My dad calls me "Katlyn Rose." The guys at the gym call me "The Gerken." One of my high school classmates, who also happens to be one of my very best friends, calls me "Pickle," and she has since 2005. Her name is Nadia (that's her in the photo). She’s one of the most enthusiastic, optimistic, loyal people I know. So we can thank her in part for this blog’s name.
I asked some of my friends and family the first word that comes to mind when they think of me. They said, in no particular order:
Sparkle
Sparkler
Happy
Bubbly
Outgoing
Energy
Spunky
Beautiful
Cubs
Funny
Hyper
Bubbles
Awesome
Beaming
Energetic
Energy
I'll be honest; I was expecting at least 25% to say "positive." Instead, they came up with a myriad of other encouraging words, which I am grateful for. Regardless, the optimism I try to exude every day inspired the second half of this blog's name.
Yes, I realize the abbreviation is PSL, but don't confuse me for a white girl with a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks in hand. (I can't live up to this stereotype. I don't own Uggs. I do, however, enjoy watching Tom Brady tear up the gridiron.)
Getting sidetracked is one of my specialities. Word association game, anyone?
Where were we? Optimism.
The idea for this blog struck moments after I received yet another "thanks, but no thanks" call from a company regarding my job application. And so my "looking-for-the-next-step-in-my-career/get-me-out-of-Illinois" job search continues.
My thought after the phone call: "Enough's enough. I refuse to sit here (on a four hour drive no less), dwell in this rejection, and feel as though I've failed. There’s a silver lining in this situation. I know it." I repeated the mantra I'd been clinging to (and admittedly still am) for months: “There is a better opportunity out there.”
[Spoiler alert: I haven’t found it yet.]
But the silver lining? This blog.
A song by The Rolling Stones comes to mind: "You can’t always get what you want; you get what you need." So perhaps I'm meant to write these words and inspire someone else to think positively. The power of positive thinking is incredible.
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