My win today is being reminded that hard work truly does pay off. Through daily perseverance, Lucy* has transformed from a self-proclaimed “dumpster diving little girl” into a Gates Millennium Scholar. This means that she earned a scholarship of up to $300,000 to be used to pay for her undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. For the first 18 years of her life, Lucy has jumped inside dumpsters and dug into trash bins collecting bottles and cans to help her single mother pay rent, pay bills, and purchase food. Sharing her story, Lucy described an experience she had as a 5 year old girl translating to her Spanish-speaking mother what a police officer was saying to them. She remembered the officer telling her it was illegal to jump inside the dumpster, as she tried desperately to explain to him that if they did not collect enough bottles that night, their electricity would be shut off. The officer held his position, and Lucy was forced to exit the dumpster with a half full bag of cans.  She recalled that this was the night she realized that being poor is a crime. This was the night she lost her innocence. Ironically, this night and others like it did not spiral Lucy into despair, but rather, strengthened her resolve to not spend her entire life in poverty. Fueled by determination, Lucy kept her eye on the prize. She saw education as a means to elevate her socio-economic status, and thus, has excelled in the classroom. A recent high school graduate, Lucy has already completed several advanced placement classes and earned a coveted spot in University of California San Diego’s Engineering program. Perhaps most impressive of all, this humble young woman recognizes that it is unlikely her success would have been achieved alone. Lucy courageously shared this deeply personal story with a room full of strangers at an event for Reality Changers, the non-profit organization that helped support her throughout high school. Lucy’s hope was that by sharing her story, those in the room would be interested in volunteering for, or financially supporting, the innovative organization that had helped her. Lucy is one of the many successful graduates of Reality Changers, whose mission is to provide the academic support, mentoring, leadership, and volunteer opportunities necessary to help inner-city teens become first generation college students. I was fortunate to have been one of the strangers in the room, and found Lucy’s story remarkable. Hearing her gave me a renewed sense of energy to work hard to achieve my goals. I wanted to pay-it-forward and spread the word, with the hope that her story will inspire you as well. *I changed her...

Don’t you just love a bargain? I sure do! My win today is finding one! Since shopping for clothes is NOT my favorite past time, I only go when I really need to (and occasionally once I am well past due). Today, I had the pleasure of going shopping for a few new work clothes. I work in a business professional environment, and thus, wear suits about 80% of the time, and dresses the other 20%. The limited dress code makes deciding what to wear each morning a bit easier, but also makes wearing the same few garments week after week quite repetitive. Today, my goal was to get some new work outfits without breaking the bank…and I succeeded! Express is offering their suits at 40% off. They also emailed me a coupon for $25 off every $75 spent. Combining both offers, I was able to get 2 pairs of pants, a skirt, and a blazer for just over $150! Pretty good, considering the suits that I purchased from Express over two years ago are still holding up well. Best of all, their “short” lengths fit my 5’1’’ body without being hemmed! I considered purchasing a sleeveless shirt from Express to complete the outfits, but thought the $44.90 price tag was a bit steep. I thought I could find something else just as nice, and a bit less expensive…again, I succeeded, with a little help from my friends. One of the friends I was shopping with, who frequents the mall much more often than I, suggested that I look in JC Penny. I had not been into JC Penny in decades. My most recent memory of it was buying knee socks and white button-down blouses there, for my elementary school uniform. Upon entering this afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised by both the styles and the prices. They sell Mango, a trendy brand that was popular in Spain when I studied there a few years ago, among others. Within a few minutes of entering JC Penny, I found, tried on, and purchased two Worthington sleeveless tops, one pink and one black . They were cute, and on clearance for $7.99 each. These two items, will mix and match well with the items from Express to create a few new “young professional” looks. I am looking forward to breaking in one of the new outfits on...

My win today is helping my dad open his email, over the phone, without the ability to view his screen. All it took was a little reminder about which icon on the desktop is a web browser, and reassurance that if he can open Google, he has internet access. I also mentioned that as long as he has internet access, he can open his email and countless other websites from any computer around the world. Way to go Dad! Perhaps someday soon you’ll find this blog and check it out! My conversation with my Dad made me reflect on how much many I take for granted my basic understanding of computers. It also got me thinking about the irony of this basic understanding. It provides both the freedom to access unlimited amounts of information instantaneously, and binds many people with an insatiable hunger for, and reliance on, this information.  Many people feel obligated to check work emails all weekend long, or to view friends’ Facebook updates, photos, and tweets. Some people even need to travel to remote locations without cell phone or internet access in order to truly relax. Perhaps, the fact that they cannot access this constant stream of information relieves them of the obligation or desire to do so. While I believe that utilizing technology is beneficial, and recognize is necessary in many of our daily jobs, I also think complete reliance on it is detrimental. I can remember a time when I needed to know where I was going in order to drive there, and remember a phone number (or at least the location of the slip of paper I wrote it on) in order to dial it.  Today, I simply ask my phone to “call so and so” or “get directions to the nearest gas station.”  Like my Dad, I still prefer face-to-face conversations to email, and have made a conscious decision not to link my work email to my phone. Still, I fear that my attention span and memory deteriorate as my technology usage increases. I am certainly happy to help my Dad access his email, and am proud that I was able to do so with only verbal descriptions of his screen, but wonder if he has it right being a technology laggard. Perhaps his memory, ability to be in the moment, and attention span are better because of it.  More likely, he and the tech junky are simply opposite extremes; each with something to learn from the other. The tech savvy person can show my Dad some practical applications of technology and my Dad can teach them how to live well without...

My “win” today is having the courage to make myself vulnerable and actually post my first blog entry. As someone who has never tweeted, who rarely makes comments on social media, and has never posted a picture on Facebook or Instagram (although many of me exist thanks to tagging); the concept of putting my thoughts online is terrifying. While I am often outspoken amongst friends and family, I fear the permanence of posting on the internet. I fear the ability of all who read it to pass judgment, ridicule me, or misunderstand me. I wonder what others will think about what I have to say.  Is it controversial? Will I be perceived as self-indulgent, trivial or dumb? Despite this discomfort, I have decided to move forward.  I am trying to live with what Brené Brown describes in her TED Talk as “the courage to be imperfect” and encourage others to do the same. My hope is that by sharing the small victories that I experience or witness, I will inspire others to focus on this in their own lives. I would love to help myself and others recognize that alongside all of our “epic fails” and misteps of the day, we’ve each made at least one decision to be proud of. Perhaps focusing on these “little wins” will have a domino effect. Perhaps, this shift in perspective will decrease our self-criticism, increase our self-confidence and embolden us to take risks we’d otherwise avoid; or perhaps my posts will effect no one but me. Simply thinking about writing this blog has shifted my perspective. It has put me on the lookout for positive experiences to share, heightened my awareness of my own thoughts and made me more appreciative of the kind actions of those around me. Whether it helps only me or many, I consider it a win to dare to begin this social experiment. So let’s begin! Please let me know what little (or big) win would you like to acknowledge...