to expand and grow tree branches.

    I am always looking for ways to enhance organizational growth and find opportunities to thrive.  I am still active with my consulting projects and this work expands my ability to develop new ways to inspire my team to meet organizational goals.

    Teambuilding activities have been the springboard towards enhanced communications, better work production and overall success.  This is an ongoing process, there are more opportunities for the organization to grow, and teambuilding will be a driving force towards this goal.

    The national Navy SEAL Museum is in Fort Pierce, Florida.  This is a fun fact, and most people ask why.  The shores of Fort Pierce were utilized as a prime World War II training location to prepare troops for beach invasions.  The underwater demolition program was a key component of the training program and was a precursor to the Navy SEAL program we know today.

    What does this have to do with teambuilding?  Great question!

    Many folks on my staff knew the Navy SEAL Museum was in Fort Pierce but only a few had been to the museum.  I went for the first-time last year with a student organization and enjoyed the experience.  I shared this with a few folks at work and we discussed a team visit to share the history and do some team bonding.  It took a bit of scheduling and adjusting calendars, but we agreed on a date and time for the team visit.

    I did not have a preset idea of how many folks would come to the museum but was happy when 10 folks showed up with smiles on their faces.  This was a voluntary outing for the team, and they took time out of their weekend for team bonding—I was impressed!

    We got an introductory briefing by the museum staff, and this set the stage for the team to explore the multiple displays and artifacts within the museum.

    I did not know how the team would respond to being in a military museum, but they were very active learning the history of the Navy SEALs and campaigns they fought in.  The ability to touch the equipment and sit in an actual helicopter allowed the team an interactive experience while touring the museum.

    The museum has displays outside as well: boats, statues, and monuments.  We got some great pictures of one of the combat boats that was larger than most of us thought it would be.  The obstacle course was popular with other tour groups present but we only tried a few of the obstacles.  I tried the rope swing but sunk quickly into the sand—I traveled 3 feet before my momentum was broken.  Think we all had a good laugh at my lack of movement on the rope swing.  A few others took a turn on the rope swing, and they had better outcomes than I did.  I may have to go back to the Navy SEAL Museum to redeem myself on the rope swing.

    The visit to the Navy SEAL Museum is another step towards making our team stronger.  It was a great way to highlight the ultimate team (Navy SEALs) and how they come together to complete missions.  The importance of teamwork on mission outcomes was a great reminder for my team as we look for ways to get better daily.  Always looking for ways to get 1% better daily.

    What are you doing to become 1% better today?

    Irie!

  • National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2023 Annual Conference

    NACE23

    “Continuous personal and professional development is your key to the future”.

    (Brian Tracy)

    The NACE22 conference was held in Portland, Oregon last year.  I chronicled my experience traveling out to Portland for the conference in a previous Walk into the Future article.  This was my first time in Portland so was excited to venture out and take in the sights.  NACE22 was also part of my professional development as I served as Co-Chair on the Mentoring Taskforce.  The role allowed me to present during the conference to share the activities the taskforce had worked on during the academic year.  FYI, we redesigned the NACE mentoring program to modernize how we recruit and onboard new mentors.  I was excited for the opportunity to network with my peers and share the hard work the taskforce completed to enhance our organization.

    Fast forward to 2023 and NACE23 was held in Orlando, Florida at the Disney World Swan, and Dolphin resort.  My travel itinerary was a lot less of a hassle than catching multiple connecting flights to get out and back to Portland.  My school saved a bunch of money by not having to fly me all the way to the west coast and back this year.

    Another bonus for me is I did not have to present this year, so I got a chance to enjoy myself while networking with friends from around the country.  The Career Services world is a tight knit bunch of professionals, and it was great getting a chance to see folks again.  The NACE conference provides a great platform for networking, and I made a point to talk with everyone I could.  Please note, this level of networking is needed for future growth within the organization.  I served on the Mentoring Taskforce because the NACE past-president reached out and asked me to Co-Chair because this was his passion project.  The incoming president made sure I knew she needed help with an upcoming committee and spent the week recruiting me to join her project as well.  It took a few follow-up meetings and calls, but I agreed to serve on one of her committees for the 2023 – 2024 year.  My end goal is to get a seat on the NACE Board of Directors soon and it helps to be connected to the right people.

    I’m not a huge Disney person but made sure to explore the Disney Boardwalk area for food, drinks, and night life.  I took advantage of the workout facilities located on the Swan side of the resort and got in a few training runs while on the property.

    Several of the NACE23 vendors host afternoon and evening networking sessions to connect with Career Services professionals.  These sessions are paid for by the vendors and they routinely provide food and drinks for all attendees.  Nice way to get a free meal, drinks and enjoy time with friends.  Yes, I made my way to as many of these networking sessions as possible. LOL.  

    A true highlight of the trip for me was a visit over to Disney Springs.  One of the vendors hosted a large event in an Irish Pub in Disney Springs.  I left one event with friends, and we decided to ride over to Disney Springs to enjoy the night life and hit the party at the Irish Pub. 

    Chef Art Smith’s Homcomin Restaurant is in Disney Springs and is world renowned for great food and atmosphere.  I need to make a full confession to my readers.  Art Smith is a world-famous chef and has cooked for Oprah Winfrey and a host of others.  Very impressive resume!  Also, Art is from Jasper, Florida which is my hometown.  He moved back to Jasper a few years back and is our most famous resident.  Where am I going with this?  Great question.  I texted Art before heading over to Disney Springs to get a reservation at his restaurant and he was great at getting me and three friends in on short notice.  Thanks Art!

    https://www.chefartsmith.com/

    The Homcomin menu has a ton of great options and I highly recommend making your way there when in the area.  I had Art’s Famous Fried Chicken and Sweet Tea moonshine.  My friends tried other items on the menu, and we all agreed this was the best food we had while in Orlando.  We got a treat with the Signature Sampler which has 3 of the best desserts you can find anywhere.  All were fantastic but the Hummingbird Cake is my favorite and will get that when I visit again.  Stop and see my friend Art when visiting Disney Springs—you will thank me for the recommendation!

    http://www.homecominkitchen.com/pdf/Homecomin-Menu.pdf

    http://www.homecominkitchen.com/pdf/Homecomin-Dessert-Menu.pdf

    NACE24 will be in Phoenix, Arizona next year.  I anticipate being on the agenda again to present to my colleagues.  I’m sure there will be great networking opportunities out there and looking forward to great food there too.

    What networking opportunities are you pursuing this year?

    Irie!

  • 2023 – 2024 Running Season

    My 2022 running season was an aggressive approach for me.  Wanted to continue to test myself and see how much I could improve my running performance.

    I did not see any personal records (PRs) in 2022 but my conditioning and endurance were on display with each race.

    The ultimate challenge was stepping up and competing in my first full marathon.  I have been back and forth for years on running one but finally got the courage to sign up, show up and finish one.  Super proud of this fact.

    Now, I find myself signing up for half marathons as a normal part of my training program.  My training focus used to be getting ready for my next half marathon.  I’m at the point where I can run one on short notice and still compete well.  That’s well and fine but looking for a few PRs in the 2023 – 2024 racing season.  LOL.

    I want to PR a 5k, 10k, half marathon and the full marathon this season.  Aggressive I know but, that’s why we make goals.

    Here’s my tentative schedule so far:

    8/19/20232023 Celebration of Running 5kWinter Park
    9/3/20232023 Virginia Beach 10-milerVirginia Beach, VA
    9/16/20232023 Out Run Hunger 5kFort Pierce
    10/8/20232023 Hutchinson Island Half MarathonFort Pierce
    10/22/20232023 Cocoa Beach Half MarathonCocoa Beach
    11/4/20232023 Hollywood Half MarathonHollywood, FL
    12/2/20232023 OUC Half MarathonOrlando
    12/10/20232023 Garden of Life MarathonWest Palm Beach
    1/21/20242024 Vero Beach Half MarathonVero Beach
    1/28/20242024 Town of Celebration Half MarathonCelebration, FL
    2/10/20242024 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10kStuart, FL
    4/27/20242024 Nashville Rock N Roll Half MarathonNashville, TN
    6/1/20242024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half MarathonSan Diego

    May add a few additional races to this list but this should keep me training and competing this fall and next spring.

    What challenges are you tackling this year?

    Irie!

  • 2023 Goals progress

    goal-g9f3555e2d_1280

    (Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

    “People with goals succeed because they know where they are going”.

    (Earl Nightingale)

    I start each year by sitting down and creating goals that will help me navigate the year.  I stopped with the New Year’s resolution stuff a while back and made sure to create goals in multiple areas of my life:  professional, personal growth and health.

    Some of my goals carry over into the new year with modifications based on how well I did the previous year.  Examples of this include volunteer work, my reading program and how often I write weekly.

    A big carryover from 2022 to 2023 was the concept of purchasing a townhouse. 

    I listed this as a goal and put some effort into it by working with a realtor and viewing multiple townhouses on the Treasure Coast.  Never found what I was looking for in 2022 so this remained a goal for 2023.  My house hunting efforts heated up in March of this year and I closed on a townhouse in Fort Pierce on 5/11/2023.  This goal does not have to carryover anymore!

    I scaled my reading program back a bit from 2022 but still wanted to stay active.  I love to read and learn new things, so this goal never goes away for me.  I decided to ensure I read a minimum of one book per month.  This is in conjunction with my daily Bible reading to gain additional wisdom (Proverbs) and overall insight from other areas in the Bible.  I am eager to learn more and actively explore for new insights I can leverage in my daily life.

    My writing goal centers around daily activity to include blog posts, poems, and LinkedIn articles.  There are days when I miss my writing window, but I continue to generate content for the Walk into the Future blog and get new posts/articles on LinkedIn to share my views of the world.  I still have time to get caught up on this goal but happy with the quality of what I have produced so far this year.  Always looking for new topics to add to the blog and will take recommendations if YOU have something you want to read about.  My racing season will start back in August 2023 so there will be multiple training and racing articles coming to your inbox soon.  LOL.

    I am currently ahead on my exercise goals!  I’m hitting the gym as prescribed weekly while my running consistency is similar to how I prepared for the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I run early in the morning on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  My long runs are completed on Saturday mornings.  I have begun to incorporate speed work into my routine which was an addition to my running goals.  This approach should put me in much better shape physically and mentally to get ready for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I set an aggressive 2023 running schedule and need this new base mileage approach to get me to the start line and over the finish line for these races.  Excited to see how this training approach translates to the actual races.  FYI, I am 75 miles ahead of my mileage the same time last year.  This is BEFORE I crank up my full marathon training program.   I completed three half marathons so far this year with three more coming in the fall and the full marathon.  I missed the 2023 Virginia Beach Half Marathon due to injury in March and the 2023 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon due to a schedule conflict—the NACE conference was in Orlando, and I couldn’t figure out a way to be in San Diego and Orlando on the same day.  I registered for the 2024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon in June to get the best prices and fingers crossed it doesn’t conflict with NACE next year. 

    I continue to leverage goals to guide my daily efforts towards making a difference in this world.  Happy to report I am making good progress and will continue to move forward.

    How are you doing with your 2032 goals?  What adjustments do you need to make?

    Irie!

    “A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement”.

    (Bo Bennett)

  • 2023 Marathon Decision

    “There is magic in misery.  Just ask any runner”.

    (Dean Karnazes)

    I ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon with the intent of being one and done.  The training and pain I felt during the marathon was one of the toughest things I’ve ever experienced.  The joy I felt when finishing was also a joyous time—I know that sounds weird but finishing the marathon was the culmination of a massive undertaking.

    The quote above speaks volumes for what I experienced during the marathon and highlights the mindset of most runners.  Yes, it hurts but I need to run this again.  May not make sense to most people but runners live this life daily.

    The day of the marathon my body hurt—same for the day after and the next five days.  I started to feel normal again the week after the race but running this distance again was not a priority for me.  I began to deconstruct the race, my training and nutrition the following week to determine if I could do better.  The answer came back as yes, but I did not know if I wanted to experience this level of pain again. 

    I forgot about the marathon and embarked on multiple half marathons (Vero Beach, Town of Celebration, Nashville) and got faster with each race.  I attribute this to my marathon training and the ability to manage the pain a lot better.  The marathon taught me how to continue to move forward even when the body wanted to slow down or stop.  Leveraged this newfound knowledge and fitness to get better when running half marathons. 

    Spoke with my friend Lauren Apgar about possibly running the marathon again.  Casual conversations all the way up to the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I was able to handle the Nashville hills and warm weather much better than I did last year.  Again, this was because of the amount of training I put into the marathon process.

    The concept of running another marathon kept coming back up so decided to explore what it would take for me to toe the 26.2 start line again.

    The course needs to be flat.  I prefer the race to be close to me so I would not have a huge travel commitment.  The race needed to provide a fun environment and an opportunity to become a running tourist again.  The Palm Beaches Marathon checked all these parameters, and I am familiar with the race.  It does not have the greatest EXPO experience, but the course support was great, and it allows me to redeem myself and improve on my 2022 race time.

    I’m not trying to qualify for Boston or the New York City marathons.  Just want to get back to my training program and improve my marathon time.  My competitive nature drives the need for improvement, and I know areas I can improve my training.  I leveraged my exercise bike a bit too much during training and know these miles are great for cardio but do not translate to the road work needed to run the best marathon time.  I will use the exercise bike only when the weather is bad and running outside is not an option.  I make a point to train at different times of the day—this allows me to acclimate to the South Florida heat.  The heat at mile marker 20 got the best of me so will not let this happen again this year. 

    I plan to leverage the 18-week training plan again this year with emphasis on building my mileage base slowly and mastering the long weekend runs. 

    Excited to embark on this marathon journey again.  I’m sure I will generate training articles again to allow my readers to follow my pain!  😊

    Irie!

  • Race Medals

    Medal Rack

    “Racing is the fun part; it’s the reward for all the hard work”.

    (Kara Goucher)

    Runners sign up for races for multiple reasons.  Some are there for the competition, others are chasing a specific time, and then you have the running tourists who are looking to see new places while testing their mental and physical stamina during the race.

    There are other reasons to toe the start line and cross another finish line but we all happily collect race medals when it is all said and done.  Larger races have bigger budgets to invest in the hardware they provide to runners, but each race looks to create a unique medal experience for runners. 

    My medal collection continues to grow as I enlarge my running tourist program as I add more yearly races.  Extremely proud to have crossed the threshold to become a full marathoner. 

    Decided to highlight a few of my most recent medals in this post and provide a better view on the design of each of them.  Please note, I plan to run these races again next year so will collect a new medal design and will share those in the future.  😊

    Palm Beaches Marathon

    Medal Palm Beach

    Ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon in December 2022 and chronicled my training that led up to the race.  This is my favorite medal in the collection since it is the first and only full marathon medal I have collected to date.  I have already signed up for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon and begin my training cycle again the first week in August.

      OUC

    Medal OUC

    My first half marathon was the 2013 OUC Half Marathon.  This race launched my running program and got me invested in distance running.  I planned to run one half marathon just to say I did it but have not stopped competing yet.  Running has become a huge part of my daily life and I can’t imagine what I would be doing without my running program (training and racing).  The 2022 OUC Half Marathon was used as a training run to gauge my progress for the Palm Beaches Marathon—enjoyed the race and happy with my efforts.  The OUC medals are always colorful and depict the Lake Eola area in downtown Orlando.

    Vero Beach

    Medal Vero

    The Vero Beach Half Marathon is a small race with only about 250 runners.  The race takes runners through multiple neighborhoods and the famed beach.  The medal highlights the beach and turtles which gives it a unique look and feel.  Lots of color and surprisingly heavy.

    Town of Celebration

    Medal Celebration

    Ran the Town of Celebration Half Marathon for the first time in January.  I ran the fastest time in the past 3 years during this race.  The town of Celebration really comes out to welcome runners, and they throw a great after race party with lots of food and drinks.  I plan to run this race yearly since I enjoyed the entire experience so much.  The medal is a homage to the movies with the 2023 theme:  Take 10.  This was the tenth running of this half marathon so next year will be Take 11—get it? 😊

    Nashville

    Medal Nashville

    The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon medal continues the trend of highlighting the great music in Nashville.  The Honky Tonk Wings were a new addition to the Nashville medal and provide a fantastic back drop for this medal.  I love Nashville and will run this race every year until they tell me to stop coming—won’t be anytime soon.

    Resized_20230421_171204

    Can’t wait to collect more medals in 2023 and beyond.

    Which one is your favorite?

    Irie!

  • Poetic Flow: Beach Life!

    Disney Springs

    Sitting on the beach living the life I live 

    Prophetic sound because it’s the life I need 

    Positive energy leads the way 

    For the journey I’m on today 

    No worries, no hurries, no issues 

    Will stop the flow of the joy 

    That sitting on the beach 

    Enjoying the sun, sand, and waves 

    Can bring to my soul!

  • Busy or productive? (Repost)

    Busy or Productive

    “Beware the barrenness of a busy life”.

    (Socrates)

    Dictionary.com defines busy as having a great deal to do.

    Conversely, Dictionary.com defines productive as producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or other commodities.

    So, which of these definitions describes your daily endeavors in the workplace?

    People use the terms in a similar fashion, but I am quick to tell folks my goal is to be productive daily. 

    Busy can quickly become a mindset that leads to staff becoming overwhelmed with the tasks they must handle in the work environment.  I ask staff members how they are doing throughout the day and when I hear someone say they are busy I simply ask:  are you busy or productive?

    This makes folks pause for a bit and then they want to know the difference.  Again, I refer to the two distinct definitions.  Someone who exclaims they are busy is identifying they have a lot of things to do, and they are thinking about that workload.  Some will just come out and say I have a lot on my plate and need to get things done.  Sounds reasonable but it can also cause a mental drain on the staff member and anyone else who hears a constant “I am busy” drumbeat in the work environment.  Yes, there may be a lot to do but saying ‘busy’ does not move the needle to get things done. 

    Flip the script!

    My goal is to be productive daily, and this starts with the concept of coming to work to get things done.  The old saying talk is cheap would apply here.  Talking about being busy does nothing to get task accomplished.  A productive mindset allows staff members to come in with focus and take an active role in getting things done.  Tools I use to increase productivity:

    • To Do Lists (daily, weekly, monthly)
    • Outlook calendar (meeting reminders, team time off, out of office reminders)
    • Face to face conversations
    • Email
    • Large Post It Notes on my office walls
    • Staff meetings (group, 1:1, virtual)

    I have used To Do Lists for most of my professional life and these lists help me plan/organize my day to keep me focused on deadlines and work products I need to complete.  I begin each morning before going into the office with a list of action items I want to accomplish for the day.  I sync this list up with any items I did not complete the previous day once I arrive in the office. 

    FYI, I am also the first person in the building most days so I can have 45 minutes to consolidate my lists and build a game plan for the day.  Yes, I put this much thought into my operation to ensure I have a productive day.  I am trying to maximize my opportunities to be productive and leverage all the tools available to help me with this.  A secondary benefit of my lists is they allow me to pick up where I left off when I must help staff members with a task or problem.  I can come back and pick up where I left off without wasting time trying to remember what I need to get done.  Please note, staff and clients take priority, so I get a lot of practice coming back to my daily lists.

    Face to face conversations are a great way to keep the productivity flowing.  I find simply getting up from my desk and going to have a conversation is more productive than emailing back and forth.  We can talk things through, come to a consensus and eliminate potential misunderstandings.  Of course, this only works if the person is available to have a conversation. 😊

    Busy or productive office

    The large Post It Notes on my office walls is something I started while working in the Florida State University’s Career Center.  The concept was for me to put big projects on Post It Notes so staff could come into the office and add updates to each project.  I began to allow staff to build their own projects and put them on my office walls so we could work them together.  I got the Post It Note idea because my white board was not large enough to highlight multiple projects.  I purchase the Post It Notes from Staples and they stick to the wall.  These notes provide a great visual to highlight how productive we are on any given day.  One of my current staff members said coming into my office and seeing the notes is like being ‘in my mind’.  I quickly told her to get out of there because there is a lot going on up there. 😊

    There are other ways to become productive in the work environment, but these are a few that I leverage daily to help move me and the organization forward.

    So, I ask you, are you busy or productive?  What tools are you using to help your productivity?  I welcome your thoughts—thanks!

    “Focus on being productive instead of busy”.

    (Tim Ferris)

  • My Tree Tattoo

    “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers”.

    (Psalms 1:3)

    My favorite part of the bible is Proverbs.  I have been reading Proverbs daily for 15+ years to continue to gain insight and wisdom to help me daily.  I share this process with anyone who will sit still and listen to me and have convinced a few others to join me on this journey.

    One of my 2022 goals was to read more and expand my readings beyond Proverbs.  Psalms was recommended and I decided to accept to gain new insight and understanding.  This concept fits directly into the Walk into the Future concept that started this blog.

    I have referred to my tree branches—people I mentor or share knowledge with daily.  We have been on this journey together and I view my role in their development as an important part of my daily mission. 

    The tree concept has been with me for a while now and I continue to add branches as my Walk into the Future grows and gains momentum into a platform to help others move forward in life.  I view everyone who reads and/or follows this blog as tree branches now and my role is to bring new insight, knowledge, and entertainment to you.  Thanks for joining me on this journey!

    What does all this have to do with a tattoo?  Great question tree branches!

    I have been talking and writing about being a tree and began looking for something that was unique to me and would represent a true meaning visually.  There are a ton of tree images available, but I wanted something that reflects me and my journey.

    I have taken and seen a ton of tree photos, but nothing really jumped out or had the image that would represent me and my tree branches.

    I ventured to Southern Shore, North Carolina back in October 2021 to spend some time exploring the North Carolina Outer Bank with a friend who lives up there.  Always heard great things about this part of the country and was happy to accept the invitation to come up for a long weekend and explore.  I was not a running tourist for this trip so had plenty of time to see the sights, sit on the beach and discover great food spots.

    My friend and I made a trip to Aqua Restaurant to sit on the deck, enjoy some great food and catch a fantastic sunset.  https://aquarestaurantobx.com/

    We ventured down to the waterfront after dinner to get some pictures of the sun setting over the sound.  We were able to capture this photo while chasing the sunset.

    I understood this was a magnificent photo and shared it with several friends and included it in the blog article I wrote about my trip to North Carolina.  Never viewed the photo as unique but the more I looked for images to signify my tree and branches I kept coming back to this image.

    Ventured into the Scared Dagger tattoo shop in Vero Beach to discuss the image and possibility of getting some artwork done by them.  A local friend and her daughter got work done at this shop and highly recommended the artist who worked on them.  I showed him the image and we discussed the size of the tattoo and location I wanted to have it done.

    We agreed on the details, and I made an appointment to have him complete the work.  Fast forward and he did an amazing job capturing the image and replicating it on my leg.  I was amazed how well he translated the details from the photo into my tree tattoo.

    The tree branches are very distinct and provide the tree with power to grow, provide shade, comfort, and a level of peace (my thoughts).

    Reflect on Psalms 1:3—the tree helps us prosper!  😊

    May have to make my way back up to Duck, North Carolina for more tree inspirations!

    How impactful is YOUR tree?  How many tree branches do you have?

    Irie!

  • Poetic Flow: Find Your Light

    Light 1

    Out of the darkness comes the light

           Each day is a struggle of life

              The trials of the world weigh you down

       Life comes fast…like intersections choke full of traffic

        No direction…no director; just darkness

          Out of the darkness comes the light

         Find your direction, become the director

            Act, make it happen

           Open your eyes, it doesn’t have to be dark all the time

    (Fort Pierce Inlet)