Never Understimate the Power a Smile

For the past year and four months (not that I’m counting) I have been an employee of the Michigan Department of Treasury in the purchasing department. I think my title is something similar to "IT Procurement Analyst" or something like that.

It's hard to explain what I do to people outside of State Government. Basically, everything IT is centralized and handled by the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB). The way it's set up, DTMB uses the agency's budget to get their IT projects done - and trust me, Treasury has a LOT of IT projects/systems. And since DTMB is spending Treasury's budget, my job is to help make sure DTMB is following Treasury's purchasing procedures and that Treasury and DTMB are talking to each other. I describe myself more as a "liaison" between the agencies, with 5% of my time going to actual purchasing.

There are days when I really like my role. I'm a problem solver. I'm the "go to" person for "how in the HELL do we get this done?" And I'm always learning because the process is ALWAYS changing. In a meeting yesterday, I had someone from DTMB yell out "we LOVE Kristen!" and my boss's boss respond with "we love her too!" The job can be great to the ego.

Then there are days when I want to hide under my desk in the fetal position. Unrealistic demands, an ungodly work load in which I always feel like I'm drowning, and, as stated above, the process is always changing and I often have to be the bearer of bad news. "Remember that strategy for spending this money that you've been planning for 9 months? Yeah, the process has changed and it's not going to work now."

I guess if I had to describe my job in one word that word would be: Relationships.

No matter how bad the days get, I have awesome people that make me laugh on a regular basis. People who tell me how much I, in particular, have made their world easier and what a difference I've made. I can sit in a meeting with my budget director and yell out "what are they, stoned????" and instead of getting an angry scowl, I get laughter and agreement.

Sometimes I get requests, and I know the person I have to tell the request to will get irritated, angry, or feel like I'm trying to pull a fast one. I always have to take these requests and come up with a plan - a plan of how I'm going to present this information so someone doesn't jump out a window. The plan involves knowing my audience and picking which side of their personality to appeal to.

This is when the power of a smile comes in handy.

I think my perkiness, sense of humor, and upbeat attitude paves the way for making my job a success. Well, that and the use of really good clip art to add to an email to help lighten the mood. People respond better when you make an effort to come into their world, see things from their perspective, and be open and honest with them. Be real with them, be straight, but not pushy, not demanding.

Remember, dictatorships do nothing but make you a dick.

I'm not saying that you never have to push back or be a little "bitchy." The key is knowing when to pick your battles. When people know you'll go to bat for them, they are more willing to go to bat for you. Also, never be afraid to admit your mistakes. People respond well when you're willing to call yourself out on something. Although, as someone higher up on the food chain once told me as they were about to take the heat on a mistake I had made (and I admitted I already fessed up to missing the mark), "never pull your pants down until you have to."

Are there people in this world that will take advantage of a good spirit who is willing to go the extra mile? OF COURSE. I've been burned a few times and have the ash marks on my ass to prove it. But I've learned that the good ones outweigh the bad. And karma catches up to those who try and exploit others. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but they always get what's coming to them.

In the end, choose to be happy. No matter your mood, you will always infect other people with your attitude. People who are surrounded by negativity will become negative. It happened to me. Granted, it's hard not to get lost in the bleakness of the world and see the yang to the yin. But a happy smile can make you more progress in this world than yell or a demand.

One more thing - take time out of your day to tell someone how much you appreciate them. It's so easy to complain when someone does something bad, but acknowledging when someone did something awesome, or did something small that made you smile, has a far greater impact on them. I can remember one of the last advertising classes I had before I got my degree, we had to work on a campaign for a “anti-smoking” push the college health organization wanted to make. All of the groups had the same message – stop yelling at us to not smoking. It doesn’t work. It’s a good lesson for any aspect of your everyday world.

So smile. And for the love of God - just freaking love each other already!

Stop and Smell the Horses

Owning a puppy has taught me many things – patience, creativity, patience, selflessness, empathy, patience. More importantly however, my puppy has taught me how to stop my busy life and just enjoy the moment.

Today started off at 2:30am when Zoe wanted to take her first pee break. This was after two hours of being asleep, making it three hours since I first attempted to get her to go to sleep. The cat woke us up at 5am, demanding to be feed. I managed to quiet the herd, get the puppy back to sleep, to wake up at 6. My morning was chaotic – separating a fighting dog and cat; feeding both animals; supervising multiple pee breaks (that apparently were play breaks); attempting to shower with a meowing cat on the counter and a whining dog looking over the edge of the tub, offended that I would dare take a 10 minute shower – you know, the usual.

At 7am I began attempting to get Zoe to evacuate all nasties before she would be locked in a cage for five hours until I could get home at lunch. We walked and paced. I yelled as she rolled in the dirt or went a little too far down the driveway. Walked some more. Pulled weeds out of her mouth while also diverting her attention from the hopping toad (who I am sure will never thank me for saving his life multiple times this morning).

After a half an hour of trying to get her to do her business with no avail, she plopped down in the deck, mesmerized by the horse in our neighbor’s yard. Already wanting to scream in utter frustration and terrified of being late for work, I looked down, sat, and watched with her.

The horse beautifully ran across the pasture, trotting gracefully. All the muscles in his body and the wind blowing through his mane showed the true beautiful of the creature. I listened as the birds were chirping and the wind blew peacefully through the trees. The smell of the morning dew brought back an innocence of sorts, childhood memories of an easier time.

And for a moment, nothing in the world seemed to matter.

It didn’t matter if I got to work early or a few minutes late. It didn’t matter that my work life is in constant distress or that the story of my life wasn’t going according to plan. The world’s imperfections just did not matter.

I sat with my dog and enjoyed the beauty of that moment, feeling overwhelmingly like there was something bigger than my small little world. A reminder, almost, that no matter what I do today, the sun will come up tomorrow and the life will continue as beautiful, graceful, and eloquent as it was the day before.

I hugged my puppy, thanking her for that reminder. My little Zen master with orange freckles then looked up at me for a second, as if to say she loved me, before she went bouncing through the yard.

I wish we all could have a little Zoe in our lives to remind us of what’s important.

LSJ Question: June 27, 2010

California recently switched to an open primary, where the top two vote getters regardless of POLITICAL PARTY advance to the general ballot. Would you favor such a change in Michigan?

After 230 years of trying to revive a failing two-party system, it is time for a change. If more states adopt an open primary, a candidate's views and opinions mean more than the party that is supplying their paycheck. Diverting focus away from a singular party will lead officials to be elected that are truly representative of the general public, without an agenda, and encouraging voters to be more educated about whom they elect.

Proof of Life

I went to lunch today and sat myself near a TV which happened to be seated next to a K-9 officer and his two friends. As I ate, I had one eye watching Fox News and read MSNBC on my cell phone with the other. All the articles were your typical "The End of the World is Imminent" type material as it always is. So much sadness, despair, hatred and blame.

As I looked up from my burrito, I happened to notice a mother with two children in tow - one of them a boy with Down Syndrome. I watched as the boy looked with wonder and amazement at the K-9 officer as he ate his lunch. The officer, without hesitation, put down his lunch, turned away from his friends, and began talking to this innocent child. Not a second of frustration, not a sigh in his voice from his interrupted lunch, not an ounce doubt. The officer asked the boy about his day and what he was up to, as the child responded quietly, still hypnotized by this police officer.

After a few minutes, the mother thanked the officer and herded the kids out the door and our man in blue went back to having his lunch and talking with his friends.

With all of the doom and gloom that surrounds us - with all of the news stories about the world going to hell in a hand basket, about murders and racism and agression, never has it been so refreshing to witness a sweet and humbling act. It was as if some proof of life had bestowed upon me to reinforce the concept that there is still kindness and love in the human heart. Some sort of proof that there are people out there who will still take time for a completely selfless task and make a kid's day.

It's so easy to forget how much of an impact we have on other people. We forget that even the most simplest of tasks are the ones that have the most profound effect. In our busy lives, we sometimes think that a check can solve all of life's problems. It's frustrating to see people who think that because they donated to a charity they are free of any other form of humanity and kindness. Letting someone cut in line at a bank because they are frantic or have a deadline to meet; Helping a stranger who's bag of groceries went spilling across the parking lot. Simple, thoughtful acts that can bring a warm feeling to someone's heart with far more power than a donation could ever do.

So to the officer that took the time to be thoughtful, caring, and to give up a few minutes of his lunch for a child, I thank you. Thank you for proving that the world really is a beautiful place. Thank you for showing the world what it means to be human. I wish the news stations would spend more time reporting about people like you than those with black hearts. While you may not get the respect and admoration you deserve, let it be known that you are appreciated, adored, and honored.

Thank you.

LSJ Question: June 20, 2010

What are your current thoughts on the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and its aftermath?

No Crying over Spilled Oil

We teach our kids that they need admit when they do something wrong. They need to stand up and face the consequences. In life, however, it seems the higher we climb on the corporate ladder, the more we tend to forget that. I am tired of watching everyone point fingers over who is to blame for the oil spill. Suck it up and deal with it. This problem is bigger than anyone's egos.

:::Published in the Lansing State Journal on June 20, 2010:::

LSJ Question: June 3, 2010

What advice would you give to high school graduates of 2010?

Hang On For the Ride

Congratulations on ending the first chapter of your lives. Things will never be the same. Times ahead will be filled with fun and excitement as well as a lot of hard work. Remember that nothing is handed to you and you need to work to make a place fin this world. Rely on your elders, they know more than you think. Most importantly keep an open mind. Life rarely goes according to your plan.

:::Published in the Lansing State Journal, June 3, 2010:::

LSJ Question: May 30, 2010

Will Michigan benefit more from economic development efforts that convince large employers to relocate here, or from efforts that encourage entrepreneurs to start new businesses?

Old Dogs Not Young Pups

While support and encouragement should always be given to Michigan entrepreneurs, it remains a fact that a majority of new businesses fail within the first five years of ownership. In our current “non-recession,” stability is key. Bringing already established “big” businesses to the area will not only take people from the unemployment line but also adds more revenue to the state, both via taxes and enticing people to freely spend their discretionary funds.