How Being in a Sorority Helped My Professional Life

1. Don’t form cliques: Just because you made your three best work friends, doesn’t mean everyone else at the company has nothing to offer. Reach out to everyone you meet, even if they don’t become your best friend they can teach you something new. It was constantly reminded to us at our chapter that we should spend time engaging with members we didn’t know well.
2. Learn how to carry a conversation: there have been many networking events where I am so happy that I have the skills to carry on a conversation. Especially when the person I am chatting with is shy, boring, or uninterested. I think I speak for all sorority members in saying “I could talk to a wall if I had to.” This skill helps me avoid some potentially awkward situations at work or professional events when the other person isn’t contributing to the conversation.  
3. Sell yourself: This skill is almost forced upon you as you race through 30 repetitive interviews in one week during recruitment. You’re hungry, tired, and hot but you have to push through and sell yourself anyway. The following year you are on the flip side, selling your chapter (or company) as you try to recruit new members (employees). This process is very similar to career fairs and I see the opposite side now as I recruit graduates for my company.
4. Hold yourself accountable: One of the most admirable traits a person can have is the ability to admit they made a mistake. If you make a mistake, be honest and ask for help. If you try to brush it under the rug the problem will grow in severity. The best thing you can do is be open about it and try to repair the damage.
5. Do more than just “show up”: It is said time and time again, that you get out of a sorority (or a job) what you put into it. If you just show up to chapter and a few events, you may not have the best experience possible. If you join committees, volunteer, and apply for leadership positions you will not only develop yourself but will enhance your experience and make an impact on those around you. The same applies to your career. Sign up to take on tasks outside your job description, volunteer at events with colleagues, engage with people when you are talking to them. It will improve your work experience and career development.
6. And most importantly… don’t dance on tables: This applies both literally and figuratively. There are many work events where alcohol will be available and it’s important to limit your consumption so that you don’t do/say anything you might regret. You have to work with these people and you want them to respect you. Have a little fun, but please, don’t dance on tables.

Happy People

I have been thinking a lot lately about what truly happy people have in their lives. In my observations and thoughts I noticed it was easier to first determine what it is they don't have. 

Happy people don't have perfectly clean houses, full wallets, or personal chefs. 
Happy people don't have perfect relationships, flawless routines, or days without worry. 

People that are genuinely happy have passion, curiosity, dreams, and hectic lives. They live from one dream to the next changing their mind constantly. They have so many hopes and passions that they aren't even sure which to pursue first. 

They are confused, dramatic, and at times difficult to understand. They love so passionately that it may cause fights and disagreements. They wake up every day with new questions and problems to solve. They appreciate the world around them and connect with everyone they meet. 

They are also they people who have found the one passion that makes them tick, and continue to be curious and excited about pursuing it every day. 

So much focus is placed on paychecks and "making it" in life. But when we try to discover what it is that the contagiously happy people have, it isn't always high paying jobs and an easy lifestyle. We should aspire to be passionate and curious about the world. We should aspire to BE not to obtain. Happiness is rooted in your soul and will only grow if you nurture it. If you expect it to come from outside influence (money, promotions, relationships) you will be greatly disappointed. 

Find your inner happiness, feed it, inspire it, and you will suddenly connect better with those around you. The change always begins from within. 

How To Find A Job You Will Enjoy

            I recently completed the dreadful journey of job searching. I turned down a full time salaried job offer for an internship with no benefits and low pay in order to follow my dream. In the end my dream wasn't what I wanted to do anymore and I had to do a lot of soul searching to figure out what exactly I wanted to do. After five years of engineering school I thought I would have my life figured out- this was not the case. As most of my friends began getting amazing job offers for their "dream jobs" and I continued to work at an internship I did not love I began to feel very depressed. I think the hardest part for me was that what I thought was my dream job was not at all what I enjoyed doing. This was truly shocking when I was so confident before. 
            I suppose you can't truly know until you try it, but I think we all have the hope that if we do get the opportunity to pursue our dream job- it will make us truly happy. In the event that it does not, you need to get back on your feet and try again. If you are having some trouble figuring out what it is that you would truly enjoy doing, read some of my tips that helped me. 

1. Look to where your mind goes when it wanders: maybe this will lead you to the correct path. Do you craft baking recipes? Imagine a room with better furniture? Think about how processes could be more efficient? For me it was constantly thinking about global climate change and how buildings could save energy. Styrofoam coffee cups in the break rooms made me cringe and I never understood why so many lights were left on throughout the night. This day dreaming helped lead my path to the job I want to have, and the person I want to become. 

2. Figure out your strengths: I'm not talking about your "organizational skills, multi-tasking, and passion" that you describe in job interviews. Get real with yourself, what are your strengths? Do you find yourself a natural leader and excellent project manager? Are you creative and able to imagine finished products before they are even created? Find out what you are good at and write it down. 

3. Stop worrying about your 5 and 10 year plan: You cannot plan for ten years ahead from now, you have no idea where you will want to be or what will make you happy so stop worrying about it. Many professionals I have interacted with were doing something completely different in a polar opposite industry 10 years ago. Give yourself the freedom to do what makes you happy today and this year. 

4. Be open to try something new: Don't limit yourself to the strengths you listed earlier, simply use them as a guiding light. If you have absolutely no idea what you want to do then you shouldn't limit yourself. Try something new and out of your comfort zone, it may be perfect for you. If not shake it off and try again. 

5. Consider a year of service: I considered joining the AmeriCorp for a year while I did some soul searching, before I stumbled across the job I will be starting in the next month. There is nothing more humbling or mentally clarifying then service in your local community. If you can't commit to a year, consider volunteering a few days a week while you are job searching. It will keep your spirits up. 

But most importantly... 

6. Dont give up hope: When you become mentally defeated, it shows. People can sense when you lose your spirit and zest for life. Do not let this happen to you. Job searching is stressful, terrifying, and frustrating. But it is also exciting and the beginning of something wonderful. You will only find your dream job when you are happy and optimistic, so try to keep a great attitude throughout the grueling process. 

Till Death Do Us Part

             I am at the exciting stage in life where most of my friends are engaged, married, or thinking about getting married. Wedding talk is common in my life lately so it got me thinking about wedding vows. I decided that I will never include the line "Till Death Do Us Part" in my vows. First of all, how creepy does that sound?? Certainly not the beautiful words meant for a wedding ceremony. Second, this sets us up for failure. When you promise to be together "till death do us part" you are mutually agreeing that no matter what happens you will stay together. This almost gives your partner the "ok" to let themselves go and give up on romancing you. I think we should say "Until we are no longer happy". That should be our agreement to eachother. "I promise to stay with you as long as we are both happy", because at the end of the day, that is why you started dating them in the first place. When you are no longer happy with your spouse and no longer able to make them happy why stay together until death just because a wedding vow stated that? That puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on your relationship. I think life is more fulfilling and satisfying when we spend it trying to make our spouse happy and love life, instead of just trying to stay together. 

            With that said, take some time today to tell your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife or even just your best friend that you love them and appreciate everything they do. Ask them what you can do to make them happier and in return they will offer the same. Lets make our goal in life to share as much happiness as we can and help make the ones we love genuinely happy. 

Find Your Own Meaning of Beauty

First I want to explain my blog name change from “Brews and Boots: A Blog About Hiking Trails, Beer, and the Pursuit of Happiness” to “Vegan Soup”. A few reasons

1. The original title was too long

2. I didn’t want to feel limited in what I should talk about

3. I want to talk about all things comforting and happy, which reminding me of books I read when I was younger “Chicken Soup For the Soul” but I am a vegan so then came the name “Vegan Soup”

** I should add- I will not be in any way trying to persuade you to be vegan, I may share an occasional recipe but I will not rant about animal rights, that is not the purpose of this blog. 

Now on to some thoughts I had about the meaning of beauty on my drive to work today…

Why do we let magazines or people in bars define what beauty means to us? Why not define it ourselves and find our own meaning of beauty? I tried an activity where I thought about my closest friends and family and what makes them beautiful to me. For instance, why do you think your lifelong best friend is beautiful? Is it because they lost those ten pounds and got a tan, or is it because of their genuine smile and compassionate heart? I can’t speak for everyone, but in my situation it is definitely the latter. I compiled a list so that I can understand what is important to me, and what I value and find beautiful. When we discover what we love about our closest friends and family, we should hold ourselves to those standards, not the standards set by the general public and people who do not know our stories. This empowers us as humans to disregard society’s image of beauty and find a meaning for it in our own unique lives.

You are beautiful because of your…

Compassion

Willingness to help

Laughter

Commitment to your goals

Focus and drive

Kind heart

Comforting hugs

Sense of humor

Optimism

Ability to think on your feet

Honesty

Ability to forgive

Love for your family

Strength

Selfless acts

I could list hundreds more, but I think you get the point. When we think about the people that impact our lives in the most positive ways, we think of their actions and their words. We do not think of the color of their skin, their weight, their symmetry, or any other cosmetic feature. I encourage you to treat yourself the way you treat your best friends, hold yourself at a better standard, and find your own unique understanding of beauty. 

Here is a picture of some mountains just for fun, thank you for reading! :)

Finding Happiness After College Graduation

Lately I have been mostly talking about trips I have taken, but today I want to focus more on achieving happiness in your post-graduate life.

If you have recently graduated, first off, CONGRATULATIONS! This is an amazing accomplishment. However, you may be finding yourself in a state of confusion or depression as you transition into the “real world”. Maybe it is a result of not finding a job right away, or not finding your DREAM job. It could also be something I call “Facebook life envy” which stems from constantly seeing pictures of your Facebook friends having the time of their lives in their new city, at their new job, with their new friends. It is easy to feel envious of other people’s lives when all you see are the positive moments for them.

This constant update of your peers’ successes makes transitioning from your college years to adult life difficult and confusing. In college, all of your friends were in the same city and you were never short of fun activities to choose from. Adult life quickly slaps you in the face as your parents cut you off and your list of bills never seems to end. Pretty soon you find yourself doing laundry on a Friday night because you are too mentally exhausted from the week to do anything else.

It is at this crucial turning point in your life when you need to take charge of your own happiness. The day that you recognize that YOU and only YOU are responsible for your own thoughts is the day that you begin to live a happy and satisfying life.

I have recently found myself in one of these post-graduate funks. I have a temporary job that I commute to and spend gobs of money on gas and tolls. My boyfriend moved away and we are adjusting to a long distance relationship and my friends all live in different states around the US. I found myself constantly counting down the days until I would be happy again. “20 days until I get to see my boyfriend and I will be happy again”, “64 days until this certification exam is over and I can begin to live again”, etc. After a few months of living like this, I recognized that this was absolutely not the life I wanted to lead. I want to be happy every SINGLE day. I have found a few habits that seem to help me, so I wanted to share them with all of you!

1. Immerse yourself in experiences: You probably see where I am going with this one. PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE. When you are with a group of your best friends, stop checking your social media apps and texting. Be with your friends and engage in the conversation. Appreciate what/who is around you and the importance of human interactions. I can’t even count the number of times I have spent time with my best friends while they text/snapchat/facebook the whole time we are together. This is no way to maintain relationships and will eventually result in your friends not wanting to spend time with you anymore. So put down your phone and listen to what they are saying, it’s important.

2. Call your friends: As your friends move away to their new jobs and no longer live down the hall or with you, you have to make an effort to contact them. It may be difficult because of your busy schedules, but it is absolutely worth it. There is no better therapy than talking to an old friend and hearing how their life is going.

3. Connect with your co-workers: You don’t have to be their best friends and hangout with them every weekend, but make an effort to connect with them. This will make you more comfortable coming to work, build your network, and help you excel because you won’t be afraid to ask questions.

4. Start each day positively: I recently have started making an effort to think every morning “Today will be a great day, I will be productive and learn something new“, or something along those lines. Starting each day on a positive note has helped me be more productive at work which has contributed to my overall happiness.

5. Manage your money: Whether you started a salaried job, or are still searching, it is imperative that you begin to manage your money. Knowing where your money goes and how much you have to spend gives you control over your life and ownership of what is yours. This will reduce stress and make it easier to be happy. I recommend Mint.com because you can consolidate all of your finances into one place (plus they have an app and everyone loves apps).

6. Clean on Monday nights: Stop turning down mimosas with your friends on the weekends because you have to do laundry and clean. Just because you have graduated does not mean you have to stop living your life. Start cleaning a little bit every day so when the weekend rolls around you are free to have some fun and relax.

7. Travel: Everyone suggests this, but I want to open your eyes to realistic travelling. College students seem to have this idea in their minds that you have to go to Europe to have a life changing travel experience. For the financially stressed, this is not always a possibility. I was able to take a trip around the Southeast United States and it truly changed me forever. When I saw the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance, I CRIED. Seriously, they are so breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing such incredible features of nature humbles us and helps us find some perspective. We are but small beings on this Earth and our problems are not has large as we think they are.

What are your tactics for happiness? Share them with me, I would love to hear them!