IABC Gift of Communication and IABC/CPRS Holiday Humbug

    Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been busy with a lot of assignments and minimal adventures outside of the public relations world. However, the world of public relations is exciting! I'm truly looking forward to entering the field. To be successful in the industry, I have volunteered to participate in every public relations opportunity that I am presented with.

    The IABC recently ran an event called the "Gift of Communication." I was essentially there to help Halton Support and Housing by providing some public relations advice . I was asked to help them out with some marketing ideas that cost little to no money. I had a long list of ideas. However, I froze. I've never had that happen to me in my entire life. It was mortifying. It was my first time sitting at a table to give some public relations advice with other industry professionals at the table. If it were just me and them one-on-one I'd be fine. I've been in those types of situations plenty of times. It was the fact that there were other public relations practitioners at the table that intimidated me. Normally, I'm fairly confident. My ideas usually receive positive feedback. I was so excited for this event and yet so disappointed with myself because I let myself down. After the event, I thought about everything that went wrong. I made a list of all of the things that I need to do next time so that I don't freeze up and to help boost my confidence. Fortunately, I don't give up too easily. I will be signing up for a lot more public relations events to gain experience discussing with clients and share my ideas with them. After all, I am an idea machine.

    Last night, I attended the IABC/CPRS Holiday Humbug. I signed on as the Volunteer Coordinator to maximize my experience with a public relations event. It was quite a bit of work added onto my schedule considering it is the busiest time of year, academically. Nevertheless, it was a great opportunity to work with industry professionals. The event ran smoothly. I had the opportunity to speak with many individuals. I saw some old friends that I didn't even know were in the field. I gained a bit more confidence.  I was chatting away the entire night. I had an amazing time! A lot of people commented on my goals and how they respected how clearly defined they were. For those of you who don't know, my biggest career goal is to work in the financial industry and to create a positive public image with a strong use of ethics. I want to get the organization I work for on the World's Most Ethical Companies list. It's pretty ambitious but I tend to reach every goal I set out for myself.
    The most frustrating aspect that I tend to encounter at networking events is how forceful people are when it comes to their opinions on what I should do with my life. I am open to people's suggestions. However, one person will tell me to go after my dreams and another will strongly advise against them. Thus, while people are highly opinionated on what my next career steps are, there tends to be various opinions. I feel as if I need to just trust my own instincts. My instincts have always been right up until this point. I just need some time to sit down, create an action plan for what I need to do immediately upon graduation and then live it out.
    I'm really looking forward to the holidays that start on December 16th. I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season. My next blog post will likely be after I pursue my next extreme sport adventure, which won't be until after it begins to snow. It'll either be snowboarding or ice climbing.

Wait or Go?

Whenever I lack inspiration, I turn to one person and one person only: Samuel Beckett. In particular, his work Waiting for Godot is highly inspirational. It'll only take the average person a couple of hours to read since it's a play. However, you can't read it only once. The first time I read it I had no idea what it was about and didn't appreciate it. Nevertheless, we had to write an essay on it so I went and read it a second time. When I finished reading it the second time, it still didn't make complete sense but I felt like there was more to it than I originally thought. The third time I read it, it all made sense, despite it being Beckett. If I hadn't been told to write an essay on this text, I would have been deprived of so much inspiration since I didn't really enjoy reading it the first time. Now, the text gets me through every rough time I ever experience. If I don't feel inspired to make a difference in the world, I spend a couple of hours reading Waiting for Godot and I'm excited to get back on the right track.

To be honest with you, you may read it and interpret the text differently so take my perception of what the text is about with a grain of salt. Essentially, the story is about two protagonists Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot to come. Spoiler Alert: Godot never comes. In life, we're constantly waiting for people or moments to come. We expect opportunities to present themselves. Yet, we never actively look for them. On average, people are passive. As a result, our lives become routine. We don't push ourselves hard enough to seek new opportunities. We merely aim to have the basic necessities and fulfill the basic duties. We really take our lives forgranted. Vladimir and Estragon wasted their time waiting for Godot to come, however, they never appreciated the time they were spending. They bickered with one another, complained about waiting and wasted their lives away. It is really easy for all of us to do the same. It's really important to throw yourself off every now and then. It's also really important to have a bit of fun. Life is a journey. Each moment should be cherished. There are some really good passages and quotes in it as well. I'll post some of the quotes below yet I really recommend reading the text. Reading a quote out of context is like talking to a person for 10 seconds and acting like you know their whole life story. You don't and you won't. When you read the quotes within the text and read the story as a whole, it's magical. I have never been moved so much by any text. Samuel Beckett is a genius.

Quotes

"Tomorrow everything will be better"

Estragon: "Let's go"
Vladimir:"We can't"
Estragon: "Why not?"
Vladimir: "We're waiting for Godot"

"We are all born mad. Some remain so."

"Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! (Pause. Vehemently.) Let us do something, while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed. But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late!"

"To-morrow, when I wake, or think I do, what shall I say of to-day?"

Social Media Conference

I swung by to visit my former employer at McMaster University last week and she informed me about a social media conference that ended up happening today. Considering I'm a public relations student, I jumped on this opportunity. At that first public relations event I went to, I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago, I had countless professionals tell me that they're really keen on finding someone who is proficient with social media. I assumed that since I used Facebook daily, I have a LinkedIn account and I signed up for Twitter that I was a professional at it. I was wrong.

I learned so much from professionals in both public relations, LinkedIn and social media consultancy firms. They were all passionate, educated and great speakers. Today's sessions were about seven hours long, yet, time flew by so fast.

So, what exactly did I learn?
- Social media sites that I've never heard of (Mashable.com)
- I don't tweet nearly as much as I should
- I need to Google myself to see what employers learn about me before they meet me
- I have formatted my LinkedIn page incorrectly
- You should engage in conversations with the companies you want to work with
- Most networking can be done online (though I still prefer in-person)

Where do I go from here?
Though the list looks daunting, it's manageable. I'll start working on most of those things over the weekend. I want to be more proficient in social media. However, truthfully, I would never want a career that solely focuses on social media. I would get bored because it wouldn't really challenge me. I wouldn't mind a part-time job that involves only social media to start off with though because I think it would be a great opportunity to get started in the industry. One of the many reasons why I chose to enter the world of public relations is due to how much diversity there is with the work you do. Nevertheless, social media does play a large role within the industry. Yet, one needs to remember that there are other methods of communication which are equally as important.

If any of you would like my notes from the conference, leave your e-mail address in the comment box and I'll send them your way.

My First PR Event

Today was the day of my first public relations event. To say that I was nervous is a complete understatement. I spent about 15 minutes contemplating on whether or not I should wear a blazer with my dress. Though I'm dressed in an all black outfit, I opted for the blazer. So, I had to take the bus to get to my location but today the HSR was not on my side-- kind of. I left ten minutes early because I knew it would take me a bit longer to get to the bus stop with heels on. The bus stop is about a one minute walk normally. I don't know if I'm a lot slower than I anticipated or if the bus arrived too early but there it was headed towards my stop and I wasn't there yet. I flagged him down to get him to wait for me because I was about 10 seconds away. He shrugged his shoulders and drove off without me on the bus. "Oh no, I'm going to be late for my first public relations event," I thought to myself. Let's be real though, I don't give up that easily. I took off my heels and ran 30 meters to the next bus stop. It was pretty embarrassing. Fortunately, another bus came and I got to my destination on time. No one was able to notice that I had run a marathon to chase a bus. Phew! The event was absolutely amazing. We were able to network and ask any question we'd like to professionals in the industry. Every single person noted that I stood out for various reasons. Everyone commented on the fact that I was a philosophy graduate and how in the long run I would be a huge asset to organizations for being rational and ethical in nature, especially since I want to work in the financial sector. I was told by one person that I was an enthusiastic speaker who looked around the room and engaged the audience. I have done presentations in front of a room of 700 parents and students before so I guess that helped me out there. They also noted that my personality and goals would make me successful in the public relations field. However, I was discouraged from starting my own public relations firm as there are too many consulting firms out there. I was told it would be best to pick a company and advance from there. I was also given valuable information on what steps would be best for the financial sector such as completing courses and designations that most of the staff would have taken. Overall, it was a great opportunity and I look forward to being a mentee for the Canadian Public Relations Society and to being in the field.

The Secret to Success

I constantly work to become successful. I'm the classic 'Type A personality' overachiever. I rarely fail at school or work because I work too damn hard to ever let it happen. When I want something, I want it bad and I always get it. Most people say it's because I'm lucky. It's not though. I devote an insane amount of time and energy towards every project that I'm passionate about. When I get excited about something, it shows. Success doesn't happen easily though. There are a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of hiccups along the road, and a lot of rejection. To the outsider, it looks simple. It's not.The journey is a difficult one but once you've won your first award or landed your dream job or whatever it is you're seeking, it's the greatest feeling ever. The high is better than when you go skydiving. Why? Well, it's because it took longer to get there, you worked harder for it, and the results last longer. Below is a video I recently watched that described how to attain success in a way that I never could. Personally, I found it highly influential and inspirational. If you don't strive to be successful, ask yourself why? We need to challenge ourselves on a regular basis, to grow and to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. Every person on this planet holds the power to make a difference in the world. If we all come together and use our strengths to our maximum potential we could change everything for the better. Of course, it's not that simple. Nothing is ever going to be simple. Step by step, we can take the actions to move forward though. I challenge all of you to strive to be the best versions of your self on a daily basis.

Bungee Jumping

About four days before I went skydiving, I went bungee jumping. It was absolutely terrifying! When you watch the video, you'll notice they did the countdown and I didn't jump. Yeah, I told you it was terrifying At the last minute, I told them that I wasn't brave enough to jump. The workers laughed at me and said the hardest part was the climb up (which was also terrifying) and that the jump would be over before I know it. To get to the top, I had to climb this fragile ladder which felt like it was going to break at any second. I was one pound over the minimum weight so I honestly have no idea how people closer to the maximum weight do it. There was duct tape holding parts of the ladder together. So there I was, after having someone put this thin velcro band around my ankles, staring at this lake that I was about to get dunked into. I was trying to overcome my fear of heights and moments later I did. As you're falling, you feel the inside of your stomach move towards your throat. Before you know it, you're under water and then suddenly you're flying. Unfortunately, bungee jumping is short. I felt like it only lasted about ten seconds. Yet, I did get a neat certificate which told me that I defied all rationality and logic. As a philosophy graduate, I think that says a lot!

If any of you would like to see a video, let me know. I didn't upload it because there is swearing in the background, which may offend some.

Oh snap, I've Committed Suicide

As a lot of you know, I have been trying new things to live life to the fullest for the past couple of months. However, I find that though I've changed, a lot of people around me haven't changed at all. I don't mean to offend anyone with this post, I'm simply trying to open your eyes. Before I had my eye-opening experience, I was just like everyone else. My cousin Andre died of a heart attack at the age of twenty about 5 years ago. In a lot of ways, he saved my life. I spent the past summer crying over a guy who broke my heart and didn't even care. As I was lying in bed one night hoping that the overwhelming tears would eventually knock me out, I thought about my cousin. This made me cry even more. Why did my cousin have to die? Who dies of a heart attack at the age of twenty? It honestly makes no sense. Suddenly, it hit me. I thought to myself, "Oh snap, I've committed suicide." Sure my heart was still beating and I was still breathing but I've never explored the world, I've never challenged myself, and I've never truly been happy. I was a robot, simply on the planet completing basic functions. I ate, I slept, I worked. Man, I was so useless. There's this line from Ingrid Michaelson's song "Keep Breathing" and it states, "I want to change the world, instead I sleep." When I was a child, I was so ambitious and wanted to change the world. What happened to all of that childhood ambition? Well you know what? It's back. I'm going to change the world. I can't be dead anymore. Some of you may be wondering how I'm going to tackle this massive task. Step one: Wake the world up. I'm going to be working on a project to make this happen. If you want to be involved in it, let me know.

For those of you who are currently in a rut, here's a list of some songs that have inspired me and get me going when I begin to lose motivation.

All American Rejects - Move Along
Gwen Stefani - What you waiting for?
S Club 7 - Bring it All Back
U2 - It's a beautiful day
Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
Bon Jovi - It's my life
Celine Dion - New Day
New Radicals - Get what you give
Switchfoot - Dare you to move
Survivor - Eye of the tiger

Weight Loss Journey Accomplishment

About two years ago, I went to visit my doctor for an annual check-up. After looking at me for about 5 seconds, he said, "Get on the scale." Uh oh! So, I stepped onto the scale and he said, "193 pounds. Ms. Ferreira, you're going to need to work on that. You're obese." Some of you might be wondering what I did. Well, let me tell you!

First, I cried. And cried. And then I cried some more. How the heck did I not realize that I was obese? When did this all happen? Now, you might be looking at the picture to the left and be thinking, "She does not look like she weighed 193 pounds in that picture." You're right, I didn't weight that much in that picture. I didn't take pictures when I was obese because I felt too ugly to be photographed. Some of you might have 'lose weight' on your bucket lists. It was definitely on mine and to be honest I still haven't crossed it off yet. I'm not trying to lose anymore weight but I haven't finished challenging my body physically yet. My next challenge for myself: get abs. So for those of you who are obese or close to, the beginning will be the most challenging part. Actually, the beginning might be the hardest part for any of you trying to lose weight. However, if any of you need an extra push or a workout buddy, I'd be more than happy to help out. The reason why I referred to getting abs as 'my next challenge' is because it really is challenging. It takes a lot of hard work, focus and energy to accomplish. I'm optimistic that I will reach my goal because I'm determined to do it. I also have faith that those of you trying to cross this off your bucket list can do it too! Once you've lost most or all of the weight you plan on losing, you have much more energy, you're more confident and you feel invincible!

Here are some tips that helped me lose close to ninety pounds in 2 years:

Go for a walk with your iPod for about an hour a day. Do little bursts of running to build up your cardio and do not allow your body to get used to a certain pattern. Build up to do fifteen minutes of running a day. When I first started running, I was only able to run for 3 seconds and then I'd be out of breath. Run a few times during your one hour walk. If you need good pump up music playlists, let me know!
Stop drinking alcohol, pop and juice. Drink a lot of water. Once you've lost the weight, you can drink a little bit of alcohol every now and then. Some alcoholic beverages have more calories than the meals you eat.
Control your meal portions. I personally don't do the eat 6 smaller portions throughout the day, simply because I don't have time to make so many meals throughout the day. However, if you're eating too much food, eat a bit less. Don't eat so little that you're starving because that's also ineffective.
Don't eat after 8 pm.  Resist the urge to have a midnight snack.
Go to bed early. Your body needs rest and so does your mind. Relax. Manage your time wisely throughout the day so that you don't need to be up all night doing assignments or studying for tests.

For those of you trying to get abs, check out the following video. I heard that it's effective and that people have had success by doing the workouts. I will be doing it regularly so I will be keeping you updated!

A Jolt of Inspiration

Every now and then I wake up with this strong motivation to live life to the fullest. For the past two months, it's been happening frequently. Two months ago today, I went skydiving for the first time. After the jump, my friends told me that I was brave for doing something so terrifying. I'm going to be honest, I was so scared that I went to Church twice that week, promised to give up alcohol for a year, threw up more than once half an hour before the jump and said my goodbyes to everyone. I was convinced that I was about to die. I definitely wouldn't call myself brave. I am a risk-taker though. I truly believe that in order to become a better person, you constantly need to challenge yourself. When you wake up in the morning remind yourself to be the best that you can be. You don't need to be as adventurous as I am to create a meaningful life for yourself. However, do step outside of your comfort zone every now and then. There will be times when you take a chance on something or someone and it all falls apart. But then you have these moments, where it all works out flawlessly and it feels fantastic. I went white water rafting without knowing how to swim. I have gone bungee jumping despite my fear of heights. I jumped out of a plane 12,500 feet in the sky with a fear of death in mind. Had I not done those things, I would be a completely different person than I am today.

They say that actions speak louder than words but words can still be influential. Thus, I will be updating this blog regularly with details about the adventures that I'm going on. To all of my readers out there, I am open to suggestions for things to do to live life meaningfully or to challenge myself as a person. Some of the things that I do may be a little out there, others may be completely traditional, but they will all help me recognize my strengths and weaknesses as a person. If any of you ever want to join me on one of my adventures let me know, it's better to do things with groups of people anyways!

Here's my skydiving video for a little motivation to get out there. It really was the best time of my life!

Warning: I didn't create the video and the first song in the video does have swearing. It is censored, however, it may be ideal to keep the volume off. I apologize for the inconvenience.



Untitled from Nicole Ferreira on Vimeo.