5 Steps to PR Professional: What University might have forgotten to tell you…

When undertaking study or degrees in Communication, Media, Marketing or PR, most often the avid communicator will delve straight into theories of message framing and explore social media whilst keeping up to date with fifty blogs and checking their HootSuite on the laptop with the other eye on the evening news to keep up-to-date, making a mental note to update your LinkedIn….

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH and then your brain collapses. You question your ability to do this. It’s not as much like the champagne-swilling Edina Monsoon on ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ or the perpetual partying Samantha Jones of ‘Sex and the City’ fame. It’s hard work, and a lot to remember. Multitasking is crucial to success (maybe that’s why it’s such a women-driven industry). You wonder how much of this is actually going to help you in the long run. You’re never going to mention Grunig to your CEO, and the likelihood your PRIA membership alone will get you out of any ethical slips is small. You might feel like all of this reading and researching is going to kill you before you get into the workforce. Not necessarily.

The fact remains that at this moment, you do not need a degree to be in PR. Don’t get me wrong it is a darn good idea to get a degree because competition is fierce. So work hard for that piece of paper. But the following 5 steps I have used to help you beginners and anxious wannabes get to where you’re going!

STEP ONE is learn how to be proactive. When you see an event that you are able to attend, attend it. If you know of a free professional development session, put off coffee with the girls and get in there (free PD is invaluable). If you know a party, opening, workshop, seminar that people important for you to know will be going to is coming up, try to be there. Be as strategic with yourself as you are with the way you communicate. You would be surprised by how many opportunities will open up to you, and be repeatedly given to you, if you are able to show some enthusiasm, be willing to do the odd lackey job and go chasing the opportunities. You can let them come to you, but remember they’ve got plenty more options than you do to fulfil their need.

STEP TWO IS GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. There is a reason why presentation, propriety and practicality all start with PR. Depending on what industry you’re in, which you should be researching, the dress code is usually pretty slick and remember that you are trying to prove to clients, the public and supporters that you, above anyone else should be trusted to represent organisations and their interests. You don’t have to change who you are, but perhaps it is worth second and third thoughts as to how you present yourself to the outside world. Having an air of confidence, a clean shirt and tie, and clear voice can make all the difference. Theories of communication are not limited to press releases or public statements. It is what you say in your method of dress, choice of words, personal associations and mannerisms. Personally, I have no drama with the way I can sometimes behave, being organic and natural, but then I have no illusions about how that behaviour plays its part in altering people’s perceptions about me, and in turn how capable I am of doing my job in various environments. Think about what your goals are, and shape yourself to have the best chance of reaching those through how, where, and with whom you appear.

STEP THREE IS TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T THEN NO-ONE ELSE WILL. People are not mind-readers, they will not know if you are in the Public Relations business if you do not use your skills in Public Relations to make it obvious to them (this includes telling them outright where you can work it into the conversation). As an extension of step two, if you represent yourself poorly, then why would anyone wish to have you represent them, particularly anyone stable or reputable? The same goes for the tools you use for people to communicate with you and how you use those tools. So:

• Get business cards. HR will be unlikely to accept biro on their forearm.
• gotmilk@gmail.com is not an adequate email address. Get something with your name in it that looks professional. mynameiskevin@yahoo.com.au is not acceptable either.
• When you answer the phone, stick as close as you can to “Good afternoon, this is Kevin” unless you know for sure who it is who’s calling you. “Sup” “Yeah?” or “Talk!” are going to catch clients and professional contacts off guard and make communicating with them harder and no one wants to waste phone minutes
• Your TV Hits Diary with stickers of One Direction on them will make your bosses feel ill. Get a nice one that is plain and business appropriate. The same applies for phone covers.

Other things to remember:

• When you’re in a business meeting, be both prepared and professional. Don’t eat your hair, or say “um” more than any other words. You should be showing these people that you know what you’re doing (which is helped by actually have at least three quarters of a clue what you’re doing I’ll add).
• Reading a power point word for word on a screen is NOT a presentation. It is you cheating.
• Humility is a virtue, but you need to sell yourself, you need to be able to talk to anyone in any social setting to prove that you can reach any demographic, client, customer at any time.

STEP FOUR IS BE HONEST. This applies both to those you represent, and to yourself. It is absolutely important to appear to be capable, but that stops at lying or misrepresenting your abilities. If you cannot draft a risk management procedure on your own, don’t say you can. And if you get put on such a project anyway, be up front about how confident you are you can complete tasks to the best of your ability. Most times, no job at all is better than a job poorly done. In the same vein, be self-aware at all times as to how advanced you are and what you are best at doing. For example, although I consider my communication skills to be good, my technical skills are not so much at this point so I wouldn’t apply to run communications for a mining company. At such san early point in my career, I frankly wouldn’t feel confident running communications on my own for many organisations.

STEP FIVE IS BACK IT UP. Now for the mild contradiction: I have provided these steps to demonstrate that there is a lot more to PR than book learning, and you don’t necessarily need the book learning to be good at PR. However, there is definite merit in getting some smarts about theories, models and templates that exist for practitioners and communications scholars. Do the reading, and keep an eye out for what the leaders of thought have to add. You really do need to keep as up to date as possible. There are various tools to make social media and blogging all the more user friendly. Look into the following, it doesn’t have to be so hard!

• HootSuite
• Buffer
• Tweet Deck
• RSS feeds

Good luck babies!

PR: PPR Mastermind Session 17.04.11 Social Media in Business

I have had many a debate about the value of PR inside business, outside business, for community, against community, with publics, at publics and it would seem that opinions are becoming less and less divided as to whether PR/Communication/Media etc is less a luxury and becoming a necessity for prevalence and success. Today I managed to wangle my way out of work to attend one of the new “Mastermind” sessions (http://bit.ly/HXiY1X) being offered by one organisation clearing the decks for PR agencies and consultancies globally, Professional Public Relations (http://www.ppr.com.au/). I will diverse from professional lingo for a moment to say that these guys are the real monty. I first came into the presence of PPR GM in Adelaide, Dena Vassallo when she presented at the UniSA Public Relations Presentation Evening for internship graduates of my degree. One of the graduates had been fortunate, and impressive, enough to gain herself a position with the company. Since that time, I have discovered that a good friend Tom Williamson-met through the magic of twitter-is now working there as a Senior Social Media Consultant as well!

For a start, that paragraph right there ought to inform anyone thinking of getting “into PR” that STEP ONE is learn how to be proactive. When you see an event that you are able to attend, attend it. If you know of a free professional development session, put off coffee with the girls and get in there (free PD is invaluable). If you know a party, opening, workshop, seminar that people important for you to know will be going to is coming up, try to be there. Be as strategic with yourself as you are with the way you communicate.

The session was about how to boost your business through social media, which brought people from all kinds of industry to the table. The seminars are delivered to only small groups which is great opportunity to learn something in a concentrated way and communicate with leaders of communication in different sectors. We began by hearing Tom’s story of working with The Highway Hotel where he found social media fame which has led to him taking his place amongst the PR greats. We began by discussing what social media is to each of us and our businesses.

Social media and its challenges included:

• Humanising business and brands
• Fleshing out branding strategies and giving voices to brands
• Providing connection points for publics that can generate likelihood to buy
• Opportunities for more direct communication in recruitment, crisis and query
• A communication platform requiring substantial time investment and sometimes financial

Some of the key points and tidbits of advice given in the session were:

• Having personal accounts recognisable behind a business account can develop strong trust bonds with consumers/publics.
• There are so many tools that make posting and evaluation easier (see below) look into these
• Social media is seen as off-the-cuff but planning can make it far easier. Plot out your posting on a Conversation Calendar (http://soloprpro.com/how-to-build-a-conversation-calendar-for-social-media/)
• Develop quick documents for your business about tone, content and voice of social media accounts. Preparing your company for what personality it will have will be important to consistency and retaining trust parameters in publics.
• Keep regular eyes on accounts purporting to be you or one of your departments. Beat the negative feed-backers by registering for other handles (ie business_pr, businesspr, businesscorp, businessofficial, businessCEO, businessfail).  
• Work out your time and content specific demographics. If your product/service is encompassing, then you will need to post differently at 3pm than you do at 11pm.
• SO IMPORTANT: know the difference between ‘then’ and ‘than’, use ‘lol’ and ‘2bh’ sparingly. Keep track of how many twitter accounts you have because reducing credibility of one because you made a grammar mistake or posted the right thing on the wrong account is not a good look.
• Don’t feel pressured, these things should be fun to be involved in. Give yourself 3 months to see if it’s worth keeping. It’s good to be part of the conversation online, but then you do actually have to be motivated to be part of the conversation. Keep in mind though that just because you’re not in there representing your business doesn't mean no-one is!

These are all easy things to implement into the way you go about social media to make it work best for you/your client/your business. By quantifying the viability of your posts, measuring engagement levels and making the job enjoyable and rewarding, social media will be blast and a breeze.

To wrap up, here’s a few bits and sites you might want to take a look out to flesh out your social media strategy:

Hoot Suite (a dashboard to manage your social media input. I almost cried when I saw it)

Tweet Deck (a way to monitor and track your twitter involvement better. Definitely tears)

Edge Rank (a tool to check your exposure in facebook and calculate where/how you’re dropping)

Google Analytics (monitor how your website is hitting)

Crowd Booster (another social media dashboard rolling your impact into one easy dash)

Buffer (tweet scheduling. Very useful for us busy people)

PR is swiftly becoming a sphere where those involved have to be the most competitive and cut throat. Everyone wants that celebrity gig or corporate communications position. And if you want to be a real player you must stay abreast of pretty much everything. And the fact is that with things kicking on so quickly in the PR discipline/profession/sector, PD is not only expensive, but becomes out-dated within a year. Staying atop the game nearly demands you are already working within an agency when you have all day to look into things and generate reports, read blogs. For us little baby-PRs who are still trying to just network, it’s not enough. Seek out sessions like this constantly (or blogs like mine that give you scoop), find the people in the know, keep consistent. bg2yx and best of luck!

PR: Why the social media campaign?

This campaign still goes on, and has now official headquarters in Perth, Western Australia.
In the world of Web 2.0, people are more empowered than ever to contribute to a new sphere of society, where the traditional rules are broken down and switched around. People who in person to person communication feel insecure, inept and don't play a large part sometimes hold stellar twitter followships and have the ear of the most influential, sometimes getting paid quite a bundle for their opinion.

More importantly though, the global population now has the ability to rally like never before. Mass social media campaigns can determine if a not-for-profit venture succeeds or fails simply by getting on board through user-generated content, commenting, voting, retweeting, sharing etc. Social media campaigns will become a requisite part of all communications strategy in the all-too-near future. It is the Public Relations official's job to remain abreast of all of these different platforms in order to accurately use the one that is right for the client, as the 'more is more' approach does not always work.

Be selective in which social media platforms to target in your planning, and do the research into what kind of reach you are accessing. Is the majority of those "Likes" actually watchdogs looking for a slip to sell to news.com? Is the chosen platform popular in your demographic. Facebook is becoming an automatic sell for fresh PR faces who want to prove to their bosses they are 'Gen Y Social Media savvies'. If you really want to make the impression, back your choices up with figures, provide evaluative measures and goals to achieve. As we go along, your bosses are more and more likely to have facebook themselves so you will need to go the extra mile. You won't keep a contract if you're not doing anything your own boss can do themselves.

With the social media come new challenges as to what discourse and voice your organisation desires. Professional communication is fine, however social media suggests to the public a more personal connection, so how personal does the PR get? Nothing loses followers and friends like an autofeeder or tweetbot. Keep an eye on new technologies, and if that takes too much time, just follow the people who do watch for them. Strategic following and friending can make all the difference.

As a closing, I would like to demonstrate the good it can do for PR to climb aboard some of these Feelgood ventures whereby you don't promote yourself as such but you continually keep your identity among social media. Youtube has been the starting point for many a famous face, so look at some way of getting on it. Even for just a couple of seconds. You can still lay claim to having had 188 views on your video, and it was for a charitable cause!

The word “choices” and homogenising homosexuals

I’ll tell you the reason why I don’t hate Lady Gaga.

First of all her underground synthetic reimagined soundscapes that are based entirely around controversial statements are the guiltiest of pleasures for my inner shirtless go-go-boy.

More relevantly, Lady Gaga has served as an incredibly fast-moving vehicle for advocacy as a state of action, pulling along with her the pop-culture enthusiasts and academics as well as the fashion-forward, celebrity spokespeople and the general opinions of nuclear domestic participants. Many have dismissed her potential for initiating movements due to their personal feelings about her music, her flair for that which is removed from reality and operates from illusory facades and her lack of anything truly educative to say. These people are relatively correct, and I wonder if not a tad frustrated that the movements they started are now being attributed to a young woman who uses her non-conformity to conform.

The thing is that Lady Gaga as a brand, a style and a genre holds most of her power in the ability to fuel fires. Inflammatory statements such as ‘I was born this way’ and ‘bullying is for losers’ will continue on past the shelving of great books about liberation and anti-homophobia. What opinion leaders should recognise, and even appreciate where possible, is the fact that her place is crucial to the debate, discussion and progressive action ongoing into future generations. Where most popular singers are whingeing about the way their boyfriends treats them, or thrusting their wealth and devil-may-care attitudes into the faces of teens with surplus incomes, here is a woman aiming to be topical and bring the important topics subliminally into the fore of young people’s thinking. And it is here I will go on to make my actual point.

It seems to me at this point in the ongoing process of gay liberation and equality for sexually diverse communities, that we’re talking a lot about choices. For some, there is concern about an inexplicable tendency for gay activists to seek and perpetuate a discursive unity that is apparently required for credibility as we go forth to tackle THE NORM (cue foreboding sound effects) and seek hospitality within its façade of safety.  For others, it is simply a matter of craving anarchy, desiring to tear down institutions and start afresh in order for them to feel gratified in the efforts being made (ignoring the fact that this would completely undermine the work of countless thousands who have sought to plant seeds within the institution to make it better by lobbying, scapegoating themselves, by being imprisoned, by being killed). Some of us just don’t get why we have to argue or explain or lobby to have access to our human rights, and the legal frameworks to enforce our right to access them. Who still thinks that non-homosexual people (who for the most part aren’t even fully heterosexual themselves), are sub-human?

In the last week we have questioned the fruitfulness of fighting as hard as we are for same-sex marriage, we have blown poor Cynthia Nixon to pieces for having an opinion about labels (labels that we don’t even know or like the meaning of anyway), and thrown our self-righteous hate all over Margaret Court and every single person who adheres to her political, personal and religious agenda. But there is more about how we respond to come in another blog.

If we must rally around one statement, my suggestion is that it be this: it’s about CHOICES. At this point in time, gay people have so much more than they did (just ask a straight person!), we are acceptable, even exploitable in the media, we are welcome in professional sport, we are loved by political parties and private business chasing a reputation for corporate social responsibility. But there are alarming similarities to the way we felt thirty years ago when it was still commonplace to castrate gay men and submit gay women to electro-shock treatment. Why are books like Dennis Altmann’s ‘Homosexual: Oppression and Liberation’, films like ‘Word is Out’ and songs like ‘Born This Way’ still stirring the brains and heartaches of gay and gay-supportive people worldwide? Because the work that has been going on for fifty years and beyond is still going on, asking for the same thing in different syntax. We want the ability to choose.

I want to get married. I want to get married by a High Priestess in the Far North of Queensland with two other gay people to witness. I do not want to get married so my parents will approve of me, because they already do. I do not want to get married so I can rub it in heterosexual people’s faces, because it shouldn’t be so alarming to them. I do not want to get married so I can say I won something. And I don’t want same sex marriage to be allowed so I can start conforming either. And contrary to one young woman’s suggestions, I don’t want same sex marriage to pass so people can feel more justified in spousal abuse and matrimonial entrapment. I see no point in tearing down an institution when I can just do my part to altar (alter, get it?) it for the better. But what it comes down to is that I want same sex marriage to pass so that if for any reason I happen to stumble across a great guy who loves me and wants us to celebrate our love in a way that is recognisable, that is the same as the way thousands of others have done it throughout history, THEN I CAN CHOOSE TO DO SO!

Now when I say the word ‘choice’ I can hear the pores on people’s foreheads start to atrophy and release sweat because we have all been, for a long time very firm on the fact that being gay or lesbian is not a choice. It is the argument we used some time ago that is one of the most successful arguments we have had in terms of political and social progress: we deserve our rights because we can’t help ourselves. Now for me, being gay was not a choice, it was a fact of my existence in terms of my sexual and emotional responses to my external environment. Did I choose to ‘be gay’ in an outwardly way. I will say no again because anyone who has met me can attest to the fact that at first glance, ‘well maybe, but all hope is lost when you open your mouth’ said one friend, ‘or start to walk anywhere’ chimed in another. But then I know that is a reality of my life, it is unique to me except where it is unique to someone else! Homogenising homosexuals is a gross injustice not just to non-heterosexual people, but also to the mental and perspectival capacity of heterosexual people. For LGBT communities to participate in this homogenisation would be an even bigger mistake, because it will ultimately lead to our being “summarised” and dismissed as a closed culture that cannot be equalised or live properly in coexistence with another.

So what then? Do we turn stiletto and fight against equality? Do we alter our platform and hope no-one notices? Do we just log onto facebook and continue our over-reactive tirades and push onward counting on the sensibility of our leaders to see through to what we really want? What are our choices? Stay tuned…

4.04.12 bg2yx

The only person with the power to make anything truly impossible is the person who in their approach doubts their ability to do nothing short of magical. bg2yx

3.04.12 bg2yx

How many mountains have you climbed today? For some of you, of you got out of bed that's 1. For others, affording yourself a smile in the mirror that's 2. Hope you have a mountain of hope when you read this and set your sights greedily on 3. Woohoo! Proud of you. bg2yx.

2.04.12 bg2yx

Flying leaps are nothing but free falls if there is no faith to maintain flight. Faith in yourself, your friends, the Universe, the inspirational power of music, the healing of romance. Whatever it is, hold it strong and let it guide where you finally decide to land x

30.03.12 bg2yx

Start at 'Enough' and when you are ready walk your determined feet and hopeful eyes back out into the Universe. Find that sense of content, so when gravity fails and you go back to the beginning, you will still have enough. bg2yx

15.03.12 bg2yx

If all you achieve today, tomorrow, in this life, is your own happiness, then you have achieved all. Love beats Fear, Voice beats Doubt, Mind beats Falsehood. bg2yx

14.03.11 bg2yx

to thine own self be true, no matter how much it hurts (and bg2yx)

13.03.11 bg2yx

Don't just be the change you want to see in the world, be the world of possibility that shows people how to change. I believe in you. bg2yx

11.03.12 bg2yx

The line between a new beginning and the biggest mistake of your life is paper-thin. The difference between either is simply your feeling strong, smart, spontaneous and special enough to get through both. I believe in you. bg2yx

10.03.12 bg2yx

Ruffle through the locations, people, tasks, goals in your life. If all you hear is the ruffle of function and purpose, and no sign of the telltale beating, then you will know your heart's not in it. You my loves are no tin-men, bring the beat back into life. Good luck and bg2yx

5.03.12 bg2yx

On another note, if you are looking for a reason to continue struggling through what is boring, what is annoying, what is tedious, painful, searing, check out the moon tonight. That 'ol girl was doing just fine floating about in space until she got stuck in a gravitational pull and look how important she became! You never know who is learning from every smile you make, every anecdote you tell. You have more value than you think you do, keep pushing, you don't know how many people are silently praying you'll break through bg2yx

2.03.12 bg2yx

There are people out there who at any time, in a room full of people, where it's loud, and much to be done, can still walk up to you and without you telling them what you need because you're struggling say 'yes darling, let's go'. Gratitude gratitude gratitude gratitude gratitude

1.03.12 bg2yx

Here I am, saying what I must to call your courage up to the surface. Here you are, your ears unfamiliar to the sound of sincerity. Want to leave a legacy? Tell it to my tears. Life is too short to only live one ;D get your artillery (smiles) on and bg2yx

2.02.12 bg2yx

Bright and early, watching Hilary Clinton to supersize my passion. Remember that in the same way it is violation of rights to treat others badly, it is equally criminal to treat yourself badly. There are few opportunities to re-route discriminating against yourself. Give credit to the people who laugh with you, give trust to the people who love and wear your compassion on your sleeve. bg2yx

3.02.12 bg2yx

Don't be afraid to let yourself be a whole and changeable person. When you aren't invited to the parties, consider the possibility that the price of attending may be that you are forever confined to be, look, laugh like that girl they met at the party...bg2yx

4.02.12 bg2yx

You spend your entire life following the girls who giggle at everything, eyes dazzled by their sparkly dresses, or the boys punching each other lightly on the arms putting on stern faces when they talk about their girlfriends, or the intelligentia with their hands always clasping books or coffees, or even the super-rich whose noses dart around hoping to catch the scent of the newest pre-Cosmopolitan-published item. March solemnly in the throng of those crowds forever, but be aware that they never seem to arrive anywhere and no time is taken to be thankful for each other. bg2yx

8.02.12 bg2yx

Today feels like a Fleetwood Mac song, thoughtful, creative, inexplicably tragic. The flaws in your glass, the cracks are not to be ashamed of, but to be worshipped of how well you've stayed intact. 'it's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams'. bg2yx today, inspire me x

10.02.12 bg2yx

bg2yx. When you're unsure about the tools you have to do this, to continue forward in what is everyday an uncertain journey, be inspired because we all belong together. Don't keep stress in your body, give it in trust to the clouds. So when it rains and you cry, you know even the Earth itself has faith in you. I love you.

13.01.11 bg2yx

Sometimes it is worth noticing that the perfection you strive for will rob you of the humility of experience, the treasures of your unique character, the strength of imperfections you pulled through, and of the relationships with the imperfect people who love you. Don't fear your flaws, they respect you. bg2yx

14.01.11 bg2yx

Happy Valentines Day for every one who gave their whole heart out today and left no love for themselves. A beautiful gift to consciously exchange love for a day, but for those overcome by memory or mistreated, it can be as beautiful caring about each other. Love like that is real. bg2yx

15.01.12 bg2yx

Remember that when you try to move beyond the bedroom-comfort-zone of your life, the exhaustion, reward, rejection, struggle, loss and passion are all steps toward the door. Only the wisdom of pushing for how much it meant to you will allow you to walk through that door. bg2yx

16.01.11 bg2yx

It is the nature of living true to yourself that things will go to pieces. You are human, and in your stumbles made stronger. Take heart in those who count on you to break through, so the love you channel can continue to feel it's way around the globe and back to you. Big love and bg2yx

17.02.12 bg2yx

Don't be deceived by the phrase 'change the world'. It is not one action or decision or empowering phrase. Commit to the world you want and the work to create it because society isn't psychic. Change and change and change and change the world. I believe in you. bg2yx.

17.02.12 bg2yx

Strong attempt to remember that some seeds will not flower in Spring if they are not planted in Winter...bg2yx

19.02.12 bg2yx

"I see who you are, you' can't afford me anything, You see through my heart I think there's more to you than you show. But they're all out there begging, so I guess you'd better go." My darlings, sometimes you have to save yourself from love because it's an eating process. Every one of you deserves to be in a love where there is no denying, no ambiguity about how someone feels about you. It should be ugly, and unmistakable. bg2yx

20.02.12 bg2yx

When you make a change today, is it because something inside you is asking you to change? Our hearts rarely trust our minds, so make the most of those moments when they happen. Carrying on disconnected from your true desires and strong passions wastes yours and the world's time, of which you have so little as it is. bg2yx

21.02.12 bg2yx

Consider your footsteps, and make a conscious one toward a growth in thinking, connecting with other people for wide perspectives or taking action. Before you know it, you and your goal will be as close as a kiss. bg2yx

23.01.12 bg2yx

Your own personal safety and self-understanding should be priority. Have faith in, and follow the people whose kindness is not conditional, who will love you as much when you're together as when you need to be apart. Big love. bg2yx

25.02.12 bg2yx

Hey loves, you know I'm all for you working hard from dawn til dusk trying your darnedest to make something of yourself. Just make sure there's time in there to actually be somebody. Trust me. bg2yx

27.01.11 bg2yx

There are worse things in life than for you to be fickle, when a host of options could be pursued. Think hard before you acquiesce to the 'growing up' process of eliminating all other dreams to follow the smartest one. Life is LONG! You're in your prime NOW! Waste nothing, recycle your experience to make new stories!! bg2yx

29.02.11 bg2yx

You could fight for a man, you could rally and sin, but when the battle is over, has he been hoping you'd win? To fight for love is valorous it's true, but when you trudge home victorious, has he fought too, for you? It is your potential you should strive at, not possibility. Take a chance, but give the second one back to yourself bg2yx

2.01.11 bg2yx

In the same way what didn't kill me made me stronger, people who loved me made me older, the friends who told me the truth made me better, the jerks who lost me made me smarter, the chances I took made me bigger and the times I listened to my stomach took me further, faster.

3.01.11 bg2yx

Yes I'm as flawed as anyone but you cant spend a gold coin or eat a pancake or read a great novel or open a present if there is only one side. The difference may not be that you know too much, but that you don't look at the flip side enough.

5.01.11 bg2yx

Remembering today that no one has a patent on the good parts of me, they are mine and through every relationship, partnership, or interaction, the best of me stays inside. You are all brilliant and talented, keep that for yourself today xx

6.01.11 bg2yx

There's a chance that today you might look back on years past and feel a bit see-through, like you don't matter. That's ok. But don't cut yourself to prove you are bright red inside. Trust in someone else to remind you how full-colour-four-dimensions you are. Then go swimming or rent a bad movie. Don't hide yourself away to stop feeling invisible. I believe in you bg2yx

7.01.11 bg2yx

It's Saturday, so forget the measurable goals and seek chances to learn and enjoy something new. Forget banks statements and birthdays, remember the sound if laughter and the tone of people's voices when they say thank you. Forget grades and anniversaries, remember the flavors of ice cream you ate, and the colour of the sky when you're falling in love. Take shelter in the things you cannot count. bg2yx

8.01.11 bg2yx

If you feel the need to cry, for Gods sake let yourself. Let it rain, for it is the only way the seeds in our lives we buried can be turned into beautiful flowers. Don't be ashamed if your feelings, they prove you are still real.

9.01.11 bg2yx

The earlier worm avoids the early bird. You were given two lungs to be louder in your fight for what you want, two eyes to see clearer how to get it, two hands to make it happen, but only one heart because that's all you beautiful people need. bg2yx

10.01.11 bg2yx

When there is a change in plans, don't see the part of your life that dies, but party for the whole new flowering of possibilities. Believe in your own potential to be indescribable, for this you need only yourself bg2yx

11.01.11 bg2yx

Don't judge Today's ability to care about you by Yesterday's actions. Think of Today like that dweeby kid who watched how Yesterday treated you and thought "she deserves so much better". Let him surprise you, because the truth is, you do. bg2yx

12.01.11 bg2yx

Its interesting to think that we give second chances out like fliers but never to the person who deserves it most: ourselves. Let what you do today be Enough to spur you on tomorrow. And if it is too heavy to lift, put your doubt down. It will be there in the morning when you want to tackle it again.

13.01.11 bg2yx

Did you ever wonder what lies in the split-second decision? Change your path to work, duck into the DVD store, grab a vanilla slice with your lunch, get your coffee from somewhere different, get off the bus a stop later. Even the joy of doing something different is a reward.

14.01.11 bg2yx

You may not be sure about a relationship without that feeling of 'falling so hard', but you know that feeling is just a cocktail mixture of lust and hopelessness. And if Love is real, if nothing else, it will bring you Hope. bg2yx.

16.01.11 bg2yx

When he makes you feel like a million dollars, that's Good Love. But if that million dollars is on a payslip, that's another thing. You don't need to work to be loved, it should be as natural as bleeding to care about someone as amazing as you. bg2yx

17.01.11 bg2yx

Wishing you good luck out there, reminding you that it is far better to know yourself than facts, to keep your integrity than your figure, to feel your own truth than your boyfriend's, to take care of your own hopes than your parents' and to follow your own heart not the latest trend. You might be bigger than you give yourself credit for. Love! (bg2yx)

18.01.11 bg2yx

There is a sad thrill in keeping your true feelings inside you, but at some point you must recognize that you do your heart and throat a wicked injustice. you were made for loves like this, give them a chance. And (of course) bg2yx

19.01.11 bg2yx

Sparing a thought for Yesterday today, what and who in my life has brought me to where I am now. See all that is right-and wrong-in your life leading back to you. Authenticity is about owning yourself and being proud to stock it in this LifeMarket thing. bg2yx

20.01.11 bg2yx

In the face of all the pain, the doubt, the suffering, illness, terminal insecurity, overwhelm, fighting, rejection, violence and apathy, I have decided to wear purple. Until I can find my own solutions, this is what I will do. Wear purple. bg2y today, I beg you x

23/01/11 bg2yx

Whether it's love, achievement, experience, connection or support, the impossibilities in life have always been yours to keep. So if you're willing to fight for it, just think of it as taking back what is rightfully yours. Charge!! (bg2yx)

24/01/11 bg2yx

Don't tell me how ridiculous it is for me to want the things I want! I wrote the book on ridiculous things!
Are you considering taking a risk today? Don't hold back from life, you won't get anyplace else to take a flying leap. bg2yx

25/01/11 bg2yx

Consider this: for some, it requires no suspension of disbelief to connect with you, to trust you, to love you, believe in you or walk beside you in life. Work hard on your happiness, because the rewards are plenty better than trying to convince people you're worth their attention.

27/01/11 bg2yx

So it turns out that some days we wake up to find that we've changed, different things matter and our eyes open up to new details in our daily lives. Regardless of whether it's for better or worse, prepare for this because if on that day what changes is you forget the fundamentals of WHO YOU ARE? a true tragedy. What you do, who you like, the way you behave will be different someday, allow yourself to be deeper than that. bg2yx.

28/01/11 bg2yx

Sometimes it might be worth getting a little crazy...live life as if your wildest dreams had been achieved, love as if it were the only means of currency in the world, fight as if courage was something you could eat for lunch, and always always always keep yourself in a place were amazement visits your porch every day. bg2yx

29/01/11 bg2yx

stopped taking advantage of the beating of my heart. Asked myself for more time and I gave it. Enough with breaking other's heart in the hopes that yours will mend. And of course, should you ask, I will carry you.

30/01/11 bg2yx

Give yourself two minutes of absolute quiet, because it is the most honest of inner voices that is too humble to outvoice the brash and shiny impulses and trend desires. Your true feelings have needs too ;D bg2yx

19/11/11 bg2yx

When you're picking a pair of shoes in the morning, consider just how every step of your feet is one step closer to freedom, to friendship, to fulfillment, to finding love. Looking a million bucks x be good to yourself

22/12/11 bg2yx

It's less a matter of whether you can have everything, but whether you're ready for the changes and consequences of aiming that high. You can do it all, but is that what you want? Be safe with yourself and kind to your mind this Christmas. bg2yx

30/12/11 bg2yx

Being summed up on one word is an insult to your ability to grow, to conquer, to surprise. The world is as much yours as mine. Actually, I can sum as all up in one word: INCOMPARABLE! bg2yx

31/12/11 bg2yx NYE

New Years Eve, the chance to set the tone for the rest of the year and begin the path you have chosen with preparation and passion. Or a chance to burn away all the previous years tension and uncertainty in bass thumps and colored drinks. Either way, make it count and (you guessed it!) bg2yx

2/11/11 bg2yx

Do you ever just want everything? I'm about to laugh in my own face ;D be good to yourselves

7/11/11 bg2yx

They say when you see a tidal wave you should walk right up to its base, into the axis where the build-water is instead of back where the collateral wreckage will be wrought. Well, I'd like to test that theory...bg2yx

19/11/11 bg2yx

You never know what you can do if you a) trust in the validity of your own voice b) continue to imagine the possibilities, c) remain unperturbed by the worst case scenarios d) build up the bravery to summarize your dream in a sentence and e) remember to laugh, kiss, chat and dance throughout the entire process

21/11/11 bg2yx

If you haven't looked yourself in the eye in the mirror this morning and told yourself how awesome, talented, unique and powerful you are, well you've missed out on the most important meal of the day! Change your mind about something, talk to someone you haven't in years, eat something 'naughty', and above all, be good to yourself!

24/11/11 bg2yx

Give up all you own, change your religion, cut your hair, gain weight, learn a new skill, take a chance on last nights dream. So long as you do it for no one else but yourself x

23/11/11 bg2yx

don't 'act' your age, don't 'play it' straight, don't 'get' happy, don't 'try' to survive, don't 'make' believe. You don't need to pretend, JUST BE. bg2yx

13/10/11 bg2yx

the fires of passion form the line between yin and yang. Are you reaching into the darkness to pull out the light? Or delving through bliss to discover the shadows? Your heart and mind make one compass, do you trust in yourself enough to use it? bg2yx

30/09/2011 bg2yx

Sometimes self love is when you must be smart and take the sensible option, reaping the logical rewards and living the life you know. Trouble is, true love is taking the hard road and persevering in order to feel authentic spiritual achievement in sacrificing the easier way. There will be no-one named Regret to carry me into the next world, only Gratitude will bear me from this life.

25/08/11

This one's for every friend of mine who's been bitten hard by someone who 'loves' them. Being in a relationship can be so special & make up so much of who u are. But remember that at the end of the day, I have loved you through every man & woman who came to give u what you needed. So when you realise how hard it is to fit someone into your life & fit yourself into theirs, remember I'm here & u still mean the same to me, for whatever it is u need. Be good to each other. Be better to yourself x