Why You Need More Vitamin N

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It’s no secret we live in a society where we are always indoors. Most people will leave their homes to drive to where they work (most likely inside) and then back home. A recent study has shown that humans will spend 93 percent of their time indoors. There is also a shift to living in big cities that have limited access to natural surroundings. There are countless other studies conducted about the benefits that nature can have on our health and well-being. 

There is just something so rejuvenating about spending time outside, whether that is in a forest surrounded by towering trees or on the coast with the waves hitting your toes. Spending time connected to nature grounds us and helps us see the magnitude of the world around us. I am sure that you have noticed this phenomenon, especially during the summer months when you are outside more or even on vacation. 

Author Richard Louv questions what he calls “nature-deficit disorder,” which is an alienation from nature altogether. He poses the question in his book Last Child in the Woods, “What could our lives and our children’s lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in technology?” 

What can cause us to fall into nature-deficit disorder? That’s not an easy answer. The rise and continuation of technology in our everyday lives, urbanization, and fear of the unknown can all be traced to having an effect on why we are spending much more time indoors rather than out experiencing nature. Louv states that prolonged alienation from natural surroundings can have deep affects on our mental and physical states, especially in our children. Research has shown that spending more time connected to nature can help with depression, obesity, ADD, and can stimulate creativity. 

In his most recent book, Louv has come up with a solution for nature-deficit disorder: Vitamin N. This book details specific activities on how to connect more with the natural world around you. Louv also cofounded Children and Nature Network (C&NN,) which is an organization determined to get children and families outside. Through this nonprofit’s website, you can take a pledge to finding Vitamin N and offers support, tips, and more. 

It might not be practical to drop everything in your life and go live in the woods forever, but there are lots of ways to implement some Vitamin N into your daily life. Enter: biophilic design. If you have been around on our blog for a while, you might have heard us talk about this. It is about integrating nature into your already present environment. It is so much more than just putting a succulent on your desk—do that if you want, though! Biophilic design takes into account the whole space, whether that is your home, your office, or wherever you spend your time. 

Pieces that can be considered biophilic design are plants, water, natural light, even natural air flow. Ment was created with a biophilic design in mind. We have a little green in every room of our space, a huge skylight in the coworking lounge and more. However, your place of work doesn’t have to do the design for you, you can do it yourself. Open the blinds or the windows  in your office. Place some plants everywhere. Your eyes will shift to the green leaves and put you at peace. Buy some nature-inspired art to hang around. The best tip of all would be get outside! Take your lunch out on a bench, meet with clients at a restaurant with outdoor setting, or just go for a walk on your break. 

Our nature-deficit disorder that we might face may not be totally curable in an instant. It is something we have to work on every day. Taking into account the words of Richard Louv, begin to implement some of his tips into creating a life that is more green. 

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How to Turn Your Side Hustle into a Full-Time job

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More and more people have been turning to doing something on the side, along with their typical 9-to-5 job (cue the classic Dolly Parton.) Sometimes the income from one job just isn’t cutting it anymore or you are deciding to follow a deep-seeded passion of yours. A side-hustle may start just as such, but then may turn into a business of its own.

Leaving a seemingly steady job to embark on a business that is all your own can be invigorating, but also quite scary. Think about if you are willing to give up possible benefits and follow your heart’s desire. Of course, make sure you have enough income built up to live on beforehand. Are you making enough money with this side hustle to justify the leap? Don’t take the jump until you are fully ready and committed!

When starting out, you probably just want to reach as many people as you can through whatever means necessary, and I totally get that. But, just like any business, it is best to find your target market and stick to them. They will allow you to find your niche and decide what works and what doesn’t. Focus on what works. This could be through social media, traditional ads, or however you reach your consumer base. After the target market is met, branch out to those who might normally participate in your business. That is how to grow.

Time is money, especially as a fresh entrepreneur. Know that it’s on you to make things  happen but do not to spread yourself too thin: it’s a balance. Take breaks when you need them, do a little self-care, and then get back in the groove. I know it might be about making the most money at first, but soon it won’t be.

Being on your own in this capacity, you are probably wearing more than one hat: owner, HR, sales, and probably more. If you are feeling overworked and overwhelmed trying to get your business off the ground, break down your tasks into smaller ones and check them off of your list one by one. Seeing each item get ticked off makes you feel more accomplished and you will feel more productive! This builds up your own accountability. It is all on you and you can’t rely on any superiors to tell you what to do. Do what is best for you and your business.

This is one of my favorite tips that I have probably included in almost all my blog posts, but it is important! Ask for help! We as humans are not meant to do anything alone. When you are putting yourself in a vulnerable place such as starting your own business, know that it will be hard, but surround yourself with people who wish to see you succeed. Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely experience, especially if you are doing everything on your own. Get to know people in the same line of work as you. Understand them as people beyond the competition. They are competition is some aspects, but take what you can learn from them and apply it to what you do.

Stepping away from the familiar 9-5 can be daunting, but if you are truly ready, don’t let that hold you back. Take the leap of faith, and your wallet might thank you down the line!

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The Power of Empower-Ment

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Written by Pare and Flourish Co-Founders, Katie Butler and Skylar Wooden

When asked what our “-ment” word was, it was obvious. Empowerment.

From the start of Pare and Flourish, we had one mission in mind: to empower others. Through articles. Through close-knit conversations. Through panel discussions.  

And though it’s taken different forms, our mission has always been the same.

Carrying that vision forward, we’ve chosen Ment Cowork as the location for our second Flourishing Females event on June 1st. [This event includes a panel discussion about finding your niche, a workshop on grabbing your audience’s attention, and lots of food, drinks, and networking.]

Ment is leading the charge for coworking in Bowling Green, bringing with them a culture of uplifting collaboration—perfect for a day of learning, growing, and connecting with local female entrepreneurs. Perfect for empowerment.

>> Interested in checking it out? Information and tickets for the event are available here.

In honor of this event being at Ment, we’ve reflected on the ways we’ve set out to empower women in our community, and what empowerment means to us.

Empowering Our Readers

Whether it gives you the power to network without fear or to ask for that raise, a blog article speaks to a part in us that needs development. Parts of us that we know are there, but need a push to be put into motion.

That’s how we started—writing blog articles on topics we struggled through and learned from, in hopes of empowering someone else to jump the hurdle. We shared our advice in the most genuine, authentic way we could.

Here’s a snippet from our very first post, setting the tone for Pare and Flourish:

“It is a personal mission of ours not to romanticize our lives, as is so often done in the age of social media.

So here we have a safe space. A space for the real, the authentic, and the genuine.

In this blog, you can expect first-hand accounts of our daily life struggles, how we’ve learned (so far) to become happy with the choices that we’ve made, and pieces of advice that we would like to have learned earlier on. You’ll find that we’ve made mistakes. You will also find what we’ve made of those mistakes. We hope that you apply our retrospection to your life, and come out ahead.”

Read the rest of this article here.

Empowering Our Peers

When blog articles didn’t feel like enough—like we weren’t reaching enough people, like we weren’t making a big enough impact—we transitioned to events.

Our first foray into events was the Flourish Roundtable. Roundtables are small group discussions, promoting authenticity and empowerment.

We wanted more than screen engagement. We wanted real, deep connection based on topics that are relevant to all of our lives. To provide a place where women could look around and see that there are other women feeling similar emotions, having similar thoughts.

Roundtables are a place for thoughtful engagement, advice, support, and all the good feels.

Recounting a Roundtable experience, this is what we wrote:

“If you’ve ever wanted to be a part of something bigger than yourself, something that makes you feel connected to someone based on more than your common interests, but on your common beliefs and feelings, this is the place for you. A Flourish Roundtable event creates that connection. And we are honored to facilitate that connection.”

Read the rest of this article here.

Empowering Our Flourishing Females

When Roundtables weren’t enough, we widened our audience. Flourishing Females Panel + Workshops became a way to do more than gather.  

We widened our net to any woman who owns her own business, or aspires to. No matter the situation, there’s something to gain from this event.

Networking with like-minded women.

Learning from established entrepreneurs and leaders about their own challenges and advice.

Engaging in workshops to collaborate and motivate.

 

After our first Flourishing Females event, as always, we wrote about it.

“We created this Panel + Workshop as a way to expand our reach, and include a wider point of view from our panelists in their respective industries. Without knowing what shape it would take, we started putting together a panel, planning a workshop, and connecting everything in between.

We were overwhelmed with the number of people who were willing to jump in and make this happen. It confirmed something we already knew about Bowling Green: everyone wants to see each other succeed.”

Read the rest of this article here.

Join us at our second Flourishing Females Panel + Workshop to feel the empowerment first hand. Maybe you’re starting a business and need a network. Maybe you have a business and feel alone in it. Maybe you have a great idea and you need the courage to put it out there.

No matter what, and no matter what you do, this event is for you.  

Don’t forget to register!

 

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Getting Paid to Travel

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There is such a craze around the idea of getting paid to travel. We get it, the Monday – Friday 9 to 5 jobs are not for everyone. “Location Independent Nomads” could possibly be one of my favorite titles and who knows, it could be your next one. However, if you’re not too into the digital ways of work, CNBC released an article last summer on the best travel jobs that pay six figures and they are careers any one of us could be working towards. Taking it a step further, I decided to go on a job hunt for you by using Simply Hired. Here are a few to get you started. Click on the job titles to start applying today and shout us out when you’re a successfully employed traveler!

1.  Airline Pilot Average salary: $137,330

Hotel accommodations? Check. Transportation to the airport? Check. An allowance for meals? Got it! Any other expense incurred while “on the clock” don’t worry about it. The airline you work for will have that covered as well. Not only do you get to get paid to travel, you get compensated when you arrive at your destination. Sounds like a pretty nice deal to us.

2. Cruise Ship Director Average salary: $136,000

Let’s make like a Tom and cruise. Plug in a few nautical terms to your vocabulary and place the hat upon your head because your future out to sea is underway. If you find your skillset to be in planning, events and having fun, this could be the job for you. The cruise director takes charge of activities, entertainment, recreations and events for all ages of a cruise ship, for both kids and adults, whether it’s games and scavenger hunts or happy hours and themed nightclub events.

3. Creative or Art Director Average salary: $133,000

Let’s make like a Tom and cruise, again? Creative or Art Directors have the job of determining the overall vision, working with designers, artists, copywriters and marketers when a new location (or ship) in built within the company. Hotels, cruise ships, airlines, bus companies and more all need creative and art directors. Do you have the eye for this type of job? Aye Aye captain!

4. Travel Publicist Average salary: $116,000

Are you the type who makes best friends with fellow hotel guests while on vacation? You may just have a future in PR. As a travel publicist, you could be working for a hotel (or hotel chain), cruise line, airline or with an agency that represents travel-related clients. Most travel publicists are required to travel for their job to pitch new clients, familiarize themselves with properties they represent, take journalists on press trips or to participate travel trade shows and conferences. This sounds like a dream!

Others listed are Director of Sales ($108,737),  Hotel Manager ($105,000), Luxury Travel Advisor ($100,000), all easily attainable and ready to put you on the map. Where will you go next?

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You Should Probably Go Outside

Hello everyone! I am back again with the last blog post of March. Where has March gone? I feel like 2019 just started and we are a quarter of the way through.

Well, you probably know this already, but this month at Ment we have been focusing on making our lives a little more g r e e n, whether that is recycling, getting out into nature, or getting more bang for our buck. We are rounding out this month with a look into our daily lives, examining how much time we are spending outside.

This month as well, we have partnered with the BikeWalkBG initiative to promote people to go out and see our beautiful town. I am not originally from Bowling Green; I moved here in 2016 for my freshman year at WKU. However, I have always found that the springtime is my favorite time of year on campus and in the town as well. The cherry blossoms on campus bloom right around this time. They cover the walkways with shades of pink and red and make the campus all the more beautiful. Outside of campus, I love Fountain Square, with a cup of Spencer’s Coffee in hand. Also, I love to go to local parks and hang up my hammock and taking in the sunshine on my face. Bowling Green has some of the most beautiful green spaces and you would be crazy to not take advantage of them!

Just taking in some of your local green spaces immensely boosts your mental health and overall well-being. Ment Cowork is lucky to be so close to Fountain Square Park and Circus Square Park. Taking a walk outside or in nature is proven to boost your energy and reduce stress levels.

I know it isn’t always practical to go outside every time you are stressed. Instead, open up your window in your office and let the natural light in. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is open the blinds and let the sunshine hit my face. It instantly wakes me up and helps me start my day. Maybe get a real plant to put in the corner of your office. Just that little piece of green will spark something. Something as small as this will kickstart creativity and happiness and we all know happiness beats productivity. Take a lunch outside, display natural art in your office, or meet outside. All of these things create a greener workplace environment.

There are many studies that show the positive impact of nature on us but you don’t need a study to tell you how it makes you feel. I know for me, a day spent in nature raises my spirits. Hopefully some of these tips allow for a lifted, more productive, more g r e e n workday.

P.S. Our giveaway with BikeWalkBG is still going on until 3/29! Head over to our Instagram to enter to win a one day pass to Ment, a Ment hat and shirt, gift cards to Bike Rack Bistro and Nat’s Outdoor Sports, and MORE!

 

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Work-Life Balance: Coworking Wellness

We all are familiar with the hopes and dreams a new year brings. For some, it acts as an excuse to reinvent themselves, for others it may bring disappointment when looking back on past failed attempts. No matter how the start of a new year is viewed, it is still just that: a new year. 365 days that we have no idea what they will entail.

We decided here at Ment that we are going to play into the New Years resolution mumbo jumbo because we found a resolution that we feel it completely 110% worth making an effort to stick to. In 2019, we are going to promise to ourselves to find our own work-life balance and let our coworking space promote just that. We feel that it is our job to spread the light and be the lighthouse for all who are out there struggling to start their “not-so-typical” careers and those who are creators and self-starters, those who don’t thrive in the old ways of having a traditional 9 to 5 Monday thru Friday work week, those reinventing themselves.

Coworking wellness is something you will see us bringing up this year and we are thrilled to begin sharing it with you, our community. From mastering the art of hygge, to collaborative coworking studios and community-focused working, we will be covering it all.

From our team to you, cheers to a Happy New Year and an even Happier New You!

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