I realized that I have been posting pictures and thoughts from my big weekend trips but not from the ones in-between. Each weekend has been full of so many adventures and special moments but some haven’t given me enough content for a full post. So now you get a bunch in one! Below you will find photos from visiting my friend in SoCal, staying at Coastanoa for a work retreat, hiking the Dipsea trail with pals and a visit from my favorite 5 year old cousin.
I also wanted to take a chance in this post to talk about some strengths. At work we have been working through a Strength Finder program to see where our personal strengths live. We also are doing the program to learn about other team members strengths and see how we can leverage them to work better together as a team. Taking the survey was super interesting as it helped me make sense of where my strengths lie and how I can use them to my advantage. Below are my top 5 strengths and the different characteristics that make them up. Reading and learning about each of these has been super enlightening for me and has made me learn a lot about myself and why I thrive in certain situations/don’t thrive in others. I also included a blurb under each on how I can keep working on these strengths. Throughout my life, I know my top 5 will shift and morph but if I am conscious of how I can use these strengths in the best way, I am not only helping others, but I am helping myself.
Positivity - quick to give praise and smile, has enthusiasm, always sees the up-side, gets others excited, people want to be around you, feels that it is good to be alive, never loses sense of wonder, excited about doing things and getting others excited, cheerful and easy-going
How can I continue to work on this skill - plan celebrations to celebrate success, encourage others, spend time in positive environments, recognize challenges and communication reason for optimism, arm yourself with good jokes, stories and sayings, help others to see the positive
Developer - sees potential in others, feels as though no individual is fully formed, drawn toward people to help them grown, wants to help others succeed, can interpret moods of others and sense what they feel and think, knows when to react and how, wants to have a meaningful impact on the plant and people
How can I continue to work on this skill - seek roles that facilitate growth, notice when others succeed and tell them, mentor, encourage others, help people see the true potential and talent in themselves
Empathy - senses emotions around, understands peoples point of view even if you don’t agree, knows the right words and right tone to use, helps give voice to emotion, has feelings of success depending on how others judge results, feels honored when people trust and share emotions thoughts and needs
How can I continue to work on this skill - help others be aware of others emotions, serve someone as a confidant and mentor, gage emotional tone in a room and bridge understanding, comfort others non-verbally with a smile
Woo (winning others over) - value making connections, likes the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over, strangers are energizing, asks questions and strike conversations, seek to make discoveries of unique traits
How can I continue to work on this skill - choose a job where you can interact with people, join local organizations, in social situations interact with reserved people, help put others at ease, charm and engage others
Communication - loves to explain, describe, host, speak and write, finds a need to bring things to life and energize them, wants ideas to survive, enjoys piquing interest, inspires others to act, likes to work and be around others, people and conversations motivate, appreciates candid and concise conversations
How can I continue to work on this skill - pay close attention to your audience when presentations, make your message have substance, volunteer for opportunities to present
(I also have done some other personality tests and incase anyone was curious my Enneagram number is 2w3, and my Myers-Briggs is ENFJ).
Now back to my adventures, here are a collection of photos from this & that. Enjoy!
1.5 months, 1 work retreat, 1 five year old, 500 trees, 4 hikes, 3 drives, 10 beers, 4 pals, 4 sand castles, 2 sandwiches, 1 study-abroad pal, 5 trees hugged and so many other things I am forgetting. I love this blog because it allows me to share not only the big moments but the in-between moments. Capturing these moments has been my main reason for sticking with photography and doing this blog. It allows me to look back at a genuine moment and remember it. Life has been so good and I want to remember all these incredible adventures and beautiful people.
xo - keleniak
#heckyaSF2