3 nuances in change and consistency

This past week was #FFAWeek. The National FFA Organization serves as the largest youth organization in the country focused on agricultural education and leadership development. I can attribute much of my skills and development to the FFA.

As I reflected through some photographs found (in the dusty cobwebs of my hard drive), it brought back some found memories. It is remarkable how quickly time can pass and feel like yesterday in the same sense. I have changed a lot. However, I have also stayed the same in some ways.

It is weird to me. There are many leadership books, podcasts, theories stating how change is the number one factor to development. However, consistency also plays a role in progress. How do these two elements work together for us as people and leaders?

I think there are only nuances in change and consistency.

New approach; hold me accountable for 2016 goals!

I am trying a new approach.

I think back on my ag communications classes and internships. I wrote video outlines or storyboards for a lot of different things. It has been awhile since I have revisited those skills. Time to start experimenting with the idea of video blogs or vlogs. Below is my first attempt. What do you think? All thoughts and feedback are appreciated. It's all part of the learning process.

Otherwise, enjoy hearing more depth about my 2016 goals/New Year's Resolutions!

"Most Changed" into 2016 & 4 Steps to a New Years' Resolution

The new year is upon us. Is it really 2016? Things can certainly change quickly and time flies! Most of us are in the midst of starting our New Years' Resolutions! Many of you may have already organized, categorized and wrote down your resolutions. Others might be doing the usual procrastination and will not formally write any, but keep some ideas tucked away in the cranny of their minds. However, we all must start with a little reflection.

When I reviewed my past year, I noticed a lot of change. New job, new customers, new challenges, new opportunities, new friends, and a new outlook on life. I am learning to be a better me. I want to grow and become the woman God has given me the potential to become. I think back to my senior year of high school. My 2010 senior class at Otsego High School always voted superlatives by class.

I was selected as most changed in 2010.

7-year trend comes to an end

The past seven years, I have spent the last week of October focused on the same thing. The National FFA Convention and Expo has had my undivided attention. This trend is coming to an end. Unfortunately, I will not make it to the convention this year. But, that is OK.

Sometimes, our responsibilities and priorities shift. The National FFA Organization is near and dear to my heart. It has shown dramatic impact on my personal development and aptitude for my career in agriculture. Whether it was getting my start in public speaking or learning about soil science, I learned much through my local, state and national participation. If there is one thing I learned and took for granted through FFA but now understand and implement today, it is that putting yourself in environments of change and discomfort yield the greatest results. I have said this a lot; change is tough. Let me reiterate:

Putting yourself in environments of change and discomfort yield the greatest results.

I shared in a past blog post about my various experiences at FFA Convention. Last year, I judged Supervised Agriculture Experience finalists and chapter awards, in addition to mingling with guests in the Syngenta booth in the Expo. Each of my convention years were different. This year, now that I will not be there, is the most different of all. Instead, I will be in Nebraska, working with my customers, closing out harvest 2015 and attending a district sales meeting.

Change is difficult, but change is good. I have now been a Seed Advisor Manager for 8 months and have learned a lot. It is crazy that we are already in the thick of selling corn and soybean seed for 2016 and my Seed Advisors are well on their way to reaching and exceeding goals. I have much more to do and learn before I will feel more comfortable in my job. Thankfully, the FFA paved my path towards being active in agriculture and better serving the farmers I work with.

Lucky for me, the trend of change continues. My time attending FFA Convention may be coming to a stall, but definitely not a close. Whenever my next appearance there is for, it will be a new experience. Who ever say they want to remain the same for the rest of their lives? If they did, they must already have reached their life's ambitions...

I am openminded. What big change or end of a trend is upon you? Are you ready? Can you be openminded and embrace it? Your choice. I know I do not settle for mediocrity.

Most rewarding and most challenging part about bodybuilding

When a person thinks about "bodybuilding", they immediately think of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Big, buff and bad ass. He is pretty rad. But when I started training for my bodybuilding competition, I wasn't totally certain what to expect. Everyone kept telling me that the training was the easy part. What? OK, I'm in! Well, they were right. There is something much more rewarding and challenging than the workouts.

To excel in any sport, there must be a combination of physical and mental strength. Physical comes from conditioning, practice and performing the techniques your sport or game requires. How do good basketball players become great? They start with fundamentals. If a ball player cannot dribble, how can they possibly get the ball down the court to score a basket?

In bodybuilding, physical strength is a foundation of weight lifting and cardio. Yes, that includes my dreaded cardio. To optimize body condition, bodybuilders find balance of targeting muscle groups and increasing volume and weights over a period of time. To continue tightening the muscle mass developed, incorporate plyometric movements and cardio.

I find this part fun! It is exciting keeping my body on it's "toes" and changing my workout routines and movements over the weeks and seeing my strength increase. The physical strength that I have developed comes with practice and precision in my workouts. However, it cannot be accomplished only through training. The body needs fuel.

To reveal the muscularity and toned physique, appropriate diet must be part of the equation. A meal plan is in place for consistency and prove that science can make regular people look like super heroes! It starts out exciting. But after 17 weeks, food options are restricted and boring. This is where it gets tough.

If there is one thing I have learned about myself through this process, it is that the key to having successful training as a bodybuilder is self discipline.

This mental preparation is also the most challenging and rewarding part of the process. Nowadays, may people (including myself) are coached online. I do not have a personal trainer at the gym I use. I do not have a roommate to hold me accountable. It is all in my head.

This is all on me.

It is definitely mind over matter in the process of setting a goal, changing habits and fulfilling it. You know what? Many people have told me "they could never do what I'm doing". With that thought in your head, you are probably right.

You can't and you won't. 

If you want something bad enough, do you have the self discipline to work your butt off and make it happen?

Hop to it.
Prove it.

Until then, I'll just keep making gains and ignoring the mental "pains". Those little Devil's inside my head saying cookies are good for me are lying...

until after my show on August 15th. :) Wish me luck!

Less than 2 weeks left
until I compete.

Do you feel challenged yet?

Time moves quickly, life changes often. I can't believe it is already March of 2015! It seems like yesterday I graduated from Ohio State and started by first big girl job with Syngenta. Even as this time passes, there are things that feel like they move so slowly. One of them is feeling like an expert in your job.

Every job you have is an unwritten requirement to become an expert. Why you might ask? If you do not know the necessities and fundamentals of your job, you cannot progress to actively learn, grow and excel. Experts excel. 

To learn and grow, you are challenged. Tell me,

Caroline's Cues Face Lift!

Finally! It has only taken me months, but I have renovated by blog site. If you may recall, it used to look something like this.

Sometimes, I wonder what I was thinking making it all pink and no imagery! That's one common design rule broken. Now, as I try to increase my postings and sharing information, I thought it might be beneficial to change my branding.

It seems many companies and organizations are changing their branding strategies nowadays. What is this movement? Well, it's catering to you, the reader/consumer/customer. Do you think my new layout and background is easier to read, more unique and descriptive for me? I think so compared to the above!

Do you remember when Google changed their logo and people noticed? It may have been slight, but it was to "modernize" and clean up their look, I think. And it worked.

But, besides the look, what draws you in to a page or a company to learn more? Content? I hope that through my blog, you can gain some insight not just into my life, but also the world around us that we all experience. My key topics are ones I find important and hope you might too.

What do you expect from me as a blogger? Are there any topics/ideas you would like to share? Please comment below and thanks for joining me in this face lift.

http://extrememakeoverrunnersedition.tumblr.com/post/43248430438

Time and change will surely show

It is hard to comprehend how fast time goes by sometimes. We take for granted many things in our lives and lose touch of some that have served as the foundation for our development. This past week reopened my eyes that yes, time moves very quickly.

Smirnoff (yes, he is named Smirnoff) and his family
are off to a new home.

No More Alpacas. 

I said it. I am officially out of the alpaca business. My two males and two females were sold to a farmer in Indiana. It has not hit me quite yet, as I am still in Columbus for our last few weeks of school, but when I go home and cannot see these beautiful creatures, it will be different.

Since my 16th birthday, I have owned alpacas. Now, 21 years old and preparing to enter the professional world, I knew I could not keep the alpacas -- due to uncertainty of my location and future. After graduation and some years down the road, time and change will surely show if I can get involved with the livestock industry once more. Fingers crossed!

Last Football Game.

Panorama of the Skull Session in St. John's Arena.

This group of amazing senior girls at our last home game --
in AA seats of course. 

This weekend was my last Ohio State football game as a student. From attending Skull Session to singing Carmen Ohio in the Shoe brought a fast realization that my senior year is halfway complete. It is crazy to think that I attended my first OSU football game four years ago. As we celebrate #BeatMichigan week, I also remember attending my first Ohio State v. (that state up north) game. I never claimed to be an avid Buckeye fan, but have grown to have much pride and spirit for my team. 

Who will you become?

It is remarkable to think that it is already halfway through my fall semester of senior year. Time sure goes by quickly when you are having fun! As I begin interviewing and concluding many activities through this semester and school year, there is one underlying question that I ask myself.

Who am I becoming?

Change is a natural occurrence experienced by all. From interests, style, personality and future ambitions, people change. It can be subtle or significant. But, not all change is self-driven. Some is influenced. Much of that influence is from the people you spend your time with.

I have learned through different experiences that you become more like the people you spend most time around. That is why to cultivate the most personal growth, you should surround yourself around others smarter, more humble, more ambitious and more successful than yourself. They can teach you things, and you can learn.

Being a leader is not just learning, but also sharing and teaching your knowledge. Therefore, you should not just surround yourself with others greater than you, but others who you can help develop. This weekend, I was surrounded by many great people.

On Saturday, Psi chapter of Alpha Xi Delta held our Dad's Weekend event. Our dad's joined us for dinner and to watch the OSV vs. Northwestern football game! It was quite enjoyable, even though the venue was almost too small for all of us. My dad came down for the evening after working cattle all afternoon. Sometimes, I don't appreciate his expertise and passion as much as I should. But when I spend more time talking with him about it, I see where I got my interests from. It was also fun for him and the other dads to mingle and the sisters to be sincerely excited at the gathering.