leadership

I haven't written in this for quite some time. I just haven't had much to say lately because while I've been keeping busy, it's pretty much the same old, same old.

We've been working really hard in the store and this week, the product starts coming in! I'm so excited because this is where I will be especially helpful. I'm really good at merchandising and setting up displays. It's going to be so pretty once we're all done.

It's been a pretty awesome experience for me so far. Last tuesday I decided that I was sick of working in the downstairs, so I told all of my coworkers that we had to finish up the downstairs that day because I refused to work down there on wednesday. Well, the goal was accepted as a challenge by myself and everyone else who worked that day. And we accomplished the goal! We were all so excited to finish up the downstairs.

Because of my success in the downstairs on tuesday, when we got into the store on wednesday, everyone turned to me for direction on what to do in the upstairs. I was stunned, but I rose to the occasion and took charge of the work that day. It did not go unnoticed. One of my managers thanked me for taking charge and being the leader that day.

The next day, I was ready to get back into the hard work and finish this stuff up. Twenty minutes in, a higher up (similar to a district manager) came and said he wanted to reassign me. He had me help out an employee from another store who was setting up our antiques. That was pretty neat, being able to help decorate the store. I was a little concerned that I had been pulled from the harder work because it was unsatisfactory. I talked to my manager and it turns out that, nope, it was not because my work was unsatisfactory. It was because I have an opinion and I'm not afraid to voice it. Which is seen as a very good thing.

I'm so excited that I have been able to set myself apart from the others and step out as a leader in my store. I always strive for the best and it makes me happy that within a month I have already started showing myself as a strong personality and an effective leader.

In other news, Melissa and I are having another sale on saturday at the flea market. I think I'll be lucky to break a hundred bucks out of this, but whatever I make will be more than what I had before.

lindsayallison

workin' hard

I have been so busy the past few days! My new job is totally awesome! It's been pretty interesting being on the construction site where the store will be. Things are really coming together and we're hoping that the bottom floor will be ready very soon for us to put the finishing touches on fixtures and what not. The top floor still has quite a ways to go.

I got my first battle injury today! We were sliding two by fours down a chute we have and the girl sliding them down lost control of one just as I was turning around to grab the next board. I wasn't expecting it and so it slid right into my left knee and rebounded on my right one. I have a technicolor bruise the size of a half dollar (maybe even bigger!) on my left knee. It's all kinds of blue and purple, lol! But I don't mind. It only hurts if I put pressure directly on the spot.

I'm also very actively working towards trying to unload some of my things. My very good friend, Melissa, had a great idea. Sell the crap you don't need and start actively paying down your debt! She went through her things and found a bunch of stuff she wasn't using. Then she talked to her friends who donated items for her to sell so she could keep the profit to pay off some bills. She actually did very well at the sale.

So many people wanted to donate so much stuff that we're going to have another sale at the end of the month and this time, I will have some stuff at the sale too. I want to make a few extra dollars, but more importantly I feel like it's time to lighten the load.

I am holding on to so much stuff and most of it is just trinkets from the past ten or fifteen years that really don't mean anything. Sure, there are items that have sentimental value, but most of what I have is just crap.

My next big goal is to buy a house. I'm very excited about this idea. I really don't want to rent again because I feel like it's a waste of money. Anyways, when I finally get to the point where I can buy a house, I want to be able to start over. I want to have only the possessions that mean something to me and then I want to rebuild a home from the ground up.

The best way to do that is to throw away, sell, or donate the things I'm not using or are just plain garbage. This plan is really killing two birds with one stone because before I can buy a house, I want to be 100% debt free. And with this sale, that will give me a boost to getting there!

I'm really excited about this new direction I have. I've been drifting for so long and now I have a goal, a plan, and a hell of a lot of motivation to get there!

lindsayallison

back to work!

I am so excited about my new job! Orientation was on Friday, April 1, and I was just stunned by the information I learned about my new company.

They are 100% dedicated to employee and customer happiness and to giving back to the community. They are green in every possible way they can be green. This company is not about the bottom line, it's about the people. I wish more companies understood that to make the bottom line, you can't worry about the bottom line. You have to make your employees and customers happy and that will take care of your bottom line.

Panama City was fantastic. I had a glorious time! It was so nice to have five whole days with absolutely nothing to do! Unfortunately it was raining most of the time so I didn't get much beach time. But I had a fabulous time anyway.

Not much else to report. Just excited to go to work tomorrow.

lindsayallison