Here We Go Again: Coffee, Packing, and a Highly Publicized Plane Wreck

Hey there, blog world.

Lemme say first of all, that I have missed this blog, although I didn't realize that until this week.  I love writing here and I have a bajillion ideas of new things I'm going to do this time around on here.  You'll be introduced to one of them at the end of this post.  Awesome.

So, as far as studying goes, I'm not seriously doing any until I get back to Alaska, June 16.  What am I doing until then, you ask?  Well, I'm glad you did, 'cuz I'm dying to tell you. :)

I've thought about a study abroad program for a long time, but there's something you should know about me: I'm kind of a chicken.  But this spring I found myself living in Logan (instead of out of a suitcase, like I'd planned) and took the first step by going to a study abroad fair.  There I got a million different flyers and booklets on a million different study abroad programs- quite overwhelming.  I then painstakingly compiled them into a ginormous spreadsheet and narrowed my options.  Long story short, after being denied two awesome internships, I found myself looking at a few different programs...and considered just going home to Alaska like the scaredy-cat I am.  But I was listening to Harry Potter on tape at the time, and heard my fictional idol, Albus Dumbledore (who else?) give me some sound advice:

"Let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

Semester at Sea it is, then.  I'll be leaving on Wednesday: starting in the Bahamas, then embarking on this awesome ship, the MV Explorer, and traveling to Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and Trinidad.  While on the boat I'm taking Spanish and a class called "Food Safety and Security," which is really ag-based, so I'm psyched about that.  I'll also be taking a lecture course called "Engineering a New Tomorrow"...I'm just not quite sure what that involves.  I'm really excited, but also really nervous.  As a family friend pointed out to me recently, I don't know another soul going.  But this is a good thing.  It will really test my ability to be social and make friends.  It will also test my ability to be an example of my faith...since I will not be in Utah and will most likely be the only LDS student aboard.

So, for the next month I'll be doing that.  I have absolutely no idea whether or not I'll update this blog.  The only studying for National Office I'll really be doing is reading, as far as I know right now.  And the experience will be study enough, I'm sure.

I've got a few books left over from last year that I either never read or never finished.  I started one of them tonight, because I got really sick and tired of organizing and packing up all my stuff (moving really sucks).  The book is called "Brown Like Coffee," Morgan Parker recommended it to me last year.  It definitely isn't a leadership book, but it's interesting.  It's especially interesting for me, because it's all about living a Christ-centered life and discipleship.  Not that I don't believe in that- it's just a different vocabulary and way of looking at things.  So far I enjoy it...not sure how helpful it will be, but it makes me think, so that's good.  (And it has already quoted Albus Dumbledore in the first chapter.)  And I enjoy highlighting and writing in books once again. :)

Next up to read: Good to Great and Resonate, both suggested by a new friend, Samuel Cornthwaite...and a few other cheap ones I picked up at DI just for fun.  I can't think of their names right now and am too lazy to go find them.

Alright, this is getting long, so I'll wrap up.  As the last part of this entry, I'll introduce one of the new things I want to do in my posts, and that's blogging about people that inspire me...whether or not I've ever met them.

This first person is one of those in the "people who inspire me who are also complete strangers" categories.  Her name is Stephanie Nielson.  She is a popular LDS "mommy-blogger," but she also has an incredible life story which includes getting in a near-fatal plane crash, surviving, and going back to a new life as a changed person.  I am an avid follower of her blog, The Nie Nie Dialogues, and you can read her story there.  I watched a 20/20 special on it tonight, and even though I was already familiar with the story, I was impressed once again.  I just kept seeing pictures of her (before her body was burned) and thinking about how gorgeous she was.  And- how gorgeous she is.  She really exudes self-confidence in a way that impresses the heck out of me.  I wish that I could be as secure with myself and my abilities as she is.  And I've caught myself thinking that of course she is so strong, she's older than me. (Probably because she has four kids.)  But she's only 29.  So, not a good excuse, Rachel.  I'm so glad for people, even stranger bloggers, who inspire me.

Who inspires you?


Preview for whenever my next blog post is: watch out for incredible international experiences, a thank you shout out to all my supporters (already!), a post about the role religion plays in my adventure, and a post about a favorite friend who bears the name of a Peanuts character...you know who you are. :)

-Rachel

Final Essay

Here's a version of what I wrote yesterday...more polished and essay-like.  l promise this is my last post here.  Enjoy!

What I’ve Learned

A few days ago one of my cousins shared a Dashboard Confessional song with me.  The song, ridiculously titled “Carve Your Heart Out Yourself,” was as depressing as its title and I hated it, but for some reason one of the lines got stuck in my head for the next few days:

“Man, it takes a silly girl to lie about the dreams she had…man, it takes a lonely girl to wish that she had never dreamed at all.”

Every time that line went through my head, I couldn’t help but think about how it applied to my life. 

In the twelve months and over 450 hours I spent preparing to run for National Office, I learned so much.  I systematically went through my entire life and philosophy, discovering who I am and what I stand for.  I can now say that there is probably no job-interview-type question that I can’t answer with confidence.

I improved my public speaking skills, both prepared and extemporaneous, and I worked hard to become more effective in teaching students through facilitation.  I read countless books on leadership and made weekly and monthly goals for self-improvement. 

Finally, I learned everything there is to know about FFA, the agricultural education system, and current agricultural issues.  When the process for running for Nationals was over, I thought this knowledge was pretty useless...but even if I don’t ever apply this knowledge again in my life, it sure has helped me in the Orientation to Agricultural Education class!

I thought that all the learning I would experience would be in preparation to run for National Office, but I was wrong.  The most important thing I learned from the process- perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned thus far in my life- came after the convention.

Failing to become a National FFA Officer was the biggest disappointment I’ve ever experienced.  And experiencing disappointment is not something I’m used to.  I’ve always been of the opinion that hard work leads to results, and my hypothesis has never been proven incorrect until now. 

Now…I’ve learned how life can be unfair.  I’ve learned that I can work as hard as a possibly can, and perform as well as I possibly can, and still not get what I want.  And that’s a hard thing to deal with.

For a while after National Convention, I never wanted to talk about the results.  That might have been my silly way of lying about my dreams.  I was too disappointed to talk about the good that came out of National Convention, and I was afraid that the people I loved would be disappointed in me.

Disappointment has taught me perspective.  Although I am not happy with the results of Convention, there are people in this world who are in much worse situations than I am.   It has also taught me how to be adaptable.  I am naturally a very organized person who plans out her life a year in advance.  My plans for 2011 included serving as a National FFA Officer, but now, I have an entire year with nothing on my calendar.  I am excited to fill that calendar with new adventures and learn to be more spontaneous.

Before, during and after the National Convention, I discovered what a fantastic support system I have.  I am so grateful for the friends and family that supported me in my most difficult hours.

While I was preparing for the convention, I constantly reminded myself of why I was sacrificing so much for my dreams by reading this quote by Arnold Bennett: “The real tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braves himself for his one supreme effort- he never stretches to his full capacity, never stands up to his full stature.”  I am glad that I had the opportunity to run for National Office.  It was something I was scared to do, and something that I wasn’t sure I could do-but I’m glad that I stretched myself to reach for dreams, even though those dreams weren’t fully realized.

What I learned from my experience was more than just facts and figures about agriculture and FFA.  I learned true leadership in being gracious in defeat and working to support those who are have been selected.  I learned empathy for people who have and will fail in life.  I learned perspective.  I learned the value of hard work, and I am learning how to overcome challenges.  I can't say I've learned that yet, because here I am, wondering what's next and trying not to feel like life as I knew it is now over.  I know that someday soon I'll look back on this period of life and think about how hard it was, and be grateful for the opportunity I had to learn all of this.  I'm not at that point yet, but I'm getting there slowly and surely.

I used to think that it would have been better to avoid this pain and wish that I had never applied for National Office.  But now, I am glad for the opportunity to learn.  And do I wish that I had never dreamed at all?  Definitely not. 

In a word, what I'm feeling now:

TIRED.

My goodness I'm so tired!I have so much to do in the next 12 days, it's ridiculous.  The list is scaring me:

• 2 workshops
• More practice interviews (a few questions a night)
• Finishing my thank you cards from the Minnesota training
• Refining my story arsenal
• More Hot Topic practice speeches with Jimmy
• Brushing up on ag issues
• Making talking point sheets for Round Robin interviews
• Meeting with Mrs. Parry again
• Getting my hair cut and colored
• ...and cramming in as much knowledge as possible in my head for the written test!

I haven't been this busy since my senior year in high school when I was a state officer.  I just feel like I have no time to breathe, and had to take a few minutes today to call some people and assure them that I don't hate them, I'm just ridiculously busy.  This is definitely a big push to the finish, but in three weeks it will all be over either way.  Either I'll continue to be this busy and on the run in my next big adventure for the next year, or...I'll have a few months to breath.

I don't know if I made the right decisions in my scheduling this semester.  I feel like the things that bring me stress relief- piano and improv- also make my life more stressful.  I don't know.  Last week I practiced piano for an hour and a half because it felt so good and so mind-numbing.  But today, I could only practice for twenty minutes because I just felt anxious.  I'm still working on that calmness thing.  It's also hard to know how much time I should spend working with the improv troupe, because I don't want it to take away from my National Office study, but I also don't want to abandon it and have to make up if I end up staying here.

If I do end up staying here...it will be a bit of a relief.  I want to be a National Officer, I really do.   I need a little time to breathe, to do laundry, to go grocery shopping, and heck, to just be a college student!  I want to stay up late and say "yes!" when my friends invite me to watch Sherlock Holmes and just be myself with a little less stress.  But I want to work hard now, so that even if I do come home, I'll feel like I've done everything I could have.

My goal for this month is to be more friendly and outgoing, so that I can portray that to the nominating committee.  So that means less time with the iPod in my ears and more time talking to anyone I recognize.  And in the past week, I've re-met two people I didn't even know were here at Utah State!

How am I going to get through the next 12 days?  I...don't know.  I have a lot to do!  But I love this quote I found on my friend Laura's facebook status:

"You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind."

So off to work I go.  Actually- off to bed I go.  And in the morning...off to work.  Wish me luck!

-Rachel 

What a Weekend...

Hey all!
I am back from Minnesota!  I had a fabulous idea to blog every evening about what I had done that day, so as not to forget it...but then I realized I was exhausted every evening, and even went to bed at 9 last night...though I woke up when my roommates came home half an hour later. :)

But now that I am back, I will record all that I can remember, starting with Friday.

My Friday started at around 7, when Wyatt DeJong from South Dakota picked me up and we made our way to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.  We were met there by Katie Zenk from Minnesota, Eric Sawatzke, the Dassel-Cokato Minnesota agriculture teacher who organized the event, and two of Mr. Sawatzke's freshman students: Joel and Evan.  Then after getting our visitor passes (very fancy!) we went upstairs to a conference room with Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator Al Withers.

We first heard from Mr. Withers about the importance of agricultural literacy in society at any age.  After Mr. Withers brief remarks, we embarked on a day of presentations about agricultural issues.  Mr. Withers expected a lot of us and encouraged us to ask the presenters questions so that we could get what we needed out of each presentation, and I really appreciated that.  It forced me to be more confident!

The first meeting was about Livestock Development and Animal Agriculture Issues.  I learned quite a bit about how animal agriculture is dealing with issues raised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).  Just learning more about these issues increases my desire to become an effective communicator for the agricultural industry!  I understand more now that agriculture- commercial, organic, small farmers and industrial farmers, farmers who support ethanol and those who don't- need to ban together to promote agriculture as a whole.  And the one great thing I learned is- I need to learn more about these types of issues so I can more effectively discuss them!

The second meeting was with the director of Dairy and Food Inspection Division and we discussed Keeping Food Safe.  We discussed how different types of salmonella infects food, and how food safety needs to come from legislation and self-policing.  I also learned about the "raw milk movement," something I didn't really know existed, and how agricultural communicators need to target the "raw milk curious" in telling the story of the scientific facts surrounding the safety (or lack there of) of raw milk.  I never even realized raw milk was so dangerous, as I grew up drinking it, and that reminds me, I need to ask my mom if she was trying to kill us all with E.coli.  :)

After a quick break, we heard from the a member of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture staff about Social Media in Today's Agriculture.  Being a communications junkie...I'd have to say this was my favorite presentation of the day!  I learned so much about how the agricultural industry is using (or isn't using!) social media to target specific audiences and to tell their story.  I loved the example used about the support Yellow Tail Wine gave to HSUS and the Facebook backlash that was the result.  It gave me more hope about the difference we can make in policy and in public perception through communication.

After that we talked about Environmental Policy and Water Quality.  This presentation was pretty interesting because of the amount of rain Minnesota had been getting in the last few days.  At one point the presenter flipped a glass vial of clear water over so that we could see how contaminated it was, and I was shocked!  I think more than anything it was good to be exposed to a different kind of agriculture and the other careers available in the environmental sciences.

Minnesota Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture ended the day with a few words of advice.  I loved hearing her story about how FFA gave her a career pathway in agriculture even though she was never a "farm kid."  I also loved one of the things she told us:

"Be readers and be leaders.  You never know who's watching."

After leaving the Department of Agriculture, we made a brief stop at the FFA Leadership Center and the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.  I could only imagine what that big building looks like full of pregnant animals- but I'm sure it would be an impressive thing to see in reality sometime!

Then we headed to the University of Minnesota to eat pizza and meet with Dr. Leising about the pros and cons of program affiliation.  This was another one or my favorite parts of the day, because I felt very comfortable and confident with my knowledge of program affiliation, but also got a much better handle on why some advisors are wary of the new program.

After a stop to change out of our official dress, Jessica (who met up with us at the Department of Ag around 11) and I hopped into Wyatt's car to drive to Hutchinson High School, about an hour or so away.  We had the opportunity to talk a lot about how we had been preparing for National Office, what we enjoyed most about National Office, and what kind of FFA programs we'd been involved with in the past.  We also had the opportunity to pick Wyatt's brain about what the process at National Convention is really like- since he ran last year.  And we talked about some fun stuff- like what kind of beverages we prefer with popcorn. :)

When we arrived at Hutchinson we had an open forum discussion with local and current high school ag teachers to discuss the different hot topics for essays and stand and delivers.  I learned a lot I didn't know- like that the National FFA no longer offers that H.O. Sargent award!  I also learned a little bit about the Perkin's Technical Skills Attainment exam- enough to know that I needed to know more about that.  That became even more obvious the next day...but that story is for my next blog posting.  

After the forum discussion we had a dinner with the Minnesota FFA Alumni.  It was a great casual opportunity to meet with many different people, including FFA members, legislators, and farm bureau personnel.  I realize I need to be more proactive about getting people to talk about themselves, but I got a lot of really good advice and learned a lot from the people I met.  We stayed and visited for quite a while!

One thing I reflected on Friday night was that no matter what happens, I can make a difference and use my leadership skills in the next year, and I'm prepared to do so.  I also liked some advice from a former National Officer Candidate about the process:

"Sell yourself.  You need to act like, 'I don't need to be a National Officer, but the National FFA Organziation needs me on their National Officer team!"

I felt really good about everything that night, and still (inexplicably!) confident.  I know I need to work on my knowledge of agricultural issues, but I feel validated in that I have a good knowledge of program affiliation and the other hot topics.  

There goes Day 1.  Day 2 gets its own blog post next, so stay tuned. Also- I'm so fired up about convention! It's coming so fast, but I say bring it on! Come that week, I'll be as ready as I could hope to be.  But until then, my every spare minute is going to prep!  I only have four more hours until I've reached 400 hours.  I probably won't make it to 500, but my goal range was 300-500, so I still feel good about where I'll be.

Have a great Monday!   I get a double dose of improv tonight, so I know I will.
Rachel

"I just need to blog, blog it out!"

Pheeeeeeewwww.

My counter is annoying me.  I try not to look at it. I hate it.

Something awful is happening to me.  Whenever I think about National Office, which is basically all the time, and especially when I'm studying (which should be all the time...I'm working on that) my stomach gets all knotted up and I feel sick.  A few minutes ago I had to skip one of my favorite songs, "The Contradiction," on my iPod, because it was making me anxious.  The worst part is, my iPod is only playing songs from my "classical genre."
Here it goes again.  Apparently I can't listen to Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor either...

Any hints or tips for overcoming the worst case of nerves you've ever had?  Pre-nerves, because I'm not even at convention yet?

I don't understand.  I planned to feel 12,000 percent prepared by this point.  And now (almost) 350 hours later, I feel so panicky.  So I just had to stop for a minute and blog.  Yes, this is taking away from actual time that I could be immersing my poor swollen brain in more facts, so it seems contradictory.  But I can't focus.

So I need to just take a minute and remember why I'm doing this.  Because is it to be a National Officer?  Is that my goal, my end all, be all, or my entire life?  Because it shouldn't be.  My goal is to be me.  To be the very best version of me that I can possibly be, and that me is a helpful, kind, compassionate, friendly me.  I want to make a difference in people's lives.  FFA member's lives, yes, but beyond that- people's lives.  And if I don't become a National Officer, I'm still going to accomplish that goal.  So there's no pressure, really, because my goal is one hundred percent achievable and I have the rest of my life to attain it.

I'm not ready for National Convention right now, this very second.  But lucky for me, convention is still a little ways away,  So talk to me 150 hours from now.  And then I'll be as ready as I ever hoped to be.  Of course, there will always be something more I could have done, but I'm not sure how much difference it would have made anyway.  I have a little ways to go, but I've come a long ways since last November.

Here's a poem I found on Bethany Bohnenblust's National Officer blog today.

Fresh Start

Here marks a fresh start

a new freedom for my heart

My chance at being me,

doing what I want, totally free.

And it won't be a big deal.

It's nothing like I thought,

I survived the battles I fought.

My thoughts are all gone,

like the night at down.

My soul is free of sorrow,

I'll do what I want tomorrow.

I can't be held or bound.

I will spread my wings and leave this ground.

Distraction has no control.

My life will no longer be dull.

I will have the power.

I'll pass the highest tower.

Don't try to stop me now,

'Cause you won't know how.

For I will be totally free.

And I'll be one hundred percent me!

by xO

And here's a quote she posted as well:

"I have always been delighted at a prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start with perhaps a big of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." ~Joseph Priestly

My goal for September (I just decided, two minutes ago) is to be calm.  Reflecting on what I've written here can help me to do that.  I love that I have tomorrow to improve: to focus more, to be more productive, to be more outgoing, to be more calm, and to be a better me.  I'm so grateful for my savior's atonement that allows me endless and constant "do-overs" in my life.  Tomorrow I will not feel this way.  Tomorrow will be better.

While I'm talking about myself and how I be myself, I guess I'll post this poem as well.  It was originally sent to one of my co-workers, the wonderful Patricia, and it describes her perfectly.  I read it and loved it and stole it.  I hope it describes me as well.  I've always felt that hard work is a solution for everything.

To be of Use
The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who stand in the line and haul in their places,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

by Marge Piercy

So my plan for the rest of today: read The Leadership Challenge and skim through The Arsenal again.  Have a little fun today.  Tomorrow I'm spending as much time as I can handle here at the library, delving head-first into Hot Topics 101!  I'd like to study all day Monday as well, I think most of my roommates are going home...but I don't have internet at the condo yet, and nothing on campus will be open.  Anyone know of a good internet cafe?

One of the most gorgeous views on Earth, at the Pettit farm.  Mmm, I feel calmer already...

Have a great long weekend.  I'll be studying.

Love, Rachel

Thoughts of the Day

There are so many, flitting around my head like hummingbirds.  I don't feel like organizing them, it would take all the fun out it, wouldn't it?  So here are some randomized bullet points:

• I woke up this morning sending all my hatred to the digitized alarm clock screen projecting the numbers 6, 0, 0.  Then I thought of this quote (which, by the way, I can't believe I didn't post here earlier, because it is probably my absolute favorite): "You can often gauge a man's ambition on whether he hates his alarm clock or considers it his best friend." -Thomas Edison.  I love you, alarm clock.
• I've thought a lot today about reaching my goals versus reaching my potential.  Expect a detailed blog posting on this subject at a later date.  Also: religion, and what role does it play in my quest?
• I can't help thinking there's a reason why Max DePree's concept of "intimacy" didn't catch on in other leadership texts (and yes, it's obvious).
• A thought inspired by my readings today: Do I examine what will be important tomorrow and not just what matters today?

• Some wisdom ala Max DePree: "Three of the key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential."

• During lunch today, after reading a short story about a light bulb, a fully formed speech idea came to mind, complete with three stories, a little anecdote, and a quote.  I felt like a genius- and just in time to try something new for speaking to the Palmer LIONS club next week!  In case I haven't posted it here, this is the quote, and it's pasted to the inside cover of my trusted Franklin Covey: "Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been and lose where you're going.  Life is not a race but a journey to be savored every step of the way."  -Kobi Yamada

• I gained copious (how's that for a Word of the Day?) amounts of knowledge today.  I think I now have a good handle on the government's involvement (or lack thereof) in the Alaska FFA, and I definitely understand organics and chemicals much better- thanks Mark Rempel!

• I've discovered "The Moth" podcast recently and I love it.  It's not studying (that I count for hours, anyway) but I think it helps me get in the mode of story telling.
• I got a call as I was leaving work from the president of Wasilla Rotary about speaking there on Wednesday (yeah, this Wednesday, the day after tomorrow).  I hope I'll have this new speech ready by then, although I may not.
• I'd much rather write a new speech than work on my letter of application...which is probably more important,

• I talked myself out of a bad mood today!  I was frustrated driving home because of some mistakes I'd made on a newsletter I produced at work, and I was worried that someone didn't like me, and I was worried about being there for a  friend...and all of this together was getting me all worked up.  So I explained to myself (yes out loud, you don't do that?) that it didn't matter if someone didn't like me, that everyone makes mistakes and that's how I learn, and that I was doing everything I could do and that I was doing my best.  Then I ran a mile, and that helped too.  But seriously, ME=master of my emotions.  At least recently.  At least today.

So now you have an idea what it feels like to be inside my head for a day.  It's pretty crazy in there. :)

Have a great night,

Rachel

Cool Quotes Collection

Did you know I used to hate quotes?  I don't know why- now, I love them.  Here are a few great ones I've read recently, or had in files, that I haven't had an opportunity to share.  So here you go:

"The servant-leader is servant first...It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.  Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead." 

-Robert K. Greenleaf

"Leaders impress others when leaders succeed, leaders impact others when followers succeed." 

-John C. Maxwell 

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" 

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"There is a loftier ambition than merely to stand high in the world.  It is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher." 

-Henry Van Dyke

"Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude." 

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I do the very best i know how- the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end." 

-Abraham Lincoln

"To be a leader means...having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead." 

-Max DePree 

"The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer." 

-Henry David Thoreau

"Leadership is an art, something to be learned over time, not simply by reading books.  Leadership is more tribal than scientific, more a weaving of relationships than an amassing of information." 

-Max DePree 

Happy Monday, folks!
-Rachel

Dreams

Yesterday, I got to pick a sticker to put on my magnet for the sign in board at work (yeah, I know- so legit!)  I chose a green sticker that said, "Dare to Dream."  I thought it was fitting.

In this post, I want to give a shout out to my cousin Kim.  This girl has a fabulous singing voice- one that I admittedly have always been jealous of.  This August, she's following her dream, in the form of flying to California to audition for American Idol.

It would be lying if I didn't say that when I heard this, I thought automatically about the vast number of people who audition for the show and how many get turned down while only a few make it to the finals.  Then I realized what a dumb thought that was!  Whether or not this works out for Kim, I think it's awesome that she's doing it, it's an adventure and in many ways, she's doing it for the same reasons I'm running for National Office.  And I wish her the best of luck.

I'm sure Kim will do well at American Idol auditions- and in life- because she's so optimistic and a total go-getter.  Here's a good description of her: this is her Info Box quote on Facebook (courtesy of Dr. Suess):

"I've heard there are troubles
Of more then one kind.
Some come from ahead
Some come from behind.
But I've bought a big bat,
I'm all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have 

troubles with me."

So I've been thinking a lot about Kim going after her dreams, and it's really affirmed in my mind the reasons I'm running for National Office.  Chasing away doubts has always been a struggle for me, I'm cynical, skeptical, and pessimistic..so I need constant reminding.  In my Rotary Speech in Anchorage, I spoke about challenges and how one of my personal heroes, William Wilberforce, overcame his. If you are unfamiliar with William Wilberforce, he was mainly responsible for abolishing the slave trade in Britain the early 1800s.  Here's an excerpt from my speech:

"When I think of Wilberforce’s life and the struggles he went through to achieve his goals, I am reminded of a poem by C.W. Longenecker:

'If you think you are beaten, you are,

If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
It is almost certain you won't.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.'

I know this poem wasn’t written when Wilberforce was alive, but I’m relatively certain that Wilberforce lived his life in accordance to a similar creed. After all, who was he to change the world?

He was challenging a system that had been in place for over one hundred years, and a system upon which the finances of Britain rested almost entirely. He had no qualifications- he was young, small, sickly, and hadn’t even done well in school. He was also a devout Methodist during a time when religious devotion was looked upon as a social transgression. Yet Wilberforce didn’t allow his circumstances to stop him from achieving the impossible. The secret to his success lies in his tireless tenacity and his unwavering positive attitude."

Thanks again, William Wilberforce and Kim, for reminding me to follow my dreams.  You guys are awesome.
-Rachel

PS: Yes, I do realize William Wilberforce is dead and will not be receiving my thankfulness.  It's okay. :)

Rollin' Along

Hey guys,
Tomorrow I'm speaking at the South Anchorage Rotary, and I'm really excited about it.  I was able to take apart my last speech with Rayne's help and improve on the areas I was weak on last time.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Also, on Sunday, I had to give a talk at church.  I won't go too into detail, because this is not a religion blog, but it was a good experience to do some more public speaking in a totally different arena.  And I also talked a lot about learning to love others, which I mentioned before was my goal for June, so that helped me out a lot.  I used this quote (that I also used in my retiring address) by Stephen R. Covey that I absolutely love and thought I'd share with you:

“Love is something you do: the giving of self, the sacrifices you make, even for people who offend or do not love in return.  Love is a value that is actualized through loving actions.”

As for studying, things are going well.  My American Degree is done and in the mail- woot!  I also am getting a little better at interview questions with each meeting with Rayne, but I still have a ways to go.  I just ordered 6 new leadership books on Amazon.com.  I officially love that site for cheap books!  We'll see how I like them.  I'm just tearing through them reading a half-hour per day, and I finished the ones I had- so my study routine feels a little off-balance as I usually start by reading.  I only have 4 left on the Recommended Reading List from nationals, so I got a few that past national officer candidates recommended.  Anyone have any ideas for great autobiographies or biographies to read too?  I want to have plenty of leadership examples for answering interview questions.


Whew, where has the time gone?  I've got to run do some babysitting tonight, but I promise to blog some more soon.  In facilitation terms, here's a preview of what I'll be blogging about soon:

Three words that describe ME

How my LIFE is like a GIANT CABBAGE

What I see THROUGH MY WINDOW

Stay tuned...

Rachel

An Update

Hey everyone,
I'm having technical issues, so I can't put the pictures up right now.  But I will eventually.

I just wanted to write and give you all an update on what I've been up to.  Last weekend, I felt extremely overwhelmed.  If I had blogged, it would have been depressing, so be glad I didn't.

Today, I feel awesome.  I'm typing as fast as I can trying to get things done. I'm speaking at the South Anchorage Rotary (per special request of someone who saw my speech at the Palmer Rotary- woohoo!) a week from Thursday, so I'm trying to revise my speech according to what we noticed from the recording of it.  That's going kind of slow, I'm just so scattered I need to organize myself.  But other than that I'm getting a lot done in the areas of self-improvement, FFA info. study, and practice interview questions.  Go me!

One of the reasons I feel so on fire today is a chapter I read in the book "The 17 Essential Qualities of Team Player," by John C. Maxwell.  The chapter is all about discipline, and here are a few of the quotes I loved:

"Discipline is doing what you really don't want to do so that you can do what you really want to do."  

"A person lacking discipline is in a prison without bars." 

"Discipline means doing the reight things at the right time for the right reason."

And Maxwell also included a quote by Thomas Huxley, which I really liked:

"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like or not, it is the first lesson that ought to be learned, and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly." 

This whole chapter made me think.  I've always prided myself on my discipline.  One of my favorite things in the world is to tackle a long a difficult piano piece and work at it slowly but surely until I've memorized it and performed it.  I take many things in my life very seriously and have to be disciplined with my time in order to achieve all I set out to do.

But lately, I haven't been very disciplined in my actions.  I find myself watching TV instead of fulfilling my goal of exercising, and putting off practicing piano in favor of reading, until it's too late to practice anymore.  Even my preparation for National Office, which admittedly I have been doing more than at college, is still lacking discipline.  But that chapter has inspired me, and I am excited to take over my thoughts, emotions and actions once more.

Last post I told you I was trying to decide on a goal for the month of June, and now I have.  It's a huge one, one I'm sure that I'll work on for the rest of my life, but this week I'm focusing on loving people better.  There are many people who I know that are trying to change and do right things, but it's hard for me to allow them to change.  I have a really difficult time letting go of grudges and I need to spend time trying to see the good in everyone and truly love them.  I'm guided by this awesome anecdote about Clara Barton (which, incidentally, can be found in "Developing the Leader Within You," by John C. Maxwell):

Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, understood the importance of choosing a right attitude even in wrong situations.  She was never known to hold a grudge against anyone.  On time a friend recalled to her a cruel thing that had happened to her some years previously, but Clara seemed not to remember the incident.

"Don't you remember the wrong that was done to you?" the friend asked.

 "No," Clara answered calmly, "I distinctly remember forgetting that."

Have an awesome Tuesday,
Rachel

Home

I am finally home.  It feels so good to be around family, play with my nieces and nephews, and drive around town without feeling anxious.

It's also a bit of struggle adjusting to a new schedule and new surroundings in terms of my study habits- hence the break in blogging.  Sorry about that.  I'm working on it.

My work situation is kind of weird this summer, but I guess it's good for me.  I'm doing an internship at the Division of Ag, but it doesn't start until July 6th.  Until then, I'm working part-time for my mom in the garden and using the rest of my time to study, do speeches and workshops, fill out my applications, and blog.  I can't wait!  Tomorrow I'm going into Anchorage with Mr. Werner (my state advisor) to a meeting about how to save Alaska CTSOs.  Then, if we have time, we'll meet with Rayne, and then head back into the valley for the Palmer FFA Chapter Banquet.

Although I haven't blogged, I've done six hours of study since last Thursday!  That is mostly because I read an entire book on Saturday while I traveled home.  It's called, "Just Don't Fall," and it's by Josh Sundquist (the speaker I wrote about before who only has one leg)...and it's awesome.  Very funny, very inspiring, and very well-written.  I got a TON out of it, which was good, because I was nervous about reading a book that wasn't a "leadership book" per se.

I'm going to blog a lot about it (I turned down the corners of the pages I liked) but I'll leave you today with a paragraph that pretty much describes my life right now.  I laughed so hard when I read it.  Self-help books will do this to your mind.

For some context: Josh is on a date at a book fair,

" 'I love books,' she says, sorting through a box of paperbacks. 'But I just never have time to read.'  I open my mouth to tell her about how she should just prioritize her schedule using The Seven Habits of Highly Effiective People method, which involves Roles and Goals and something called Quadrant II."

" 'Lydia,' I say, 'What are your goals in life?'  I ask her this because talking about your goals and dreams in life puts you in what Tony Robbins calls a Peak Emotional State.  Anything you associate with a Peak Emotional State gains importance in your mind.  If I can get Lydia in a Peak Emotional State while she is on this date...then she will associate those strong positive feelings with me, and she'll want to be my girlfriend."

Also, I didn't forget about my 35 Ways to Encourage the Heart (at least for very long).  Today I'm doing number 31, the "Do What You Say You Will Do" audit.

Have a great Tuesday,
Rachel

Tonight

FYI: That title is supposed to be sung, like in West Side Story. :)

What's up guys?
Today has been an awesome day.  I think it's because of my new goal!  I got up (relatively) early and read scriptures today, and I've felt productive and focused all day.  I've gotten over 2 hours of studying done today, which is a big deal, for me.

So I just wanted to get on here and brag, and also laugh with you about something funny I read in my book today.

Josh forces me to pose for a picture in front of my handiwork: my well-loved high school car sitting in a ditch. We had a hard time driving to my friend Lauren's house in the winter of 2008. :(  Note the very red face: sheer embarrassment.

Remember how I hate driving?  As I was driving the other day, I was so frustrated and upset, and I had just been reading my book on strengths.  It defined a weakness as something we are persistently bad at- so bad, in fact, that it gets in the way of our strengths.  And I thought to myself, "You know, I am so bad at driving!  It makes everything difficult and stressful, could this be a weakness?"

And today I read this:

"Noted for his horrible accident-prone driving, one CEO we interviewed hired a college student for $7 an hour to drive his Sedan DeVille, thereby eliminating stress and potential danger."

I wrote underneath: "Can I do this?!" 

Presenting With Pizzazz: Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: The Process Is As Important As The Product

"You learn from pain and you learn from pleasure."

The book says to think of pleasant and unpleasant memories.  Chances are, you have plenty of memories of painful or unpleasant experiences- vivid ones.  I had a great childhood and wonderful experiences in school- but I can still remember almost every experience I had crying in the bathroom.  Painful memories stick!

Painful memories also affect our behaviors later on in life.  If we had a bad experience with something, we're likely to avoid doing that again or anything that resembles that.  This is the reason that we need to be conscious of how  we're teaching as well as what we're teaching.  If we teach something good in a wrong way, the only thing we're teaching is to avoid that subject. Make sense?

"How your participants 'get there' is as important as the information they walk away with. The activities they engage in will determine the depth of the learning they leave with.  Your greatest challenge is to create a learning experience that is pleasurable, stimulating, challenging, and informative...and you can do it in simple, fun, and creative ways." 

There are four ways to attempt this: Comfort, Food, Connecting to Your Audience, and Connecting People to Each Other

Comfort-

"Within the limitations of the room...create as comfortable and colorful a place for learning as possible."

Food-

"Food is a nurturing thing and gives the message to your participants that they matter and they are worth the time, effort, and money it takes to provide nourishment."  (I had never thought of this before- but who doesn't love food?)

Connecting To Your Audience-

"Before starting your presentation, take a moment to make eye contact with as many people as possible, welcoming them mentally as well as verbally.  This little exercise is a focusing of your energy and theirs as you begin your presentation.  It creates positive emotional connections.  And it gives you that friendly face to return your attention to when you need a little extra support from the group." 

Connecting People to People-

"When people are not emotionally connected to each other in positive ways, the group dynamics can be destructive to learning."

Think about this for a minute- do you do your best group projects in school or work with people you don't get along with at all?  I sure don't, and as a presenter I need to be aware that people may come into a workshop with negative vibes towards one another.  If I don't fix that problem straight up, my workshop can be ruined before it even starts.  So how do I do it?

"Connections are the keys to creating positive learning experiences, community building, the willingness to take risks, and the ability to open up to other people and learn from them.  People feeling connected to each other in positive ways is a crucial part of a successful training or presentation.  So before connecting your trainees with the content you're going to be teaching them, connect them with each other first."

 Stay tuned- there's like, four more chapters!
Rachel

 

Happiness and Success, May's Goal

I heard a neat quote by Herman Caine today at a church fireside:

"Success is not the key to happiness, happiness is the key to success."

I love this idea.  If you are happy, than you will obtain success, If you are waiting for success to bring happiness, than you'll always be waiting for something and your attitude will be contingent on the things that go on in your life.

I guess this struck me particularly because I've always had a hard time having a good attitude.  Today as I was taking all my things down off the wall, I noticed my "good attitude" sign on the door.  I made it in February, it's a red arrow that says "I'm Thinking Up" on it.  Seeing it reminded me of how far I've come.  February's month goal was to have a good attitude, and I know that through hard work, reminders and help of loved ones, I've come a long way in maintaining a positive attitude.

Speaking of monthly goals, May is here, and that means something new to work on.  So, my new goal is to focus on my priorities, which are, as listed in the last post, my faith, my family, and running for National Office.

Have a nice day!
Rachel

Renewal

Hey guys,
I've been a little burnt out the past few days..I am sick with a nasty bug which keeps me from working my usual pace- and I'm also very excited to get home...which is also making me rather useless.

I don't want people reading this to think I am constantly down on myself or anything- but lately, I have been having a hard time getting myself focused to study.  It makes me worried, because the summer is starting and that's my time to pour on the gas, not slow down!  But with all the end of school wrapping up activities I've felt really stretched thin.  And I'm worried about getting to speak this summer, because one of the venues I thought I had lined up for sure has already fallen through.

Well, tonight I went to one of my best friend's choir concerts, and the message was on renewal and restoration.  It was absolutely what I needed to hear, and it touched me.  I was there with one of my guy friends, so I had to try hard not to let him see me cry!

The concert, with its gorgeous music and dance, reminded me that I can change.  I need to re-focus on my priorities and make a conscious effort and with the Lord's help, I can do the things I need to.  So here's a list of my priorities in life right now:

1) My faith

2) My family

3) Studying for National Office

Everything else in my life is wonderful and awesome, but these are the things I am going to focus on.  I am a stereotypical overachiever, and so I always think that I am not doing enough.  Setting aside time to study for National Office is sometimes hard for me, because I think that I should be able to balance studying with all the other activities I usually do.  When that happens, I just remember this quote by Arnold Bennett:

"The real tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braces himself for his one supreme effort- he never stretches to his full capacity, never stands up to his full stature."

Right now, my "one supreme effort" is National Office.  So I'm gonna give it all I've got.  Thanks for sticking with me and reading my whinings.  Madi- thanks for inviting me to the show!  It meant a lot to me...and it was awesome!  Double yeah!

Rachel

Presenting With Pizzazz: Chapters Four, Five, and Six

Chapter Four: Balance Active and Passive Ways of Learning, and Chapter Six: Active Bodies Equal Active Brains

I'm putting four and six together because they are very similar...and pretty much self explanatory.  It goes along with what FFA teaches about kinesthetic learners, and auditory learners, and...I can't remember the other ones off the top of my head.  :)  I didn't pick out any quotes because it was mostly full of ideas for different kinds of learning activities.

Chapter Five: Walk Your Talk

"Don't preach about something you aren't willing to do yourself or haven't yet practiced....Speak from your own experiences.  Be up front about whether or not you have used what you're talking about.  And above all, have your participants practice the skills you're giving them."

I like this point, because I think it makes sense to only lecture about what you know and what you have experienced.  I particularly loved the example the author used, for obvious personal reasons:  "In my stress management trainings one thing I DON'T do is tell people to exercise regularly because I'm not exercising regularly."

And here are a few tips on facilitation and speaking I thought were really helpful, under the sub-heading "Who You Are Speaks Louder Than What You Say":

"Your energy and your non-verbal communication are more powerful training tools than the content of your presentation.  Be aware and learn to consciously use eye contact, gestures, movement, different voice tones, verbal pacing, facial expressions, and dramatization to keep your audience interested and awake.  Step out of your comfort zone and take some risks with new presentation techniques. You'll feel excited and energized- and so will your audience."

I'm going to videotape my presentations and have people fill out comment cards for feedback, to try to figure out what I can improve.  Of course, as my Strengthfinders book says, I'm not going to focus entirely on what I do wrong, but also on what I like about my presentations.

Happy Friday!
Rachel

Presenting With Pizzazz: Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Tell It With Stories

I love telling stories.  Communication is one of my strengths, and I see it in story telling.  I live a rather awkward life, so I have a lot of funny experiences to talk about.  But let me just quote from the book:

"Your story needs to be your own.  When you speak from your own experience, you speak with passion and the story carries more fire and feeling."

"What is most personal is most universal."

"If you do quote someone else's story be sure to give that person full credit for it- always!  It really is wiser- and a much better learning experience- to use your own stories from your own life experiences."

"Go ahead and ham your stories up.  Using your voice, your body, and your face as instruments to tell the stories will help keep your audiences entertained.  More importantly, your audiences will remember your stories- and the important information you're illustrating- far longer with a little dramatization."

At the end of the chapter it suggests brainstorming interesting, crazy, poignant, or funny things that have happened in your life and writing them down.  I've been making a list of these for a while, and what points I could make about them, and I'm going to add them to the blog as I write them down.

Peace,
Rachel

Presenting With Pizzazz: Chapter Two

Chapter Two: The Person Doing the Most Talking is Doing the Most Learning

When we as presenters talk, move around, and write down points, we are learning.  But when we let the audience members do it, they  are learning.

One of my favorite tips from this chapter was, "If you ask a question, be sure to wait at least a slow five seconds before speaking again."

I used to have a teacher in Sunday School who was the master of this technique.  My other teachers always asked a question, waited a few seconds, and then told you the answer they wanted to hear.  This was good for all of us students, because we knew if we just waited a few seconds, we wouldn't have to guess at the answer, because the teacher would just tell us.

But it wasn't that way with Sister Logan.  She would ask a question and then let the room sit in silence as long as it took...and sometimes it was a long time!  We knew  that she wouldn't move on until she got input, so we all started thinking hard as soon as she asked the question.  Of course, I didn't always have an answer- but someone would.  We all got a lot more out of the lessons because we had to be involved.

Unfortunately, it's very hard to let the room sit in silence.  But I'm going to work on that.

At the end of every chapter of Presenting With Pizzazz, there is a "Your Turn" section, where the book bosses me around and tells me what to do after I read each chapter.  Don't worry- I like it.  It forces me to put into practice what I've read.  So, I hate letters in blogs- whether to myself, to others, or to inanimate objects.  And I wouldn't write this if the book didn't direct me to do it.  Here's my commitment letter:

Dear Rachel,

During my next presentation, I promise I'll do the following:

-- Use volunteer scribes to record information
-- Encourage participants to doodle and take notes
-- Tell participants to take a minute to tell someone else what they learned during breaks
-- Use silence after questions to encourage participation.

It'll be exciting and enjoyable to watch my audience get into the act.

Commitedly yours,

Rachel

(Psst...Hey, Presenting With Pizzazz...apparently, "commitedly" is not a word. :)  )

Have an awesome Wednesday!

Rachel

Presenting With Pizzazz: Chapter One

Hey everyone,

I finished the book I just started the other day, Presenting With Pizzazz.  Impressed?  Don't be, it's only 99 pages long.  It's full of some really good stuff though, facilitation tips and games.  It's great to read it after I've both been to conferences and led conferences, because I can remember facilitators using tips and I can identify where I could use them.

Even though it was short, I got A LOT out of it.  I'm actually going to go through each chapter in a different post to talk about the different posts, quotes and ideas.  

So first, here's a few quotes I liked from the introduction.  

"It doesn't really matter what you know.  It's what you do with what you know that's important." 

"If you want them to HEAR it, YOU talk.  If you want them to LEARN it, THEY talk." 

And now, Chapter One: "Never Talk Longer Than the Average Age of the Group."

At first I read this, and thought, "What?" But remember, this isn't a book about speeches. it's about facilitation.  And, wrote the author:

"Never talk longer than the average age of the group.  It doesn't mean that you stop speaking entirely for the rest of the time.  It just means that you stop for a few moments and let your audience DO SOMETHING with what you just told them."

And it had some great ideas for Pair and Shares that I'm anxious to try.   Good stuff.

Alright, that's all I'm going to do in this post, 'cuz I think if they get too long people don't read them.  I wouldn't.  :)  The next book I'm starting is "Soar With Your Strengths."  I'm really psyched about how quickly I'm getting through them, and getting a lot out of them too.

Have an awesome week,
Rachel