Still exam season so I’ll make this short (ish)

In the past few days I’ve sent out as many exam resources to my friends as possible.  Many people have been wonderful and have returned the favor.  I love that.

Today someone told me I was ruining the scale - and that helping other people get resources could only make my mark worse off.  This mindset isn’t all that rare.  A lot of people believe that success is relative - so it would make sense that part of climbing to the top means pushing other people down - or at least preventing them from moving up with you.

I for one, don’t want to live that way.

Think about it.  In fact, let’s do a quick activity so you can help me convince other people to rethink their approaches:

1.) Take 3 toothpicks/pens/paperclips/equal sized anything that’s in front of you at the moment.

2.) Line them up all in a row.  The middle one is you.

3.) Take the 2 items around you and push them down.

Now you’re relatively higher than them.  But if you reassess what you’ve done…

You haven’t moved an inch.

It’s wishful thinking (or really flawed logic) if you think you’re now higher than you were before.

Also remember that people usually respond to you in whatever way you treat them.  So in the long run you’ll be heading in the same direction you push them in.

I think that if you truly want to move up, the only person you have to be in constant competition with is yourself.

Go back to the items on your desk and make a model for that.  It works!

ps:  I’m going to start adding to my Favourite Quotes page soon.  If you have any to share with me, please do!

Thanks!

If you believe that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

When you consciously make bad decisions with the comfort that you can either get away with it, or do damage control later on.

Whether or not you get away with it today, or tomorrow,

It’s not sustainable, and it could really hurt you.

I’m not talking about normal mistakes - everyone makes those.  But the actions and decisions that we know are wrong but decide to pursue anyways because the consequences aren’t terrible enough to stop us.

This can be something as tiny as missing a deadline on purpose and making up an excuse, or cheating on an exam.  It can be something a little bigger like lying to your friends and family.  Or it can be something you’re involved with every single day.  If you work, life, or your surroundings lead you to make decisions that clash with what you know is right - stop.   And if you’re doing it out of your own accord - stop.

It’s all about cognitive dissonance (I’m trying to study for marketing right now so excuse the textbook terms.) It’s a well studied fact that when our behaviors clash with our values and beliefs, our automatic response is to change one of them so they align again.  No one likes to feel chronically guilty.  So when you make bad decisions over and over again, your mind automatically tries to rationalize those decisions till the discrepancy subsides.  In the process, you risk losing sight of your values and beliefs.

So which are you willing to change first?

Your core values? or the everyday decisions you make?

Because once your values have changed, damage control is not as easy as you think.

We make enough bad decisions without realizing it.  Try minimizing that by making the most out of what you can control.

So I told you to try something new everyday right?  If you were looking for ideas, here’s a couple:

Uno!

If you show up in front of the David Lam Library Friday morning at 10:00am at UBC, you can:

-be featured in a video

-help raise awareness for Sustainability

-chase after a sexy guy in a tight green unitard AND

-get free homemade cookies.

Tomorrow will be filming of a promo video for Chasing Sustainability, a very cool sustainability conference help by the CUS Sustainability Committee coming up in March!  The gameplan is, Brandon (guy in the green unitard) will burst out of the David Lam Library and run wildly to the Liu Institute for Global Issues, and as he goes along the crowd chasing him will get bigger and bigger.  (think - cover shot from the Bachelor)  If you’ve got nothing planned, you’ll come out of this with laughs, a good workout and some free cookies to negate that workout.

Dos!

This Saturday at 3:00 pm is the Skytrain Dance Party!

Details:
When: Saturday, February 21 at 3:00 PM, Sharp! (Over by around 5:00)
Where: Meet at the countdown clock at the art gallery. .
Bring: A buspass/tickets/money and an Ipod or Mp3 Player
Wear: Normal clothes

Full Description at the link above.

Check out last year’s scene: http://improvintoronto.com/2008/11/18/subway-dance-party/

Whether you find it fun to watch people react to really awkward situations or if you want to make a stranger laugh, I trust most of you will be able to get a few kicks or a few good stories out of this =)

Tres!

Saturday evening (so right after you finish dancing on the skytrain) at exactly 5:29 pm (sunset,)  Illuminate Yaletown will begin.

Illuminate Yaletown is Vancouver’s first outdoor light show.  (probably to replace the fireworks)

For $25 you can watch the show while enjoying Fire and Ice Cocktails and hors d’ouevres  from resident mixologist Ryan Cheverie and Chef Neil Wyles, along with a place to keep warm in the Hamilton Street Grill.

Alternatively, you can do it as I would.  Enjoy the show for free and keep warm by joining in on the Photo Contest and running around like mad :)  This way you also have a chance to win over $500 in prizes.

One last sidenote:

I want to say thanks.  It’s only been 4 days since I started this blog, but 2 really great things happened today:

-I got my first comment from someone I didn’t know - and it was a touching one at that.

-Someone sent me pictures of Starbucks Cups all over UBC which let me start that collection way sooner than I’d even expected to.

It’s nice to know people are listening.

Thank you =)

I had an amazing day today. It was the first time I’d ever gone on a photowalk:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/35538639@N05/sets/72157614079687889/

And I have to say, I love photography and I can’t believe I’ve never done this before.

A few new schemes along the way:

-I’m going to make a Photoalbum filled with nothing but Starbucks cups all around Vancouver.   Try noticing them tomorrow - they can be in very obscure places.

-I’m going to start my own Sartorialist for Vancouver.  I may not be a top designer but I think I have a good eye.

Today happened because I was with amazing people.

NJ says “Our environments have a HUGE influence on our attitudes, our worldviews and ultimately, our actions. ” So unbelievably true.  I can credit the fun I had today to the two amazing individuals I spent it with.  One of them was the first to tell me to stat a blog, and the other inspires me to live, laugh, and experiment on a daily basis.  If you surround yourself by people who make you want to fill every minute of the day, wonderful things can happen.

Today also happened because I tried something new.

A ton of things have changed solely because of today’s photowalk.  Mainly - I’ve discovered a new passion, and I’m noticing details I never did before which makes just walking terribly interesting.  None of these changes in perspective would never have happened if I hadn’t gone out and tried a new activity.

It seems like such an obvious remedy for boredom once someone has said it, but it’s something we often tend to overlook.

So try it.  For the next week, try something new every single day and see where it takes you.  It could change your life.

Today’s dinner rendez vous - Rodneys Oyster Bar in Yaletown.  Not my first time but this place hasn’t disappointed yet.

The atmosphere is completely down to earth.  When you call them for a reservation, they greet you with the tagline - Thank you for calling Rodney’s, we shuck em, you suck em . On top of that, the serving staff turned off all the music in the middle of my dinner to call for a High Maintenance Alert. The lady who asked for the Pellegrino was probably embarrassed to death but I thought it was hilarious.  You can decide for yourself if this place is for you.

If you are there don’t miss:

- Raw Oysters on the Half Shell (Kushi and Kumamoto are my personal favourites)

The sauces are great and arranged according to spice level.  (Shallot Vinaigrette, Seawitch Sauce, White Boy Soul Sauce, Back From Hell, Johnny Reb’s Espanola Hot Sauce.) I wouldn’t venture past hell.

February 13th was National Free Hug Day. I’ve been waiting for this day to come around ever since one of the most fun and positive people I’ve had the privilege of meeting, Matt Corker, introduced me to the free hugs campaign.

For those of you who missed it, it’s not too late, and never inappropriate.

So this year I decided to take the plunge.  I brought myself (the real me) along with my Free Hugs Sign to a place where most people have trouble being themselves - the 2009 Business Career Expo.  The result?  Tons of laughs, many awkward moments, and a few amazing connections.   One of the great people I met, Angie, emailed me afterward saying:

“…your Free Hugs sign was an exciting part of my day too! Its great to meet people with personality at an event which can sometimes be quite dry and professional. My philosophy in life is to have fun with whatever you do (including work and leisure) and to take every opportunity to embrace new people, concepts, ideas, and experiences.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.  The thing is, I’m sure that in the process of storming the career fair, I may have offended a few people and been snuffed by a few bankers - but it was worth it because I got to be myself.

What I learned? If you put up false pretense when meeting new people, you end up meeting people and companies that don’t align with your own personality. You also sacrifice the opportunity to make meaningful and lasting connections.  Personally, that’s not something I’d be willing to give up for a larger stack of business cards.

I also learned that you can always always find innovative approaches to spice up even the most textbook events.  Try spending a couple minutes today to think of a few.

xo.

I went to the Chai Gallery yesterday.  Amazing food and atmosphere - you can kick off your shoes!

Don’t miss:

-the Rooibos Chai

-the Turkish Eggplant

-the Vegan Mango Pumpkin Pie.

Honestly to die for.  But if you can’t watch belly dancers without the temptation of trying a few moves yourself, I suggest you go easy on the buffet.

Whether or not I knew it, this blog has been waiting to happen for a long time now.

Thank you to everyone who inspired me by example, encouraged me with words, and helped me physically build this.  You know who you are.

I hope this can be the starting point for a ton of dreams, memories, and experiences.

xo.