We shouldn’t wait until Earth Day to think about sustainability and how our daily routines and lifestyle practices build or harm our planet and environment. Like many, my entry point to sustainability was recycling. During my undergraduate college career I began shredding and recycling my notes at the end of each semester and that routine continued through grad school and into my professional career.
I recycle as much as I can, but since my time in California and attention to sustainability I’ve learned that there are many ways to live sustainably beyond recycling. Continue reading for ten additional practices you can start today.
Read MoreThere's no feeling quite like getting up from a salon chair with a clean scalp and hair full of body. A trip to my stylist is one of my favorite forms of self-care, especially since transitioning into a full head of naturally curly 4B-4C hair. When it became challenging to get an appointment with my stylist, I began the journey of learning to do my own blow outs and silk presses at home.
In 2022, I’ve finally arrived at a place of satisfaction styling my hair and wanted to share some of the “secrets” AKA tips, products and strategies that helped me get here. Seven simple practices I’ve learned and adopted over the last five years have been a game changer.
Read MoreDEI conversations often seem hard and heavy. This year during our annual staff retreat at TGR Foundation, we were joined virtually by Farzana Nayani, a recognized Diversity, Equity & Inclusion specialist, Intercultural practitioner and author of Raising Multiracial Children: Tools for nurturing identity in a racialized world. Her presentation was a refreshing look into DEI and her personality made it easier to think about and engage in dialogue around practices that can help us all understand and grow together.
Seeing her passion and smile throughout the session changed the atmosphere even though we were all in separate rooms. I loved how she provided specific examples, personal stories and practical tips that we can implement with ease. While addressing a topic that can be easily be "preached," she opened the door for engagement and encouraged it. I think anyone who did not gain value from the session wasn't paying attention. Although there were several valuable insights, I wanted to share four tips and quotes from Farzana to help you lead with a DEI Mindset.
Read MorePerformance reviews are usually a requirement at every stage of your career. Sometimes they are effective and useful and other times a matter of protocol and waste of time. Because I love giving and receiving feedback, performance reviews are exciting to me. They allow me and my supervisor uninterrupted time to talk about me and how I can be better in my role.
If you haven’t had your mid-year review, answering the following questions will help you prepare. And if you’re reading this after your review, connect with me in the comments or on social media to share what you would add or wish you’d read before it happened.
You should always prepare for your review with your supervisor by assessing your performance honestly through honest self reflection. If there’s a rubric in place that your supervisor will use, it’s best to sit down in advance of the day or week before your review to truly analyze your performance. By doing this you can be proactive in identifying wins and losses, strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement. It can also prevent you from facing surprises and give you something to compare your scores to. By answering the following questions you can also gauge your overall fulfillment and growth in your role, which I find to be beneficial at any stage in your career and multiple times per year.
Read More