What's my age, again?

Have you ever heard the song by blink-182 called, "What's my age again?" If not, give it a listen. Nonetheless, there is one specific line mentioned in every stanza that describes my life right now.

Nobody likes you when you are 23.

This is the time of year for proms, FFA banquets/conventions and graduations. Reflecting on all of those past experiences, I'm beginning to feel old. Perhaps I am using the wrong noun. I don't feel old; I feel out of touch. I feel lost from it all.

First state convention (I think?) and I look so young!

Has it really been two years since I graduated from college, six years since high school senior prom, and eight years since I attended my first State FFA Convention? Where has the time gone?

I had a skinny arm before that was a thing... thank goodness that has changed!

Sometimes, I question my age. In my role, I have a lot of responsibilities. My life is evolving from different things I thought I knew in high school and college to what I know now as an adult in the working world. Nonetheless, I ask myself often, "what's my age, again?"

My cousin Sara and I at prom.

Do we ever really know the meaning behind an age? What is the real measure of time? I don't know but if I ever figure it out, I'll be sure to share. How do you make the most of your age, measure time and see the future?

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.

Thankful 30 - Day 16, drive time

Weird, right? Why would anyone, particularly someone in sales, be thankful for drive time? Well, let me tell you, drive time can be optimized in many ways.

I listen to a lot of new music on my drives, thanks to Pandora. I have increased my news and current event awareness by hearing information on the radio. Podcasts are great to continue learning. Many phone conversations are had during drive time. Best of all, it allows alone time to think.

Reflection is one thing many of us forget to do. I take advantage of drive time to do this. How was my day? What did I do well? Was I productive? What could I have done differently? How will I do better tomorrow?

This weekend allotted a lot of drive time. I try to balance it among the options listed above as much as possible. I am thankful for it nonetheless.

What do you do to make the most of your drive time?

Keep on keeping on in '15

Life is unexpected. It's hard to believe we have already crossed the bridge to a new year, filled with new adventures, challenges and excitement! Sometimes, there is so much hype about starting a "new year" with "new resolutions" that we forget to acknowledge what unexpected happened in the year prior. Were your goals accomplished? Did you make new friendships? Did you lose old ones? For myself, I can only create new "resolutions" if I know what results I had the year before.

Here are my results from 2014: