From Selfish to Helpful

So, I started this blog while I was on reading break - Feb 16 or something like that - but my computer backspaced and I thought I lost it so, frustrated, I gave up and shut off my computer. Now I had somebody inform me that it saves a draft and so I suppose I should finish it since it has been a while since I've updated.. though I have been busy with school and I think that's a fairly vaild excuse. however - here is what I started and will finish today:

So I know it's been a while since I've focused on my leadership goals. I am on vacation (for myself) and thinking that, while I feel selfish for focusing on myself, it is important to take care of yourself before anything else. I've always emphasized this, and even in my last blog - because if I can't take care of myself how can I expect others to have the confidence in me? The one thing that has been on my mind is my career - what am I going to do when I graduate from university? so many students let their degrees linger on their CV, hidden like mothballs until one day they open the closet and their favorite sweater is destroyed. I do want to take this time to celebrate with those I love and travel the world, but why not do both? use my skills, advance my charity goals, and help myself. So.. in order to help put my mind in order I'll write down my skills and interests and see if any of them match.



Skills:

friendly demeanor

motivating people

willingness to research what I don't know / research skills

positivity/optimism

compassion for all living things

writing skills

first aid



ok.. so most of these are people skills.. customer service type stuff - stuff I value most. I'm sure I could include my interest in music, dance, and fitness.. I guess willingness to research encompasses a lot of what I've learned in university.. those last two I added because I felt I didn't have enough practical skills in this list that I could actually formulate into something useful..

continued on from that technical blip that caused me to delay half a month in completing this section:

With future thoughts on this idea, these skills are helpful in making an impression on people and the beginning of my goal to be a leader. In addition, I've began to think of the networking that I have available to me because I have been so involved in volunteering in the community, making friends from different backgrounds and skills, and keeping in touch with family members who also have different backgrounds and resources at my disposal. Just recently however I have discovered that finding one small goal and buidling up seems to take away from the overwhelming aspect of changing the world. I read somewhere that the first step to changing the world is looking somewhere close to home - family, friends, community projects you are involved in- find out what could be improved and how you can have a hand in improving it.

So here's what I have on networking:
First, a project my friend is involved in, project FrEd (there's some advertising for you my friend), which involves bringing education through a wiki-sort of program, each curriculum is modified to an individual student needs and eventually education might be able to be free (but I'll let him tell you more about that if you're interested) - this is a project I am honored to be involved in, starting close to home, in order to try and achieve the first goal I have of education and confidence

I have also had insight while job hunting for the summer into helping kids with weight-management issues dampening self-confidence. I found a website for a weight-management camp which focuses on healthy living rather than a "fat camp" to make kids feel bad about themselves and engages them in many confidence boosting activities.. I have to talk to them and find more out about this but as I have recently become interested in the topic of obesity this is something close to home as well

Before looking at these two slightly larger projects however, starting with children I KNOW and even something as simple as setting up personal time with them once a week (like big-brothers big-sisters) will help me figure out how young girls in particular experience their world, what kinds of things will help them get ahead in life, how some of them get lost etc. In this I also have networks - teachers, daycare leaders, enthousiastic students, young parents, the kids themselves - that can help me understand and help these lost students, or help maintain those students that have found thier confidence.

Before this entry becomes too long though I will leave you there. My mind has been racing with ideas and the most important thing I need to remind myself is to start small.. and even before that, to complete my degree and not get lost in something that can be saved for a few months later which might sacrifice some time that could be spent on my school assignments.

that being said, I will try my best to update this site once a week. I will set aside no more than an hour (it's only been about 40 min now) to place my thoughts and as I stated in the beginning, I always welcome commentary and input in any form. :)