Dream Weaver
Be careful what you dream
Because sometimes dreams do come true
So, what’s the problem you may ask?
The dream you dream may in fact not be for you
Life provides opportunities for you to reach your goals
The key to this process is to know the correct path to follow
Look beyond tomorrow
Search for the things you need
Use this knowledge and your dreams to succeed
“The human capacity for burden is like bamboo—far more flexible than you would ever imagine.”
(Jodi Picoult)
Resilience is a measure of how much you want something and how much you are willing, and able, to overcome obstacles to get it. It has to do with your emotional strength. (Dictionary.com)
“You are only 4 minutes away from the top”.
(Smoky Mountain hiker, November 2020)
Thought I had a good handle on what resiliency really means but discovered I needed to redefine how it is shown. I viewed resiliency from the spectrum of work or emotional intelligence but my recent hike on the Chimney Tops Trail in the Smoky mountains gave me a new appreciation of resiliency.
The hiker from the quote above provided me with inspiration to keep going but I had to decide mentally and physically to keep going up the mountain. The trail was listed as a moderate hike, but I added a new level of difficulty by tackling Chimney Tops after 3 other hikes on the same day. A better plan would have been to save this hike for the next day, but I wanted to experience as much as possible in a short period of time.
I left my hotel with the intent to make four hikes and that concept drove me to keep going up the mountain. I would have felt I was letting myself down if I did not stick with the plan. Also, wanted to test myself to determine how much I could accomplish in one day. My thought process was to make it up the mountain and then celebrate at the top.
I took more breaks on this hike than ever before and was slow on the ascent. My legs felt like I had run a half marathon at this point—in fact, my total hiking mileage for the day was 15.4 miles. Not a bad day walking in the Smoky mountains.
I view my ability to keep pressing onward as a sign of resiliency. I could have tapped out and nobody would have known I gave up on my last hike if I did not bring it up. I could have taken the failure to make it to the top of my last hike to the grave, but I am sure it would have bothered me knowing I gave up. Trust me, I understand my making it to the top of the Chimney Top trail does not make the world a better place, but I needed to make it up there.
I take pride being an active mentor for my tree branches and encourage them to work towards their goals. Quitting on the Chimney Top trail would make my words ring hollow if I did not practice what I preach to my tree branches. The resiliency to make my last hike successful became a metaphor for Walking into the Future. This journey has been successful because I have been able to overcome obstacles and continue to move forward in life. Seems simple but I take a lot of pride in making goals and then crossing them off my list. This process works for me so I will continue to make it a priority.
Proud of the resiliency I showed while climbing the Chimney Top trail. I will admit I need to space my hikes out better in 2021 but I will not stop until I complete them all! 😊
How do you display resiliency in your daily life? What impact does resiliency have on how you get things done? I welcome your thoughts!
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again”.
(Nelson Mandela)
“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right”.
(Oprah Winfrey)
How do you celebrate the end of the COVID-19 impacted 2020?
Wait, do not answer that! It was a trick question.
2020 was a year like none of us have ever experienced. The year started off with a lot of us using the clever (so we thought) 2020 Vision moniker but that quickly dissipated as we saw how much the pandemic would change our daily lives.
So, the answer to my trick question above is the beach—Indialantic beach to be precise.
Decided to head to my favorite beach in Melbourne, Florida to spend the last day of 2020 on the beach so I could celebrate the first day of 2021 on that same beach.
I have written about the Indialantic beach before and how I enjoy the Tiki bar at the Crowne Plaza. I have stayed there in the past but mostly just hang out there when I need a beach getaway. I was happily surprised the Crowne Plaza still had rooms available so went ahead and booked so I did not have to worry about driving around on New Year’s Eve. There were other hotels available in the area, but they did not provide the comfort of staying right on the beach.
I wanted to send 2020 out with a bang so made sure to tackle the last day of the year and enjoy it as much as possible. Of course, this meant I needed to get a great run in to celebrate the end of 2020! 😊 I got in a fast 5 mile run along Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce prior to leaving for Melbourne. Love this route because I can stop at the halfway point and recharge while on the beach. This is a great way for me to enjoy my run and take in the beach views. Yes, I made a beach stop prior to going to the beach.
Made my way north on I95 to check into the Crowne Plaza and celebrate NYE on the beach. My plan was to simply make it to the beach to relax, reflect and make some 2021 plans. It appears a lot of other folks had the same idea for a NYE beach escape since people were everywhere. I had to walk further down the beach to get away from the crowds to find a spot for me to work on my napping skills. Happy to report I found that perfect spot. Did a little reading, napping, and walking on the beach—the temperature was in the low 80s, so it was a perfect day to enjoy the beach. The water was too cold for me but there were surfers and swimmers enjoying the waves.
Got a late lunch and fruity drinks at the Tiki bar. The area was spaced out to ensure we had proper physical distancing while enjoying the atmosphere and great food. I was able to catch a couple college football bowl games while at the Tiki bar and still enjoy the sound of the waves. Great place to visit if you have never been to the Crowne Plaza in Melbourne.
The hotel had a live band scheduled to perform in the ballroom to ring in the new year. This is a Crowne Plaza tradition, but I did not drive up to be inside when there was a beach so close. My plan was to be on the beach when the clock struck midnight so I could bring in the new year with waves close by.
My timing was off a bit and I had to watch a couple episodes of the A&E show The First 48 to get me closer to midnight. I did not want to head down to the beach too early because there is not much to see when seating on the beach in the dark. FYI—I highly recommend The First 48—it is highly addictive. 😊
Made my way back down to the beach at 11:30 pm to count down the end of 2020 and ring in 2021. I love the beach and reggae so decided to combine the two while I waited to celebrate the arrival of 2021. I took a slight detour to listen to my favorite artist, Prince before switching over to Bob Marley for the rest of the night. Here is one of my favorite Prince live performances on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-0VbNXafDc
I went straight to my Bob Marley YouTube playlist to finish off 2020 and ring in 2021 with roots, rock, and reggae! Luckily, we had a full moon on NYE and it really produced great images over the water. I bounced around several Bob Marly classics as I waited for 2021 to arrive. Decided to play this classic as 2020 ended and 2021 began: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USQsp_hI3Tw
Had my own little party right there on the beach as I enjoyed the full moon, beach, reggae, and my beer. Could not think of a better way to say goodbye 2020 and hello 2021 than hanging out on my favorite beach.
Started 2021 on a positive note and plan to leverage this Irie energy to make 2021 a fantastic year.
How did you celebrate the end of 2020? How will you make 2021 a great year? Thanks!
“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year”.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
(Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)
The storm
Round and round it goes
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow
There are days it feels like a merry-go-round
Others, things are more controlled
The depth changes at times like the wind
A howling force that seeks attention
Then the calm, as the eye of the storm hovers overhead
No attention seeking, just the process of moving forward
What has this level of depth and speed?
It is simple, the life you lead
“Running is alone time that let’s my brain unspool the tangles that build up over days”.
(Rob Haneisen)
I entered 2020 with an aggressive goal to expand my running tourist role and travel to new locations for Rock N Roll Half marathon races. Started the year with a goal to run seven half marathons in the series along with a few local 5k and 10k races for speed work.
COVID-19 has turned the world upside down and we are still trying to get a handle on what normal daily actions look like now. FYI—I understand there are more important things in the world than me traveling America and running on city streets.
My last official race was a 5k on March 14, 2020 in Tallahassee. We were just getting a better understanding of how bad COVID-19 was at the time, but the event organizers took extra precautions but did not cancel the race. I remember the event was small with maybe 70 runners at the start line. We practiced physical distancing at the start line and gave everyone extra space just to be safe. There were no face masks present because the U.S. government told us there was nothing to worry about at that time. Now we know different, huh?
Fast forward to October 24, 2020 and I was back at a 5k starting line, but we all had on face masks. Physical distancing and masks were mandated to participate in this event. We could take the masks off once we began to run and had to put them back on once the race was over. Happy to report everyone complied and I felt safe while waiting my turn to start the race. The race organizers used a digital chip timer, so our times were synced based on our on-course performance instead of when we started. Example: I was the 60th runner to start but this did not impact where I placed because my time was synced directly to my performance not when I started.
I was extremely happy to be back on a race course with other people around. I love my training runs because I view running as my form of therapy but cannot make myself run fast without others around. It may be a mental block or simply a lack of motivation, but I run faster when other people are around. Think I just need to see people ahead of me to force myself to try to catch them.
I was able to slowly reel in runners during my 5k event. I wanted to post a good time but did not want to go out too fast and die a slow death on the backend of the race.
My first mile was a controlled 8:28 pace and I felt good with the pace. The second mile was a bit slower at 9:35 but still controlled considering I did no speed work or 5k training prior to showing up. Decided to maintain a level of control for the third mile and recorded 9:23 and felt comfortable at this pace. Finished with a little kick to see if I had anything left in the tank—crossed the finish line at 28:38 which is a minute slower than my race in March. To put that in context I was in full half marathon training mode in March so to run this fast without proper training is a good sign for me. May not be a good sign for my friends who run since we all know I can go faster. No pressure! 😊
I am happy with my performance and the ability to maintain my speed throughout the race. I went ahead and signed up for the OUC Half Marathon in Orlando on December 5, 2020. My original goal was to run in San Antonio in December, but COVID-19 has made an adjustment to my race schedule. The OUC race will have a staggered start and require face masks before and after the race. I feel comfortable with this process since I just completed a 5k with the same parameters. Looks like this is the new normal if we are going to see races again. It was not hard to practice physical distancing prior to racing so I will look for additional races to get my competitive fix again. Look forward to running in downtown Orlando again in December. Hope to catch up with friends while in town and enjoy being back in a great city.
So, I am racing again and enjoying every moment! Will not take racing for granted in this COVID-19 world.
What have you been able to do again safely in this COVID-19 world? What are you looking forward to?
Thanks!
Total miles in 2020: 982.77! 😊
“Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they have a second”.
(William James)
(Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay)
2020 has been a tough year for us all!
The good folks from the Walk into the Future blog wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021 New Year!
The challenges we endured in 2020 will lead to a stronger mentality as we get ready to have a FANTASTIC 2021!
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”.
(Proverbs 27:17)
I hope the Walk into the Future blog has sharpened you in 2020. Looking forward to another great year enjoying life to the fullest and sharing my experiences, thoughts, and adventures with you in 2021!
Thanks for walking with me! Irie!
Merry Christmas!
Calvin
(Image by GieziUzziel from Pixabay)
Open your eyes
Tell me what you see
Do the dreams you dream about still look good to you?
Can you reach the heights of greatness predetermined for you?
Nothing is promised in this world
You have got to make your own way
To ensure the promises of life
Get started today
Open your eyes to the life opportunities around
Set your goals and move forward
Stop hiding behind closed eyelids
Wake up and open your eyes
To the revolving world around
“It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things”.
(Nicholas Sparks)
My Walk into the Future continues to look more like My Walk with COVID-19.
That would not be as catchy of a blog title so will stick with Walk into the Future! 😊 Again, the pandemic has slowed down the adventures but has not completely shut them off. I remain careful when I venture out and take precautions to ensure I am not exposing myself to undue risks.
Most of my adventures center around the beach and shopping excursions. These have proved to be safe and gets me out of the house for fresh air. Will continue to find new beaches to sit on and enjoy the views on the Treasure Coast. Still do not know why it is called the Treasure Coast, guess that will have to be a future blog article when I find out.
A favorite spot for the locals is Square Grouper. Thought it was a clever name when I first heard it but Googled the definition to make sure I understood how the place got the name. Turns out it is a clever hook and attracts a lot of people based on the name and meaning. Yes, you should Google it to understand what it means. LOL.
My attraction to Square Grouper is it is close to Jetty Park and sits right on the Fort Pierce Inlet. The location is at the mouth of the inlet before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It is a great location to catch sunsets that seem to plunge directly into the inlet. The Square Grouper is 95% an outdoor venue with two bars, a tiki hut stage, and a large outdoor seating area. The plastic chairs are not comfortable but serve a purpose as you can move them around as needed.
The outdoor venue has been great to practice physical distancing while also enjoying some live music. Most of the bands are local and only play for two hours—cannot say the bands have been memorable but they have been good enough to make a few people get up and dance. There has never been a large crowd when I visited but everyone seems to enjoy the atmosphere. I spoke with one of the bartenders and he let me know they typically got around 600 people nightly before COVID-19 impacted the world. The crowds are a lot less than that now—the most I have seen there is around 50 people spread out around the outdoor seating areas. A few brave folks will sit at the bar but not very many. Face masks are still required to enter but do not know how long that will last since the governor has relaxed statewide restrictions.
A surprising aspect of visiting the Square Grouper is the food. Typical bar staples but they use fresh ingredients and fantastic seasonings. I have tried multiple items on the menu and have not been disappointed yet. I have been a bit adventurous and explored menu items I would not normally get. Both bars are fully stocked but the signature drink is the Rum Runner. Never had one prior to my visit to Square Grouper but now it is my go-to drink when I am there—try it frozen if you make it there.
Hoping the band lineup starts to improve since I enjoy live music. Will continue to leverage the Square Grouper as part of my Walk into the Future.
What locations are on your adventure list? What makes it a place you want to visit? Thanks!
“On the beach, you can live in bliss”.
(Dennis Wilson)
(Image by athree23 from Pixabay)
“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience”.
(John Dewey)
I am always looking for angles to help keep my Walk into the Future moving forward. I leverage available tools to ensure my growth provides a platform to make a difference daily.
Decided to conduct a personal Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT) analysis on my 100th day in my role at Indian River State College. We conducted an in-depth analysis of the overall office as part of our teambuilding program and to discover areas of growth. This was a great step to help everyone on the team to see the things we do well and to collectively identify improvement points. The SWOT approach is a great way to get a true operational picture IF everyone is truthful with their inputs.
I used this same approach to look at my work during the first 100 days to identify areas of improvement. I strive to do a good job daily but did not want to have blinders on and not see the weaknesses, opportunities, or threats in front of me.
I started this role in April 2020 which was thought to be the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Oh, were we wrong! My point here is most of my coworkers and direct reports were working from home when I went into the office. My Human Resources onboarding was done via computer before I left Tallahassee. There was not an orientation process, in person introductions or meet and greets to welcome me to town. I fully understood this process and why but wanted to paint a complete picture of how I arrived on-campus.
(Note: I am still playing catch up due to how I entered the work environment—still learning things I needed for a successful transition.)
My personal SWOT was performed to identify the things I needed to work on that I may have missed due to how I was onboarded.
My strengths were easy to identify and transferred directly to this role. My vision for the office, Authentic leadership, positive energy, communication and organized were a few of the strengths listed. My career services background at multiple institutions was also listed and enabled me to hit the ground running even though the workforce was scattered and working from home.
The weaknesses I wrote down included lack of in-depth institutional knowledge, lack of in-depth division knowledge, on-line onboarding, and office interpersonal dynamics. The lack of knowledge and on-line onboarding go hand in hand since I never got a chance to ask questions to learn more about daily operational procedures. This did not stop me from making a difference, but I soon discovered I needed more information to continue to grow. I used this new knowledge to reach out and ask more and better questions to ensure I fully understood how the college operated.
The opportunities were plentiful, and I am excited to work them into the operation. Teambuilding, robust training, virtual events, and enhanced officer interpersonal dynamics were a few of the opportunities I discovered. The concept of virtual information sessions, appointments and career fairs were not everyday activities at the beginning of 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations to find new, better, and exciting ways to connect with students, employers, and faculty/staff. Excited to discover new ways to use virtual platforms to create a great experience for our customers. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools to modernize operations and leverage technologies daily. Currently working on our first ever virtual career fair—fingers crossed for an outstanding event!
The threats are present daily but can all be mitigated in some form. The COVID-19 pandemic remains one of the largest threats since it can shut down the country again with additional spreading. Universities and colleges have opened their doors to students again, but it only takes one major outbreak on a campus before operations go back to virtual learning only.
Another threat is the possibility students will not engage with virtual programs or events. A virtual career fair is a new concept for everyone so will be interesting to see if students will interact with this platform. Discovered my new office has multiple areas we need to modernize so need to prioritize projects to ensure we are focused on the right things at the right time. Sounds simple but this needs to be done to keep us productive. Need to gauge employer interest as well for the virtual platforms. Most employers have been engaged with Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google platforms to conduct daily business. Getting them familiar with our virtual software should be an easy transition to help mitigate the threat.
Please note, I provided a snapshot of the SWOT analysis—there are other weaknesses, opportunities, and threats I will be working on to continue to grow. This was an outstanding learning process for me and will look to leverage this approach multiple times a year to help my self-awareness in the work environment.
Have you ever performed a personal SWOT? Would this process help you grow as a professional?
“To realize the self is to be still”.
(Ramana Maharshi)
(Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay)
Knowledge (11/13/20)
The series of daily challenges presented
Provides a template to view
How to conquer the challenges?
It is all up to you
Life provides many opportunities to grow
The direction you chose, only you will know
Continue to strive through the growing process
Knowing that you hold the key to it all
The knowledge you gain
Helps to move your journey forward
And makes the challenges easier to maintain
Walk Into the Future 