We are not crazy. We are passionate.

It is rare that I come across something on the internet that gives me goosebumps. But this blog post, written by Yann Girard, was magical. Everything that I couldn’t put into words he said with wisdom and grace. I’ve chosen a few things he wrote about, and I want to touch upon them and add my own experiences.

1. Believing that you have a reputation will only hold you back. Our “reputations” are stopping us from achieving our true potential. It’s true, I have to admit, I am constantly worrying about what my family members will think of my career choices, and what my social media networks will think of me. As Yann Girard put it:

Believing that you have a reputation will only hold you back from really experiencing and living a life you deeply care about. It will hold you back from doing the things you’d really like to do but people discourage you.

Who cares what other people think? We should try different paths, find ourselves, explore the great outdoors, travel for a year, pursue our dreams of being a Hollywood actor, and the list goes on. At the end of the day, it’s your happiness and your approval that truly matter.

2. There will never be a good time for change. This is so true. But we only have obstacles in our way if we let them get in our way:

There will never be a good time for change. It’s almost always a bad time to change things in your life. You might not have enough money. People might turn their backs on you and talk shit about you…change will never be easy. But if you wait for change to magically happen you’ll most probably be waiting your life away.

3. Creating projects will help you find what you’re good at. I completely agree with this one. If we have our hand at trying different projects, putting our own spin on them, and even pitching new ideas at the workplace or for our own start-up, we will find ourselves in the process.

If you wait until you have that perfect idea or until you know who you really are or what you really want to do with your life you will probably never start doing anything.

It’s only by starting to create things that you will figure yourself out and find your true purpose in life.

4. The world is guided by fear. Girard points out that every single person is afraid of taking risks. We all fear failure, and that’s normal. But what makes people go from ordinary to extraordinary is overlooking that fear and going for your goals. Take that fear and make use of it; let it be your fuel for success.

5. Be human and admit your flaws. In our society today, we feel the need to hide our true selves, to hide our flaws. But what makes us unique is our flaws. Instead of putting on a mask, we should aim to be more human.

People connect with people and not perfect machines. So put that mask away and be more human instead. Don’t be afraid to show your flaws.

Make sure it’s your own story you’re telling and not someone else’s.

6. Nothing in life is really a waste of time. Every experience, whether good or bad, makes us grow. Every project we completed (or didn’t complete), every journey we embarked on, every failure we experienced, and every rock bottom we have hit; these experiences make us who we are. They tell our story.

Nothing. Is. A. Waste. Of. Time.

Not the shitty job you worked at for many years. Not the bad relationship you’ve been in for many years.

It’s either a blessing or a lesson.

7. The best things in life are the things we never really planned. I love that Girard wrote about this as one of his lessons. I feel the same way in that almost everything that I have accomplished thus far that I am most proud of was something I never planned. So say YES to different opportunities that are presented to you. Don’t want to be a salesperson but you get recruited for that position? Try it out, go on the interview, see if you like it. Tying in to the previous point, every experience is worth it. I gained confidence, strength, and life-long friends from the experiences that I didn’t plan, from joining a sorority (me, a sorority girl? Not even close!), to me accepting internships for HR, PR, marketing, you name it! Take every opportunity. You never know where it will lead you.

8. You have to lose yourself to find your true inner self. At this point of the article, I got real goosebumps. That is probably one of the wisest pieces of advice I have ever received from reading one article. Life is a journey. Let yourself get lost. You will find yourself along the way.

You actually really have to lose yourself to find your true inner self. I still haven’t found it yet but I have the feeling that I’m on the right track.

9. There is no such thing as overnight success. Girard is absolutely right on this one. Everything takes time to build. Be patient, be open, be kind.

Everything in life takes a hell lot of time.

But in the end, what truly inspired me and gave me renewed energy and motivation was his blog bio:

This is for the people who look at the world from a different perspective. The ones who are restless. The ones who strive for change. The ones who see things differently. The ones who don’t accept the status quo. The ones who challenge current thinking patterns. The ones who break down existing barriers. The ones who make the impossible possible. The ones who build new things. The ones most people call crazy, but we call them passionate. This is for the people just like you and me.

Thank you to Yann Girard for a beautifully written article. I could not have said it better myself. Please follow his blog and read more.

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Happiness is a CHOICE

When we stop chasing the world’s definition of happiness, we begin to see that the decision to experience happiness has been right in front of us all along.

Walking Meetings

Have you ever wondered how to make meetings at work more fun? A large portion of our workday is filled with long and boring meetings, leading to decreased energy levels and lowered productivity. After reading this article entitled, “Walking Meetings: So Much More Productive Than You Think“, I was completely convinced about the benefits of holding walking meetings with colleagues. This is a simple, effective, and fun way to bring exercise into your daily routine as well as take a physical and mental break.

According to the article, walking meetings are so much more productive than we think. The first point that author Amy Chowdhry makes is that walking meetings reinforce your company’s core values, vision, and culture. Now, this seems like a strange point to make because walking seems unrelated to the company’s goals and visions, but I was very convinced by the author’s explanation.

Chowdhry states that communication with other employees in a one-on-one setting will give you the opportunity to discuss the company’s future and praise or punish team members for their values. I definitely agree with this analysis of walking meetings as a means of communication about high-level company core values, vision, and culture.

Subsequently, the article discusses how walking meetings can boost morale among employees during rough times. I have personally experienced this myself at a previous company that I interned for. When our CEO changed in the middle of the year, many employees were worried about losing their jobs and concerned about the future of the company. As I was taking a walk with my coworker, she expressed feelings of optimism and had an upbeat attitude. As the article explains, gaining insight on your coworkers’ thoughts and emotions can be contagious, boosting morale around the office.

Another great point in this article that convinced me to participate in walking meetings is the promotion of wellness in the company. As I have mentioned in my previous blog post about the importance of walking, getting outside and moving will give your body a much-needed break from the stress of work and provide numerous health benefits. Not only will it be beneficial to your physical and mental health, but it will also inspire other employees around the office to do the same. When all your coworkers are staying active and healthy, it will increase the productivity of your company, leading to a healthier and happier workplace.

The last point in this article that truly sold me on the importance of walking meetings is being able to demonstrate compassion and empathy. When you have a one-on-one meeting with a coworker, it allows you to get outside of the workspace and connect with your coworker on a human level. Walking and talking truly “forces you to slow down, listen intently, and take time to engage with employees at a very real and human level”. I completely agree with the empathetic and compassionate effect that walking meetings can have, and I would definitely encourage them!

After reading this article, I gained in-depth knowledge about how walking meetings can change the culture, morale, wellness, and employee relations in your company. I recommend reading this article as a young professional looking for advice and guidance on how to get out of the office and connect with your peers on a human level.

Now get out there and walk with your coworkers!