In our daily lives it is easy to lose sight of what our purpose is. We wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, go home, eat dinner, go to bed and do it all over again. Day in and day out, our routine becomes a part of us, and sometimes the mundane work of repetition is what inhibits our ability to be creative or create new things.
What if we changed our way of thinking and rather than woke up each day and wishing for the day to already be over, if we could live in the moment for once? What would it look like if we took the time to learn new concepts and applied them in our daily lives? What would our day be like if we took the time to enjoy our food and company and engulfed ourselves in meaningful conversations? What if we didn’t wish for our day to end just as we awoke, but rather embraced what may come as far as challenges and struggles that help us to build our character and well-being as a problem solver and deep thinker.
This is what we call CHANGE. Change is good and you go first.
When we started 1 in 9, we asked each of you to watch the TedTalk video on Minimalist. After viewing the video, we asked all of you to start a journey on making small changes in your daily lives that would lead to the value of others and yourself. Each week we encouraged you to take larger steps into making each week thoughtful and meaningful and most importantly mindful in what you do. A habit only takes 21 days to for it to stick.
- What activities stuck out to you the most and why?
- What were you able to take away from the TedTalk Minimalist and 1 in 9 activity that you can continue to apply as a leader?
Answer the questions in the comment section below. Respond to one other person for full credit.
Remember, live for the moment, not the memories and you will find happiness, value, and purpose in your life.
1. The activity that stuck out the most to me was high-fiving students around campus. By giving little boosters and spirits students left smiling. They had the mindset of “I got this!”. It also gave me the opportunity to make connections with students that I haven’t before on our campus.
2. I was able to take away that everyday can be a memory or a story. Everyday there is an opportunity for you to improve yourself or help another person. By doing this and living life to the fullest, you can make memories with people that add value to not only your life, but others as well.
I definitely agree that giving students a boost on campus is a great act. I try to make at least 3 people smile each day and it’s great to know that such a small act can make such a big impact.
I agree with both, Niki and Emma that it is important for students to have that confidence boost. It can be really hard during the dog days of the year to keep students motivated, so we need to reward them during those times. My goal goes along with Niki by making people smile or laugh at least 5 times per day. If people are having a rough day, you can really change their attitude.
I really like the lesson you said you took away from the activity and the ted talk. I love that you realize that everyday can have a new meaning and be a new way for you to improve. I think if everyone woke up with the attitude that the day was a new memory and the goal to be a better version of themselves everyday, that we would all continuously grow. With that mindset the sky is the limit and I can’t wait to see what you can do this year with this new revelation in hand.
I agree with all three of you guys on this. Small acts can really make or break someones day. It’s so awesome that you were able to make connections and new friends. You for sure made a big impact on them!
I love the high five idea!! You are awesome 🙂 Also, never forget how much little moments and things you do can mean to others. You would be surprised what a large impact you make on others without even knowing it!
1. The activities that stuck out to me the most was when a friend and I went into the not so nice parts of town to give away care packages to the homeless. Inside these small bags were some essentials like granola bars, bottles of water, handwarmers, etc. and we had about 3 bags to give away. I can still vividly remember all that happened because I thought it was the most remarkable thing. After we gave away our last two bags to two homeless men who were sitting next to each other and then drove away, we saw them open the contents of the bag and then begin sharing with one another what was inside the bag. Seeing this plucked at the strings in my heart as I saw people who had lost almost everything still willing to share what very little they had left with one another. This act of selflessness and humility in people who you’d least expect to display astonished me.
2. I was able to take away from the Ted Talk that people shouldn’t be living for all the superficial, materialistic things in life, but about the memories that you make during your lifetime. Although some may argue that the reason why people hold onto some items is because they hold certain memories that are dear to them. However, the Minimalists made a profound point that the fond memories that you have of that object isn’t located in that thing itself, but inside of your own head. By determining all the things that add value to your life and learning to let go of all the unnecessary clutter in your life, you can live a happier life. Keeping these lessons in mind, I was able to understand from the 1 in 9 activity that taking away the unimportant things in my life can certainly make me more happier and less stressed. As I took things like social media out of my life and replaced it with more meaningful activities like reading a book or spending time with family, I realized that there are many key things in my life that add value to my life, and there are many other items that I do not need. Letting go of all things that are just items in my life and don’t help to define me need to be looked over so that I may live a more blissful and stress-free life.
What you did with you and your friend probably needed more courage than we can think of. I am inspired by such actions and I am sure that they are really thankful of you guys. It breaks my heart that they are willing to share the only things they have with one another. What you took away from the TedTalk and One in Nine is very meaningful and inspiring. I hope that your life have been more blissful and stress-free! What you took away is priceless.
Wow! I think its amazing that those homeless men shared their necessities with one another; I think this accurately shows you can’t judge people based on their circumstance or outside appearance. Reading about your experience is truly eye opening to me!
I really agree with the lesson you took away from the Ted Talk. It is very true that we do not need “stuff” to make us happy. The memories are all inside of us and not the “stuff.” This was a really good and important lesson to take away from the video!
1. What activities stuck out to you the most and why?
The activities that stuck out to me the most were 1) trying the Surfwheel and 2) spending less time on social media. Trying out the Surfwheel (a one-wheeled motorized skateboard) stuck to me because it taught me to have the courage to try something new. Often times, I always stick repeating the same routines and activities in my free time, and after a while it becomes repetitive and boring. Yet, I am usually afraid to try new things. Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zone to learn something new. Spending less time on social media also stuck out to me because after I took a break from my phone, I realized how much I was missing out on in life. So much of my life is spent on my phone mindlessly scrolling that I just needed a digital detox. At first I felt disconnected from my friends when I couldn’t text or Snapchat them, but then I realized that I could interact more with the people who were actually around me. Giving up going on my phone definitely taught me to enjoy face to face conversation and enjoy the moment.
2. What were you able to take away from the TedTalk Minimalist and 1 in 9 activity that you can continue to apply as a leader?
From the 1 in 9 activity, I was able to learn to have courage and enjoy the moment. I learned to step out of my comfort zone to experience something exciting. I also learned to enjoy the moment because the things that matter most in life are the little things right in front of us, not on a screen. I learned that face to face, quality conversations build stronger relationships and trust. Those relationships and conversations are what people will remember for a long time. It’s valuable as a leader to be able to build strong relationships with peers. Letting go of things that don’t add value to my life was eye opening and gave me a whole new perspective on life.
That’s so awesome that you were able to have the self control to give up social media. I did that as well and found myself so much more alert. I also noticed how much others are on their phones and have now made it a priority to put my phone and my friends’ phones away when we are out. Living in the moment is definitely a motto to live by because the moment won’t last forever!
1. The activities that stuck out to me the most were those small actions that I did to help out the community. One activity that I still continue to do is helping to put the shopping carts where they are suppose to go. Usually, customers leave their carts next to their cars or wherever it is most convenient for them after they put their stuff in their cars. It is the workers’ job to clean that mess, but I always felt bad that they had to go around and clean up other people’s actions. So for one of my one in nine, I helped them by organizing the messed up carts into a neat form. After that, I couldn’t stand not helping out so I still continue to help. These small actions may not seem like a big deal, but I feel like such small actions are what makes others smile. Another activity that has stuck to me was helping those out who seem to be struggling. I have helped out others before one in nine, but increasing my views on who needs help for this assignment helped me gain different perspectives. Through seeking out the different needs, like helping elderly carry their grocery bags, helping the little kids wash their hands in high sink, or simply opening doors for others I learned that small actions can make a big impact. To this day I continue to open doors for people and help those in need of help because I love to make someone else’s day a bit better, even if it’s only by a little.
2. One thing that I still remember from the video was that the three words, “Just in case…,” was the most dangerous words in the planet. It is a reason why we hold onto things from the past and cannot move into the future. From this, I have learned to let things go, whether it was memories or physical materials. Letting things go helped me reduce my stress and “stuff” leaving room for things that will add value to my life. This can be applied as a leader because it teaches us to move on and obtain things that will better ourselves. From one in nine, I have learned a lot. First of all, I feel like as a leader, we can all apply how we felt after each accomplishment as an encouragement for more bold activities. But what I really took away from this activity was that new activities can become continuous actions and that those continuous actions can turn into habits. From all these activities I have learned to do things that will add value to not only my life but to others around me in order to create a more loving environment between all of us.
“Just in case…” are three of the smallest words that mean nothing on their own, but when strung together can mean so much more, and I really like how you commented on that. We all hold onto things, especially emotions, because we are afraid to let go, but letting go lifts weight off of our shoulders. This is something that I’m still working on because I know it will help relieve stress. Great Job!
I agree with both Mollie and Amy. I loved how Amy explained how the three word were such small things but had a big impact and I agree on that fully. You went into detail which really helped being able to understand this more.
I really liked how you were able to notice yourself growing and serving others on such a frequent basis. You have always been so willing to help other and guide them through whatever they need, and that’s something that’s always inspired me whenever I’m around you! I think it’s awesome how you were able to see such a huge impact in even the smallest acts of service. It’s not always the huge events that impact the people around us, but rather helping them with the day-to-day struggles and making their days a bit brighter! 🙂
1. The activities that stuck out most to me was when I made more of an effort to spend quality time with my friends and family. Before this one in nine activity I didn’t realize how much time school work and school activities took over my life. My daily routine consisted of going to school, doing after school clubs or student council, and then doing homework. Even on the weekends, I never took a break from working. My excuse for not attending a social event or a family event was “I don’t have time.” Well, I learned from my one in nine experiences that if I really want to do something I have to make time. So as a result, I began to make an effort to spend quality time with my friends and family. For example, I started to make meaningful conversation at the dinner table, go out with my friends on the weekends, and start family traditions (like family game night). I am currently still working on improving on my “workaholic” lifestyle, but because of the one in nine activity, I made huge improvement; and the quality of my life dramatically increased because I made time for the people I love.
2. The biggest thing I took away from the minimalists and the one in nine activity was “to live for the stories, not for the stuff.” We live in such a materialistic society where people put great value into their possessions because they think it will make them happy, just like how the Bergens thought eating a troll would make them happy. This is exactly what I was doing before the one in nine activity; I valued my schoolwork and achievements more than I valued spending time with family and friends. However, the “stuff” that many of us live for doesn’t truly make us happy. In 20 years, I won’t remember the cute outfit I bought or even the one B I got in math; I’ll remember all the memories and relationships I created with the people I love. Those stories that I started to create because of the time I made for my friends and family is what really inspires my true happiness.
Sarah, I completely agree with you. With being involved in honors/AP classes, sports, student council, and even more, it’s easy to say “I’m too busy” and make excuses to not spend time with those important to you. Personally, I also learned how much I have neglected to take the time to spend with those I love. I’m glad you were able to realize this a lot earlier than I had. As you get closer to graduating high school, my advice to you is: take lots of pictures, never forget about taking the time to appreciate everyone that has had a significant impact on you, and to make as many memories as you can in high school. Knowing the amazing person you are, you are absolutely capable of this and much more!
I love that you took a break from working and made the effort to spend time with the people you love. I hope that you can be stress free and continue spending time with family and friends!
1. The activities that stuck out the most to me were the ones where I took the time out of my day to spend time with the ones I loved. Being a senior, these activities, such as taking little photoshoots with my cousin, baking with some friends, and even treating my parents to dinner, made me realize what little time I have left with the people I love so much before I go to college. In retrospect, these activities allowed me to commit time to the people I care for, and allowed me to strengthen our bonds, repaying them with quality time in return for all the time and love them have put into me. In addition, these activities really have helped me better as person. I realize now that sometimes we can easily make excuses for spending time with people we should be with, or sometimes we get so caught up in other things that we forget about showing appreciation to those that love and care for us. Overall, it’s important to always reciprocate love and care to those that give such to you.
2. From both the Minimalist TEDTalk and 1-in-9 activity, I can definitely take away that life is not about acquiring objects that will make your life valuable, rather the objective of your life should focus itself around creating memories that make your life valuable. As a leader, we need to show those around us that they can be happy without acquiring the fanciest pieces of technology, or the nicest clothes, and rather that they can create a valuable life by spending time with friends, or doing something absolutely spontaneous. Powerful leaders did not gain respect by showing off all of their most expensive possessions, but rather showing others how they can live a more valuable life. As we have all heard, money can’t create happiness, rather only memories create happiness. From both the TEDTalk and 1-in-9 activities, we must not focus on a materialistic life, and focus more on a life of experiences.
I love what you said about not realizing we should be spending time with those we love and I think it’s so awesome you took these weeks and really focused on spending quality time with those people before you leave. We all could take that to heart a little more and show how much we care by doing the little things.
I completely agree with your idea of focusing on memories and not material possessions. I feel that in our society today the idea of materialistic possessions equals your happiness and your worth in life is all that we know. Especially as teenagers we are constantly judged based on the items we own and not the memories we create. Instead of focusing on what we can next buy in order to improve our social statues it should be what memory should we next create. I agree money can’t create happiness, but memories can.
i loved how you learned through 1 in 9 that you grow great leadership skills and relationships through reciprocating love for others who have cared for you. we all should also focus more on living for those substantial experiences in our lives and i think that reciprocating love for others goes hand in hand with the experiences you gained in 1 in 9.
One activity that stuck out most to me was taking time for myself to either complete my puzzle like in week 3 or completing an art project like in week 1. The puzzle allowed me to work on my patience which is a huge trait that I must improve on as an orange. Each day I forced myself to sit there and work for at least an hour on a hard puzzle which was very mentally engaging. Furthermore, art has been a huge part of my life and has helped me express myself when I simply cannot do it with words. Yet, as the year has progressed and with my busy schedule I’ve pushed it aside. But sitting down and painting, sketching, or sculpting allows me to get things off my chest and take life one step at a time. Therefore, getting a chance to take time for myself each day really helped me relax and improve my mental state and my mood.
The 1 in 9 activity really opened my eyes in third quarter. I learned some valuable lessons that I will continue to apply in my leadership career and further improve upon. One of the most important lessons learned was self reflection and taking a time to improve oneself. By taking time to do the puzzles for the week and to complete an art project I better learned to set time apart for myself. Sometimes as leaders we are so focused on serving others that we forget to take time for oneself. It becomes a challenging task to help others when you yourself are not in a good mental and emotional state. Therefore a leader has to have the awareness to know when they need to take a breather for themselves. From the Ted Talk I learned mainly that living for superficial things does not give life meaning. It is better to live for the stories we have and the memories we’d make rather than trying to live a life that surrounds material wealth.
Im not good at doing things tedious like a puzzle and I’m not all artsy so that is not for me either. Honestly mad respect for doing a puzzle, like its 2017 and THE Niki Hadighi is still doing puzzles in her free time. You can go from jumping out of an airplane to doing a puzzle in .2 seconds and I think that is why I like you so much. Honestly, I am not sure exactly what I am supposed to be commenting on at this point because I just got so lost in the fact that we became so close this year and I am going to lose such a close friend once we hit college. I have known you since middle school but have only really gotten to know you these last months and Im gonna miss you Niki. Your’e gonna do great things and have internal and materialistic wealth and I wish nothing but the best for you.
1. The activities that stuck out to me the most were the ones that I focused on serving others. The weeks I spent looking outside of myself and doing things like giving out bags of necessities to the homeless and writing notes to those I love were the ones that had the biggest impact on me. Dedicating each week to bettering yourself in one way or another is such a good habit and that is the biggest thing I have taken from the One in Nine activities. We should always be focusing on bettering ourselves and serving others.
2. Something I can take from the TedTalk Minimalist and the 1 in 9 activities is that a lot of times, less is more. We do not have to change our life in huge drastic ways, but we can improve it gradually by focusing on one thing each week and by getting rid of unnecessary items and distractions. As leaders, sometimes doing the small things for the student body makes more of a difference than the big things. Doing small things like saying hello and giving them a smile can affect them more and create stronger relationships than any event we put on for them.
Megan, you are awesome! I completely agree with you that when we engage in service for other people, we are able to simultaneously better ourselves. You are always willing to help other people, and I think that by branching out and helping out other people, you were able to deepen your capacity to serve anyone.
I also believe that as we change ourselves each week, we have dedicated ourselves to a gradual path of improvement. I think that in addition to bettering one thing about ourselves every week, we should think of one thing we can do to enhance each day. Making little changes over time in ourselves inspires others to initiate small changes and can have a vast impact.
Megan, you are such and inspiring leader. I love your aspect on improving yourself. Everyday there is an opportunity to improve yourself and everyday you can take those opportunities. I also agree that doing the small things makes a big difference; even if that means reaching out to 2-3 kids and making a huge change. I also agree with making stronger relationships. Relationships help us work together as a team. Overall, I am lucky to work with a leader like you.
I love how you focused on your service oriented weeks that impacted you the most. You really do get the most out of a situation when you aren’t thinking about yourself. I also liked it when you said that less is more. Small and simple actions can make a greater impact on others lives rather than making it extravagant. You are an amazing leader and so selfless, you are the best!
1. The activity that stuck out to me the most was not something I did during the weeks of 1 in 9, but something I did as a continuation of 1 in 9. I am an avid animal lover, as most people know, and strive to provide for the animals who do not have a voice of their own. To me, animals are people too and knowing I saved their lives, makes my life feel incredible. I drove to the shelter in the week following 1 in 9 for my birthday and instead of using $100 to splurge on my birthday spending, I spent it on dog food and toys and treats and blankets and brought it down to the vets office that I volunteer at to have it donated to a shelter. The vets and the techs cried because they know how little the animals get the treatment they deserve. Animals deserve a chance to live their lives just as much as people do. And knowing that I will provide for those who do not have a voice makes me feel whole and complete and just so positive.
2. One thing that I took away from the video was to live for the memories, not the things. As a leader, I feel that if one lives for the things and the materials, one will eventually develop a sense of entitlement and feel that one’s value will be comparable by the items in which one owns. However, if individuals live for the memories, nothing can be compared and entitlement will not be an issue and the leaders can exist and work cohesively and laterally. Jealousy can often arrive from having ownership of materials which can bring a hierarchy by who owns what. Meanwhile, every memory is priceless and cannot be ranked within individuals. The memories are what makes us who we are. The memories will last forever. Objects are temporary, as they may get lost, destroyed, boxed away, etc. We store the memories and can access them at any time and they shape us throughout our lives. You were born with your mind and nothing else and your mind is what you will leave the world with. Your mind holds the memories. Your memories create your values. Your values create your lifestyle.
Sam, what you got from the Ted Talk really applies to me as well. As I transition to my senior year, it’s important to live within those memories instead of all the things you have or were involved in. It all comes down to how do you make someone else feel at that moment and they are going to remember you. I also liked how you said that items get destroyed or lost but those memories will be with you for the rest of your life, so focus on creating those memories instead of holding on to those items.
I’m so glad that you were able to invest yourself further into what he whole 1 in 9 activity was meant to teach by continuing one of the things that you changed in your life. We all know your love for animals is endless, and I admire your ability to use that passion and convert it into initiative and action and it’s amazing to see how great of a leader you are in this aspect. Great job sam love ya girl.
The single thing that stuck out to me most while completing these one in nines was the time that I spent with my little sisters. I honestly take the opportunity to go downstairs and see my little sisters and spend time with them for granted and It is something that is slowly dwindling down. I leave the house forever basically and head to Reno in a little under 3 months and it still hasn’t really hit me yet how much I am going to miss them. This led to a constant spending of time with them and it did become a habit of either just casually sitting there and playing board games with them, or having a good talk and advice about what has been going on in their days. Taking the simple and short amount of time to talk to them made all the difference.
I can take away that all these materialistic things may leave you feeling happy for a short while, but it is not pure happiness at its strongest form. Those feelings are formed when you make the memories that you can’t make anywhere else with the people that you care about more than anything. A habit only takes 21 days to make, and if your habit is making the people around you a better, happier person, then in 21 days you will have not only made 21 people happy, but started a series of events that will forever make the world into a better place. That was the whole point of this one in 9 project anyway right? To get us out of our comfort zone a little bit, doing things that we have never done before or don’t usually do to deviant from the norm a bit. The norm is being mad at the world and always having an excuse for everything, I am going to be that person the deviants and the one in 9 has helped me see this.
I really admire the time you spend with your family. As leaders and people involved with school and numerous other activities, we often overlook spending quality time with our families. I know that this is something that is very important for me to do throughout my senior year and I know the joy that can come from spending time with our families
Viva la revolución! Andrew, I’m glad to see you improve into a better leader over the activities and lessons we’ve done over this year and I’m happy to call you my friend. I may suck at showing it with terrible jokes and humor, but I have your back all the way. Maybe you’re deviant nature will grow on other people and spread to the point where your college campus improves with you and decides to do more in the community to make a difference rather than being mad at the world with plenty of excuses. Great job and good luck in college! Don’t forget to have fun and make more happy memories!
The most impactful activity that I focused on was keeping a journal. Intentionally taking time to reflect everyday helped me to understand my own thoughts and actions more completely. I was able to understand what I needed and how I could change my actions to be more fulfilled. It was an effective way to reduce stress and make sure that I was maintaining balance in my life. Keeping this constant helped me to feel more in control of all actions in my life and align them more with who I want to become.
Doing these activities really helped me to take a different perspective. I was able to break the monotony and unhealthy habits of just going through the day. Instead I was able to focus on things that I could control and change every week. It is empowering to make an effort and experience both an external and internal change in my life. I have the power to become. To become responsible, become sensitive, become helpful, become kind, to become efficient. To become better. There’s almost a freedom in this realization. I have been feeling stuck in this same environment at Coronado, but the world around you is only still if you are. I am able to change my thoughts and actions to become my best. Every day matters.
I agree that this activity empowered me into knowing the kind of change that I’m capable of. I also learned that changing your life and adding value isn’t hard and only takes a few small actions. Being stuck in the same routine everyday may make change seem impossible, but if you shift your perspective just a little bit, you realize that change isn’t all that hard.
Megan this is really good. Being able to write down all your feelings really helps with stress and it’s just a detox from what is around you. Writing down your feelings really allows you to read back them and say that these are things that can be fixed or can’t be fixed and that’s okay. Don’t sweat the small things and just remember that if you are living your life stressing about these small things you won’t get the chance to appreciate all the great things that are around you.
Woah! We had super similar experiences! I also decided to keep a journal for my 1 in 9, and I completely agree with your take on keeping a journal. Daily reflection is super valuable and being able to analyze yourself on a deeper level is something that should never be taken for granted. I also love what you took away from this. Promise yourself that you wont stay still and you’ll keep moving, you don’t need to feel stuck:) Keep realizing things and live your best life Megan
I like how you took a day by day outlook to change your perspective and make better habits for yourself. For me, I don’t think I would have had the motivation to write in a journal everyday, so I think that’s cool that you were able to do that and saw beneficial effects as as result. Then, when you went on to what you took out of the video and activity I again like how you ended with “every day matters” so if each day you make a small change, that small change will continue allowing you to grow in the right direction.
Hi Megan! I think your idea of keeping a journal as one of your activities for one in nine is completely brilliant. It is so different and I really like how it focuses on improving yourself as an individual. I know most of the time with school and student council happening all at once, sometimes it’s hard to maintain one’s focus. I think your idea of keeping a journal can be really beneficial to me, so that I can really sort out all the information thats floating around in my brain. Thanks for sharing this great idea about keeping a journal and I am really proud of you for thinking of something so different for one of your activities! I hope you continue to keep your journal and this practice of “decluttering” your brain when you move to Boston!
One of the activities that impacted me the most was trying to make it to seminary on time every day. Although this seems like a trivial habit to change about myself, I was able to develop the discipline to wake up on time. I changed my mentality and recognized that my teacher has planned a lesson for the entire time, so I should make an effort to appreciate his work by being present the entire time. From this activity, I learned the importance of planning my morning out the night before. When I set out my outfit and set my alarm for a reasonable time, I was happier in the morning and more timely. This added value to my life by improving my punctuality and also added value to my seminary teacher and seminary class as I had more meaningful participation since I was more alert. Adding value to my own life enabled me to add values to others’ lives. When I personally am prepared for the day, I am able to leave more of an impact. You have to develop yourself before you can develop others.
From the TED Talk and Minimalist activities, I learned the importance of living each day with a desire to make a change in ourselves and make a change for others. As I had time to reflect on one thing I wanted to improve each week for the 1 in 9 activity, I realized the value of living in a way that we can always be the best version of ourselves. We really do need to live for stories and memories rather than belongings. As I shifted my mentality to focusing on making every day count, I found, like in the minimalist video, that we add meaning to our life and the lives of others.
The activities that stuck out the most to me from my One in Nine were the activities I did for weeks 8 and 9. For Week 8, I went with my family and temple members to deliver food and clothes packages to the homeless in the area near Three Square. I had been planning and organizing this event with my temple for about a month and after doing the event, it really opened my eyes to how fortunate I am; I know it’s a pretty cliché movie (and saying that its cliché is cliché) but just seeing how these people didn’t even have basic things like a place to go to the bathroom and how they were living in tents madne from trashbags really made me reevaluate my life “problems” and how much I take for granted in my life. Overall, it was an experience that really helped me grow as a person and brought me closer with my family and temple. For Week 9, I decided to really go outside my comfort zone and go to the LDS Stake Youth Conference with some of my close LDS friends. I had really no idea what is was going to be like when I was going in but I am so glad I went. There, I was able to listen to a variety of different speakers that gave different inspirational messages and I was able to participate in service activities. It was a great experience that I really enjoyed and that I’m really glad I attended; it was something really bold and different from my other activities that I did which is why it really stood out to me.
From both the TedTalk Minimalist and the 1 in 9 activity that we did, I took away the lesson that in order to maximize what we do with our lives/live a fulfilling life, we need to continually reevaluate our priorities/what gives us purpose and do activities that push out of our comfort zone. The TedTalk Minimalist video really emphasized the point that our lives are filled with “clutter” and people that only detract from it rather than add to it. Translating this lesson to leadership, I as a leader have to closely evaluate the people and things in my life that work to, as One Direction states the best, “Drag Me Down”. These people and items don’t share my same vision and work negatively to prevent me from achieving my goals, so I need to cut them off. Then, from the 1 in 9 activity, each week, I was encouraged to go outside my comfort zone to do an activity that was different than what I typically did. These activities were fulfilling as they typically served others as well as me. This can be applied to my leadership as I can’t continue to just do activities and events that I do every year. To expand my horizons and make leadership exciting/fulfilling for me, I have to take risks and do different things.
I like your reference to One direction, and I agree it is very applicable in this situation. It is important to surround yourself with people who have the same morals and goals as this `allows you to help each other out which will ultimately led to success in accomplishing your goals.
I really like how you talked about constantly pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones helps us realize our purpose in doing things, and I really liked how you tied it back to an activity that you personally stepped out of your comfort zone to do something you wouldn’t normally do. Going to a place filled with people you don’t know doing things you didn’t expect really takes some drive and that is so cool you were able to step out of your comfort zone to try new things.
I completely agree with you that there is some things and people in life that hold us back, whether they intentionally try to or not. One useful skill in life that is really hard to master is pushing away the things that do not help us, yet keeping things that do close to us. As leaders and student council members we must be especially dedicated to being diligent in finding what really matters to us. I think you do a great job of this in your life.
I think being able to reflect on our life and how we spend our time is a really important aspect to growing as a person and as a leader. I’m glad you were able to have these eye opening experiences to help you “de- clutter” your life and I’m really proud of you for continuing to step out of your comfort zone each week in order to better yourself and those around you.
Nolan, I love that you went outside your comfort zone in your activities. Having you come to youth conference was so fun for me. I also like how you said that you need to take risks. i think that we as leaders often forget to take risks and just go thorough the motions, when even just a small risk can help us expand and grow as a leader.
I definitely agree with how you said that in order to expand your horizons you have to take risks and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. I personally know and struggle with taking risks because failure is a very real, scary possibility of taking risks, which has caused me to not push myself to my full leadership potential. That’s why learning the value of failure and that failure is necessary to succeed can be and is so beneficial. Through learning the benefits of failure, it will allow us to become more comfortable with the concept and possibility of failure, resulting in us pushing ourselves to try new things. It is through these new things that growth and new levels are reached.
Hey Nolan! It’s wonderful to hear that you are making an effort to try new things and expand your horizon for a happier life. Cutting ties with those that drag you down can be difficult but I ,from the bottom of my heart, believe that you can do it and strive on no matter what obstacles or horrible jokes from me come your way. You are an amazing leader and you will bring more new activities and events to our community so that we can grow and improve with you. You have my full support, Nolan, and its not going anywhere. Good luck and have fun along the way!
1. One activity that stuck out to me the most was writing appreciation letters for the people in my life who deserve more recognition. For this activity, I wrote letters to people in my life I appreciate that receive little thanks for all they do. The people I wrote to included my close friends who constantly support me, my teachers who help me, Mrs. Swenson who motivates me, and also my family who I wouldn’t be here without. This activity stuck out to me the most because it helped me realize just how lucky and blessed I am to have certain people in my life. I felt that it was important to let them know how much they mean to me and how much of a positive impact they leave in my life. This is one activity that I have been good about continuing. It may not be hand written letters every single time, but I try my best to let those who help me out whether it is with life advice or just cleaning something up that without them my success would be diminished.
2. One thing I was able to take away from this activity is true happiness and satisfaction can be found in the smallest things which are more often non-materialistic. I realized that we often take things for granted and think we can only find happiness in objects or something money can buy, but ultimately we can easily find happiness in acts of service, trying new things, discovering more about ourselves, and the connections, bonds, and intimate moments with those around us. After watching the TedTalk Minimalist, I became more aware of the many opportunities I have to find true happiness through these methods and participating in the 1 in 9 activity allowed me to actually go to action and see change in my life. For those 9 weeks, I found myself the happiest I had been while participating in the activities as life felt more enjoyable because I departed from being obsessed with materialistic objects and became obsessed with enjoying the little things that I don’t do enough and should.
1. The activities that stood out the most for me were the ones that involved me spending more quality time with my family members. Often times we all get lost in the madness of our lives and forget to appreciate or spend time with the important people around us, especially our families. Through my one in nine activities I was able to make an active effort to connect to my family. I was also able to learn new things about them that i previously hadn’t known. Specifically, my sister and I were able to talk about what she wanted to do when she graduated college and moved into her life, and it was an eye opening experience. Spending time with my family also made me more thankful, knowing I had such amazing people to surround myself with.
2. I took away that every little thing you do makes a difference in your life and that if you want change, you must be willing to set aside the time and effort for it. Many of my one in nines were things that I changed about my daily routine, rather than an extraordinary action. However, these little things added up and i started to notice a difference in my life. Something may seem insignificant, but it’s those little things that change your life. Also, the one in nine forced me to change my lifestyle to add value, thus teaching me about how you must be willing to put in the effort for change. One in nine taught me that change is good, and encouraged me to continue adding value to my life.
1. One activity that I did that stuck out to me the most when doing this 1 in 9 challenge was when I wrote letters to all the people that had impacted my life or had affected me in a positive and meaningful way. These people helped me grow into the person I am today and I wouldn’t be the same without having had met them. I wrote to all these individuals to tell them how they are so important to me and everything I do now is because of them. I thanked them for being such a huge part of my life. This activity stuck out to me the most because it had the greatest impact on my life. It made me think of everything I have now and how lucky I am. It made me realize that without these wonderful people, I wouldn’t be the same person as I am today. These people have done so much for me in my lifetime and they deserve the world, so the least I could do was write them a thank you note.
2. One thing I took away from the video and from doing the 1 in 9 activities is to live for the moments and the memories instead of living for the materialistic things or the so called “stuff”. You simply cannot compare the happiness that things bring you to the joy that memories with good people bring. Items are temporary, but the memories last forever. People should not be so focused on what item bought them joy but why it did, and from that they can hold on to a memory that they can keep forever. Going along with living life for the moments instead of the “stuff”, I also learned that you need to live life to the fullest and step out of your comfort zone, and I really got the chance to make memories and get out of my comfort zone with the 1 in 9 activities. With these activities, I was able to create bonds and make memories with people I probably wouldn’t have talked to ever before, and that is all because I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something that added value to my life. Today, as a leader, I can still apply these things to my life. By living life for the moments, I can create better relationships with people that will ultimately lead to accomplishing a set goal. By taking risks, leaders can accomplish more than they plan too.
1. The activity that stood out most to be was meeting a new friend, who was by himself. His name was Skylar and was a new student at Coronado. He is a freshman and when I had met him he had just moved her about two weeks ago. One day I was putting up flyers for grad night and he was sitting in the 300’s hallway and he asked me if he could help. I said of course and now we have become really good friends. He was from California and likes to skateboard and even play volleyball. I talked to him about playing on the school team, but he wasn’t interested. We still talk and I even go sit with him at lunch now. It really made me feel good and it was different because I didn’t go out to him, he came out to me. I’m so happy that I have met him because he is a truly genuine and nice person.
2. One thing that I learned to take away from doing this activity is that by doing little things you can really change someones day or even their life. It’s also important that no matter how bad things are, they will always get better. Through this activity I have learned that by doing deeds you can really make an impact. Also I learned that people are not going to remember most of the things in high school, so we need to try new things. It is also truly important to live for stories, and not stuff.
Stuart, my main man, my friend, my brother. This post is a perfect representation of how you are as a person and a leader. Honestly, you are such an inspiration and role model for me for what not only a good leader looks like, but what a great person looks like. You always willing to lead by example and take risks in order to help and lift others up as displayed by how you went out of your way to talk to Skylar. Furthermore, your ability to be a sincere, genuine person enables you to connect with others easily and make those great relationships/bonds. I’m so glad we got tight last summer because you’re just such an amazing person to be around. You are always about the people not the event/end product and it was honor being in stuco beside you. I wish you the best of luck wherever you go to college and you know we’re getting McDonald’s soft serve icecream.
The activity that suck out to me the most was when I snuck out of my house on Valentine’s morning to purchase flowers, a card, and a balloon for my mom. My dad was on an emeregency business trip to Reno and my sister was in college, so I wanted to do something that demonstrate how much she means to me. I had to be at the store by 6:00 am because my mom wakes up to get my little sister ready for school, so it was defin9iely something that had to be well planned out to work. I used all my money from babysitting to purchase all the items for her. This one suck out the most to me because even though my mom always says that Valentine’s Day is everyday, I wanted her to see how much I cared about her because I’m like my mom, and I tend to bundle things up and not express my emotions or thoughts to others about how I am feeling, so I felt by doing this I can only just strengthen my relationship with her.
I was able to take away from the Ted Talk was that by letting go you can add values to others life. I strongly agree with this because by letting go of the “stuff” that you don’t normally use, you are giving someone who may not have many values in their life a small up lifter. It allows you to feel light and not having all these things on top of your shoulders that shouldn’t stress you out or be on the back of your mind. Those “stuff” are not closing a door on memories, it’s opening new doors to appreciate less because those memories will always be with you. I can continue to apply as a leader by realizing that we get so caught up in the action and steps that we have to do to accomplish something, but it’s important to take a set back and realize that this is your life and you still deserve to enjoy it yourself.
1) The activity that stood out the most to me was being able to get to know one of my best friends today. This person is Makenna Irvine. At the beginning of the year I knew her but I didn’t really take the time to get to know her. During the Disney land trip was when I actually started to get to know her. She was very accepting of me and know has changed me for the better. This helped me understand how much a persons life can change so much based on another person. After I had realized this I started to try to be nice to everyone I saw by just saying hi in the hallway or smiling at them or trying to strike up a conversation. I also have learned to put my phone away when I’m walking from class to class because it lets people know that that isn’t the most important thing to me at that moment. This has really helped me become more of a better person and leader.
2) One thing that I learned from the Ted Talk which is one of my favorite Ted Talks is how to live your life not based around the things you obtain but the memories you make.This has really helped me as a leader because it has helped me see that if let’s say a decoration for an event or donations aren’t working as planed I have learned to look at the bigger picture to help me understand that it’s not how pretty the paper looks or how many donuts you have but being able to get the overall message across. One thing I have learned from this one in nine activity is to not only change up our everyday lives for the better but that change isn’t a bad thing. We live in a time where change is looked down upon because people are afraid of it. This activity has taught me to not be afraid of change and help me be more outgoing in my ways of living and leading.
1. Two activities which I did stuck out to me the most in my 1 in 9. The first activity, which I did over the full nine weeks, was openly expressing my gratitude for other people. Sometimes I can come off as emotionless to other people when I converse with them, so I wanted them to know how I really felt. I think the reaction that affected me the most came from my Theater IV Kristina. I guess she had been having a really rough day and life had been beating her down, so I unknowingly went up to her after school and told her how grateful I was to have her as a part of my life this year. She immediately started crying and hugged me and thanked me, and it was in that moment that I understood that small but meaningful acts like this can really help people out on a daily basis. The other activity which I started was daily journaling. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas in my head and at some point they take up so much space that I can’t do anything. It didn’t occur to me to write them down until we started this project, and it’s really a cathartic experience for me. My journaling can also show me my recent moods and is a really great indicator of my personal health.
2. From the ted talk and the 1 in 9 project, I learned not live a monotonous life. Until then, I kind of just went through my day not thinking about what I was doing and just getting things done to get things done. I now see each day with more and more purpose though, and I’m so grateful for that. Life has become a lot more interesting, and I’ve learned to take what comes to me.
1.The activity that I enjoyed the most was definitely going to help out the missionaries go clean my church. The experience was a great way to not only help out them but assist in making the church a really better place. I really got thinking about these missionaries and how they represent leadership. There is missionaries of every church or religion that go out and take the time to do everything for everyone else. Nothing they do in their daily routines is for themselves. Everything they do is for the betterment of other people. What if leadership was like this? What if we were all as selfless as missionaries of any religion? I think that student council would be infinitely more successful if we were leaders that were selfless, and everything that we did was for other people, not ourselves. This experience really encouraged me to work on servant leadership and how to be a better servant yet leader at the same time.
2.From hearing this Ted Talk twice now and experiencing these activities for 9 weeks I really learned a lot about how I should conduct my everyday life. There is so much chaos that goes on and it is important to make sense of it all. I learned that each day is precious and should be treated with infinite value, because that is the weight it carries. I remember that one fact stated from the Ted Talk is that the average american has over 300,000 household items. What on earth are all these things and how do we accumulate so much? I think it is because we often forget our purpose in life. I think life’s purpose should be something we should be consistently reminded of. If we constantly know what our true values are, our priorities suddenly shift to where they need to be.
1. The activity that stuck out the most to me during the one in nine activity was the week i campaigned for SBO elections. Although this started out as an almost selfish act since I started out only doing it to get votes, it ended up as something valuable to me and to the people I met. While I campaigned I found that I wasn’t only asking people to vote for me but I actually made meaningful connections with people that I talked to. For example, every morning I would get to school at 7am to campaign. Tuesday morning I noticed this girl sitting by herself, and even though I knew going to small groups wasn’t as effective of a way to get the word out, I went and talked to her and made a connection past the point of just asking her to vote for me. From then on, every morning I’d stop by her table she sat at and I’d say hello and talk to her for a bit. This added value to my life because it humbled me and made me think about every individual on our campus and not just the whole. It also added value to the lives of the people I talked to and her especially because it made them feel heard and listened to even just for a little bit when I made genuine conversations with them. This reminded me that things are not always about the result of events, but how they make other people feel.
2. One thing I took away from these experiences and the video was that the outcomes and the things you have don’t end up making you happy. The memories and how you feel are what you end up holding dear to your heart. Living for the process and the memories will lead to a greater sense of fulfillment and purpose then simply reaching completion or success or gaining material wealth. I think as leaders we sometimes get caught up in the outcomes and the end results that we forget to live in the moment and savor the memories and the process of the events and the experiences we have.
1. One of the activities that stuck out the most for me was cooking a meal ,specifically dinner, for a larger group of people. Last February when my family went on a ski trip with two other families we stayed in a cabin that allowed for cooking of your own meals. Instead of going out to eat every night each family brought their own ingredients and cooking supplies and we cooked dinner each night. I volunteered to cook one night so my mother didn’t have to and instead she could sit back, relax, and enjoy her vacation. Now prior to this experience I had never really cooked that much, but for some reason i decided to put myself out there and try to cook dinner for this group of 15 people. Normally I wouldn’t do something like this,but I really felt like walking in my mothers foot steps for once and for once trying to experience what she does on a daily basis. Overall the cooking experience was a success and no one got injured from the food, but of course my mother gave me some very important constructive criticism towards my different techniques. It finally felt good to give my mother that opportunity to relax and enjoy her vacation while also giving myself a small insight into what it is like to be my mom and how her cooking for the family is only a small part of what she does. Another activity that stood out the most to me was reconnecting with a long time friend.I decided to start talking to my friend Jack again who had been a long time friend in elementary school and the beginning of middle school, but we stopped talking throughout middle school and most of high school. We didn’t stop talking for any particular reason we just didn’t have as much time anymore and we didn’t see each other as much. I was able to make contact with him and start talking with him again. This rekindled our relationship and we were able to start hanging out again and we still do to this day. It was super fun to remake the bonds I had with such a close friend and a goal for my future would to start remaking connections with more “lost” friends.
2. The ideas and general leadership lesson that I took away from the 1 and 9 activity and the TedTalk Minimalist is that in order to discover what you are truly passionate about and to discover what truly drives you in life you have to break yourself down and discover your real core values then build yourself up from those core values and those core aspects of a leader. This simplistic state revolves a lot around what was discussed in the video about living for memories and not materialistic items. Leadership itself revolves around the relationships and the memories that you make with other people in order to turn them into leaders. This idea of breaking yourself down and building yourself back up not only impacts the way you live your life, but also those around you. As a leader others look up to you in decision making and the paths that you choose. When you choose to take a path of simplicity where you focus on what really matters in life others will do the same. As leaders we need to show that our values should not be based around the possession of materialistic items, but instead the gaining of experience and knowledge. As said before nothing is as valuable as knowledge. Our experience leads us to success, our success leads us towards our goals, and our goals lead us towards happiness. Branching out and finding new adventures and new hobbies is one of the best ways to gain happiness. You can never be satisfied if you don’t at least try.
1- The activity that stuck out to me the most during the one in nine was writing down 3 things I am grateful for every night before I go to sleep. I often find myself stressing over the small things in life, and having an outlook that does not fully express gratitude for everything I am blessed with. This activity was extremely impactful for me because I have continued to do this every night even though we are no longer doing one in nine. I also expanded and when I have a bad day or am feeling extra stressed, I write 5 things. I am up to almost 150 different things I have to be grateful for. This has helped me to be more positive and to constantly be looking for things to appreciate.
2-The main thing I got from this is that the little things matter most and to live for memories and small successes. I think that by even taking the time to ask about someones day, send someone a nice text, or giving someone a compliment can change their entire outlook and make their day 10 times better. Also, something I learned not only from this video but this year is to live for memories, not things. One day you will look back and you won’t remember the clothes you wore or the other materialistic items you own, but you will remember the memories and bonds you made with others.
1. The activity that stuck out to me the most was when I pushed myself to try new things, even when I was scared of the outcome. I mainly accomplished this goal through signing up to go on Trek with my church, in which we would walk a long distance, while wearing skirts and bonnets, remembering our ancestors and the pioneers. Reflecting on this goal and the activity that I accomplished it through, I realized how grateful I was for this goal. Trek ended up being one of my greatest, fondest memories, due to my desire and goal to make the most out of the situation, make new friends, and have fun.
2. Mainly, through 1 in 9 and the Ted Talk regarding minimalism, I learned the importance of appreciating and taking advantage of every single moment. Each moment shouldn’t be taken advantage of, and through focusing on the importance of each moment, I was able to make more memories and focus on the things that really mattered to me. It encouraged me to not waste my time on the little things and to focus on what I was grateful for. I will continue this approach in my leadership career through focusing more on the big picture, such as an event as a whole, and not focus on each individual detail.
1. After completing all 9 weeks of my 1 in 9, the activity that stuck out to me the most was spending time with my family, specifically my grandma. During the beginning of the activity, I went and visited her in the hospital after she had two strokes. I only took about 30 minutes out of my night to do this, but it was something that meant so much to her. As school has become more stressful and time consuming, I have not been able to see her as often or been able to tell her how important of a person she is to me. By taking the time out of my night to see her, it showed me how easy it is to do something for someone else and have it make a difference on their life. As it is a few months later, she has been moved to an assisted living home and the time we have left with her will be staring to come to and end. This activity really taught me how important and beneficial it is to cherish the time we have with people because you never know when you won’t be able to anymore.
2. The biggest thing that I took out of the Ted Talk Minimalist and the 1 in 9 activity is the idea that “memories aren’t inside of things, but inside of ourselves”. Throughout the activity I made habits that were both materialistic and not. However, after reflecting on the activity the one that stood out to me most was one that had nothing to do with material items. By visiting my grandma, I physically gained nothing, but of more importance I gained something emotionally. By making this comparison, it represents how the memories we have are a part of ourselves and a part of the moment. We make the greatest memories when were doing the things we like with the people we like; nothing about the “things” we’re making them with. I think this realization is important as it shows how we have the memories embedded within ourselves, not within the objects. As a leader I can continue applying this idea as a continue growing throughout life. In every situation I can assess what materialistic things are actually important, and the things that aren’t can by replaced with memories that add value to my life. Letting go of the things that don’t add value to my life can allow me to live a better and happier that isn’t confined by the things that I have.
1. The activity that stood out to me the most during 1 in 9 was reaching out to others whom i know and don’t know and constantly expressing my gratitude for others. For part of my week, I expressed gratitude to anyone for any little thing they did to help or the people around me, since the little things often hold the most substantial importance. Also during 1 in 9 I, reached out to my aunt with the help of the rest of my family to show her how much we appreciate her and that we care about her to motivate her to quit smoking. Luckily with my family’s help we were able to get her to attend meetings to address her problem. The impact that a measure of gratitude can hold in a person’s life and the improvement it can bring are the lessons that stuck out to me throughout 1 in 9.
2. The lessons that stuck out to me through the video and in 1 in 9 are that every little thing you do, every smile, expression of gratitude, helping hand, as minor as it may seem can have the most eye-openingly important impact in an individual’s life. From the knowledge of these monumental impacts it shows that you should always reach out to others through small acts of service and kindness and to lend your strength when you are strong so subsequently when you are at your lowest someone will reach out and impact you. I also learned further that life and happiness are built up successfully through the collection of moments and memories, not things. This is important for leadership because you should lead others through a pursuit of a successful life built on reaching out and appreciating everything through the collection of memories and moments.
This is truly touching. I’m glad that things worked out with your aunt. Things like this, the constant support, can be a life changer for anyone, and one for the better. Hope you continue to make good leadership decisions in your future!
1. The activity that stood out the most to me was the 8th week when I decided to make a thank-you basket for one of the campus monitors at our school. Every morning, she greets students as they walk in to school and compliments them. Overall, she creates a positive atmosphere the second that students set foot on our campus. I thought it was really interesting how she made it a point everyday to make me and the people around me feel happy when we walked into school everyday, yet I didn’t even know her name. I decided to make a basket with different candies (and candy puns of course) and deliver it to her one morning. She was so grateful for even the smallest candy basket, and I could tell that she really valued the work she puts in everyday. I finally learned her name (Ms. Daisley) and got to know a bit about why it is that she works so hard to make sure our students start their day off in a positive way. One reason why I thought this activity was so interesting is because she’s leaving our school next year, and I probably would never have known her name if it weren’t for this project.
2. The biggest lesson that I learned from this project was to enjoy every little moment and appreciate the people around you on a more personal level. You never know what can happen if you just step out of your comfort zone and push yourself to try something new. I formed so many new relationships and learned a lot about my capabilities as a leader and as a human being in general because of this project, and it’s all because I was willing to step and and test my boundaries.
1. The activities that stuck out to me the most were the ones including my family. I realized how easy it it was to spend more time with my mom and sisters. For one of the activities, I actually called my dad who I don’t talk to much and worked a lot of things out with him. It made me realize how big of an impact little things can make. I was happy that we were able to do 1 in 9 it had such a positive impact.
2. I was able to take away that we only have so much time here on earth so we need to make everyday count. We shouldn’t waste time on things that mean nothing like for example social media. We should focus more on building relationships and making memories. We have to live our life to the fullest because we only have one and it goes by fast!
I really like how you found a way to spend more time with your family and how you have realized that we all have limited time on earth and that our time is very important.
1. The activity that stuck out to me the most was not using the term “I can’t”. This stuck out to me the most because my friends even started to join me in eliminating this word from their lives too. This made a positive impact in my life, and also led to others around me being able to benefit from the activity I was participating in.
2. I can take away the advice to let go and stop letting things weigh me down. It is so easy to be caught up on what went wrong and forget to focus on what went right. If I can stop letting the negatives weigh me down, much more positivity will come into my life.
1. The activity that stuck out to me the most for one in nine was when I cut down on my social media usage. Instead of using it every night before I slept, I would turn my phone off after dinner and this way I got more things done. I was able to focus more on my homework without my phone distracting me. In addition, I was also able to talk and spend time with my family more since I didn’t have my social media to turn to. Using less of my social media made me realize that the internet and phones are not necessities.
2. My biggest take away from the Tedtalk would be their message that we should be living for the moments and not for the things. The tedtalk expands on how most people value their belongings more than the people surrounding them. Even for me, watching the tedtalk was almost a wake up call and it helped me to realize that I should focus more on creating memories with my loved ones rather than paying attention to my physical belongings. By putting your materials aside and engaging more with others around you, you are able to add more value and meaning to your own life and to others. I was able to apply this through one of my one in nine activities, which was to use my phone less since I use it so often. I can continue to take this lesson with me and use it as a leader by creating stronger bonds with those around me. In today’s world, most individuals are more concerned about what they own than the people that are their friends and family. As a leader, by creating stronger bonds with more individuals whether it be your stuco team members or people in the student body, you are able to play a more influential role on their lives in which you can help them to realize that materials will never hold as much value as the people surrounding us. As a leader, it is important to leave a positive impact on the lives of others and in this case you could help them to live a more meaningful life.
1.) The activity that stood out to me the most is when I made rock gifts for my family. During Valentines day, I made rocks for teachers and students in order to show them my appreciation towards them. In the end, I realized I made too many rock gifts left over after counting them down. Instead of tossing those rocks away, I went out of my way and gave the rest to my family. And to my surprise, that little act of giving brought my family together for a small moment. After giving my rock to my mother, she immediately went other to my grandmother to tell her about it before I came to her and gave her a rock. Soon enough my dad and siblings heard all of commotion and came to me. I gave him his rock and he gives me a smile and tells me thank you. While my little siblings were not as excited to receive a pretty rock instead of candy, they still looked happier than they did before. Eventually, their happiness grew on me and I had a giant smile on my face as my family came together to bond over tiny left over rocks.
2.) These activities and the TedTalk Minimalism allows me to take away lessons about reaching out to others to show my gratitude as well as the importance of showing others my appreciation rather than just telling them. It would have been easier to toss those extra rock gifts and just tell them the usual “I love you and stuff” without no thought or effort put into it, but these activities as well as the lessons of minimalism pushed me to go the extra mile and get out of my shell to give them gifts that I once thought were stupid only to be receive good feedback as well as closer bonds between my family that make me smile to this day. As a leader,these abilities will continue to help me start and deepen bonds between the people around me as well as help me grow more confident in myself and my abilities in order to serve our community grow and a bright future with all of us as one big happy family.
1) The one activity that by far stood out the most in my 1 in 9, was the act of saying thank you at every opportunity. Something as small as saying “Thank You” can go a long way in someone’s life. You never know what someone can be going though, and that one gesture of kindness can really make an impact on someone’s day. One of the 4 human truths states that we all need to be appreciated; “Thank You” is one way of showing your appreciation for someone/their actions, thus filling one need held by all human beings. This one thing that I have made into a habit, has made me appear much more friendly in my community, and in front of my peers.
2) One thing from 1 in 9, and from the TED-Talk that I can incorporate into my leadership skills in the future, is getting out my comfort zone and clearing unnecessary diversions from my life. One thing about the TED-Talk mentions moving along in life with the things that have more sentimental value rather than material value. In a way, it is describing that the smaller more meaningful things in life, deserve your attention more than the distracting “clutter” in everyday life. 1 in 9 taught me that getting out of your comfort zone can be a fun thing, rather than something to teach you to be open. Everything that I did during 1 in 9 had Ian impact on my life in some way. Going back to the week I said thank you to almost everything, I learned that a couple of words could mean the world to someone else. The week that I put myself in a cheerleading uniform for Powderpuff, really threw me out into the open, and I was okay with it…I did something that I would never think of and I learned that it was fun to do something different for a change. Maybe it was the pure embarrassment, or the joyous expressions from my peers, it all contributed to my overall comfort level. If someone were to ask me whether or not I would do 1 in 9 again, I totally would. No doubt, every new habit from 1 in 9 is one for the greater good.
1.The activity that stuck out the most to me during 1 in 9 was when I had the opportunity to work alongside my uncle’s company to demolish and refurbish homes for at risk teens and those in need. I learned a lot about not taking things for granted and that not everyone is as fortunate as I.
2.From the minimalist video, I realized that living to help others is my new found passion. After having 9 weeks to complete different activities at different risk levels, I always found myself serving the community time and time again. As a leader I will continue to live for stories and moments.
That’s so cool Lexi! You were able to make an impact on other peoples lives. Your Uncle has found a way to help others and you can now too. Those little moments are what allow us to remember that we are so lucky for the world that we live in, and we should do everything that we can to make other peoples lives a little easier. During your one in nine, how you did different levels of difficulty in your activities is a very good way to see what you can handle and what you love to do. Living for the moments and stories is living your life to the fullest. Great job girly!
1. The activity that stuck out the most to me was being able to meet the pool attendant that I work with. I found out that he was blind and had to use a stick to even be able to feel where he was going. Despite this major difficulty and obstacle in his life, he did not let that stop him from doing what he wanted to do. He now works as a pool attendant at Mandalay Bay. There is never one time he is not smiling which really encouraged me to be more optimistic in life.
2. The TedTalk Minimalist really showed me how different our society is and how attached we are to materialistic things. In the olden days, they did not have cars and phones and tons of money to brag about on social media and to their friends. Instead, people were able to create memories and stories that will stay with them forever. Nothing materialistic is forever. I was able to take away that stories are so much more meaningful than the newest iPhone. An iPhone will not be around forever and will get old, but stories will and they will always be remembered. I would much rather be remembered for doing something with my life that was cool and spontaneous or meaningful rather than be remembered for being rich.
1. The activity that stuck out to me the most was “Ask Me for a Kiss.” This made people really happy because after talking to some of the people I gave kisses to, some of them didn’t have a Valentine or anyone to bring them chocolate or roses. I saw a girl walking by herself with her head down during the passing period between first and second period and I offered her a Hershey kiss and she told me I literally made her week. This made me feel so happy because I knew that just the little things we do can make a huge impact. Even if we only impact one person per day starting the first day of Freshman year, that is 720 people that we can impact in our four years. To impact over 3,500 students, 3,600 if my calculations are correct, all it takes is just five students to impact one person each everyday day at school in their four years of high school.
2. The biggest lesson that I took away from the Ted Talk is that we don’t need things to make us happy. Objects are just objects, and while we may think they hold memories or value, they can’t because they are just objects. The memories and ideas we value are inside of our heads, not inside of objects. The idea of minimalism is that “stuff” does not define who we are; we define who we are.
1. During the 1 in 9, the activity that stuck out to me the most was when I went to Three Square with my entire family. We packaged oranges and apples for elderly people who can’t leave the house and boxes of food for families across the valley in need. For the first time I got to see my family outside of ourselves and everyday lives. We each do separate community service projects and other activities that focus on serving others, but this is the first time that we did one together. Typically when we are all together, we focus on what chores we need to do or errands we need to run, but standing there on the Three Square floor, we weren’t focused on ourselves. We broke free from our perfect little bubble consumed by personal problems and motives. It stuck with me because it gave me a wake up call on what is most important. I had been going through auto pilot for so long while doing these kind of events, that after one with my family I was able to become re-aware of what is most important: helping others and spending time with the people I love.
2. Through watching the minimalist video and by doing the one in nine activity, I was able to take away that you have to live for the moments instead of the stuff. Stuff does not bring your life meaning but living for the those moments with the people you care about is what does. The 1 in 9 activity was a wake up call for me as a leader. I was taught that you can so easily lose track of what is most important. Life has a way of wearing you down and making you believe that completing tasks is more important than helping others. You will believe that you are too busy. Your priorities matter more than the people around you, but through this activity I was able to see how easily this can happen. Learning awareness and selflessness is so important in being a great leader. If you can focus on people instead of stuff you will live your life to the fullest and help others live that way as well.