Attack Your Fears

Fears -- we all have them. When we were younger it was fear of the dark or of the monsters our older siblings told us were hiding under the bed. As we mature we become unafraid of the dark and can go to sleep without checking for those monsters under the bed. While those fears may subside, as we mature, we develop new fears. Scared to be alone or scared to fail, scared to audition for the local talent show or scared to apply for the perfect job.

Regardless of the magnitude of our fears, the truth is they hold us back. But why do we let them? And what keeps us from overcoming them?

Here's a little secret- I'm scared of failure. I'm sure it's no surprise that, for this perfectionist, one of my fears is failure. But if I let my fear of failure get in the way of pursuing my dreams, what good is that? What will life be like in 10 or 20 years if I don't push my fear aside and pursue my greatest desires? I know that I don't want to wake up one morning realizing that my life is only mediocre, realizing that my life could have been extraordinary if I could have overcome my fear of failure.

What about you? What dreams have you pushed to the side, because your fears have got in the way? Do you, like me, find yourself wondering 'what if'?

• What if you applied for your dream job? 
• What if you went back to school? 
• What if you went on your dream vacation or started your own business?  
• What if you stopped wondering and faced your fear head on?

Whatever your fear, I challenge you to face it. Or, as someone recently challenged me, attack your fear.

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. -Eleanor Roosevelt

Attack your fear and stop asking what if. Don't let your fears keep you from living the life you imagined.

Until next week,

Don't Forget the Big Picture

Meeting season is coming to a close and for the first time in over two months I will spend the entire week in the office! I'll be honest, meeting season was a little overwhelming at times, but there's no question I loved the opportunity I had to visit with individuals about what's going on in agriculture. I kept hearing the same message over and over again...this is an exciting time to be in the agriculture industry, and I couldn't agree more!

I had the chance to visit with a rancher in South Dakota who shared some of the struggles he experienced with last years drought and heard about changes his operation has undergone as a result. Despite the challenges, he is optimistic that it's a great time to be in the livestock industry.

I visited with several North Dakota farmers who expressed their excitement about the coming year. Despite the challenges they faced with dry conditions last year, every farmer I visited with was optimistic about the future of the agriculture industry. Whether it's the technological advancements that are on the horizon or the immense opportunities for young people to pursue careers in agriculture, our farmers and ranchers are passionate about this industry.

I was privileged to meet a renowned speaker and futurist, who's excitement and passion for the future of agriculture are contagious. There's no question that it is a great time to be a farmer but this individual is certain that things for the agriculture industry will get even better!

I had the opportunity to visit with a agvocate who reminded me of the importance of sharing agriculture's story. Her passion for our industry and willingness to tell her story to others is truly inspiring me to look at ways that I can become a better agvocate.

There are some days when I forget the big picture. I get a little rundown and forget that being a part of agriculture is about more than a single person. As individuals in agriculture we all play a vital role in producing the food and resources our growing world needs and sharing agriculture's story.

So yes life has been a little hectic, but I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet individuals who are passionate about this industry. Life is busy and the future of the ag industry is bright...what more could a girl ask for?!

P.S. Tomorrow is National Agriculture Day. A day dedicated to recognizing the hard working men and women in the agriculture industry and a day that presents us with a great opportunity to visit with others about the contributions America's farmers and ranchers make around the world. I challenge you to thank a farmer or rancher AND find a way to tell agriculture's story to someone who might not know where their food comes from.

Happy National Ag Day!!

Until next week,

Sustainability- Agriculture's Buzz Word

Sustainability. A word that we are certainly hearing a lot more about. But what is sustainability? I think we can all agree that sustainability in agriculture is important, the challenge lies in determining a definition for this buzz word and taking a proactive approach at showing consumers that farmers and ranchers have always practiced sustainability.

I was privileged to attend the Bayer CropScience Sustainability in Agriculture Executive Course last month, and I came away from that course both excited and challenged. Growing up involved in agriculture I have had the opportunity to see sustainability in action from a very young age. Farmers and ranchers have always practiced sustainability; they work with the land and livestock and do their best to provide safe, delicious and affordable food to consumers while conserving the land and resources. And they do all of this despite many criticisms and increasing regulations. With the population expected to grow to 9 billion by 2050, there's no question that farmers are more sustainable today than they have ever been.

I want to share some of my key takeaways from the Sustainability course. It is my hope that these challenge you and get you thinking about sustainability and how we spread agriculture's sustainability message.

• There isn't a clear definition for sustainability. We, as an industry, need to define sustainability before someone else does. If we don't take a proactive approach to sustainability, someone else will inaccurately define this critical term.
• Growers don't necessarily want to use insecticides, pesticides, etc., because it's an added input cost. They only use these crop protection products when necessary. Consumers need to understand that producers don't overload on crop protection...it's expensive.
• Don't put "sustainability" in a box. It's a strategy, a lifestyle really. We have to understand that sustainability has changed. What were considered sustainable practices for my grandfather's generation might not be the same as the practices my dad and brothers use on our operation today. We have to constantly be thinking of the future and how we can continue to conserve the land and resources.
• Sustainability is a moving target. It has changed over generations and continues to change at a rapid pace. Again, we need to be thinking about future generations.
• Sustainability is the ability to endure. If farmers and ranchers weren't sustainable we would not have the cheapest food source in the entire world. Sustainability is the peace of mind that when we go to the grocery store there will be food to feed our families with.

Although there's not a set definition for sustainability, I think we can all agree that sustainability is doing our best to produce the safest food possible using practices that will ensure the land is available for generations to come. Obviously agriculture has to be sustainable. If farmers and ranchers don't take care of the land, they don't have a job and their families won't have food to eat or clothes to wear. While we know that our industry is sustainable, we cannot assume consumers know that. We need to be flamboyantly transparent. We need to show consumers that we are acting in the best interest of our land and livestock, as well as, in the best interest of consumers and future generations.

"When people say you have a problem, throw open the door and show them you don't." -Temple Grandin 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I've had the best of intentions to sit down and write a  blog post, but work has been busy and I've been on the road...a lot! On top of that, calving season is underway. Next to harvest, calving season is my favorite time of year. So far there are over 90 calves running around and a whole lot more will join them before too long.

I'm looking forward to start blogging on a more regular basis. Here's a sneak peak of what you can expect

• Takeaways from the Bayer CropScience Sustainability Course
• God Made a Farmer
• Turn Around!

Here's just one of many pictures I took out in the calving barn this weekend...a glimpse at why I love life as a farm girl!

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...Sort of

The last 24 hours have been interesting, to say the least. Cancelled flights, delayed flights and flights that leave minutes before you arrive at the gate (breathless after running across the entire airport) were common occurrences yesterday.

It's funny because no matter how well you have something planned, you have no control over the weather and no say as to when a plane will take off. So after spending too many hours in the airport yesterday and spending a short night in Minneapolis, I'm at the airport to try my luck again today.

I'll admit, yesterday there were a few times when I got frustrated...then I remembered that I'm not in control. That reminder helped me to smile when I discovered I'd missed my flight by mere minutes and that I'd have to wait until today to arrive at my meeting.

So often we let one bad situation ruin our entire day, but why? Yesterday was a prime example that smiling in the midst of not-so-ideal situations helps to make the hours pass more quickly.

Yesterday was plagued with several unideal situations. Despite that, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours with my best friend and I'm getting a blog post done. See, good things do come from bad days! I hope that when life throws a curveball your way, you endure it with a smile on your face and the knowledge that you aren't in control.

P.S. I'm headed to North Carolina to attend a Bayer CropScience sustainability conference. I can't wait to share some of the things I learn when I return!

Until next week,

Thankful for the Occasional Breakthrough

Papers spread across the table, country music playing on the radio and my pen frantically jotting down my thoughts...today I felt like a college student who let that paper deadline creep up on me, which I assure you I never actually let happen in college!

With the deadline for the next issue of the North Dakota Soybean Grower magazine a mere two days away, I don't even open my calendar anymore for fear that my giant 'to-do' list will grow each time I look at it. It seems that the closer the deadline is, the worse my writer's block gets...but today I finally had a breakthrough. I got through an entire article this morning, am going to put the finishing touches on a second article and I will even get my weekly post done before noon, well it's pretty close anyway!

Writing for the magazine is my favorite part of what I do and it amazes me how a few words can completely change the tone of a story. I'm also amazed at how, even when I'm writing about the incredible agriculture industry, I still encounter writer's block! I'm thankful for the opportunity to highlight our industry, even when it gets stressful.

A scene that is so reminiscent of my days as college student. 

I hope that your week is going great! If it's anything like mine, I'm sure that it has had its fair share of challenges but hopefully you've had a of breakthrough or two.

Until next week,

Gotta go long, Gotta go hard, Gotta go fast

I first hit the slopes of Big Sky at the age of five. Since then, many family vacations have occurred on the side of a mountain. Since first hitting the slopes, I have become a much more proficient skier (no lie, ask anyone!) and can keep up with my dad. Many long car rides, hours on ski lifts and nights spent playing games are some of my favorite memories from my childhood. 
Last week I had an opportunity to spend four amazing days on the slopes with my family and our family friends. The times we spend together are moments I truly treasure. Since my first time on skis to now, I have spent a lot of time on my butt (less now that I'm older!), taken many trips up the ski lift, and certainly left my mark on the slopes...it's safe to say I've learned a few lessons.
Lessons Learned on the Slopes
5 second rule: One of the very first things you learn when skiing with our crew is that the longer you spend on the ground the more likely it is that you will encounter snow fog. What is snow fog? Basically it's when everyone skiing in your group that's behind you when you fall will ski as fast as they can until they get three feet from where you lay, then they stop...abruptly thus spraying you with snow. Regardless of age or gender, you better learn to get up pretty fast when you fall because otherwise you are sure to get sprayed. Word of advice, if you think you might fall let everyone else ski in front of you!
7 hour car rides are the best: Whenever my family goes skiing we always go with the Gussiaas family. The Topp-Gush ski trips are the source of some of my fondest memories. The long car rides with my two best friends have generated stories that we still talk about to this day. I often think our dad's wished we would've had dvd players in the suburbans when we were younger so they didn't have to listen to us play our favorite game 'What would you rather be?'
Gotta go long, gotta go hard, gotta go fast: This is the mantra of the Topp-Gush ski trips. When you only get a few days on the slopes you cherish every moment. It's our anthem, a constant reminder to cherish every second we have on the slopes, every moment we have together. Growing up on the slopes with my family and closest friends is something I am so thankful for. I am glad that my parents allowed the boys and I the opportunity to spend a few days on the mountain every year. I think this a motto we can apply to our everyday life. Life is short, we never know how much time we are given, so we need to cherish every second of it. Set the bar high. Don't stop until you've carved up the entire mountain, or reached your dream!

The good lookin' Gush-Topp gang...minus Amanda.

Becca, myself and Jessica when we were much younger!

Jessica, Becca and myself. So blessed to have these two as friends!

I had a blast hitting the slopes last week, and I can't wait until the next Topp-Gush adventure! 
Until next week,