Thoughts on Turning 25

Well, its here. My birthday. I'm turning 25. That seems like a big age. A quarter century. Halfway to 50. The age that my mother had me at.

I'm not where I thought I would be. That is for sure. I had much different expectations for what 25 would be. They included a husband, a baby, and a house in the suburbs. But, for now, that is okay. Because although I'm not where I thought I would be, I'm exactly where I need to be.

I have a job. Not just any job. A fun job. Where I can be myself and work with other highly motivated co-workers. This job isn't one that I even considered while growing up. It just kind of happened to me. But I wouldn't change this happenstance for anything. I've learned so much and realized that work doesn't have to be boring.

I have great friends. Seriously. The best. Each one is special in a different way, but they all make me who I am today. Some are married with kids, some living half way across the country pursuing their own careers. And some I get to see everyday and hang out with quite a bit. Its funny how each one of my friends is very different, but I couldn't imagine my life without them. So if you are my friend and reading this, Thank You for being there for me through thick and thin and helping me become a more amazing person each and every day.

I have a family who cares. I feel like this is a luxury in the world today. So many people only see there families a few times a year and its out of formality, not because they actually want to see them and share their life updates. I'm lucky that I can go home and see them any time I want to and they will listen to me babble on and on about work and friends and all the fun stuff.

This is such a weird age. I don't feel like I'm old, but that number just seems so high. So instead of focusing on what is missing from my life and what I thought I should have by now, I want to focus on what I have already accomplished.

I have a degree. From a great business school. Technically two--Supply Chain Management and Marketing.

I experienced leadership. I was a VP in my sorority and that gave me a lot of experience managing people and managing expectations. This has carried over into my career and I am thankful I had that opportunity in school.

I have traveled. I studied in Australia and in Italy. Those experiences were amazing and only made me want to see more of the world. There is so much out there and so many different types of people and culture that I want to learn about. I want to learn more and more. I can only hope I will have the income to support traveling or the will power to save enough money to go all the places I want to go. I guess that is what the next 25 years can be for.

I've experienced love, and loss. This is a hard one to write about. I wasn't sure if I was really "in love" but I do know what it is like to lose somebody that you love. So it must exist, even if I don't know exactly when I am feeling it. I've also experienced loss. This is also hard to write about but it just makes me appreciate the happy times so much more.

I know what I want. And what I don't want. Each year it becomes more and more clear what path I should be taking and what goals I should set. Its also becoming more clear what makes me truly happy and what I need to do to get to that happiness.

At this point, I can only hope that I keep up the energy to continue pursuing my dreams, following my heart, having fun along the way, and learning more about myself.

Here's to the next 25 years!

K


Image from here.

Product Review: Conair You Reel 1875 Watt Tourmaline Ceramic 2-in-1 Styler

I had the opportunity to review a limited edition hair dryer for Conair. They sent me this product and this is my honest opinion.

First of all, I love that it comes in pink and it has a cord that zips up into the handle (which makes it super easy to store). I like that it is ceramic and tourmaline. This causes less stress to hair and brings out natural shine. The product also comes with 2 additions--a diffuser and a concentrator. The diffuser works to create beautiful, voluminous looks while the concentrator helps create a sleek look.

More product details can be found here

The Review:

Overall, this is a great hair dryer. It is lightweight, easy to store, and it dries my hair super fast. I like using it without either of the attachments, especially when I am in a hurry. I have long hair and it is so quick!

The diffuser didn't really do much for me. I put some "beach" sea salt spray in the my hair when it was damp and then I used the diffuser when it was about 50% dry. It took longer than usual and my hair was pretty straight and not as voluminous as I would have expected.

The concentrator did make my hair appear a light shinier and straight, but it took a long time to dry. I did it in 3 sections. I would do this again if I needed my hair perfectly straight and I had a lot of time in the morning to do it.

I would recommend purchasing this dryer if you are looking for one that is inexpensive and gives you options for drying hair. Also, if you have space issues, this one is great!

Goals

Setting goals is extremely important if you want to achieve something. Without goals, a dream is just a wish. I have made a point to set up some goals for my life and business for the month of September. I challenge you all to do the same thing.

Here are my goals that I want to accomplish by September 30.

1. Add 30 customers to my customer database for Mary Kay. I think this is attainable and I want to focus on adding new people to my list so I have a better base for my business. Right now, I only have 6 people in my database.

2. Have one team member by September 30. In Mary Kay, a huge part of becoming a better sales woman is building a team. I want to have a "running mate", who is someone that I can grow my business with and who will motivate me when I am having an off day. A running mate is a team member, so I would also make money when they are selling product.

3. Shape Up September. I want to hit the gym or do some sort of physical activity everyday in September. I had a meeting until late tonight, but I made an effort to go to the gym at 9:30 in order to get my workout it. When you have a goal, you have to stick to it in order to see progress.

4. Eat Healthy. This is a goal I have every month, but this month I want to take action. This means limiting my fast food intake, brining lunch to work more often, and going out to eat less. I think with Fall, this will help because its the best time to get into a new routine and focus on things like eating healthier.

What are some of your goals this month?