Lapdog/ Ted Talks

The Lapdog trip was one of the most fun things I've ever done and that actually surprised me because I was unaware I could find hanging 80ft above the ground fun. It was truly a challenge to me not only because of the height and objectives but because I am not a physical contact person. It was funny how quickly I stopped caring about personal space though once I had to rely on my group to not fall. Also the fact that we were all relying on one another made me put aside my own problems to focus on the group problem. I believe that the role of trusting was a lot harder than being trusted. There was a lot of pressure from everyone relying on you however I've found that I work well under pressure and I was comfortable and confident with that position because I knew in the end I could do it. However when it came to trusting others I was more weary. As an entire group I was confident in us but when I had to trust just one specific member that was when the nerves came in. I didn't know more than half my team and not knowing their strengths or weakness made me doubtful. On the other hand the people I did know were easier to trust but only at certain times because I was aware of their weaknesses so when a situation where a weakness was exposed occurred I tended to take the lead because I wasn't comfortable trusting them. I felt that there was never one leader in our group we would trade off depending on our strengths and it was usually a group of leaders instead of one person. Basically when I had an idea or something I could offer I would serve my team, which is what I've always been told is the most important job of a leader : to serve. The main things I learned were communication is key and to continue trying until you succeed. The concepts are pretty simple but actually applying them is more difficult. I have to make sure I'm a good listener but also that I voice my questions and opinions so others can help me and we can cooperate and understand each other more effectively. The second lesson has been taught to us since we were babies and it's all about persistence and getting back up. Challenges will always emerge and there will be times when I fail but I just have to keep looking forward and learn from my mistakes. 

 I really enjoyed the ted talks video and the happiness philosophy presented. I believe myself to be a pretty positive person but what he said is true; I have always measured happiness through success. The 5 habits to happiness were:

1. A gratitude journal (3 things per day)

2. positive experience journal ( 1 per day)

3. Exercise

4.Meditation

The most appealing of the 5 to me is Random Acts of Kindness. I feel that helping others will be more satisfying to me than any of the other four ways. I am very interested in trying the 21 day challenge and while it'll be hard to remind myself to do it every day I want to try the Random Acts of Kindness.

First Encounters

First impressions matter! Regardless of years of hearing people say "Don't judge a book by it's cover" the podcast and handout emphasize the reality of human nature, and our dependence on first impressions. The main point was to always be prepared to make a good first impression because it will make it simpler to form good relationships among coworkers. To achieve this a person has to basically focus on three things: Confidence, Curiosity, and Concentration. Successful first conversations should focus on your employer and yourself only. You need to summon your inner 'I'm awesome and I know it" spirit to become confident but also remember that you are probably standing in front of an equally amazing person and interrogate them on their awesome achievements. A great first conversation can make all the difference and makes up for not having a mind-blowing first impression appearance. Once first impression about you are made the next step is all about concentration. You have to stay focused and notice as many details as possible to learn all you can and impress your coworkers with your quick  learning skills. Use all available resources to research as much as you can about the people and customs around the office, and concentrate on forming relationships with as many coworkers as you can. Continue to always sell yourself and stay in the front of people's minds so you can build a reliable positive image of your self to the organization, and always have a smile on your face to enhance your reputation. Keeping the three C's in mind will allow you to be informed, well liked, valuable, and over all successful in the scary world of jobs and adults.