Are You Aware?

I've been doing a lot of research lately on the different channels social media offers to BILLIONS of people all over the world.  I found this picture while I was doing research and thought it was definitely worth mentioning.  This is what is happening on the web every minute of every day! How amazing are those numbers? 

Have you ever thought about the billions of people that can view your data?  Whether you have it private or public it is all still accessible.  Once you are on the web, you cannot be taken off.  Most of the research I've been doing I have to make sure I type 2012 after the search or I could get articles and data from 2006 or earlier!  Next time you are making a post, think about what you put online.  I am so guilty of this! Most of the time I post with the thought that my followers and friends are the only ones that can see my data.  However, I'm not private on most of my sites so there are plenty of people that could search for my name or anything I could be talking about and it can pop up in a search engine.

Try Google searching yourself.  What do you find?  Now if you have a name like John Smith it might be a little different than a more unique name.  When I search my name, the first link that pops up is my Twitter account.  The next few links are not related to me but then take a look at the images.  The first image is my picture from my college job as an orientation leader coordinator.  You have no idea how much information you can find on yourself.

I am writing this blog to make you aware that it isn't just you sitting at a computer.  It is you and billions of people that you have no idea who they are.  I have been active on the internet since the 7th grade.  Probably not my smartest choice, but I've always been intrigued by it.  I am aware of the severity but still post a lot of data DAILY.  I do not want to turn anyone against these interesting products and sites but please be careful what you put on the web.  It can never be erased.  A delete button only takes it away from your eyes, not the universe.

The Power of Networking

I recently took a trip to Washington D.C. There were a lot of firsts for me but I was excited to do some things I had never done before.

I have never flown completely alone before. I had never been to a city were I didn't have someone with me. A lot of other boring details of things I had never done before got accomplished on this day but that isn't the message of my blog.

I was extremely nervous to do the unknown alone. However, I quickly learned this world is a lot smaller than we think.

I met a lady on the plane who was from DC originally and was working in Atlanta with a nonprofit organization. We talked for about half the plane ride and when we landed she handed me her business card and said keep in touch. Look me up on LinkedIn.

While in DC my only form of transportation was the metro. So I had to tackle this public transportation by myself. So naturally I was extremely focused on signs and time and making sure I got on the right color line. I had to look like a tourist until a lady came up to me and asked ME for directions. She said I looked like I knew exactly what I was doing and commended me for taking such a risk to do this on my own at a such a young age.

Later that day I had a three hour wait for my flight back to Atlanta. I was trying to study (and not doing so well) when a gentlemen sat next to me at the bar. He began to ask me about my day and my life story. So I figured I'm not going to get any studying done, I'll humor him. Come to find out, he was in DC because he won an award for designing a program for the National Weather Service.

After talking with him for almost an hour I just wanted to sleep on the plane because I knew my long drive back to Auburn that night would be long and exhausting. I happened to sit next to a lady who just wanted to chat. Okay. Why not? I've met some interesting people today, let's have a chat. This lady lives in AR where Brenden will be moving. She began to tell me everything he needed to know about Fayetteville. Then the conversation never ran dry for the entire 2 hour flight. We had a lot in common and didn't want to stop talking because she was so interesting.

I learned that day that we are all connected in some way. People want to help others (most of the time.) why should we sit by ourselves and pretend like we don't need anyone or anything? Meeting and talking with those people that day helped solidify what I've always believed: networking is a powerful tool. There are too many people in the world to just stick to our tiny box of people. The only way to grow is to learn and there is only so much you can learn from a tiny box.

So venture out and meet new people. Try new things and don't be afraid to be honest and open with people you don't know. They may know someone who knows someone that can help you out in the near or far future.

Follow Your Dreams. Do What You Love.

Lately the topic of discussion has been: "Follow your dreams. Do what you love."  I seem to always talk about dreams and being passionate about things.  But when other people begin to talk about it, it draws me in.  They have my full attention because I am interested to see what people believe about dreams, being passionate about something, and doing it whole heartedly.

In class and from professors, mentors, and people I care the most about they have advised me to "Follow my dreams by doing what I love."  The two things I have the most passion for are: fitness/health and helping people out.  This dream is easy to follow as long as I take the right steps towards that.  But one of my other favorite things that I have become a lot more passionate about is social media.  I want to learn more about what's behind it all and how you can best utilize it.  I love being connected to people, learning new things about people, and sharing my story with the world.

How do you follow this dream? A professor once told me, (please keep reading, I promise I'll stop being redundant.) "Follow your dreams. Even if you don't know what those dreams are, follow what you feel the most passionate about. Even if there isn't a job title to match your passions, one day there just might be and if not why not come up with it yourself!" What great advice!

However, fitness bloggers are all over the place, health websites pop up all the time.  But helping people via the internet is very motivating but there is no physical interaction.  To me, this step is extremely important in helping people out.  This world cannot be come so globalized that the only way people communicate is via technology.  It is completely inhumane!

So, why can't I just do both? I can get paid to help people in person as a fitness instructor or personal trainer and when I'm not doing that have social media to help back me up? Tons of people do it, why can't I? It's not much of an aspiration compared to some people's dreams and goals but this is my dream and what I feel led to do! It brings me complete satisfaction.  I believe that is one of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs :)

Here is what I hope you can gain from this blog post, if you aren't doing everything to fulfill complete satisfaction stop doing what isn't making you happy.  Try and follow what will make you happy.  It means more in the end of your life to know you did everything you wanted/needed to do.  You lived out your life to the fullest! So, Follow your dreams and Do what you LOVE!

Kayla

Let Me Explain Myself

It's been a recurring comment I've gotten that my blog, Twitter, or Facebook make people feel terrible about themselves.  I wanted to take some time to write a blog hoping to clear some things up.

First, my blog, Twitter, or Facebook were never intended to make people feel bad about themselves.  I only hope to motivate people or maybe make them think about themselves, life, or choices they may come across in life.  I would never want to tell someone what to do or make them feel like I know everything because 1. I don't and 2. I don't like when people tell me what to do either so I wouldn't tell my followers what to do either.

Second, my blog, Twitter, or Facebook are there to help me just as much as they are to help the people that read them.  Putting things out there so the world can see it keeps me accountable and makes me realize that people are watching (or reading) and that I need to be the best version of myself at all times.  Also, it's a great way to track different problems I may be having and see how I handled it in a previous scenario.

Lastly, if it bothers you that much please don't waste your time reading my social media stuff.  I honestly only do it to help better myself and other people.  It is my passion to motivate and encourage other people.  So I won't stop what I write (or type).  I know this doesn't apply to everyone that reads my blog, Twitter or Facebook because sometimes I get excellent comments back that make me feel like I am actually helping someone out there.  But if it hurts you or makes you feel terribly about yourself first off ask me or tell me about it and hopefully I can change something to make you feel better about yourself.  But if that doesn't work for you please feel free to de-follow me in the social media world.

Thanks to all my followers who enjoy my blog, Twitter, and Facebook.  I only do it to help other people and I hope that I can make some change, motivation, or encouragement for you!

Goodnight,

Kayla

Communication

How important is communication? Is it possible to have zero communication with someone and still have a connection with them? I personally don't think so.  I don't know how to function without communication.  I think that is why I blog, Facebook, Twitter, text, email, call, etc.  I do not like to not be connected to people.  People make me happy and happy people make me happier! Making people happy makes me the happiest, but when communication falls short what do you do?

I am probably not the best communicator.  Maybe I should have majored in communications to learn how to communicate.  I wonder if I'm terrible at communication because I always have to be right or because I am so spoiled I only want things my way.  I don't know but those two characteristics are probably not good to have when making people happy is what makes me the happiest.  They seem to clash, don't you think?

How do you communicate exactly what you want? How do you express who you are through communication? Why does arguing seem to never solve anything? That's communication isn't it?  I'm so confused right now because communication keeps failing me.  You can't get things across the exact way that you want to via technology.  It will never happen.  Things are always misinterpreted and then it makes communication go sour.  Maybe that is why I'm such a terrible communicator because the only way I communicate is via technology.  Even so, I don't know how to express things differently to get my point across.  Even if technology fails me on almost all occasions I am a horrible....

It just hit me what may be my problem.  Listening.  I do not take the time to listen to people when they talk.  It is always about me talking and getting the most out of the conversation.  Why can I not be a selfless person? I'm so frustrated with myself right now and I know this blog is making no sense.  I treat this blog like a journal so this entry is one of those blogs I'm trying to figure out who I am.  I just hope that one day I can figure out how to be selfless, a good listener, and an even better communicator.  Pray for me as I seek help in these areas.  Maybe a nice run would help me get back on track.

Living and learning,

Kayla

Finals are over and life is good!

Finals are finished! Everyone can go back to being there fun loving selves again.  Yesterday, I was in between my final at 12 and my final at 4 somewhat studying.  I got an email from my finance professor and I told myself do not look until after your last final cause you will either be disappointed or too excited to focus on it. Well I went ahead and looked and I was way too excited to take my last exam (I got an A - in Finance! I worked my butt off for that grade!). But it's a two hour class about hotels, common sense stuff about hotels.  I work at a hotel so I was thinking, "Oh, this won't be bad!" That final was ridiculous!!! I got the 50 point question right but if I didn't do so well on the rest of the exam, that class will be my only B. So frustrating!

Well, I told some people yesterday that my blog was going to be about some people yesterday and I didn't want them to think it was about them.  I have had a change of heart and have decided to leave the bashing for girls nights ONLY! haha Cyberspace is risky and you never know what's going to bite you in the butt in the long run.  Except I have a Facebook, a Twitter, a blog, and a LinkedIn. I'm a social networking freak! haha I hope that doesn't hurt me in the long run.  Anyways, I had a girls night with my long lost friends from the semester and oh how I miss girls nights!!!  The girls night are being reinstated next semester with no excuses!! It's my only break away from life when I'm with these girls! We have way too much fun together! 

On another note, finals are over and Christmas break has started!  I leave for Jamaica in 15 days! :D The goal is two workouts a day! Starting tomorrow. Today is going to be so much fun! Two tacky Christmas sweater parties, lunch with some friends, dinner with my awesome boyfriend, and fitting a workout in after lunch.  Cannot wait! I hope everyone has a fantastic day.  Until next time, laugh a lot, life happy, and STOP being negative!

Peace, Love, and Happiness!

Kayla