During the week of May 24-May 28, Hourglass Media observed its inaugural Mental Health Week. This week’s intention was to take a much-needed hiatus from client work and everyday work life #behindthehourglass. While we love what we do, we wanted to practice what we preach and make our mental health a priority during this week. Both of us wanted to give our takes on the week and what we learned about ourselves -- and our mental health -- during our Mental Health Week.
Read MoreIf you’re a PR practitioner, small business owner, or just a human trying to convey a thought in any situation, using behavioral communication will create more comprehension and understanding. All of us have communicated a message and then witnessed it fall flat, offend someone, or be misunderstood. Here are three ways you can use behavioral communication in your work and personal conversations and messages.
Read MoreMay is National Mental Health Awareness Month. As anyone who knows even a small glimmer about our work knows, mental health is one of our main passions and causes. In addition to introducing mental-health habits in the workplace, we also want to give you some tools to use both personally and professionally. Here are five ways you can bring your mental health to the forefront this month.
Read MoreIt’s the beginning of a new quarter, and if you’re anything like me, you sit at your desk and wonder, “Where did Quarter 1 go?!” Each of us is busy trying to further our clients’ goals and objectives, grow our companies or careers in general, and attempting to achieve our own versions of work/life balance.
All in all, it can get relatively exhausting when you you’re grasping at straws with project management. This month, we’re focused on resources that will help you better plan for your goals at hand.
Read MoreOver a year ago, our lives collectively changed when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world as we knew it. Since then, mental health issues have skyrocketed. Individuals may have new diagnoses or fall into the same issues they have known about and lived with for a while. No matter the onset, mental health has been at the forefront of many casual conversations to clinical studies.
Read MoreHuntington is where I spent my formative years and learned about life, love, and everything in between. To celebrate Huntington’s 150th Birthday, this is a master list of my experiences in Huntington and what it means to my narrative. Huntington, you’ve been so good to me. I am forever grateful to you. Happy Birthday, Jewel City. You shine brighter every day. ❤️
Read MoreLike most people who have Netflix and love a good true-crime story, I watched “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at The Cecil Hotel.” I’m going to go ahead and spare you if you haven’t seen it already: just sit this one out. With all of my commentary aside, there is one thing that really stuck with me after watching this series. Mental health is still very misunderstood and exploited. When you don’t have control of your own narrative, it can be misconstrued to the masses.
Read MoreI have been an independent practitioner for almost six years, and I never want to go back to a traditional office environment if I can help it! For the sake of this blog post, and because I am a public relations practitioner at heart and by trade, I will focus on communications-based independent practitioners. What are some benefits of being an independent public relations practitioner?
Read MoreI am able to toggle back and forth between feeding my son and then hopping on a Webex meeting. Recently, I appeared live on one of our local news stations. When I returned home, he puked all over the front of my red dress. Not the most glamorous moment, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. No one could prepare for the challenge of being a mom AND Hourglass Media CEO. I aim to bring you along my mental health journey, so welcome to my Mom/CEO life. See what works for me as I embark on completely new territory.
Read MoreI learned so much about myself in 2020, and I am still unpacking that internal wisdom as I craft my internal annual report’s year-in-review letter and writing in my journal. One thing is certain, though: I will never be the same person I was when the new year began. So much has shaped me individually, professionally, and collectively with everyone else on Earth. I already shared five lessons I learned in 2020 in a previous blog post. Here are a few elements of 2020 that I plan to carry with me in 2021.
Read MoreNot to stress pandemic-induced cliché words and phrases, but most of us have been forced to pivot since March 2020. We have experienced lockdowns during a pandemic, social injustice conversations, the ups and downs of an election season, and more. I think I echo everyone’s sentiment when I say this: bring on 2021!
Read MoreAs another year is coming to a close, I’m sure most of us are ruminating about what we are thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day. While 2020 hasn’t panned out like most of us have hoped in myriad ways, you can still look for silver linings through all of the curveballs this year has thrown at us. Here is how you can add thankfulness to your brand’s personality and modus operandi.
Read MoreA couple of years ago, I discovered Hilary Rushford. Ever the devoted, always-learning entrepreneur, I was instantly drawn to Hilary’s business and style tips. In 2020, I’ve been using the Elegant Excellence Journal to help me streamline my goals and objectives while giving myself the grace to adjust my aspirations if needed.
Read Mores public relations practitioners, many of us already know to not use buzzwords, overly fluffy language, and tone-deaf messaging. Even if you happen to be the most seasoned PR pro, you can always learn something new as you write content for organizations, clients, and yourself. What do you need to consider as you write for public relations?
Read MoreCharacter development is how your protagonist and other characters respond to internal and external obstacles. Depending on your story’s theme, you will also want to consider how that, as well as the rest of your story’s trajectory, affects your character’s growth throughout his or her journey. Here are some tips to ensure that you’re developing your character in myriad ways and doing your story justice.
Read MoreIn last week’s blog post about self-publishing, I mentioned in the last point to not let fear stop you. I wish I could bottle even just a drop of that little-girl fearlessness. There are times I really need it and have to still push myself past the corners of a suppressed envelope in order to reach my writer’s potential. I’ve written millions upon millions of words at this point personally and professionally, but I still struggle with a lack of confidence in certain writing realms. Here are three ways you can work on overcoming your fear of sharing your work.
Read MoreHappy #NaNoWriMo! If you’re en route to writing a book this November, I commend you for your efforts and wish you the best on your journey! I have completed the #NaNoWriMo challenge once, in 2017, and I know what an amazing feeling it can be to finish 50,000 words or more! Here are five things to remember if you decide to self-publish your own works.
Read MoreIf you have that deep desire burning in your heart to start your own company -- or at least a part-time side venture -- I have some tips that helped me carve my path along the way. Here are three qualitative questions you can ask yourself to see if you’re ready to take the plunge into company ownership.
Read MoreAs a recovering perfectionist, I still have many moments of unhelpful thoughts. In this Mental Health Moments blog post, I will outline three of my most unhelpful thought processes to give you an inside look at my brain. I write these posts to help others struggling with perfectionism, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues reach at least a small form of clarity. Unhelpful thoughts are old friends who rear their heads at the most inconvenient times. They are part of the confines of my comfort zone, and I have to be diligent in thwarting them before they wreak havoc on my productivity and general way I feel about myself.
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