Utah's weather has been acting like a girl. It can get very cold one day and the next day it's bright and sunny. However, the unpredictable weather can't stop me from feeling excited for the summer.
When thinking of summer, the first things comes to my mind is no more school. Yay! No school means that I do not have to worry about waking up early in the morning, doing my homework, studying for my exams and many more. Summer also means that I can do things that I am not able to do while I'm busy with school. I can take dance lessons, read more books, and travel. I love traveling and I can't wait to travel with my family this summer.
What does summer mean to you? To me, summer is the time to explore, to do things that I want to do, and to refresh myself before getting back to school and work.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Group Presentation
This week I had a group presentation for my Mcom class. I've learned a lot of things during the preparation for the presentation and after observing other groups.
To me the group presentation was much harder than the individual presentation that we did last time. First, a group presentation requires collaborations with other team members. Second, this time together with my team members I had to present in front of a larger group, which creating more pressure and tension. However, from my group presentation and others, I learned that practice makes perfect. A group with good preparation comes off more confidently and relaxing.
To me, I like group work but sometimes I hate it. However I know that I can never escape from group work. And from working in groups, I make friends and learns from others as well. Therefore I will learn to enjoy group work and get the best out of those experiences.
To me the group presentation was much harder than the individual presentation that we did last time. First, a group presentation requires collaborations with other team members. Second, this time together with my team members I had to present in front of a larger group, which creating more pressure and tension. However, from my group presentation and others, I learned that practice makes perfect. A group with good preparation comes off more confidently and relaxing.
To me, I like group work but sometimes I hate it. However I know that I can never escape from group work. And from working in groups, I make friends and learns from others as well. Therefore I will learn to enjoy group work and get the best out of those experiences.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
PRSSA Networking Event
Last month, I went to a dinner hosted by UVU PRSSA chapter. PRSSA stands for Public Relations Student Society of America and is a unit of PRSA (Public Relations Society of America). While PRSA provides professional development for public relations professionals in general, PRSSA targets students who are pursuing careers in PR. The speaker of the event was John J. Seng, CEO and founder of Spectrum. I always want do non-profit PR; however, getting a decent salary with a non-profit for fresh out of college is not possible. Therefore, I've been looking for another career path before I settle down in non-profits. Seng's talk introduced me to health PR, a field I had never heard of PR, and inspired me to do something with health PR.
Seng started as a journalist with a few different magazines and newspapers before he decided that health PR is something that he wanted to do. Then Seng taught us how health PR has changed the public awareness and how to use story telling to influence publics. Seng then told the story of Sam Berns and what health PR professionals have done to raise awareness about the disease. Sam Berns suffers from progeria, a rare disease that accelerates the aging process. Seng felt like people need to know about this disease and he worked with Sam Berns to come up with an awareness campaign about progeria. I felt touched when Seng show a short clip of a BBC documentary about Sam Berns. At that moment, I realize health PR can have the same impacts as non-profit PR. Moreover, health PR provides me the opportunities to work with different clients and learn from different aspects of PR before working for a non-profit and solely supporting that organization. I also had a chance to talk with Seng after the dinner and so far I have benefited a lot from the connection with him.
Before the dinner, I came to a few PRSSA events but I did not feel like I learned something from those events. The dinner at UVU changed my mind and I regret that I was not active in PRSSA. Now I have a better vision about my future. Therefore, I will often come to PRSSA events, network with PR professionals, and expand my knowledge about health PR.
Seng started as a journalist with a few different magazines and newspapers before he decided that health PR is something that he wanted to do. Then Seng taught us how health PR has changed the public awareness and how to use story telling to influence publics. Seng then told the story of Sam Berns and what health PR professionals have done to raise awareness about the disease. Sam Berns suffers from progeria, a rare disease that accelerates the aging process. Seng felt like people need to know about this disease and he worked with Sam Berns to come up with an awareness campaign about progeria. I felt touched when Seng show a short clip of a BBC documentary about Sam Berns. At that moment, I realize health PR can have the same impacts as non-profit PR. Moreover, health PR provides me the opportunities to work with different clients and learn from different aspects of PR before working for a non-profit and solely supporting that organization. I also had a chance to talk with Seng after the dinner and so far I have benefited a lot from the connection with him.
Before the dinner, I came to a few PRSSA events but I did not feel like I learned something from those events. The dinner at UVU changed my mind and I regret that I was not active in PRSSA. Now I have a better vision about my future. Therefore, I will often come to PRSSA events, network with PR professionals, and expand my knowledge about health PR.
Monday, March 30, 2015
My remote meeting experience
Last Thursday, our team did an online meeting using Google Hangouts. Due to scheduling conflicts, it was difficult for us to physically meet. Moreover Alexis flew to Texas that day. Therefore, an online meeting is the perfect solution for us.
Most of us have been using Google Hangouts before so we're all familiar with the logistics of Google Hangouts. The reasons why we choose Google Hangouts because it's free and easy to use. In addition, Google Hangouts can accommodate a big groups of people without making people to pay for the services.
We all started out the meeting smoothly without any technical issues. However, we all feel a little bit of awkwardness because it was the first time that we conducted an online meeting. After having some small talks, we got into the main points of the meeting. While discussing solutions for our final project, we were able to see what we are talking about and where we're at by take advantage of the screen sharing feature. The meeting went really. Both the audio and the video worked smoothly. And most importantly, we accomplished the goals we set and planned ahead what we need to do for the final project.
Overall, the meeting just feels like a face-to-face meetings to me. I did not have any difficulty expressing my opinions as well as interacting with my team members. The online meeting made me realize that I need to take advantage of the online meeting services more often.
Most of us have been using Google Hangouts before so we're all familiar with the logistics of Google Hangouts. The reasons why we choose Google Hangouts because it's free and easy to use. In addition, Google Hangouts can accommodate a big groups of people without making people to pay for the services.
We all started out the meeting smoothly without any technical issues. However, we all feel a little bit of awkwardness because it was the first time that we conducted an online meeting. After having some small talks, we got into the main points of the meeting. While discussing solutions for our final project, we were able to see what we are talking about and where we're at by take advantage of the screen sharing feature. The meeting went really. Both the audio and the video worked smoothly. And most importantly, we accomplished the goals we set and planned ahead what we need to do for the final project.
Overall, the meeting just feels like a face-to-face meetings to me. I did not have any difficulty expressing my opinions as well as interacting with my team members. The online meeting made me realize that I need to take advantage of the online meeting services more often.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Never underestimate yourself and others
I went to see the Imitation Game the other night with no expectation at all. I did not know what the movie is about and I thought it's going to be some kinds of boring biographies. And the movie turns out to be a very compelling and meaningful story.
"Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine." This quote first reminds me to never underestimate others. Sometimes we unconsciously judge someone. However, you never know what's going to happen. Some people will end up change the world. Some people will do things that matter. Second, I learned that I should never underestimate my own worths. Sometimes I give up when I did not even try. I assume things are too hard for me and I probably can't do it. However, each of us is born with a purpose. And it's very important to understand our strengths and abilities so we can maximize our potentials.
So what does that quote mean to me? Recently when I am applying for jobs, I thought that I won't qualify for the job and shy away from the opportunity. Now I learn that I need more confidence and take every chance I can get.
"Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine." This quote first reminds me to never underestimate others. Sometimes we unconsciously judge someone. However, you never know what's going to happen. Some people will end up change the world. Some people will do things that matter. Second, I learned that I should never underestimate my own worths. Sometimes I give up when I did not even try. I assume things are too hard for me and I probably can't do it. However, each of us is born with a purpose. And it's very important to understand our strengths and abilities so we can maximize our potentials.
So what does that quote mean to me? Recently when I am applying for jobs, I thought that I won't qualify for the job and shy away from the opportunity. Now I learn that I need more confidence and take every chance I can get.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Presenting with a flip chart
This week I had an opportunity to apply the presentation skills I have learned in my Mcom class into practice. Overall the individual presentation allowed me to learn from others and improved my presentation skills. And personally I learned to be flexible and creative when dealing with unexpected situations.
At first I felt worried when prof. Middleton announced that all students have to present with a flip chart. I had never presented with a flip chart before and the flip chart looked like a strange and scary creature to me. Fortunately, each of us was given four times to present and receive feed backs before receiving the grades. I was extremely nervous on the day of my presentation. And I made a terrible choice by picking a station with a bended flip chart. As a result, my flip chart kept falling off. While rehearsing my presentation in my mind, I was nervously thinking of a way to fix my flip chart. And then I realized there was a giant pin hole on top of the flip chart. Immediately I tried to tuck the flip chart to the top of the easel. After that small incident, I felt so much better and regained my confidence.
From my experience, I learned that things happen no matter how well-prepared I am. The key to overcome the surprises and unexpected events is to have a positive attitude. Being calm, accepting the fact that incidents are parts of life, and searching for alternative solutions will help me turn the negative into positive.
At first I felt worried when prof. Middleton announced that all students have to present with a flip chart. I had never presented with a flip chart before and the flip chart looked like a strange and scary creature to me. Fortunately, each of us was given four times to present and receive feed backs before receiving the grades. I was extremely nervous on the day of my presentation. And I made a terrible choice by picking a station with a bended flip chart. As a result, my flip chart kept falling off. While rehearsing my presentation in my mind, I was nervously thinking of a way to fix my flip chart. And then I realized there was a giant pin hole on top of the flip chart. Immediately I tried to tuck the flip chart to the top of the easel. After that small incident, I felt so much better and regained my confidence.
From my experience, I learned that things happen no matter how well-prepared I am. The key to overcome the surprises and unexpected events is to have a positive attitude. Being calm, accepting the fact that incidents are parts of life, and searching for alternative solutions will help me turn the negative into positive.
Friday, March 13, 2015
What I learn from Susan Boyle
On Wednesday prof. Middleton showed the audition video of Susan Boyle to demonstrate that we must have confidence in ourselves. Every time I watch the video, somehow I get very emotional. Perhaps the life story of Susan Boyle inspires us to live our dreams. Perhaps Susan Boyle makes everyone feel ashamed because they make judgements based on her appearance. And perhaps her voice brings out the very best in everyone.
From watching Susan Boyle, I have more confidence to chase my dreams. She dares to make a statement about herself. She dares to prove that she can sing. You might wonder where her self-confidence comes from. As prof. Middleton said, the key is she knows her values. Susan Boyle knows that she can sing. She knows her voice is valuable. And she showed a phenomenal performance that wows the whole world. Another thing that I like about Susan Boyle is she inspires the minorities to prove their worth. Some people may behave in a way that makes us feel uncomfortable and some people might communicate differently from what we usually do. However, what really defines a person is his/her values. Alexis from our class wrote a great post on judgment. From Alexis's post, I learn that we need to respect each individual and help them maximize their potentials.
Each of us at one point might experience the feeling of being an underdog. We all have struggle in our lives and Susan Boyle is the light of hope. If I have a purpose in life and know my values, I can make impossible things possible. And I will make efforts to live each day purposely.
From watching Susan Boyle, I have more confidence to chase my dreams. She dares to make a statement about herself. She dares to prove that she can sing. You might wonder where her self-confidence comes from. As prof. Middleton said, the key is she knows her values. Susan Boyle knows that she can sing. She knows her voice is valuable. And she showed a phenomenal performance that wows the whole world. Another thing that I like about Susan Boyle is she inspires the minorities to prove their worth. Some people may behave in a way that makes us feel uncomfortable and some people might communicate differently from what we usually do. However, what really defines a person is his/her values. Alexis from our class wrote a great post on judgment. From Alexis's post, I learn that we need to respect each individual and help them maximize their potentials.
Each of us at one point might experience the feeling of being an underdog. We all have struggle in our lives and Susan Boyle is the light of hope. If I have a purpose in life and know my values, I can make impossible things possible. And I will make efforts to live each day purposely.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Takoyaki- Japanese snack
Last weekend, one of my friends who lives in Foreign Language Student Residence invited me over to make a Japanese snack called takoyaki. So sweet! I accepted the invitation right away because takoyaki is my favorite food. My friend is staying will other BYU students who are learning to speak Japanese and apparently they are all interested in Japanese cuisine.
So you are probably wondering what takoyaki is. Takoyaki is a popular Japanese snack made from dough balls with octopus, pickled ginger and green onion inside. Takoyaki is usually crispy outside and gooey inside when served hot. Here is a picture to give you a better idea of how takoyaki look like.
I've never made takoyaki before so I was very excited. However, my excitement went away when I realized it was so hard to make those little balls. After pouring the batter into the hot pan, I was instructed to wait for the dough balls to form their shapes. Then when the balls were still soft, I had to use a stick to turn all the balls around so takoyaki can have the perfect rounded shape. And that was the hardest part. I have to be fast yet skillful at the same time. And as you can see, some of the takoyaki in the picture have weird shapes><
After making takoyaki with my friends, I realized I need to actually do things rather than observing. I always though that making takoyaki was not very hard. But in reality, it takes practice to make those octopus balls, I plan to cook more often and try to make a variety of different food from now on.
So you are probably wondering what takoyaki is. Takoyaki is a popular Japanese snack made from dough balls with octopus, pickled ginger and green onion inside. Takoyaki is usually crispy outside and gooey inside when served hot. Here is a picture to give you a better idea of how takoyaki look like.
I've never made takoyaki before so I was very excited. However, my excitement went away when I realized it was so hard to make those little balls. After pouring the batter into the hot pan, I was instructed to wait for the dough balls to form their shapes. Then when the balls were still soft, I had to use a stick to turn all the balls around so takoyaki can have the perfect rounded shape. And that was the hardest part. I have to be fast yet skillful at the same time. And as you can see, some of the takoyaki in the picture have weird shapes><
After making takoyaki with my friends, I realized I need to actually do things rather than observing. I always though that making takoyaki was not very hard. But in reality, it takes practice to make those octopus balls, I plan to cook more often and try to make a variety of different food from now on.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Be Humble
On Monday, Patrick Hernandez, an alumni from General M, visited my capstone class and talked about his formula to be successful. Patrick interned with GM when he was a student of the PR program at BYU. When he finished his internship, GM really liked Patrick's project. Therefore, Patrick was asked to continue to work on the project while he was at school and he received a full-time offer at the same time. After 5 years working GM. Patrick is now the communications manager at GM. During his presentation, Patrick gave a lot of useful advice for career development. However, what struck me the most is his humility.
Patrick told us about his journey with GM. He said his passion was nonprofit PR. As a result, when the opportunity with GM came to him, he wasn't really interested. He believed that cars polluted the environment and working in the automotive industry would go against his ideology. However, lot of his friends encouraged him to take the opportunity and apply for the internship. From his story, I can tell that Patrick is a really talented person but he doesn't let the glamour and the success go to his head. Because of his humility, Patrick received a lot of support of from friends and thanks to his friends, Patrick took the life-changing opportunity and became a very successful person. What would Patrick have become if people hadn't liked him and consequently hadn't encouraged him to work for GM? At the end of his presentation, Patrick told us to be happy because a positive attitude is what keeps us go through this crazy world. He made sure each of us have questions for him and also brought treats for us! Isn't he awesome?
I know that being confidence yet humble at the same time can be challenging. The fine line between bragging and confidence is very thin, Therefore I plan to learn how to best represent myself and make people feel comfortable around me. I read somewhere that humble people "see happiness as a journey." Understanding the real values of life will definitely take me to where I want to be.
Patrick told us about his journey with GM. He said his passion was nonprofit PR. As a result, when the opportunity with GM came to him, he wasn't really interested. He believed that cars polluted the environment and working in the automotive industry would go against his ideology. However, lot of his friends encouraged him to take the opportunity and apply for the internship. From his story, I can tell that Patrick is a really talented person but he doesn't let the glamour and the success go to his head. Because of his humility, Patrick received a lot of support of from friends and thanks to his friends, Patrick took the life-changing opportunity and became a very successful person. What would Patrick have become if people hadn't liked him and consequently hadn't encouraged him to work for GM? At the end of his presentation, Patrick told us to be happy because a positive attitude is what keeps us go through this crazy world. He made sure each of us have questions for him and also brought treats for us! Isn't he awesome?
I know that being confidence yet humble at the same time can be challenging. The fine line between bragging and confidence is very thin, Therefore I plan to learn how to best represent myself and make people feel comfortable around me. I read somewhere that humble people "see happiness as a journey." Understanding the real values of life will definitely take me to where I want to be.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Looking at Future
When I came back home, a lot of people asked me what I want to do in the future. I have always thought that I have a clear answer for that question; however, I tend to leave a blank answer recently.
I always want to work for a nonprofit so I can travel around the world, implement projects and help others. However last summer I went to a networking event in NYC and met a really great lady. She told me she is now working for GE although her real passion is nonprofits. I asked her why she pursued a totally different career track and she said sometimes she has to go the other way around. She also said having a stable income will better assist her long term goal as a career with nonprofits cannot guarantee her a stable life. Her advice made me realize the difference between reality and passion. Sometimes those two notions do not coincide which mean I have to find my way to bring them together.
Recently some new friends come to my life and become very important people to me. They
influence me to rearrange my priorities in life and I realize sometimes I have to sacrifice my dream for someone else's. I did not regret what I chose to do. It just feels like it's very to unstable to plan my future based on others's expectations. However, I knew that someday I can make my dream happen. Rather than sacrificing, I just put my dream aside so I can assist my friends and be well prepared for my dream.
Now I am asking myself what I need to do? I'm not sure what kind of jobs I want after graduation. I don't know what would be the best way to make things work out for me and others? I guess I'll just let things unfold and try my best to fulfill what's there for me.
I always want to work for a nonprofit so I can travel around the world, implement projects and help others. However last summer I went to a networking event in NYC and met a really great lady. She told me she is now working for GE although her real passion is nonprofits. I asked her why she pursued a totally different career track and she said sometimes she has to go the other way around. She also said having a stable income will better assist her long term goal as a career with nonprofits cannot guarantee her a stable life. Her advice made me realize the difference between reality and passion. Sometimes those two notions do not coincide which mean I have to find my way to bring them together.
Recently some new friends come to my life and become very important people to me. They
influence me to rearrange my priorities in life and I realize sometimes I have to sacrifice my dream for someone else's. I did not regret what I chose to do. It just feels like it's very to unstable to plan my future based on others's expectations. However, I knew that someday I can make my dream happen. Rather than sacrificing, I just put my dream aside so I can assist my friends and be well prepared for my dream.
Now I am asking myself what I need to do? I'm not sure what kind of jobs I want after graduation. I don't know what would be the best way to make things work out for me and others? I guess I'll just let things unfold and try my best to fulfill what's there for me.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Home Sweet Home
All of the familiar faces, the big smiles, and the inside jokes brought back sweet memories. I realized sometimes I forget how much my family means to me. I still love my family members as who they are, and I still feel the invisible bonds with them, but the distances gradually drive me away from my family . After being away from home for six years, sometimes I feel like I have my own life over there in the U.S. and no one in my family would understand me. However, going home once again reminds me the the everlasting and eternal meaning of family.
I haven't met my family for two years. My heart aches a little bit when I saw my dad and my mom. They have aged since the last time I met them. And my little brother has grown up so fast. In my mind, he is still the little baby who would make me laugh all the time. But now he's just as tall as me. As a college student, everyday I worry about finishing up homework, going to work, and spending time for social activities. As a result, I subconsciously spend less time for my family. Less phone calls. No more deep conversations. Everything was fading away.
The hectic life has changed my priorities in life. School and work took over my life and I kept telling myself that I will have time for my family later. But time does not wait for me. I need to try harder if I truly love someone. When I get back to Utah, I am planning to talk to my family every week and checking on them more often. I will cherish every single moment with my family.
Friday, February 6, 2015
No Pain No Gain
Hello all:) I finally made it home after a 20-hour flight. Yup I am talking about my real home in Vietnam. But what I want to talk about is how I overcame a really rough week to achieve my ultimate goal- going home.
To be able to go home, I tried to do a lot of things beforehand. I knew that I needed to take care of everything in Provo so I won't miss assignments and fall behind in school. However, things were not easy as it seemed. Somehow I had more homework during that week and I had more assignments at work. In addition, I had three midterms that I had to take before I left. Not to mention a million other things came along the way. There were so many things to do. It got me to the point where I could explode anytime. Everything seemed to go wrong. I got angry at my friends for no reason. I lost my patience easily when I couldn't design a poster properly. I snapped at my coworkers because I thought they didn't do their jobs. Luckily, my friends knew what was going on with me and they tried to keep me positive and helped me as much as they could. When I was about to lose my temper and felt like giving up, they were always there and gave me courage. After all, I did everything I could and now I am enjoying the sunshine in Vietnam^^
When negative things happen simultaneously, people tend to feel suffocated, react aggressively and finally give up. At some points, the feeling of helplessness penetrated to my mind and I felt like: "Ok it's done, that's it!" However nothing great will be achieved without blood, sweat and tears. What I learned from last week is it's really important to have determination along with a positive attitude to to overcome adversity and hardships. Epictetus said, "It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." I am learning to have a greater sense of control. I will not let external circumstances determine who I am and what I am going to do. I know that bad things can happen but I always have a choice about how to respond.
To be able to go home, I tried to do a lot of things beforehand. I knew that I needed to take care of everything in Provo so I won't miss assignments and fall behind in school. However, things were not easy as it seemed. Somehow I had more homework during that week and I had more assignments at work. In addition, I had three midterms that I had to take before I left. Not to mention a million other things came along the way. There were so many things to do. It got me to the point where I could explode anytime. Everything seemed to go wrong. I got angry at my friends for no reason. I lost my patience easily when I couldn't design a poster properly. I snapped at my coworkers because I thought they didn't do their jobs. Luckily, my friends knew what was going on with me and they tried to keep me positive and helped me as much as they could. When I was about to lose my temper and felt like giving up, they were always there and gave me courage. After all, I did everything I could and now I am enjoying the sunshine in Vietnam^^
When negative things happen simultaneously, people tend to feel suffocated, react aggressively and finally give up. At some points, the feeling of helplessness penetrated to my mind and I felt like: "Ok it's done, that's it!" However nothing great will be achieved without blood, sweat and tears. What I learned from last week is it's really important to have determination along with a positive attitude to to overcome adversity and hardships. Epictetus said, "It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." I am learning to have a greater sense of control. I will not let external circumstances determine who I am and what I am going to do. I know that bad things can happen but I always have a choice about how to respond.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Career Fair and Networking
I went to BYU Career Fair yesterday to improve my networking skills and most importantly to look for a job. At first I was hesitate to go because I couldn't find any companies that really match my interest. However my friends said I would never know how it was going to be unless I attended. And it turned out to be a great and valuable experience for me.
Before I went, I did a little research on what companies I should approach. I came up with a list including some information about the companies, positions I look for and questions I plan to ask. When I got to the career fair, I wandered off a bit to examine the environment and headed to the targeted companies. After talking to two or three companies, I realized it was not as scary as I thought. All recruiters were trying their best to represent their companies and gave me the best accommodations. Moreover, I felt like I could apply what I learned in Mcom to make an impact and learn from others as well.
By coming to the career fair, I learned to effectively network. In addition I also got a chance to practice my interview skills by talking with different people and companies. Now I know what I have to do for the next career fair. I would definitely do more research next time so I can tailor my conversation to fit each company. Besides I also want to grow my networking skills by coming to those professional opportunities like the career fair, Although I have a little bit of introverted traits sometimes, practicing will assuredly result in positive results.
Before I went, I did a little research on what companies I should approach. I came up with a list including some information about the companies, positions I look for and questions I plan to ask. When I got to the career fair, I wandered off a bit to examine the environment and headed to the targeted companies. After talking to two or three companies, I realized it was not as scary as I thought. All recruiters were trying their best to represent their companies and gave me the best accommodations. Moreover, I felt like I could apply what I learned in Mcom to make an impact and learn from others as well.
By coming to the career fair, I learned to effectively network. In addition I also got a chance to practice my interview skills by talking with different people and companies. Now I know what I have to do for the next career fair. I would definitely do more research next time so I can tailor my conversation to fit each company. Besides I also want to grow my networking skills by coming to those professional opportunities like the career fair, Although I have a little bit of introverted traits sometimes, practicing will assuredly result in positive results.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Happiness and Responsibility
Yesterday while I was driving back from Salt Lake City with my friends, one of them persuaded me to listen to his current favorite book "You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner" by Joel Osteen. Yup I know I am talking about self-help books again with those boring and repetitive principles to solve personal problems. But I can't stop myself from discussing what I learned from those books. So please bear with me:)
The part that I listened to is about how to find our happiness and how to be responsible for our own happiness. Osteen says we often try to please everybody and that road will eventually lead us to failures and stresses. Trying to please everyone is not a bad thing; however, by doing that we abandon our ideals and life purposes. As a result, making someone else happy does not bring happiness to our lives. Moreover, Osteen mentions there are various types of people out there and we need to choose who to stay in our lives and who should not. There will be friends who inspire us and help us to better and there will be friends who drag us down, take advantage of us and make us feel bad all the time. Therefore, it's crucial to spend our time with the right people. What I like most about the chapter is Osteen's advice to fulfill the path that God created for us. Each individual is created with a purpose. And we have the responsibility to fulfill our life purpose.
While listening to the book, I wondered what I could to do follow what God has in store for me. I have been trying to help out people with the thought that their happiness is my happiness. However at the end of the day I feel worn out and empty sometimes because some of them are not taking responsibility for their problems. The book motivates me to follow God's plan for my life by living life more abundantly. God always challenges me so I can become stronger and better. Embracing the positive perspective and ignore the negative influences will lead me to where I need to be.
The part that I listened to is about how to find our happiness and how to be responsible for our own happiness. Osteen says we often try to please everybody and that road will eventually lead us to failures and stresses. Trying to please everyone is not a bad thing; however, by doing that we abandon our ideals and life purposes. As a result, making someone else happy does not bring happiness to our lives. Moreover, Osteen mentions there are various types of people out there and we need to choose who to stay in our lives and who should not. There will be friends who inspire us and help us to better and there will be friends who drag us down, take advantage of us and make us feel bad all the time. Therefore, it's crucial to spend our time with the right people. What I like most about the chapter is Osteen's advice to fulfill the path that God created for us. Each individual is created with a purpose. And we have the responsibility to fulfill our life purpose.
While listening to the book, I wondered what I could to do follow what God has in store for me. I have been trying to help out people with the thought that their happiness is my happiness. However at the end of the day I feel worn out and empty sometimes because some of them are not taking responsibility for their problems. The book motivates me to follow God's plan for my life by living life more abundantly. God always challenges me so I can become stronger and better. Embracing the positive perspective and ignore the negative influences will lead me to where I need to be.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
10,000 hour rule
Yesterday I decided to read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell before going to bed. Years ago, when the book first came out, I actually read the book to see why it got so much attention. However, I did not find the book interesting and consequently I did not care less about finishing it. Surprisingly, the book blew my mind this time. I guess the first time I read it, I was having too many self-development books at the same time or I was not mature enough to understand the notions and principles.
One of the rules I want to mention here is the "10,000 hour rule." According to Malcolm, geniuses or prodigies are not different from us. We can all become an expert in a specific field if we know the formula to become successful. From Malcolm's observation, all successful people who reach the top of their fields possess a common trait: they all reach a total of 10,000 hour practice. Malcolm states that it's not the innate talent that makes you become an expert, it's the deliberate hours of practice. Furthermore he said successful people do not work harder than us, they work much harder then everyone.
So what's next? First I want to take the time to actually find out what my interest is. Once I know what I love to do, practice won't be a burden anymore. Second, I need to set goals and try my best to accomplish the goals. I will start with small and shot-term goals. Right now I am thinking of improving my reading skill. Instead of spending one hour reading before bed time, today I will increase my reading time to one and a half hours, to two hours tomorrow, etc.
Work harder days by days. That's my motto!
One of the rules I want to mention here is the "10,000 hour rule." According to Malcolm, geniuses or prodigies are not different from us. We can all become an expert in a specific field if we know the formula to become successful. From Malcolm's observation, all successful people who reach the top of their fields possess a common trait: they all reach a total of 10,000 hour practice. Malcolm states that it's not the innate talent that makes you become an expert, it's the deliberate hours of practice. Furthermore he said successful people do not work harder than us, they work much harder then everyone.
So what's next? First I want to take the time to actually find out what my interest is. Once I know what I love to do, practice won't be a burden anymore. Second, I need to set goals and try my best to accomplish the goals. I will start with small and shot-term goals. Right now I am thinking of improving my reading skill. Instead of spending one hour reading before bed time, today I will increase my reading time to one and a half hours, to two hours tomorrow, etc.
Work harder days by days. That's my motto!
Friday, January 9, 2015
Getting back on track
I created this blog a while ago for one of my writing classes. I forgot how much I enjoyed writing about the wars and life stories of refugees from all over the world. I forgot a lot of people out there were not as lucky as I am. Time flies and my passion was swept away.
Now MCom 320 once again reminds me of my life purpose. Well I'm not sure if I have found it yet but I'm getting there. I hope this blog is a way to help me express myself, to find what I love and to find joy in it.
Currently I am public relations student. It's really interesting to learn how to effectively influence people and drive them to action. We are all different yet similar in some ways. Identifying the similarities and triggering people to support a cause are my job. I'm excited for this semester, for MCom 320 and many more.
Now MCom 320 once again reminds me of my life purpose. Well I'm not sure if I have found it yet but I'm getting there. I hope this blog is a way to help me express myself, to find what I love and to find joy in it.
Currently I am public relations student. It's really interesting to learn how to effectively influence people and drive them to action. We are all different yet similar in some ways. Identifying the similarities and triggering people to support a cause are my job. I'm excited for this semester, for MCom 320 and many more.
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