A Fresh Start - Back to School again…

Welcome, welcome, welcome!  If you're like me (a very sad student going back to school) then you're more than likely either back in school already or getting ready to start.  Well, to you, I say "Chin up, a new semester means a new beginning.  A Fresh Start!"

Every new semester I tell myself "this year is going to be better" but we all know how that goes.  My intentions start off great but begin to dwindle around the 9th week.  It happens, we've all been there.  There can be many reasons as to why I slip around this time but I think I've pinpointed the main issue.  Time commitments.

I'm notorious for over-scheduling myself on certain days and then having nothing on others.  My calendar already looks like a hot mess around mid-terms in October, ahem…9th week!  It's only the first week of school and I can feel myself slipping!  So, now its time to take a step-back and re-evaluate.  To do this, I've decided to do the following:

1. Write down all my responsibilities.
• School = Priority
• Work (Social Media Consulting)
• Work (Mary Kay Indep. Beauty Consultant)
• Friends/Life = Low man on this totem-pole….womp womp, adios mi amigos.  
2. Figure out how much free-time (not in school/sleeping/eating/driving/etc.) that I have
• Oye…not much time here but since my earliest class starts at 1pm, it looks like I'll have to become a morning person.  5am starts here I come! 
• Apparently waking up early is how the most successful, stay successful!  http://bit.ly/TEuRfo
3. Find/Rearrange study and work space
• Apparently my "bed-desk" set-up is not ideal.  I guess the extra room for all my "overflow" will be packed/stored in the garage soon …weekend fun, yay!   
• Hopefully this article will help me figure out the best set-up. http://on.mash.to/OylLk9 
4. Set my GOALS and write them down
• I'm pretty good at setting goals, but I rarely write them down…on paper.  I'll type them up because I'm at my computer always, so it's just easy; or, just remember them in my jam-packed mind.  
• It will also help me figure out the path that I need to take to get myself to the ultimate goal.
• Need more convincing?  Check out this article.  http://bit.ly/S5w5Fr
5. Take it day by day
• Realizing that each day I have a new chance at a fresh start is something I will have to remember.  Not getting overwhelmed with everything and enjoying the accomplishments I make as the day goes by, will be a goal I write down now.  

So, now that I have my plan set forth…what are you waiting for?  Have you started your re-evaluation?  

My Online WHAT???

REPUTATION! (also referred to as G-Cred, E-Reputation, etc.)

Yeah, yeah. Most people, outside of the social media world, don't even realize there is such a thing but believe me when I say...welcome to the new age of online EVERYTHING.  Let's just give a brief overview of what Online Reputation is and how you can take control of managing yours.

Online Reputation
One of the BEST definitions I've found comes from an Infographic actually.  I'm a visual learner so I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE when a great infographic comes around.  The infographic states:
"Your online reputation isn't just what you put up online; it's how you put it online, where you put it online, and when you do it! And it is also affected by what others say about you." 

So to put it bluntly, everything you do on the internet = online reputation.  The Facebook status updates, Tweets, sharing of articles/news threads, the sites you visit, where you shop, AND all those horrible pictures/places your friends tag you at make up your reputation.  EX: This blog post I write will go into building my online reputation.

Why Should I Care???
The question I get the most is, "why should I care about what other people think of me online?"  My answer to this ..  perception is reality.   What does this mean?  Well, it means that what people see of you online is what they have to go by to determine your character.
If you're a job seeker, you'll definitely want to care about your online reputation has to say.  Your resume is not the only information taken into consideration anymore; you'll be googled and then every social networking site profile you have will be visited.  Same goes for students in this day of age.  Colleges can determine a students eligibility for scholarships/admission by online reputation because you'll be a representative of the school.
Both are just examples of the people who will want to take their online rep. serious right away, but everyone online should care.  You won't always be in the same place you are right now…the future is unknown but you can take control of your reputation today.

Managing Your Online Reputation…Good or Bad
Google yourself.  What comes up?  Is everything on that first page relevant to you?  Does anything come up at all?

Nothing appears:  Yay!!  Nope…wait a minute…don't get too excited and think you have a good online rep since nothing appears.  Unfortunately this is a really big negative.  You'd be better off having a few results with some "eh" information than nothing at all to be honest.  This is because most people will wonder why you're not online at all…I mean, who isn't online at least somewhat these days?  How are you going to adapt to change in a work environment if you haven't even embraced the online revolution.

Results w/bad information:  The first few pages are filled with pictures of you passed out half naked, around illegal/criminal activities, negative comments about you from a frenemy, your manifesto of how much you hate your ex….then this means you've got a bad online reputation.  Its time to be worried.  These are the things people are seeing that represent you.  They don't see that you've volunteered the past 10 years building homes, that your GPA is a perfect 5.0, or that you're the youngest supervisor in your department.

Results w/relevant information:  Good job!!  You've been building your online credibility, which is a definite positive.  Now does each result directly correlate to you?  Click thru each link and see what people will see, don't just assume it goes to the correct site because it may be a corrupt link.

Now that you know how you're viewed, managing your reputation is key.  If you have a positive reputation, then ensure it stays this way.  If you have a negative reputation then you'll want to fix it.  And if you have no reputation…BUILD ONE NOW!

These are some quick, simple tips on how to make sure you're always building a positive reputation:

1. Google yourself regularly.  
• I try to google myself at least 2x a week.  I want to continually make sure what appears on the first page of results is relevant to my personal brand because this is how I grow my business.  If you google me (Ana Santellana) you'll see that 95% of the results generated within the first 10 pages are all relevant to me.
2. Enhance your Security!
• What I mean by this is, make sure you have to approve those photo/location tags.  You don't want the world to see that you partied all night at the strip club and ended up puking out the window down the highway.  Yes, maybe your friends may find this hilarious but it doesn't show you're a person I'd want in charge of my financial investments or an athlete representing my school.
3. TAKE CONTROL
• This can be a hard one for some people (especially if you have no online reputation currently) because it means that you have to be active online.  One of simplest things to do is to consistently update your status on Facebook, LinkedIn, G+, Twitter…wherever you choose to be.  Log in once a day, throw out a positive status update or even share a link to some news article you find interesting, and then you're done.  That's it.  Simple as can be, but it can enhance your presence and build a positive reputation easily.
4. Have fun with being online. 
• Everyone thinks to have a good online reputation that you have to be 100% professional.  I disagree.  In my opinion, showing some personality will get your further and help you stand out.  Instagram, Spotify, Tumblr, Blogging sites…these are all places where you can go and be yourself (to an extent) and allow people to get to know you outside of social networks.  I share photos, my playlists, this blog, everything and anything I can because it's what I love.  So what if someone else doesn't love it…I'm letting the world get to know me, where I control whats being seen and I know it's all helping me build a positive online reputation.  

Feel free to ask questions or email me (anasantellana@gmail.com) if you want further info or follow me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Sources:
Infographic quote (http://mashable.com/2011/11/02/protecting-your-online-reputation/)
Cartoon Pic (http://spinsucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Online-Reputation.gif)

Just Say NO!

Have you ever been inundated with requests from family, friends, co-workers, schoolmates, or random people you meet on the side of the road even?  I've had that issue lately.  Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE being able to help those around me; however, it's taken a toll lately.  I've realized that me doing everything for everyone else has led ME to slack off on my own responsibilities.  I've learned that I need to learn how to say that 2-letter word…what is it again…oh yeah, NO!

Now, most people may think that saying no to all those requests I get may be easy…BUT if you're like me (and think you can do it all) then you know saying no is just plain hard.  It makes me feel as though I've failed for some reason.  Yes, weird way to feel when it's not even your responsibility in the first place but its how I feel.  Some may say its the OCD need to be in control, which I don't deny, and others may just think I'm plain crazy.  Either way you put it, there's a reason I have an issue saying no and I'm trying to find what that is.

My question to you (whoever you may be, is anyone reading this?  HELLO…??) is….do you have issues saying no?  If so, how do you deal with the requests to help?  Do I need to learn how to prioritize better?  Do I need to say no to every other request?  What are your ideas??


Now let me leave you with these pictures to emphasize my crisis….

(http://zodiacchic.tumblr.com/tagged/capricorn/page/8)

(http://sumikomaser.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/too-much-of-yes/)

(http://vdoblog.net/)