What Nice Girls Can Stand to Learn from NFL's Bad Boy Michael Vick

Yes, my fellow nice girls. You read that right. Believe it or not, I've been thinking about the connection between Michael Vick and the success of nice girls worldwide for a few weeks now. What's the correlation? Well, it has something to do with mountains, money, and morals.

Whether you follow sports or not, the roller-coaster ride that is Michael Vick’s career has been falling and rising since he hit the Atlanta Falcons field early in his career.

The most jolting aspect of his rise to notoriety? Just two years ago he was released from jail on dog-fighting charges, and now he just signed a $100 million dollar 6-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles- $40 million of which is guaranteed.

So what does this have to do with today’s woman? Well, it poses a question that seems to contradict my methodology for life: do nice girls/guys finish last? While, the concept isn’t new, it is something that seems to radiate throughout the ages- especially in the wake of seemingly corrupt individuals succeeding.

As women in today’s professional climate we have several choices to make on a daily basis. Aside from multitasking, climbing corporate ladders, and somehow carving out some time for ourselves to relax- we are faced with moral and ethical decisions every day. Depending on where you benchmark your success, either dollar signs or peace signs- the nice girl is sometimes left in the stiletto dust of her more outspoken and less ethical counterpart. Does this make her any less successful? And if so, is the finish line the most important destination- or perhaps could the mile markers in-between be the real measures of her success?

Mt. Kilimanjaro may be where we find the answer.

Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallest free-standing mountain at 19,340 feet. There is not one way up this mountain. Like most climbs, there are many different routes depending on what suits your climbing style best. When climbing Kilimanjaro you have 6 different routes to choose from. The Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing Guide describes each like this:

The Marangu Route: the only Kilimanjaro climb route that offers hut accommodation.

The Machame Route: the most popular climbing route up Kilimanjaro.

The Rongai Route: the easiest climb route on Kilimanjaro.

The Shira Route: this Kilimanjaro route catapults you to some serious altitude on the first day.

The Lemosho Route: hands down the most beautiful Kilimanjaro climb route, but expensive.

The Umbwe Route: the most difficult and demanding climb route on Kilimanjaro, and the most spectacular.

I don’t claim to be a climber, but what stands out most to me in these route descriptions is that the easiest and the most popular routes are simply known for being so. The most comfortable route offer huts for rest and and the most uncomfortable offers the highest first-day altitude. The most beautiful and the most spectacular routes are also the most expensive and the most demanding.

My point is this. We all choose which route we take in this life. And whatever route we choose will dictate the quality of our climb.

For some, like Vick, we are choosing to rely on talent to get us to the heights we want to go. Vick wanted to get where he was going quickly despite the poor choices he would ultimately make in his haste to get to the top. The same is true of us as women navigating our careers. When trying to manage our own personal climbs we need to be intentional about the routes we go.

Don’t choose the easiest or the most popular- you will be bored. Don’t choose the most comfortable or quickest way- you will miss out on the precious middle moments. Instead, consider taking those routes that are the hardest to take but offer you the most personal reward at the end.

If there is one thing we can learn from Vick it should be that success shouldn’t be measured in dollar signs- although our culture tells us differently. Personal integrity, moral conviction, and selfless love are such rare and valuable assets to have. And when the sun sets on your final play, you will have so much more than money to show for yourself. You will have immeasurable value.

Talk about a breathtaking view from the top.

Sources:

Business Insider

Mount Kilimanjaro Guide.com

Seattle Nice Girls Listen Up! You're Invited to Girl Power Hour's Anniversary Bash

Nice girls unite! If you live in the Seattle area and want to get connected with the premier women's networking club, Girl Power Hour, then you should grab up a ticket to their 4th anniversary party happening September 28th. These girls do nothing half-way, so bust out your little black dress and hit the red carpet with some of the most down-to-earth, high-powered chicks in the Northwest.

I am looking forward to this event!

PS- This is the one and ONLY GPH event that you can bring your man to- so are you up for a posh date night? Absoultetly.

See you there! GET TICKETS NOW

xoxo,

Megan

Courtesy of Girl Power Hour Blog: How Anti-Assertivenss is the Best Way to Get Promoted

According to a recent article by ABC News, it was reported that, “12 percent of the executive offices of America” are occupied by women. They went on to say that “most of them got there by being tough, forceful and direct.”

However, Elle Magazine recently capitalized on this interesting tidbit of information by highlighting an unusual, yet equally effective anti-assertiveness training program called “Bully Broads”, whose goal is to help highly qualified women get to the top rung by being kind instead of bristly.

Have you hit a plateau in your career? For some of us being the tough girl has worked out thus far, however when it comes to managing a core group of employees or gaining that corner office, we’re hitting a wall. It could be because we need a lesson in anti-assertiveness. However, you may be thinking that seems counter-intuitive, especially when you’ve gotten so far being the feared female in the room.

The truth is that when it comes to getting that coveted executive position, playing hard ball may cause the higher-ups, as well as associates, to fear you instead of revere you.This can get in the way of any further promotion. So how do prove that you can handle more work with grace as well as gall? To boost productivity it has been shown that encouraging one to do better work instead of demeaning co-workers for lackluster performance is the most effective way to increase revenue and in-office camaraderie.

What is known as The Hawthorne Effect, simply states that “productivity gain occurred because the workers were impacted by the motivational effect of the interest being shown in them.”

Human nature remains the same, showing interest in someone motivates them. Negative interest doesn’t count. Bully Broads founder, Jean Hollands has many excellent tips on how to reposition your strong personality to accommodate for all types of employees putting you right where you want to be: in the CEO’s highest graces.

She suggests many steps in the work place, but a few that seem to be the easiest to apply?

1. Talking slowly so other people can listen and respond.
2. Give feedback to others in a constructive way.
3. Walking slowly so people don’t feel overwhelmed or intimidated.
4. Cry at work. (She claims it shows humanity as well as passion)
5. Smile often.
6. Talk softer when reprimanding.
7. Use self-deprecation to appear relate-able.

Whether you feel like you are ready to go to the next level but are being held back by your inability to play nice with others or are simply wanting to be more kind to people to rack up Karma points, Hollands anti-assertiveness advice is practical, useful knowledge that all women should take into consideration.

Besides, how does that saying go? Sometimes the hard thing and the right thing are the same? Looks like being nice may pay big dividends after all.

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 46: Embrace Your "Seasons"

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge Day 46: Embrace Your "Seasons"

All of us go through different seasons in life. The most graceful way to handle each of these is to embrace where you find yourself no matter the circumstances. Some of us are in hard seasons, joyful seasons, boring seasons, and exhausted seasons. All of these serve a purpose in developing who we will become as mature and kind women.

I can tell you first hand how frustrated I can get with the mundane, I find that my season in life is more Groundhog Day then anything else, but as a new mom with a new priority, I can tell you that I will look back on this season will teary eyes, and wish I could play one more game of peek-a-boo with my energetic son.

Don't let the "grass is always greener" mentality steal your current joy. No matter if you are on top of the world or at the end of your rope, try to find the essential learning lessons in this season and utilize those gems of wisdom in the future.

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 45: Enjoy Yourself!

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 45: Enjoy Yourself!

Summer is here! And there is nothing more fun than hanging out with close friends and family. Whether its at a BBQ in the backyard or boating on a lake, so today's challenge is to take the time to truly enjoy yourself. Far too often nice girls will forget that being nice isn't hard work- nor should it be- but rather an extension of the way you treat yourself.

Today, enjoy being who you are. You are unique, loved and have a specific design to fill a certain void during this time in history. Laugh, love and sip a glass of chilled wine- there is no better time than the present to be truly content in your own skin.

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 44: Practice Playing Second Fiddle

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 44: Practice Playing Second Fiddle

(Warning: Biblical perspective below : )

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Have you ever had one of those conversations that stick out in your mind for years after it takes place?

You can be in the middle of a grocery store pinching a cantaloupe and all of a sudden you remember a certain exchange? For me, these conversations usually revolve around an echo that was whispered into the canyon of my soul- one that God decided should be the introduction to my life’s anthem.

When soul-sticking words are spoken, it means that someone has struck a chord inside your heart, and no matter how much time marches by it will always ring true. I have found that it is usually an issue that God is still working with me on and so He has chosen to use that previous whisper as a collective yell from His throne to my doorstep.

I have taken to calling these human, err-filled conversations glorious gifts of grace. One memory in particular was a conversation that I had with the wife of my husband’s dearest friend.

Libby is the type of woman that you can tell spends hours with God. Not bent over her Bible with a highlighter all hours of the day, but she is a woman who constantly talks to God while she is peeling potatoes or sings to him while she is on the stair stepper. She is someone who should remind us that there is no place too mundane for miracles or too commonplace for confession.

After Libby and I had begun having babies we would try to be in the habit of seeing each other every few months. On one such occasion we were talking about our church communities, and she had asked if I was ever interested in leading worship at church? At the time, I had just moved back from Nashville and my singing “career” was at an impasse, I understood the naturalness of the question.

I shook my head and bold-facedly answered, halo intact, “I haven’t. Mainly, it is because I don’t like singing in front of other people about God. I hate feeling like I am saying, ‘look at me, look at me’ while the words are clearly about Him. I would rather just blend into the crowd and sing a hymn or two to Him in my heart of hearts.”

Libby’s eyes sparkled as she responded, “Are you sure that’s not false humility?”

Gong!

And her truthful comment still echoes today, because it is a message that I wrestle with. As Christian women sometimes we don’t think we deal with pride like our husbands might- isn’t that a guy thing? But what if our pride is just wrapped up in the linens of false humility? Our gifts are not our own, and yet we lay claim to them. Deciding how and whom we will share them with. For some of us, we go even as far as to not dare call ourselves “gifted”- if we do then we are tooting our own horn and blowing our own confetti.

However- God clearly talks about giving gifts to his children. Romans chapter 12: 6-8 speaks of specific gifting, such as serving, teaching, public speaking, contributing, giving, leading, and charity work.

The Message translation reveals Romans 12: 9-10 this way, Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

I love this illustration. Practice playing second fiddle.

We live in a culture of first place obsession. Sayings like, second place is the first loser have developed in each of us a determination to win, to be better, and ultimately to be the best at whatever hand we have been dealt. Jesus however was a master at playing second fiddle as should 'nice girls' in this culture.

Nice Girls 60-Day Challenge, Day 42: Be Righteously Offensive

This may seem like a strange challenge for today, but it is something that I have always struggled with. People pleasing, agreeing just to be agreeable, and going along with something even if you don't believe in it- are not "nice" ways to behave. In fact, being dishonest about your convictions is simply lying.

Nice Girls Challenge Day 42: Be Righteously Offensive

The word "offensive" has such a negative connotation to it. Images of explicit graffiti, violent TV shows, and lewd photographs (Anthony Weiner anyone?) seem to shuttle across our minds. But have you ever been righteously offensive?

The word righteous is straight from the Bible and another word that we tend to shy away from- but did you know that nice girls must be offensive to those who think that behaving badly is their right? It may seem ambiguous- since your definition of right and offense may be drastically different from the girl in the next cubicle, but don't shy away from doing the right thing if you feel convicted to do so.

Someone cut in front of the woman in the wheelchair? Be an advocate for them and notify them of their mistake.

Someone is degrading your belief system? Speak up about your convictions without faltering.

Someone is cussing in front of your child? Politely ask them to be more considerate.

Now don't go all "Housewives of New Jersey" on people you don't know very well or go looking for fights to pick with randoms at the mall- this is simply a reminder to be well versed in your beliefs, speak openly about why you live your life the way you do, and remember that being nice isn't simply being a pushover- it means to stand up for what you believe in.