Summer Where Are You?

This summer has been a busy summer for me.  Between attending weddings, my three jobs, planning the Young Associates Board: Run for Gus 5k, social networking groups, softball league, and personal life; I have had a very busy summer.

Learning how to manage my stress and work load is a fight I tend to lose at more than I would like to and even admit.  The reason why I lose this battle with myself is because I struggle in figuring out what I should give up and keep in my day-to-day life.  I want to be a super woman that can manage and balance her life as easy as baking a cake.  When I read about women who claim they can balance it all, are they really telling the truth?   It seems the media is saying more and more that women may be can't have it all.  What does that say to aspiring young women who are desperately looking for a role models.  Ramona from RHNY claims she can balance it all as does Kelly Rippa.   When I hear about these things, I always have to stop and check myself, because I know deep down that they aren't balancing everything all on their own.  They have a support team helping them.

After reflecting on my summer and how insanely busy I have been, I realized that I have not had much of a summer at all.  Has it been really worth it?  Is taking on so much at my age really the best thing for me at this time of my life?

As I looked back at my summer,  I realized that I have been to a pool twice, laid out in the sun 6 times, attended one city festival, one movie in the park, and have yet to go to the beach.  That is sad when you think about it.  There have been days where I can't even find 30 minutes for me to treat myself to a workout.  Why have I passed up going to the free concerts at the Pritzker Pavilion to stay late at the office or jam pack my schedule with networking events and activities after work?  Has it been worth it?  Yes and no.

Although they may not have been the best choices, I clearly made them for a reason and a good reason.  I love the work the YAB does for children with pediatric brain tumors, I want to be a successful business woman, and I am always eager to volunteer whenever possible.   Can you blame someone for wanting to do these things?  No, but should these things consume my every free moment outside of work?  Most people would say no.  I should be staying out late on a work night with friends because we went to a concert or a movie.  Or I went wine tasting after work with my boyfriend just because I can!  Instead I worry about checking my email at night, trying to get ahead with work, and making to-do's for the next day.  I sound like a PTA/Soccer mom and I am only 26.

I am a young business professional who does not have commitments waiting for me after work and I should be living life up everyday, because in actuality, time is of the essence.   Years from now I will have commitments that will prevent me from having this freedom.  Commitments being a dog or family, and parenting duties.   These are the years for me to enjoy having a flexible and carefree schedule, and I am letting these precious years slip away one by one.   Why has it taken me years to finally have this realization sink in?

As you can tell, this has definitely been a wake up call and a great life lesson.  Even though I enjoy my jobs, being on boards, volunteering, and attending networking events; I need to better balance my time, energy and attention to doing things that involve my friends, family, and most importantly, myself.   Time is running out and I know I will miss having a flexible schedule.   To ensure this happens, I am going to need to start minimizing some things out, especially the activities that prevent me from living a more carefree lifestyle and I know it is going to be tough for me to let some things go.  For now at least.

Any advice on how I can train myself to live a more carefree life?

For the Love of the Game & Charitable Organizations

Sports have been a big part of my life ever since I was little.  Throughout my life I have played a number of sports and on a number of sports teams.  Sports include: soccer, gymnastics, diving, swimming, golf, tennis, basketball, softball, indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball.   Even now in my adulthood, my passion for sports still exists and I continue to play in a sports league each summer.  Chicago is an amazing city for so many reasons and I especially love how active this city is with club sports and sports leagues.

When you are an athlete,  whether you played in grade school, high school, or a collegiate sport,  your love for sports stays with you and nestles inside your heart.  I know this to be true, and I have always had the love for sports whether I am playing or watching sports, but my love for playing sports was taken to a whole new level after I met Mark Biery, co-founder of LTS (Live to Support) Chicago.

LTS (Live to Support) Chicago was founded on the notion that young professionals are the key platform to raise awareness to support to Chicago charities. LTS forms sports leagues so people can participate in active sporting and social events which, in turn, help Chicago charities through donations and awareness.

After learning about LTS, I reached out to Mark about getting some teams formed and playing in a summer softball league.  It didn't take long for me to form a team and decide on a charity that we would represent.

Since July 10th, my team: Team Knockdown, has been venturing out to Stanton Park to play against fellow Groupon employees and other 600 West Chicago companies in a 16 inch softball league on Tuesday night's through Live to Support Chicago.  Companies that participated include: ConAgra Foods, Wrigley, InnerWorkings, and of course, Groupon.

My team played for the Chicago Lights Urban Farm, an urban farm I have grown to hold near and dear to my heart and have become an advocate for the great work they do in the Chicagoland community.  Chicago Lights has taught me how to farm, the importance of composting, and that farming is an education tool in the sense that it is a way to teach life skills to low-income children and families.

One thing I love about LTS's program is that before the start of each game, competing teams circle around home plate to give a brief speech on what charity they are playing for and a little background about their work.   This also allows you to be educated about different charitable organizations that are doing great work in your community.  We all know sports are competitive and sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the emotions and competitive edge sports can bring out in you.  LTS gives athletes a reason to direct their energy of the game to play for selfless reasons, a charity.  When you play for a charitable organization, your love for the game changes.  You aren't playing for you anymore, you are playing for the mission-driven work that the charity does each and every day.   Losing a game even feels different, because you know that the team you lost to is playing for a charity that is making a difference and could really use the funding.  However losing makes you more determined to win the next game, so you can be one step closer to being in the championship round.

Before the start of each season, LTS automatically awards each participating team $100 to give to the charity they are representing.  I love this because even if your specific team doesn't win the championship, you still played to raise awareness about the charity you are representing and the organization gets $100, and a $100 can make an impact for any charitable organization.

So you may be wondering, how did my team, Team Knockdown finish their season?  In short, last night, my team played in the championship and won.  We came back in the 6th inning when we were down 5 runs, to tie up the game.  We could not believe it.  The 7th inning was the final inning and with the score tied, we managed to hold the competing team at 8 runs and we managed to bring in a 9th run to win the game!  It was a remarkable moment.  Seeing my team of fellow colleagues, not only make such an amazing come back but to see the excitement on each of their faces because they knew our victory meant that the Chicago Lights Urban Farm would be receiving a check for $1,000.

It was a priceless moment and a moment I will treasure forever.  My love of the game has been completely changed because of my experience playing with Live to Support and I cannot wait to play for a charity again.

A big congratulations to Groupon's very own Team Knockdown for beating InnerWorking's: Here Comes the Runs team in Live to Support's Softball Championship.

Be sure to check out photos from the season and a highlight video of the league.  You can see the schedule, team rankings, and what charity each team played for here.

It was inspiring to see passionate individuals who have love for the game of softball but also it was even more inspiring to see individuals who are passionate about the charity their team was representing and played every play for them.

What do you play for?  What charity would you want to represent in a sports league & why?

One Nation. Underfed.

One of the cool parts about my job at Groupon Grassroots is that I am inspired on a daily basis.  Inspired by the people I talk to, the success each Grassroots campaign has on our site, and the issues individuals are addressing and how their work is making an impact everyday.    

Before I came to Groupon, I felt like I knew about the major issues that our country and world faces, but I have found that I was naive in thinking that.

Everyday I find my eyes being opened a little bit wider by the knowledge I am absorbing.   There is a lot of great work being done by individuals in our country and the world to help make an impact in the issues and challenges happening here.

Today was one of those eye opening experiences.   My team had the unique opportunity to see a sneak peak of a documentary called "Finding North."  This documentary is about the hunger issue children, families, and individuals face across the United States.   The film shows you what hunger really looks like today in our country.   They also talk about the stereotypes we as a society have formed on what hunger really looks like and how child obesity is linked to food insecurity.

Finding North, showcases three individuals: a 5th graders named Rosie, a single-working mom with two children named Barbie, and a 2nd grader named Tremonica who is obese.  In addition to their stories the film focuses on the challenges they each face in the issue of hunger. (Learn more about their stories at http://www.takepart.com/findingnorth)

The music throughout the film is by the renowned musicians, The Civil Wars', Joy Williams and John Paul White, who are big advocates on the fight against hunger in the U.S.

Amongst the many influential spokespeople throughout the film, Jeff Bridges (actor and founder of End Hunger Network) and Tom Colicchio from Top Chef are two of the key spokespeople and public eye figures who are helping raise awareness of this issue and taking a stand in the fight for those who don't have a voice.

The statistics shared throughout the film was what shocking and almost hard to digest.  I found myself constantly shaking my head side to side in disbelief.   I don't want to give them all away but here are a few that really caught my attention.

Did you know that there are 49 million people in the U.S. and that 1 in 4 children, don't know where their next meal is coming from?  This is called food insecurity, which is when you don't know where your next meal is coming from and when you will have it. (this is something I cannot even begin to fathom and that thousands of people experience this everyday).

The U.S. has food deserts throughout the U.S. and amongst these food deserts, 80% of them are in urban areas.  80%.   Food Deserts: can be described as any area where residents' access to affordable, healthy food options (especially fresh fruits and vegetables) is restricted or nonexistent. (i.e. absence of grocery stores within convenient traveling distance)

Did you know that the cost of fresh produce has gone up 40% since 1980 and the cost of processed food has gone down 40% since 1980?  Commodity crops, like soy, wheat, and corn are highest food crops produced, and only 1% of our crops are fruits and vegetables.  Hence why fruits and vegetables costs are so high.

Or that in the year 2000, there were only 200 foodbanks in the U.S., and today there are now over 40,000 foodbanks across the country?

You can learn more about current food insecurity data and what the local face of hunger looks like at Feeding America.

After watching this film, my eyes and heart have grown wider and bigger.  The three featured stories have touched my heart and completely changed my view on hunger in America.   I am angry, disturbed, shocked, but motivated and inspired.   Motivated and inspired to want to help any way I can in helping raise awareness about this issue and empower the charities out there that are helping feed the hunger in the U.S.

My challenge to you readers is to help take part in educating yourself not only about the real hunger issue our country faces but how you as an individual can help make an impact.

Here are a few ways you can help:

1.  Volunteer at a local foodbank or food pantry in your community (Foodbank locator: http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx and food pantry locator: http://www.pantrynet.org/)
2.  Help be a voice and help advocate. Learn more at http://frac.org/
3.  Donate to charities like Feeding America and Share Our Strength, that help provide food to the hungry.
4.  Spread the word and talk about the issue of hunger in the U.S.


"Public charities, foodbanks and church pantries are doing more than ever before, but they can't keep up with the need. We can never end hunger only through the wonderful work of local charities. Like other Western democracies, we must end our national problem of hunger through national and political leadership. Charity is nice for some things, but not as a way to feed a nation. We don't protect our national security through charity, and we shouldn't protect our families and children that way either."  -- Jeff Bridges

Email Vacation

Today I leave for Playa del Carmen, Mexico for a destination wedding.  My best friend Sarah will be marrying her best friend, companion and love of her life this weekend.  This is my first vacation in years out of the country and I could not be more excited.  It is not everyday that one of your best friends gets married and I can't wait to be there standing next to her at the alter as she enters married life.

When I land into Cancun, Mexico (in t-minus 10 hours), I am going to do the unthinkable..... unplug myself from email (personal and work) and my cell phone for 5 days!

I am nervous, anxious, and uncertain of how I am going to "handle" this break from email and technology.  What if there is an emergency?  Will my colleagues be able to "survive" without me?  Can projects continue to move forward even with my absence? 

These questions were answered to me last week when I was watching, CBS News This Morning the other week when they had a health watch about less email, less stress.   The timing of this could not be more perfect and I thought, why not try this.  If less email will help me be healthier and a better worker, then I am on board.  

I have taken a number of vacations since I graduated college but I have always done work on vacation.  Some times it was unavoidable, other trips, the pressure to not unplug from email completely was my own influence.  I always feel that "maintaining" email while you are away will make your first few days back at work less stressful, right?

Unfortunately I haven never found this to be true.  Instead I found myself two days back into my work routine, more stressed out than I was before I left for vacation and secretly wishing to have another vacation soon.  The reason being my mind and body never felt like I had rewarded it with a vacation, because my thumbs and mind were working overtime, when they were suppose to be relaxing and even months later, I regret doing work during my vacations.

I think we are all guilty of this.  Worrying about removing ourselves from society via email.  What is it that is so scary or nerve racking?  I am hoping my hiatus from email and my phone for 5 days will help shed some light on this.   I am hoping that me completely diving into vacation mode head first leaving
 
So here I go not only on vacation, but on an email/phone vacation. Although this may be scary, it is completely necessary.  I am signing off and turning off.  Until next week that is.

Have you ever taken an email vacation?? How did you feel when you returned from taking a long break?

Ideation Conference 2012 - Be Human

The 2012 Ideation Conference on May 7-9 in Chicago, IL will focus on creative social good in our world, especially as it relates to human care.  The conference entails some of the most innovative thinkers in this area that are bringing tangible change for millions around the world.

This conference is designed as a conference to assist current professionals in businesses and organizations who work towards human good as well as those desiring to enter the field.  Charles Lee, the founder of Ideation Consultancy, Inc. and author of "Good Idea. Now What?" is the mastermind behind this invigorating conference. 


Groupon is fortunate to be leading one of the track's at Ideation.  Patty Huber, manager of Groupon Grassroots is one of the moderators for our track.  Our topic is "The Art of Collaboration and Finding Unexpected Partnerships."  Our track is filled with some of Chicago's most influential and innovative individuals, all of whom have succeeded by forming partnerships and collaboration.   I am very excited to hear their insights and success stories of the work they have done for this city.


Other topics at this conference include, "Leveraging Social Media for Social Good" (with Claire Diaz Ortiz of Twitter, Paull Young of charity: water, and Mark Horvath of InvisiblePeople.tv – Sponsored by the W Hotels of Chicago) and "The Courtship of Fundraising: The Core Functionality & Importance of Relationships in Raising Funds" (with Keith Kall of World Vision). 


The speakers list in general for this conference is truly inspiring and energizing.  I think it is truly remarkable that people from different backgrounds, experiences, and careers come together for events like Ideation.  I already cannot wait to meet everyone and learn from them.   You all know how much of a nonprofit, go-getter do-gooder gal I am, and this conference is like my mecca.   There is nothing more inspiring and motivating than meeting some of the biggest game-changers in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector.


If you live in Chicago, are planning on coming to Chicago, or need an excuse to come to Chicago, then I highly recommend you come to Ideation.  I promise you will not leave disappointed. 

Simple Ways You Can Give Back

Sometimes, it might seem like giving back takes too much work or that your help wouldn’t make an impact. Fortunately, both of those assumptions are incorrect. Here are some simple ways you can give back to your local and global communities:

Volunteer at a Food Bank:  Feeding America combats hunger throughout the country. Click here to locate a food bank near you.

Recycle Clothing:  Check your city for Goodwill, Second Time Around, or other second-hand stores. Take in clean, gently used clothes for donation or consignment.  Here's a fine example of what's possible when you recycle clothes, Good Karma Clothing for Kids.

Aid Your Environment:  Click here for beach cleanups, park restorations, youth outreach events, and other eco-friendly efforts you can join.

Join Zealous Good:  Zealous Good—a Chicago-based social enterprise—connects those with excess goods to local charities, matching donations to specific needs and reducing the cost and effort of charitable giving.

Upcycle Prom Dresses:  DonateMyDress.org encourages girls across the country to donate gently used prom and special occasion dresses for those who cannot afford to buy their own.

Declutter Your Life:  Donate old cell phones to soldiers or great organizations like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Recycling for Charities. Electronics, books, and more can also be given to charities in your community.

Buy local:  Find a farmer’s market and support local producers.

Nurture Mother Nature:  Recycle, start a garden, or plant something beautiful in your backyard.

Give Greenly:  On holidays and special occasions, try to give gifts that benefit the environment.

Educate Your Co-Workers:  Put up an Earth Day bulletin board at work to offer energy-saving tips, such as:

1. Use Blackle for Internet searches.
2. Turn off your computer and monitor before you leave work.
3. Bring lunch in a reusable bag or Tupperware. Plastic shopping bags can take anywhere from 15 to 1000 years to decompose.
4. Go paperless as much as possible and print double-sided when necessary. Currently, each American uses more than 700 pounds of paper per year on average.

These are just a few simple tips to get you started. Everything each of us does makes a difference—even if it’s a small one. If we all pitch in and make a few easy changes, they’ll add up to amazing results we couldn’t have accomplished alone.