Thursday, March 20, 2014

It's Been Fun

I can't believe that our class has come to a close. I am so happy to have met some of the nicest people and to call you guys my friends :)

My ultimate favorite lesson was the Myers Briggs section. I really enjoyed learning more about myself and how to use my personality traits to become a better leader. I also really enjoyed the project, despite all of the work that it required. It taught me how to give a formal presentation (I had never had a formal presentation before) and how to pitch an idea. As for the overall class, I really enjoyed finding that leader within me. By taking this class, I can see the leadership that others have around me as well as the leadership that I have. This class was a great experience and I would most definitely recommend it to other students.

As for my future, I hope to use my leadership skills on my team and in my classes. Looking further ahead, I hope to use my leadership skills in the work force when I am older.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Group Development

After thinking about videos that display the first stage stage in Tuckman's stages of group formation, I thought of a movie that perfectly described Tuckman's stages.
The stage missing is the very first stage, forming. In the video clip above, the kids from the Breakfast Club are all put together and find themselves there for very different reasons. Towards the end of this clip, they find a common purpose- to leave the detention room.

As for the other clips, the first clip appeared to be the fourth stage: performing. In this stage they were all flexible and willing to help their struggling teammate to complete what needed to be done.

The second clip displays the fifth stage: adjourning. In this clip, the genie is set free and they say their goodbyes. Achievements are remembered and looked back upon with happiness.

The third clip is stage two due to the members of the football team not gelling as one, but staying separated as individuals.

Lastly, the fourth clip demonstrates the third stage: norming. In this clip, the fish come together to reach their goal. They begin to work together and accept each other's viewpoints.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Slow Down

I am a very energetic person with a racing mind. This makes communicating for me relatively difficult at times. With thoughts running at 10,000 miles an hour, it can be difficult at times to get all of my thoughts out while still making sense to those around me (you may even see this in my posts, sorry!). Because of this, I have learned to slow myself down both when thinking and speaking. By taking the time to think organize my thoughts better, I have found that it is a lot easier to communicate with those around me. Not only has slowing down helped my ability to get my point across to other people, but it has improved my listening ability. Rather than letting my thoughts race, I have learned to focus more on what other people are saying. Listening is just as important as communication. If we could all take the time to slow down and listen to what others have to say, we can not only learn from others but be a good friend to that person. Everyone values a person who can listen.


"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." -Winston Churchill

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Living Positively

After looking for an essay that I could relate to, I found an an essay that stuck out to me, "Happiness is a Choice". This essay was written by a man named Aaron Huntington who grew up being blind. In his essay, he talks about the struggles that he faced with his visual impairment. Rather than dwelling on the disadvantages associated with blindness, he chooses to focus on the blessings in his life. This is something that I have chosen to do for a long time. By having a positive attitude, life is more enjoyable. You are the only that can control your happiness, despite what curve balls life decides to throw you.
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I believe in the power of inspiration. I have found that by becoming inspired by those around me, I have made positive changes to my life. I am inspired almost everyday by those around me, whether it is by my classmates, teammates, friends, strangers, or by people successful in their field.

My biggest inspiration is my mom. Yeah, I know.. I already mentioned how much I love my mom in my last post.. but she's pretty awesome. She has inspired me to be the strong hard-working person that I am today, and for that I am very thankful.

Inspiration plays a large role in my life. I believe that people affect the way others feel and can influence others in a positive manner. For me, I look to my classmates to push me to be a better student. I look to my teammates to motivate me to improve and set new personal records. I look to those who are successful to inspire me to work hard so that I can achieve my dreams.

By having many inspirations, I have been able to do things that I never knew were possible for me. I have pushed my limits and worked my hardest. Without inspiration, I would not have found my passions that I have today. Without inspiration, my life would not be as exciting or happy as it is.

With that said, I hope to spread this gift with those around me. I hope to inspire the world one day.


Sunday, February 9, 2014

Chasing those Dreams

My life is one big commitment. Everyday, I find myself committing to my academics, my team, my friends, my family, my passions, and myself. While my life often feels hectic and busy, I love it this way. By committing to everything that I enjoy and love, I have found a sense of fulfillment in my life. 

(found this chart to be very helpful)

So where in the world am I going with all of this? To be honest, I really don't know. So let's talk about my values and how those values create congruence with myself and my commitments.

For starters, I am a huge family person. Since before I can even remember, my family has always come first in my life. I will always love and cherish the wonderful people that I was blessed to grow up with. One person that I am especially thankful for is my mom. In fact, my mom is and always has been my most valued relationship. As a child, I was always inspired by the determination and strength she possessed. She never gave up on anything, ever. Whenever I felt sad or afraid, she was always there to cheer me up and push me to conquer my fears. Most importantly, my mom always pushed me to do my best in everything I do and to always believe in myself.


Being 2,000 miles away from home has not changed my values. In fact, my values have only been strengthened. By living in a foreign place, I have discovered more of who I am and what I stand for. One of the most important things I have learned since coming here is to never give up on my dreams. No matter how daunting those dreams may be, you just need to stick with them. 

During these past few months, I have had moments of doubt. I have often found these questions forming in my mind. Do I really have what it takes to get where I want to go? Do I really want the path that I have chosen to take? 

Despite having these doubts in the back of my mind, I have found that by reminding myself of my values and surrounding myself with positivity, I have been able to overcome my doubts. One of may favorite quotes is by Walt Disney, in that quote he says that "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I agree 100% with this quote. We cannot reach our dreams in life without risking failure. Sometimes we must fail a few times before we succeed. With that said, I am able to remain congruent with myself through my values and belief in myself. 

Sunday, February 2, 2014

This Is Your Life.

Try something new. 
This is something that I have always made a very large effort to do, since I was a child. I always made an effort to try new foods, make new friends, try new sports and activities, read new books, and even to see new places.  By trying new things, I have found life to be more interesting and fulfilling.

When looking for a video on Ted Talks, I was immediately drawn to the video posted above. Stepping outside of my comfort zone is something that I truly value. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I have encountered life experiences that I would never have experience before. In fact, without stepping outside of my comfort zone, I would not be here at SCU. Leaving my home to go to a college that's 2,000 miles away was not exactly easy, but I am so glad that I pushed myself to do it!

Another Ted Talk that I really enjoyed watching was this talk on the difference between winning and succeeding. I found this video very interesting and prevalent to my life as a student and as an athlete. As a student, I am often pushed to succeed and in athletics I am told to win. Another aspect of this video I really liked was his advice. He discussed the importance of being on time, not using profanity, being neat and clean, and realizing that winning does not always mean succeeding. My favorite part of this talk was when he quoted his father saying "don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses, just get out there and what ever you're doing, do it to the best of your ability". This really stuck with me. Life isn't always easy. Rather than kicking and screaming about things not going your way, stop and just make what you can with what you have. This is something that I try my best to live my life by. 

So how in the world does any of this have to do with congruence. Well, these are two values that I try to live by. By trying something new, I am able to use my courage and strength to step into the unknown. As a student and an athlete, I must keep a positive attitude. By making the best of every situation, I can achieve great things. With the courage to try new things, I can experience great things and make new discoveries, something that no one else can do for you. By staying positive, I can control my outlook on life. Life is more enjoyable when you don't focus on the negatives. With that said, remember something. This is your life. How do you want to spend your life?


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Just a Code

It seems so strange to me that a four letter code can sum up my personality. At first, I was very skeptical of this Myers-Briggs test. It just seemed too.. easy? After discovering that my four letter code was ESFP I just had to investigate. What did this test have to say about me.

After doing some research over the internet, I found some surprisingly accurate characteristics that I have. Here's what I found:
  • ESFPs love communicating with other people and can spend hours upon hours chatting about various topics. 
    • (Very true. I can talk for hours.)
  • There is no clearer tell-tale of an ESFP than the fact that someone has just spent the last hour talking about everything but the topic that was supposed to be the main reason for the conversation.
    • (Also true. I get distracted veeeery easily while talking.. I feel sorry for my friends!)
  • They are immersed in a never-ending performance, trying to cheer other people up.
  • Very observant, able to notice and respond to someone’s distressed emotional state.
While I do agree with these traits, I feel as if this test was not 100% accurate. Sure, I do enjoy hanging out with my friends and talking non-stop, however I do not agree with the lack of organization often associated with ESFPs. My teachers and friends often tease me for how organized my notebooks and planners are. While I am very organized with my school work, I am not organized when it comes to making plans. I like to play everything by ear, which is most likely why I am Perceiving. 

"When we put people in boxes where they can only be one or another, we miss the opportunity to see people as diverse as they are"

While I do not agree 100% with my four letter code, I do think that it is very helpful to know what your personality type is. It was helpful hearing what jobs would be good for those with my personality type. As for the personality codes making people seem less diverse, I don't agree with that statement. Just being you are categorized into a certain personality type, does not mean that you fit into that personality type 100%. We also have different levels (or percentages) of each letter in the code, which makes us more unique from one another. 

Overall, I really enjoyed learning what my personality type was. While I do not agree with everything presented before me, it still very helpful and informing to learn about my strengths and weaknesses. With a better understanding of how I work, I believe that it will be easier to work in a group by knowing what my strengths and weaknesses are.