Eyes on 2019

I’m writing this post late on January 1, when I had originally envisioned it going live sometime last week. Good thing one of my resolutions for the new year is not hitting deadlines. Luckily, this isn’t a post about hitting deadlines, more of a recap of what I’ve learned from 2018 with my eyes on 2019 and my 30th year.

I declared my resolutions two weeks ago and I wanted to go into the new year with the plans of meditating, reading physical copies of books, and the potential of playing the drums again. I’m writing because I want to dive into the why, not the how.

Meditation

2018 was a year that definitely shifted the scales of daily balance. I went from a college student in 2017 to working nonstop in 2018, working primarily through my Slack notifications. Days went from 10 hours with breathing room to being available roughly 14 hours a day. Looking back on the year, my mental health was below subpar by the time 2018 was all said and done.

My goal is to stay sharp during the year with the ability of being mentally flexible for whatever may come my way. I tried Headspace earlier in the year and I can’t remember a time where I felt so at peace. Granted, it was roughly 10 minutes spent meditating. Enlighten me and imagine a world where I meditated semi-regularly.

Reading Books. Yes, Actual Books

This resolution is something to completely pull me away from the office. Working in digital media, I’m always looking for the next great idea (by great, I mean one I can get approved). I’m researching without realizing and not giving myself the time to recharge from the day, the week, or the month. Reading is more of a distraction to steer my thoughts away from my phone, get lost in my unread Bukowski books, and just educate myself more on the digital marketing sphere. I’m finding my niche in the new stages of my career and with some interest from big agencies late in the year, I want to keep attracting those companies. I need a clear mind to do so and meditation with a steady diet of reading should provide the balance I’m craving.

Drumming

We all need a hobby, right? Not sure how many times I’ve been called out in the office for my epic double pedal beats, but it’s happened enough times to warrant inclusion. I haven’t touched a kit in roughly 4 years now, as time was the deciding factor in why I stopped. My dream of being a musician has wavered, but letting out some steam seems like a great reason to pick it back up.

All in all, I’m looking forward to 2019. I ended 2018 with the development of some positive habits and the understanding of who I am, what I’m becoming, and where I can go from here.

I live my life curated and calculated. 2019 is about remaining in lockstep with my goals, practicing discipline, and continuing to grow.

Eyes ahead.

A Stroll Down Facebook’s Memories Lane

I can’t remember the last time I wrote a blog without the core premise tying back into marketing. I’ve felt inspired recently so I wanted to touch on a few critical moments in my immediate past that have paved the current path I’m on. By the time I wrap this post, I’m aiming for that Andy Dwyer feeling when he sings his classic rock ballad, “5000 Candles in the Wind.” Pure elation.

During the last week, I caught a Facebook update from an old coworker. It was a combination of nostalgia and emotion from their time on the job. The post opened up the floodgates of past work memories and how I feel better off now that I’m gone. I didn’t always have this mindset though.

I spent roughly 10 years at a job I pictured as being a high school job, something that merely paid for clothes and bills, and something temporary. It evolved into so much more. I grew up there; built hundreds of relationships spanning coworkers and patrons. The timing of my exit was unexpected and I felt negativity toward the move. There was no contingency plan. What I didn’t know was that leaving the company would force me to be introspective, re-evaluate my long-term goals, and put me on a path that was more adventurous than I cared for.

The day after I left, I started an internship at a digital marketing agency. After college, I wanted to get into the world of marketing and advertising. Since I couldn’t find another job, I figured I could get an early start and climb a new career ladder. This internship was a bittersweet moment. I went from a traditional working environment to an office space complete with scooters to move across the office, to epic ping-pong matches held during lunch. I was content at the time, staying busy as I completed my fall semester. Once classes ended, I was overcome with emotion - feelings of failure, embarrassment, and discontent. I ran into issues with unemployment and was burning through my savings account, low on money with no job prospects in sight.

By the time my internship ended, things started to click. My final semester of college started, I was back on the job hunt, and most importantly, I felt motivated again.

About a month after my first internship, I landed a new internship in Downtown LA and the rest is history. Quick disclaimer: I have a feeling a few people from the office might read this blog and I hope they know I’m not trying to butter anybody up… or am I?

My internship turned into a contract and my contract led to a new career. I went from an environment where everybody had to look out for themselves to an environment that focused on teamwork, a positive work-life balance, and hard work. When I looked back, I did my best to pull the positives from nearly 10 years on the job when compared to the bitterness I previously felt.

To be 100% transparent, I’m still learning what work-life balance is, but I figured I’d mention that it’s promoted and instituted as best as one company can. I work when I don’t have to and I blame my mom for that.

I look back at the time during my first job and I pull the positives now. I learned patience. I learned how to manage. I learned how to work with people who don’t understand you on a personal level (I stood out like a sore thumb at that job for two reasons - I was heavily tattooed and younger than other leadership staff by roughly 15 years). I appreciate all of the relationships I built and the people who still reach out to me when I stumble into them around town.

With that said, I’m in a different headspace and I’m chugging along with my team at Uptown Treehouse. I currently oversee clients that are recognized on a national scale. If you get the chance, look into Uniqlo and Western Union. I’ve been given the opportunity to lead up both accounts, working with their internal marketing teams on providing the best social strategy out there. I’ve had the pleasure of local influence and now I’m working behind the scenes on a global scale. Perseverance pays off. Eventually. How it pays off is all a matter of perception.

To end this piece, I want to leave you with a question. When the odds are stacked against you, what’s your next move?