Chapter 1 : Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
Right now if I could change anything in my life right now it would be how Covid is impacting me. Covid-19 has not only affected me personally, but the entire world. I hate to see the pain it has caused people close to me and others. In my life my family has been lucky to not be heavily affected by this pandemic, but I still can understand the impact it must have on others. Personally I have had things such as sports, school functions, and other smaller things that have mostly impacted my life. The biggest thing I feel that was taken from me was my start of high school, while we still got half of freshman year, it wasn’t how it should have been. But, throughout all of this I am greatly thankful for what I do have and how little my family has suffered.
Chapter 23- Experiment with Your Back Burner
Quote: It puts our quieter, softer and sometimes most intelligent source of thinking to work for us on issues that we have no immediate answer for.
Overall, this quote is saying so many things that don’t really matter in our lives always seem to be a priority and are always on our mind. I find that most of the time most important things always come second to things that shouldn’t come first. It is hard to focus and make important decisions when so many things in our lives are on the “back burner”. Over time stress starts to build up and the back burner can’t take anymore, and I think that is why we push what should be most important away and worry about things that have very little use in our lives. In the end I think it is difficult, but we need to take responsibility for ourselves to focus on what our priorities are in life to cause less stress, and less build up on our back burner.
Chapter 24-Spend a moment everyday thinking of someone to
thank
Who is someone you would like to thank at this moment and why?
Someone I would like to thank at this moment is my teachers. As I have been away from school for a little while, it has been difficult for me to stay 100% caught up with everything. They have taken time to help me with what I have needed to get caught up. I show gratitude towards them as much as I am working my hardest to get back to where I was before I was gone. I am thankful they are willing to set time aside to help me as much as they can.
Someone I would like to thank at this moment is my teachers. As I have been away from school for a little while, it has been difficult for me to stay 100% caught up with everything. They have taken time to help me with what I have needed to get caught up. I show gratitude towards them as much as I am working my hardest to get back to where I was before I was gone. I am thankful they are willing to set time aside to help me as much as they can.
Chapter 25- Smile at strangers, look into their eyes and say hello
When you read this chapter, regarding eye contact and connection, what are your initial thoughts?
When I first read the title of this chapter I wasn’t sure that eye contact really made that much of a difference in my day. However, as I continued to read I began to realize that I do feel a little bit better when someone I don’t know shows some sort of kind gesture. Even eye contact can make someone’s day a little bit better, this has the same effect as a simple smile. Now that I really understand the depth of this concept, I think it will be easier for me to show this towards someone, I may not even know.
When I first read the title of this chapter I wasn’t sure that eye contact really made that much of a difference in my day. However, as I continued to read I began to realize that I do feel a little bit better when someone I don’t know shows some sort of kind gesture. Even eye contact can make someone’s day a little bit better, this has the same effect as a simple smile. Now that I really understand the depth of this concept, I think it will be easier for me to show this towards someone, I may not even know.
Chapter 26 -Set Aside Quiet Time Everyday
When do you find a quiet moment in your day, everyday just to be present and quiet? Do you? Explain.
I definitely don’t take time to just take a moment to myself with absolutely no distractions. However, one thing I do almost everyday is take a nap. This is something I really enjoy doing and it always makes me feel so much better. I am aware that this is not the same as taking time to myself but throughout the day I feel like I don’t have time to take time to do nothing. But, when I get home I am often very burnt out and taking a nap really helps me feel calm and relaxed. I often wake up in a very good mood, ready to be productive. After this time, Is usually when I am working on homework and completing everything that is needed before I go to bed for the night.
I definitely don’t take time to just take a moment to myself with absolutely no distractions. However, one thing I do almost everyday is take a nap. This is something I really enjoy doing and it always makes me feel so much better. I am aware that this is not the same as taking time to myself but throughout the day I feel like I don’t have time to take time to do nothing. But, when I get home I am often very burnt out and taking a nap really helps me feel calm and relaxed. I often wake up in a very good mood, ready to be productive. After this time, Is usually when I am working on homework and completing everything that is needed before I go to bed for the night.
Chapter 27- Imagine the people in your life as Tiny infants and 100 year old adults
Describe a time when you have been frustrated with someone, but let it go and moved forward with your life? How did that make you feel?
Personally I believe that it is best to work your problems out with someone as soon as you can, because the problem often builds up and becomes worse. However, for short periods of time I do let things go just to get an end goal accomplished. It definitely doesn’t make me feel better because I always end up coming back to the issue later on. I think that this method I use in so many things in life, work skills, relationships, and everyday interactions. I understand the point of letting things go, but I don’t believe it is fair if both sides of something are not heard and dealt with.
Personally I believe that it is best to work your problems out with someone as soon as you can, because the problem often builds up and becomes worse. However, for short periods of time I do let things go just to get an end goal accomplished. It definitely doesn’t make me feel better because I always end up coming back to the issue later on. I think that this method I use in so many things in life, work skills, relationships, and everyday interactions. I understand the point of letting things go, but I don’t believe it is fair if both sides of something are not heard and dealt with.
Chapter 28- Seek first to understand
I can’t remember a specific time where I didn’t seek to understand another point of view before my own, I think it is something that always is around. I feel that I definitely have grown from where I used to be with communication and understanding others, but I still find times where I am so set in my own ways it's hard to understand why another person could also be right. I think it is important to at least try and understand that you can’t always be the one who's right, but it is also important to stand your ground and not back down.
Chapter 29- Become a Better Listener
I think that there are about 3 or 4 real friends who would really take the time to listen to me when I needed to talk. I think that if you strive to be good friends with someone, they should be able to trust you with their thoughts, even if it is a tough conversation. Not only can this bring relationships closer, but also help me individually as I become a stronger person talking about how I feel. These types of friendships became a necessity in my life as I learned I needed someone to talk to whenever I needed. I also think that the thought of someone being there for me always helps as well.
Chapter 30- Choose your battles wisely
I think that I am generally an honest person when it comes to conversations. I feel that there is no reason to hide what you are thinking even when it may contradict the other person's point of view. I also think it's great to have separate opinions, the world wouldn’t be where it is today if we all agreed. However, when having different opinions It is important to remain respectful to everyone within the conversation. It's important to let them have time to get across their point without you interrupting. With this being said, I don’t think I ever lost my shhh because I never had it to begin with, I always try and get my point across respectfully.
Chapter 31- Become aware of your moods and don’t allow yourself to be fooled by the low ones.
I have been having a lot of bad migraines lately, so that has definitely impacted my mood throughout different days. I think that I feel my day is automatically ruined when I have a bad migraine because I am limited to what I can do. I also think this has taken a toll on me as I used to be so outgoing and never stopped throughout the day. However, I can remember before my migraines started my mood was so much better as I was going all day and staying busy. I think that I am most happy when constantly doing things that need to be done and not taking a break until it is finished.
Chapter 32- Life is a Test. Only a Test.
“As an experiment see if you can apply this to something you are forced to deal with right now” Explain your emotions and logic behind the situation. Can you rise above it?
Honestly right now I feel like everything in my life is a test. My health has not been at its best, and I feel that this is making me fall behind in all aspects. Of course this makes me stressed because this is not where I saw myself being right now if you asked me a year ago. I feel unmotivated and like nothing is going my way. However, I am hoping that because I have not reached my goals for this year it will make me even more motivated for the upcoming year. I know I don’t want to be the person who doesn’t try. I want to be someone who looks at everything as an opportunity, or test. I hope that I will overcome this soon, so that I get back to being who I want to be. Looking at it as a test may help, because I know I want to pass.
Honestly right now I feel like everything in my life is a test. My health has not been at its best, and I feel that this is making me fall behind in all aspects. Of course this makes me stressed because this is not where I saw myself being right now if you asked me a year ago. I feel unmotivated and like nothing is going my way. However, I am hoping that because I have not reached my goals for this year it will make me even more motivated for the upcoming year. I know I don’t want to be the person who doesn’t try. I want to be someone who looks at everything as an opportunity, or test. I hope that I will overcome this soon, so that I get back to being who I want to be. Looking at it as a test may help, because I know I want to pass.
Chapter 33- Praise and Blame are all the same
You will not please everyone…how does this statement sit with you and why do we tend to focus on the negatives rather than the positives?
Of course I want to make everyone happy with everything I do so this is not the ideal way to think. As I have gotten older I have realized that my biggest decisions in life will not please everyone. I think it's most difficult because I constantly second guess myself when I hear different opinions. When I was younger my decisions didn't matter as much as they do now. I think we focus on the negatives more because it's someone disagreeing with our first opinion. I then start to think a lot about what the other person has said because I am not sure If i am making the right decision. I start to ask myself questions about if I am really right, and what could happen if I choose the wrong thing. I want to be able to care what nobody thinks but myself, but I know that is not a reality.
Of course I want to make everyone happy with everything I do so this is not the ideal way to think. As I have gotten older I have realized that my biggest decisions in life will not please everyone. I think it's most difficult because I constantly second guess myself when I hear different opinions. When I was younger my decisions didn't matter as much as they do now. I think we focus on the negatives more because it's someone disagreeing with our first opinion. I then start to think a lot about what the other person has said because I am not sure If i am making the right decision. I start to ask myself questions about if I am really right, and what could happen if I choose the wrong thing. I want to be able to care what nobody thinks but myself, but I know that is not a reality.
Chapter 34- Random Acts of Kindness
Describe a time when you completed a RAK and how did it make you feel?
Random acts of kindness or RAK, is something that makes everyone feel a little bit better about themselves. One of my favorite things to do is surprise people with gifts. I love to celebrate others wins, even if they are little, weather it's bringing them a drink from Starbucks or making them a gift basket. It's almost like a hobby of mine, and I am grateful I am fortunate to do simple things for others. They aren’t big acts of kindness, but I feel that it's something. It makes me not only feel good about myself but also excited to see how they react. I hope that I never lose the passion for gift giving.
Chapter 35- Looking beyond behavior:
In your own words describe the meaning of loving kindness-
Loving kindness is being considerate of others and always showing support for someone else. No matter what someone does, it's important to remember that kindness is key. You never know what someone may be going through in their own personal lives. I don’t necessarily think that it gives someone the right to act rude and inconsiderate, but you also shouldn’t let someone else ruin your mood or even your entire day.
Chapter 36- See the Innocence :
What occurs when we practice compassion towards others and let go of “their” story, rather than be caught up in the drama of the situation?
I think when many people practice compassion over drama, we try to understand each other on a deeper level. When I look at someone's situation I try my best to not judge them for things that I have heard, but instead try to understand their story. Of course it doesn’t always work that way, but I always try my hardest. It is always best when you stay out of the drama someone may bring with them. Drama always seems to get the best of people, even when it's not about you. I wish there was a world where drama didn’t exist.
Chapter 37- Choose being kind over being right:
Define equanimity. Do you practice this in your life? Ego first before you answer…
Equanimity is having balance in your life, being able to control your emotions even when stressed. I think I try as much as possible to practice this in my everyday life, but sometimes I can’t show equanimity every minute of every day. There are definitely moments when I break down and can’t control everything in me, but most of the time I feel like I am pretty controlled and composed. If anything I get stressed, but I work through it. I really try to be the best version of myself all time and that is why I think I have as much equanimity as possible.
Chapter 38-Tell three people (today) how much you love them:
In picking three people, who would you choose and why?
If I had to pick just three people, I would pick my mom, dad, and grandma. I would choose my mom because she is always there for me when I need something. Anything I need she drops what she is doing and makes sure I have what I need. By choosing my dad, I do this because he is constantly working nonstop for our family. We as a family have never had to struggle, and always get what we need without hesitation because of his hard work. Both of my parents work so hard to make sure my family can do extra things like vacations, or asking for anything for Christmas and I want them to know that it is appreciated. My Grandma is the last person I would choose and it is simply because she is the kindest and most selfless person I know. If I needed anything at all I know that she would be there for me, she always is. She makes sure that every holiday is special and always works hard to show how much she cares. All of these people love me endlessly and I want to be sure they know I feel the same.
Random acts of kindness or RAK, is something that makes everyone feel a little bit better about themselves. One of my favorite things to do is surprise people with gifts. I love to celebrate others wins, even if they are little, weather it's bringing them a drink from Starbucks or making them a gift basket. It's almost like a hobby of mine, and I am grateful I am fortunate to do simple things for others. They aren’t big acts of kindness, but I feel that it's something. It makes me not only feel good about myself but also excited to see how they react. I hope that I never lose the passion for gift giving.
Chapter 35- Looking beyond behavior:
In your own words describe the meaning of loving kindness-
Loving kindness is being considerate of others and always showing support for someone else. No matter what someone does, it's important to remember that kindness is key. You never know what someone may be going through in their own personal lives. I don’t necessarily think that it gives someone the right to act rude and inconsiderate, but you also shouldn’t let someone else ruin your mood or even your entire day.
Chapter 36- See the Innocence :
What occurs when we practice compassion towards others and let go of “their” story, rather than be caught up in the drama of the situation?
I think when many people practice compassion over drama, we try to understand each other on a deeper level. When I look at someone's situation I try my best to not judge them for things that I have heard, but instead try to understand their story. Of course it doesn’t always work that way, but I always try my hardest. It is always best when you stay out of the drama someone may bring with them. Drama always seems to get the best of people, even when it's not about you. I wish there was a world where drama didn’t exist.
Chapter 37- Choose being kind over being right:
Define equanimity. Do you practice this in your life? Ego first before you answer…
Equanimity is having balance in your life, being able to control your emotions even when stressed. I think I try as much as possible to practice this in my everyday life, but sometimes I can’t show equanimity every minute of every day. There are definitely moments when I break down and can’t control everything in me, but most of the time I feel like I am pretty controlled and composed. If anything I get stressed, but I work through it. I really try to be the best version of myself all time and that is why I think I have as much equanimity as possible.
Chapter 38-Tell three people (today) how much you love them:
In picking three people, who would you choose and why?
If I had to pick just three people, I would pick my mom, dad, and grandma. I would choose my mom because she is always there for me when I need something. Anything I need she drops what she is doing and makes sure I have what I need. By choosing my dad, I do this because he is constantly working nonstop for our family. We as a family have never had to struggle, and always get what we need without hesitation because of his hard work. Both of my parents work so hard to make sure my family can do extra things like vacations, or asking for anything for Christmas and I want them to know that it is appreciated. My Grandma is the last person I would choose and it is simply because she is the kindest and most selfless person I know. If I needed anything at all I know that she would be there for me, she always is. She makes sure that every holiday is special and always works hard to show how much she cares. All of these people love me endlessly and I want to be sure they know I feel the same.
Chapter 39 -Practice Humility
Describe a time when you saw an individual or a group lack humility. How did that make you feel about said individual/group? No need to share names in this example.
I think that there are so many people who lack humility on a daily basis that it is difficult to pick just one time that I remember. I think for someone to lack humility it means that they are not going through life in a humble way. They do things because they want to be praised, and noticed for their work. Every Once in a while it is nice to see recognition for the things you do, but it shouldn’t be the reason you are doing something. I have seen plenty of people who only do certain things so people see them as a good person, or hardworking. Personally, I believe that you shouldn’t even be given the opportunity to do that task if you are not doing it for the right reasons. I think that everyone needs to take a step back and look at why they are doing things and keep that reason in mind.
Chapter 40- When In Doubt About Whose Turn It Is To Take
Out The Trash, Go Ahead and Take It Out
What is your perspective/opinion of this article? Valid, or waste of time?
I think that this article was definitely worth the read even if I don’t 100% agree with what was said. It makes sense that you shouldn’t only recognize what you did, but also what others did to help you out. It's important to remember that you don’t always have to get recognized for what you are doing, instead of just doing what you think is right. You always have to be aware of your surroundings in the sense that you have to realize how other peoples actions can benefit you. Not only are they helping you out, but they probably won’t think much about it, they will just do it because they know it is right. You should also always think about what you can do to help others even if it does not benefit you personally. I think that it is definitely difficult to do this instead of just saying it, but it needs to be part of your everyday routine. Overall this article shows how important it is to be aware of your surroundings and be willing to help others with no recognition. This article was not a waste of time as it showed how we should be less selfish.
I think that this article was definitely worth the read even if I don’t 100% agree with what was said. It makes sense that you shouldn’t only recognize what you did, but also what others did to help you out. It's important to remember that you don’t always have to get recognized for what you are doing, instead of just doing what you think is right. You always have to be aware of your surroundings in the sense that you have to realize how other peoples actions can benefit you. Not only are they helping you out, but they probably won’t think much about it, they will just do it because they know it is right. You should also always think about what you can do to help others even if it does not benefit you personally. I think that it is definitely difficult to do this instead of just saying it, but it needs to be part of your everyday routine. Overall this article shows how important it is to be aware of your surroundings and be willing to help others with no recognition. This article was not a waste of time as it showed how we should be less selfish.
Chapter 41- Avoid Weatherproofing
Are you weatherproof? Explain.
I think that I do weatherproof, but only myself, not others. Of course in my mind I think about how other people can improve themselves but I always keep those thoughts to myself. Whereas for myself, I am always criticizing myself to other people. I never have really stopped to notice it about myself, but now thinking about it I do it all the time. I wouldn’t say so much in relationships, but instead just little things I want to improve about myself. For example, I always find myself looking at my coach right after I make a mistake and I know how to fix it. I feel the need to say what I did wrong out loud so I get reassurance. I know that this isn’t the exact type of weatherproofing that everyone does, but it is what I do as an individual.
Chapter 42- Send a moment everyday thinking of someone to love
Question- Who do you choose to send love to at this very moment?
I choose to send love to my grandma at this very moment. I always think about her during the holidays I don't really know why but I always do. She is someone I always look up to and admire the things she does for others. She is the reason that Christmas and other holidays are so special in our family. She does everything she can to make it the perfect Christmas every year. I have been thinking about her a lot recently because of her 80th birthday this year. I consistently can’t believe that she is 80, but I am so excited for her birthday this year. We rented a beach house over spring break and are surprising her with my Uncle and his family flying in from Idaho. I choose to send my love to her because any day I am not feeling good she sends me a text asking how I am doing. She does countless selfless actions that show her love and care towards others.
I choose to send love to my grandma at this very moment. I always think about her during the holidays I don't really know why but I always do. She is someone I always look up to and admire the things she does for others. She is the reason that Christmas and other holidays are so special in our family. She does everything she can to make it the perfect Christmas every year. I have been thinking about her a lot recently because of her 80th birthday this year. I consistently can’t believe that she is 80, but I am so excited for her birthday this year. We rented a beach house over spring break and are surprising her with my Uncle and his family flying in from Idaho. I choose to send my love to her because any day I am not feeling good she sends me a text asking how I am doing. She does countless selfless actions that show her love and care towards others.
Chapter 43- Become an Anthropologist
Question- Reflect on the following: “Judging others takes a great deal of energy and, without exception, pulls you away from where you want to be”
I think that judging others has a way of affecting me personally, I don’t ever mean to judge people negatively but I know this is something that is hard for me to control. Judging others is a part of our nature, but I know that it is something we have to make a change about. I don’t want other people judging me, so why would I judge them? I need to make a change in my life so that others actions are not putting a negative impact on my life. I need to remind myself that only other’s actions should impact me in a positive way. If they don’t I don’t need to judge them or really acknowledge them at all. I hope that I can make this change in my life so I only see the good in others.
Chapter 44- Understanding Separate realities
Question- Why is it important to see the differences amongst one another in our small intimate circle to cultures around the world?
Seeing differences in other people is important wherever you go in life. This can differ from being just in your friends, and why you choose to be friends with this certain person or being the differences between other countries and those people in it. Seeing differences allows you to appreciate the uniqueness of each individual. We are all different for a reason and I think it is important that we see that. If everyone was the same, we would live our lives so differently, and not in a good way. Life is so boring when you repeatedly do that same thing every single day, so it would be the same if we all acted the same way. I think it's important to understand our own differences as well as others. I want to set a goal to continue this awareness throughout my entire life.
Seeing differences in other people is important wherever you go in life. This can differ from being just in your friends, and why you choose to be friends with this certain person or being the differences between other countries and those people in it. Seeing differences allows you to appreciate the uniqueness of each individual. We are all different for a reason and I think it is important that we see that. If everyone was the same, we would live our lives so differently, and not in a good way. Life is so boring when you repeatedly do that same thing every single day, so it would be the same if we all acted the same way. I think it's important to understand our own differences as well as others. I want to set a goal to continue this awareness throughout my entire life.
Chapter 45 - Develop Your Own Helping Ritual
What are some ways you can help spread kindness towards others?
Some ways that I can help spread kindness is just keeping a positive attitude throughout my day. I think that it is important to remember that just smiling or saying kind words to someone else is key to making someone else's day. I think that this will not only help and encourage other people around you to be kind as well. This can also lift yourself up as spreading positivity makes you feel better as a person. Overall, I think that just a simple complement, smile, or saying hi to someone you see, can make their day. Positivity is so important to keep people motivated throughout their life.
Chapter 46- Everyday, Tell at Least One Person Something You Like, Admire or Appreciate about them
Give Someone a Compliment via Text Message or DM, Who did you choose and how did it make you feel to support them?
I chose one of my best friends, Katie Rhodes. I chose to compliment her, because she has been a very important and encouraging friend to me the past year. I never realized how much she does for me and decided I needed to appreciate that a lot more. She is so positive and never has self doubt. She is so inspiring and everyday I try to be a little more outgoing just like Katie. We have a type of relationship that balances each other out and it is so inspiring. I know that I would never have the courage to run for a class position if it weren’t for Katie. When I sent it, I texted her. It made me feel so happy to have someone like her in my life. It made me realize the important role she plays in my life and I wouldn’t be the same without her. Sending this complement made me feel so much gratitude for those in my life.
I chose one of my best friends, Katie Rhodes. I chose to compliment her, because she has been a very important and encouraging friend to me the past year. I never realized how much she does for me and decided I needed to appreciate that a lot more. She is so positive and never has self doubt. She is so inspiring and everyday I try to be a little more outgoing just like Katie. We have a type of relationship that balances each other out and it is so inspiring. I know that I would never have the courage to run for a class position if it weren’t for Katie. When I sent it, I texted her. It made me feel so happy to have someone like her in my life. It made me realize the important role she plays in my life and I wouldn’t be the same without her. Sending this complement made me feel so much gratitude for those in my life.
Chapter 47- Argue For Your Limitations, and Their Yours
Discuss a Time Where You had Self Doubt and Set Limitations for Yourself. How Did You and How Can You Change this Behavior?
A time I had self doubt and set limitations for myself was last year in Leadership. I decided to run for the exact same position that I had the previous year, Spirit. I love being a part of spirit but I knew that I wanted to do something more. I decided that it wasn’t worth taking a risk and doing something out of my comfort zone. I changed this behavior by running for a class position this year, without looking back. I decided that it was time for me to put my fear behind me and focus more on my goals, what I want in life. I am so excited to be putting myself out there and doing more for myself.
A time I had self doubt and set limitations for myself was last year in Leadership. I decided to run for the exact same position that I had the previous year, Spirit. I love being a part of spirit but I knew that I wanted to do something more. I decided that it wasn’t worth taking a risk and doing something out of my comfort zone. I changed this behavior by running for a class position this year, without looking back. I decided that it was time for me to put my fear behind me and focus more on my goals, what I want in life. I am so excited to be putting myself out there and doing more for myself.
Chapter #49
Resist the Urge to Criticize
“What is one example of small stuff that you let get to you recently”
One example of small stuff that I have let get to me lately is other peoples actions that I can’t control. I have to learn that what other people decide to do is up to them and I don’t have any control over it. I struggle with this when it affects me in the slightest way. I need to be able to let these things go and not cause a sense of stress in my life. I have a hard time when people are not reliable and do not do their job, I tend to want to take over and do it for them if they have not done it. This is something I have been trying to work on but have to definitely focus on more throughout the end of highschool. I feel like this is something that I need to learn more before I go into real life.
Chapter #50
Write Down Your Five Most Stubborn Positions & See If You Can Soften Them
“Where Do You FInd Stubborness in Yourself? Describe In Detail.
Overall I definitely consider myself to be a stubborn person in many aspects. I like things done the right way which often to me means my way. That sounds very selfish when written down but I guess I mean it in a way that I like to have a say of what happens most of the time. I don’t hesitate to tell someone I don’t agree, which I think can be both good and bad. I think that sometimes being stubborn means that you are strong and are not afraid to voice your opinion which can be great for a lot of reasons. However I think I am always willing to hear other peoples sides before completely going against them with my own ways. I think a lot of the time stubbornness gets a bad reputation because it means that you won’t go against your own ways which is true. However, I think if there is a limit to how stubborn you are then you can use it for good throughout your life.
Resist the Urge to Criticize
“What is one example of small stuff that you let get to you recently”
One example of small stuff that I have let get to me lately is other peoples actions that I can’t control. I have to learn that what other people decide to do is up to them and I don’t have any control over it. I struggle with this when it affects me in the slightest way. I need to be able to let these things go and not cause a sense of stress in my life. I have a hard time when people are not reliable and do not do their job, I tend to want to take over and do it for them if they have not done it. This is something I have been trying to work on but have to definitely focus on more throughout the end of highschool. I feel like this is something that I need to learn more before I go into real life.
Chapter #50
Write Down Your Five Most Stubborn Positions & See If You Can Soften Them
“Where Do You FInd Stubborness in Yourself? Describe In Detail.
Overall I definitely consider myself to be a stubborn person in many aspects. I like things done the right way which often to me means my way. That sounds very selfish when written down but I guess I mean it in a way that I like to have a say of what happens most of the time. I don’t hesitate to tell someone I don’t agree, which I think can be both good and bad. I think that sometimes being stubborn means that you are strong and are not afraid to voice your opinion which can be great for a lot of reasons. However I think I am always willing to hear other peoples sides before completely going against them with my own ways. I think a lot of the time stubbornness gets a bad reputation because it means that you won’t go against your own ways which is true. However, I think if there is a limit to how stubborn you are then you can use it for good throughout your life.
Chapter 51-
Describe a Time when someone criticized you and discuss the emotions you felt behind these comments. What do you think about the author's idea to accept criticism?
I think that criticism is something that can potentially make or break you as a person. Criticism can be something as simple as a suggestion or something as serious as advice that makes you question how you are living life. From experience I can confidently say that criticism is not easy to take or even consider if you are someone who takes pride in how they live their life. Personally I am very strong willed and I don’t love the idea of criticism when it comes to my life. I like to think I can handle my own actions and learn from my own mistakes. I can’t think of a specific example of criticism that stood out to me, but I know my emotions behind most criticism is feeling defensive. I don’t agree with the author's point of view, I think there is a big difference between constructive criticism and just criticism in your life. I understand constructive criticism and even if I don’t like the comments at the moment, I am more likely to look back and see where they are coming from. The author's example of criticism, I did not agree with. If someone were to tell me I talk too much, I think that I would take that personally and feel that person found my words irrelevant and useless. I guess it really depends on the situation and even the person, but this example is not one I would agree with being necessary criticism.
Chapter 52-
Describe a moment when someone shared their opinion that you didn't agree with, but was willing to listen and hear a different perspective. How did the overall conversation go?
I love to have conversations that are debating a topic I feel strongly about. I also believe that there is a respectful way to have these conversations no matter what the topic is. I think that there is always something you will disagree with no matter who the person is. Sometimes all you can do is respectfully disagree. Personally it depends on the person I am having the conversation with whether I strongly talk about my opinion or instead just stay pretty quiet. Often I feel like if I know there is going to be no way to reach an agreement I stay quiet, which I wish I was better at. I want to be able to confidently speak up about my own opinions with anyone, not just who I am comfortable around. There are so many conversations I can think of to describe but overall I think they all went pretty much the same way. You aren’t going to be able to convince someone of something if they have a strong opinion, the same way you won’t be able to convince me if I feel strongly about something. I think I have learned that over the years and also learned that that's okay. The world wouldn’t be the same without disagreements and everyone having their own opinions. I think the importance of this is to learn that you don’t have to change your opinion for anyone, you just have to accept that there are different opinions and perspectives in the world.
Describe a Time when someone criticized you and discuss the emotions you felt behind these comments. What do you think about the author's idea to accept criticism?
I think that criticism is something that can potentially make or break you as a person. Criticism can be something as simple as a suggestion or something as serious as advice that makes you question how you are living life. From experience I can confidently say that criticism is not easy to take or even consider if you are someone who takes pride in how they live their life. Personally I am very strong willed and I don’t love the idea of criticism when it comes to my life. I like to think I can handle my own actions and learn from my own mistakes. I can’t think of a specific example of criticism that stood out to me, but I know my emotions behind most criticism is feeling defensive. I don’t agree with the author's point of view, I think there is a big difference between constructive criticism and just criticism in your life. I understand constructive criticism and even if I don’t like the comments at the moment, I am more likely to look back and see where they are coming from. The author's example of criticism, I did not agree with. If someone were to tell me I talk too much, I think that I would take that personally and feel that person found my words irrelevant and useless. I guess it really depends on the situation and even the person, but this example is not one I would agree with being necessary criticism.
Chapter 52-
Describe a moment when someone shared their opinion that you didn't agree with, but was willing to listen and hear a different perspective. How did the overall conversation go?
I love to have conversations that are debating a topic I feel strongly about. I also believe that there is a respectful way to have these conversations no matter what the topic is. I think that there is always something you will disagree with no matter who the person is. Sometimes all you can do is respectfully disagree. Personally it depends on the person I am having the conversation with whether I strongly talk about my opinion or instead just stay pretty quiet. Often I feel like if I know there is going to be no way to reach an agreement I stay quiet, which I wish I was better at. I want to be able to confidently speak up about my own opinions with anyone, not just who I am comfortable around. There are so many conversations I can think of to describe but overall I think they all went pretty much the same way. You aren’t going to be able to convince someone of something if they have a strong opinion, the same way you won’t be able to convince me if I feel strongly about something. I think I have learned that over the years and also learned that that's okay. The world wouldn’t be the same without disagreements and everyone having their own opinions. I think the importance of this is to learn that you don’t have to change your opinion for anyone, you just have to accept that there are different opinions and perspectives in the world.