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A fourth strength is multi -tasking. In high school, I kept a crowded sch edule year -round. Because I excel at multi -tasking, it was easier and far more relaxing to organize and do the tasks I had to do. I also find this strength shown in class, as I can usually listen and write at the same time without much effort. A final stre ngth I believe I have is creativity. When deciding on my major of <> , I really looked at this strength. I believe I have this strength when it comes to humor and generally when it comes to design and new ideas. Data and Summary of Best -Se lf Responses: After reflecting on what I personally thought were my strengths, it was fascinating seeing what my close acquaintances thought they were. Many were overlaps, but yet some were entirely unexpected. One of my own stories where I felt I was at m y best was after an especially tough <> 3 soccer loss my senior year of high school. It happened to be a bitter rivalry game that doubled as a chance for a conference championship. Many of my teammates were in tears as they expressed sadness and disappointment. They were especially distraught because they felt as if they had let the seniors down. Using my strength of leadership and positivity, I helped my team focus on the next game and let them know that they hadn’t let me down in any way. Although it was hardl y a happy night, I felt proud in our ability as a team to lift our heads high by the end of the night. A recurring theme throughout the responses was leadership. This particular strength was usually referenced to my high school sports of cross country and soccer. My oldest friend told me about how I am a strong and organized leader. She mentioned how I have the ability to plan and organize events that bring joy to many people. This strength was especially brought to my attention by my friend <> . She wove her story of my strengths with references to other strengths like positivity, determination, and responsibility. Her words had a considerable effect on me as I saw the different impacts my leadership had throughout high school. She told of how I was an empowering leader on our cross country team. According to her, I have a great ability of balancing working hard and having fun. My cousin <> said one of my strengths was humbleness, and seeing these responses were sometimes hard. My response from <> showed me that you can still be humble and realize you have a substantial strength. Another recurring theme throughout the resp onses I received was my positivity. Whether in a short anecdote or an explicit statement, they pointed out that I tend to be positive in stressful or unfortunate circumstances. My friend <> ’s mother, <> , descr ibed me as the following. “She has high social intelligence, aware of the needs of others, has motivational skills and makes challenging situations fun.” I found it <> 4 impressive that she used the term social intelligence. This was enjoyable to hear, and I wi ll be sure to use that new found strength in future relationships and environments, whether professional or casual. My friend <> also noted my positivity, “Another one of <> 's strengths is that she constantly has a positive attitude. I can think of numerous stories from our childhood, whether it was scootering five miles in the blazing sun, or when a group of girls she is trying to coach doesn't listen to her. She just always makes the best of every situation and doesn't let little things bring her down.” This strength of positivity cannot be credited just to me. My family has certainly grounded me and raised me in a way that I should always look at what is good rather than what is bad. I also have a strong faith in God, which has kept me positive and focusing on a plan that is not my own. It was very enjoyable to hear that my friends, family, and mentors relish and commented on my creativity skills. Many referenced times where I was particularly witty with presentations, joke s, or conversation. My cousin <> remembered how when we taught <> together, I would come up with entertaining and creative ways to teach the kids. Holly commented on how I take creative and unique steps in all my activit ies an d sees a bright business future in me. As I look forward in my life with a major in marketing, I will need to be creative. It is helpful to know that my friends and family are already seeing this strength in me. I was intrigued by the many responses that I have a strong work ethic and integrity, which fits into my own realized strength of responsibility. They noted that I allows follow - through and strive for my very best, no matter what the circumstance. I am very humbled that I have proven to those around me that I work hard. <> also describe d to me how she believes I possess strong integrity in every aspect of my life. This was very humbling to <> 5 hear and I can credit it mostly to my upbringing and role models. I hope that I can continue to show integrity as I encounter increasingly tricky situations in both my business and personal life. One strength I was particularly surprised at was my boldness and perseverance. Even though I am definitely an extrovert, I can be timid an d shy in unfamiliar situations. I have struggled with a stuttering impediment since kindergarten and I have continually fought to overcome it. I was gratified when my aunt, friend, and father expressed how proud they were that I did not let my stutter hold me back. They mentioned that normally a stutterer wouldn’t want to give announcements to the whole school, sing a solo, or act on stage, but I did those things anyways. This was one of the most encouraging responses I have gotten because I so often feel v ulnerable in a negative way with my stutter. With their encouragement and others around me, I will continue being bold with my insecurities! One final robust theme was my strength of dedication to friendship and family. Although I of course have always val ued relationships with them, I have never particularly considered these dedications a strength. My cousin <> referenced this past Christmas when I played piano and games with my little cousins. My aunt poignantly noted that during tough t imes, I tend to lean on my friends and family for support. I give credit to the wonderful people that I can so easily lean on. My two friends <> and <> both told a story of a time where I displayed dedication to friendsh ip. <> told of a time where she had a particularly long and hard day, but yet had a text waiting for her from me that lightened her mood and made her feel better. <> told of a particular Valentine’s Day where we both wer e single. She said how much she appreciated and enjoyed all the “love” notes I sent her throughout the day. Even if it was all extremely cheesy and for fun, she said it really showed just how much I am committed to my friends. My friends <> 6 and family are my strongest support system in my life and I am glad that I have a reciprocal strength of dedication with them. There is a situation that comes to mind that adequately summarize many of these strengths. In my senior year high school, I was part of student council and thus had many responsibilities during homecoming week. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I used my strength of positivity to focus on just how amazing it could all turn out. I planned and organized several activities and asked my friends for help. I used empowering leadership to direct other students in tasks throughout the week even when we spent many late nights painting, decorating, and stressing over minute details. I helped emcee and announce throughout the week in front of the entire student body in creative and entertaining ways. All in all, the tasks were completed and my final homecoming was a tremendous success. Analysis and Observations: I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the responses I got matched so closely with w hat I consider to be my strengths. The strongest response was my gift of leadership, which was mentioned by 8 out of 13 respondents. I believe this was mentioned often because I had both formal and informal positions of leadership throughout my life. I hav e been a varsity captain for both cross country and soccer, and my teammates and others have noticed that I take the role seriously. I noticed that when a response mentioned leadership, the respondent would back up the statement with an example. I apprecia ted this greatly, as I could see the wide array of leadership situations I have been in and excelled at. A key part of leadership was mentioned with my ability to plan. I look forward to using that skill in my career here and further on. In the response g iven by <> , she described a story in which I showed positivity and resilience. The story described me keeping a positive attitude and determination <> 7 even when the situation was not in my best interests. I was particularly moved when she me ntioned that most teenagers she knew would not have handled it as well or as gracefully as I did. This story showed me that I can utilize strengths when I don’t even realize it. It also showed me that I have many strengths yet to be discovered, as well as strengths that I should keep using. The recurrence of positivity in both the responses and my own initial thoughts is certainly a compelling connection. It is oftentimes tricky to remember that positivity is capable of sharing and strengthening others. While positivity has certainly helped g uide me through countless situations, I oftentimes cannot see others being helped by my own positivity. This is why I am happy and humbled to know that my positivity can make a difference on others. The responses that had a theme of positivity showed that I strive to make people feel more happy and satisfied. I hope that I can continue to bring those around me up, as they also do the same for me. Although I had many strong themes throughout the responses, I also had several that were unique to the others. These strengths varied anywhere between honesty, independence, and humor. I believe that these are key observations that I can apply to my future life. These observations are also important because these are strengths that I did not find in myself when I initially reflected on them. I deeply aspire to use these strengths and all of the ones mentioned by my friends, family, and mentors to good use. Final Best -Self Integrated Portrait: Following my analysis of both my own and others responses on my strength s, I am excited to share my statements of strengths. I will using “I am…” statements along with an opposite statement of “I am not…” Many time these negative thoughts creep into my head from what I h ave heard or believe others say about me. I believe t hat this new portrait will encourage me by focusing on my strengths rather than the weaknesses that I so often focus on instead. <> 8 I am independent. I am not afraid to try something new when there are strange situations around me. I can hold myself confidently in tough situations in which I feel I have little control. I am hardworking. I fight to give my best effort in any situation. I worked hard in soccer and cross country, and now work hard as I train for a half -marat hon. I am not lazy. I continue to push even when it gets hard. I am detail -orientated. I plan and organize events that others find entertaining and put -together. I am not sloppy. I try my very best to have a neat and organized product. I am kind, patient, and caring. I try to include everybody whenever possible, whether that be at a family gathering or a social outing. I create events like <> and <> for my friend’s entertainment. I am not selfish. I share my time and talent s with those around me in a creative and constructive way. I am humble. I do not try to tell about my accomplishments or talents but instead try to point to others. I give the glory of anything I do to God. I am not a pushover. I am still proud of my tal ents and strive to use them to better those around me. I am organized. Even though I hold a job, a difficult academic load, and several student groups, I use time -management skills. I am not overcommitted. I can use judgment to decide what I have time for and what I do not. I am energetic. I use my energy and extroversion to emcee and act on stage. I use my energy to lighten people’s days. I am not passive. I do not let others bring me down or tell me who I am. I am creative. I use my skills to concoct fun and interesting projects and events. I use humor to make others laugh. I am not uninspired. I have a goal for my future career in marketing where I will get to be creative every day. I am motivating. I can bring up teammates after a hard loss in a confere nce championship. I can use my strength to uplift friends who feel there is no hope. I am not annoyingly optimistic. I would rather be motivational than bring someone down. I am principled. <> 9 I can use my integrity to make sound decisions when the situation is grey. I am not overly sheltered. I am thankful for the values in which I was brought up and have used them and will continue to use them in my life. I am determined. I work at something until I reach my goal, I don’t give up easily. If I plan in my head a large scale event, I will be determined to make it a reality. I am not aimless. Even when others think I am not focused, I always have the task at hand and will work my very best towards it. I am bold. I overcome my insecurity of stuttering by standing on stage and performing. I take risks that my peers don’t always agree with. I am not timid. Even when I don’t talk immediately, I am welcoming and kind. I am responsible and honest. I realize that I have people above me and below me and I owe effort to e ach and every one of them. I am not rebellious. I follow the leaders God put in my life and use my resources wisely and responsibly. I am loyal. I will help out a friend in a situation where he or she needs help. I will go out of my way to make a friend happy, like on Valentine’s Day. I am not forgetful. I know that loyalty is shared with those around me. I do not forget to ask my loved ones for help. Finally, I am a leader. I have the capabilities to inspire those around me, whether they be teammates or my friends. I try my very best to set an example to those watching me. I am not superior. I realize that I am not above my peers and am not bossy. I am a servant -leader and I lead so that others are both confident and encouraged by my actions. Application and Conclusion: The Reflected Best -Self Exercise was certainly an awakening experience into the diverse facets of my strengths. One of the crucial parts of this exercise is to apply my new reflections and knowledge to my life. If I reflected on my strengths without any input from others, I would <> 10 have a very narrow scope of what I excel at. Having an outside opinion is essential for rational and ethical decision making. Knowing my unknown strengths can help me increase them further. I believe some of my best strengths shine in a team situation. Because I am an extrovert, I love to be around people. I feed off energy from them and can determine my levels of positivity, boldness, and the like. In team environments, I can use my strength of empowering leadership.

Another environment in which I feel my strengths shine are stressful ones. Because I can generally keep a positive attitude and calm dem eanor, I can help others around me make sound, focused decisions. These environments are when my best -self can truly emerge. In contrast, there are times where my best -self cann ot completely show. This occu rs when my agreeableness becomes too strong. If I want to please too many people, then I will not be using my best -self quali ties. My best -self may not emerge as easily in an overwhelmingly negative situation. Conformity can overwhelm determination and if everyone is negative, my best -self may suffer. One of my biggest goals in this exercise is to make myself a better employee and a better leader of people. In order to be the best employee that I can be, I need to know my strengths. If I don’t , I will be more l ikely to second -guess my abilities. If I under stand my strengths, I can tailor -fit my actions to every situation because I know I have certain strengths. For example, now knowing that I have a strength of boldness, I can be more confident t o take more risks . In order to be a better leader of people, i t is absolutely essential to understand my strengths. Leaders need to know their strengths, otherwise they will never be able to encourage and identify strengths with the people they are leading. A leader needs to recognize strengths in people so that they can be adequately utilized. Now that I understand my leadership style further and the qualities I possess, I can become a better leader of people. I know that I have a strength of positivity and encouragement, and now I can use that further to build up pe ople that I lead. <> 11 In this paper, I have recognized and found a multitude of strengths that I can now apply to my life. However, my journey of learning certainly isn’t over. Now that I know many of my strengths , I need to use them. I can maximize these st rengths in upcoming group projects. When my team is pessimistic or panicking, I can help them calm down and realize that we have already accomplished so much. In the future, I will work on giving more compliments. This will support my t eam by increasing co nfidence and drive. My strengths also show me that I could possibly do particular things less. Because I feel I have shown leadership in the past, I may feel as though I need to take the lead in every situation. I need to recognize that sometimes my teamma tes have better suited abilities. Finally, I believe that a human resources or marketing position would best fit me in an organization. Since I have identified some of my strengths as positivity, empowering leadership, and creativity, these positions seem best fit for me. As far as organizational culture, I believe I could help maintain morale in stressful or difficult happenings. As bad economies are inevitable shake -ups in the business world, I believe my strengths can help cushion falls. The Reflected Best -Self Exercise was an astonishing glimpse of the process of learning and honing my strengths. It taught me that in order to learn about yourself, you need to open up in unfamiliar ways. The responses from my family, friends, and mentors w ere absolutely wonderful. Thanks to their time and efforts, I know and understand myself far better than at the beginning of the semester. With the help of those same people and those around me now, I can start applying them to my life. This exercise taugh t me that vulnerability is not weak, but rather powerful. I have knowledge of strengths I never knew I had, and that only makes me more tenacious. My strengths can help me and others as I push for vulnerability as fortitude. My best - self is only going to g et better. Appendix: <> 12 The following table showcases several enablers and blockers that I have found as I reflect on my strengths. There are 3 main types, personal, relational, and contextual and realizing their capabilities will make me use my strengths to the fullest. Personal: Relational: Contextual: Enablers: -My positivity attitude can make me more joyful and content -My work ethic can drive inner motivation and satisfaction for success -My attention to detail can leave me fully satisfied with my final product -I can help friends and colleagues through tough circumstances -When others see my work ethic, they can follow suit and increase productivity -I can ask for friends and families opinions to ensure that I have everything in order -I can pick up on morale in a situation and act accordingly -I can adapt quickly and work harder when the situation calls for increased attention -Striving for details and perfection will usually result in a superior product or situation Blockers: -My positivity can sometimes inhibit me from finding drive to make my life better -I can burn myself out and get tired if I inadvertently overwork and commit myself -As I strive for “perfection” I don’t realize that I waste my own time and energy -My positi vity can become redundant at times and become an excuse for inactivity -I may look at others who don’t have as high of work ethic as lazy and useless -My constant need for excellence may get nagging and take up their valuable time -I may not see the urgency in a situation that needs to be attended to -I may not be focusing my time and energy on the most important task at hand -I may spend too much time and resources in my efforts and cause a situation to get worse Raw Responses and Stories: <> : Cousin Organizing/leading events (Amazing Race, Survivor ) humor, telling stories, chants <> : Friend <> 13 You are a hardworking individual that strives for perfection. Anytime you take on a new challenge or project, you always aim high and make it your goal to do your best work. Whether it was <> and organizing events, or simply making a poster for Creative Writing, you strived for perfection and had a keen eye for detail. <> : Cousin Independence: Whether it was you having a paper job from an early age or dealing with your teasing brothers, I feel like you've al ways been independent. You know how to handle yourself and can figure out tough situations. You've handled a lot of responsibility as well as holding your own with all that "brotherly love." Kind, Caring, Patient: I just always think of the holidays and how you're ALWAYS willing to play games with the kids. Especially this past Christmas when you shared your talent of piano playing with <> . You took the time to do that and << Name of a Friend>> , and everyone else loved it. Humble: I always think of the time that grandma and grandpa told me how you sang that solo in one of your concerts. You hadn't told them and they were so impressed! You have so many great talents and you defi nitely use them to God's glory without boasting about it. <> : Teacher/Coach Whether on the soccer field, in the classroom, leading a student council activity on the stage, or wherever I saw <> using her time and talents, it was obvious she was giving her maximum effort and persistence. On the soccer field, <> 's teammates and coaches were always confident that she would give all she had for her team: hustling to win loose balls, sprinting back to defend our goal and sprinting forward in attack. No matter how exhausted she was from the game and all her other pursuits, <> <> 14 would always give her best effort in practice and matches and was persistent to the end. My most lasting memories of <> will be the determined look in her eye as she dug deep to find the energy to give her team and her Savior her best effort. As I look back at all the <> accomplished in high school, I marvel at how well she managed her time whil e excelling in so many areas. She balanced her academic work with her other responsibilities in a way that enabled her to perform at a high level in the classroom, on the soccer field, on the stage and in h er student council work. She didn't allow her long to-do list to affect her work. She maintained her focus on the task at hand, excelled, and then moved on to the next. As her teacher and coach, I was frequently amazed at how well she flipped the switch to a new activity and handled so many responsibiliti es. <> never played or performed for her own glory, but demonstrated through her attitude, words and actions that she was giving glory to God by her time and talents.

<> worked relentlessly to help her team, cast or group be suc cessful so that she and those she was working with could give glory to God in all they said and did and to be prepared for the even greater opportunities to give glory to God that she knew were ahead. This attitude and approach influenced those around her to adopt the same approach and gave even greater glory to God. <> : “Second Mom” I have known <> for over 5 years now. She has spent numerous nights at our house, joined us for a vacation in <> , and attends college with our daughter. <> has an energy and enthusiasm that most young people lack. I have watched her throughout high school demonstrate a "go getter" attitude, manage a very busy co -curricular activity and work schedule, while still graduating in the top 10 students in her <> 15 class. <> has qualities that arranging to help her professionally as she pursues her career in business. She has a great sense of humor, is highly creative, and is not afraid to take risks. She has traveled to <> and has experiences that many kids her age do not. I have seen these qualities in both her student council and sports leadership in soccer and cross country. She has high social intelligence, aware of the needs of o thers, has motivational skills and makes challenging situations fun. As a parent, I have observed <> live her faith in a non -judgmental way and show integrity. I define integrity as "doing what is right when nobody's watching". This personality characteristic is hard to find in people. I believe <> demonstrates this in all parts of her life. In October of 2014 we asked <> to go on vacation with us. She was committed to her high school musical production of <> . <> spent endless hours preparing for her part in the play. She was exceptional in it and took on her charact er in such a humorous way that she ignited the stage and made the show a success. She had to leave vacation early (flying home alone) in order to make play rehearsals prior to production. Many young people her age would have complained, skipped rehearsal , or focused on the negative. Not <> . She stayed positive with little sleep and kept her focus on her commitments. She is the kind of student that teachers like to teach and parents want for their child's friend. <> is an asset to any group because she works hard, is creative and is determined in her goals. I'm glad she is a part of our family! <> : Friend <> 16 You are quite brave and outgoing i.e. giving multip le announcements in front of the student body and overcoming that nuisance of a stutter . You are a great leader. You're great at persuading others and fulfilling you're responsibilities. You don’t let things stand in your way. <> : Friend <> is one lovable person. She is the life of the party, and can always bring a smile to anyone's face. She is not shy, and is a strong and organized leader. I grew up with <> , and when we were in grade school she would organize activities by herself for a large group of our friends, which included <> . She was truly dedicated to what she did and brought lots of joy to a whole group of people. Another one of <> 's strengths is that she constantly has a positive attitude. I can think of numerous stories from our childhood, whether it was scootering five miles in the blazing sun, or when a group of girls she is trying to coach doesn't listen to her. She just always makes the best of every situation and doesn't let little things bring her down. It truly showed how much of an impact <> made on people when she moved to another state. So many people were devastated about her move, and it really sho wed that they love her. She has always been one of my cl osest fr iends, and will remain one for being the most fun -loving human being I've ever met. <> : Aunt I am very proud of you and thankful that you have never l et your stutter hold you back. I realize most people don't know you stutt er because you work around it. I am amazed that you have pursued acting and singing roles when others might avoid them. I think this takes courage and strength. Y ou a lso do a great job of using people and resources around you during difficult <> 17 times. I noti ce you leaning on family and friends when support is needed. That’s a strateg y to use throughout your life. Keep up the good work! I am very proud to call you my niece! <> : Friend <> is a young woman with many strengths, but in my opinion, leadership is her greatest strength. <> never hesitates to take the leadership role in any situation, and this action is never met with any opposition because she has displayed in many circumstances that she is more than capab le of being a leader, and her personality shines through in everything she does, which makes her well -liked by everyone. One particular area in which I think <> ’s leadership really shone through was in her role on the cross country team, whic h she was a part of all four years of high school. As a freshman on the varsity team, <> was still a little shy and adjusting to her new life in high school, but still she made it clear that hers was a valuable role on the team. As time went on, <> began to feel more comfortable and adjusted to this new life, and it was clear not only in her performance on the team but also in the way she conducted herself and let her infectious personality come out more so than she did earlier i n the year. By her senior year, <> was the most beloved member of the team, and everyone looked up to her as a major leader. Being bestowed with the honor of co - captain of the varsity team, <> took this responsibility seriously and dedicated herself to making sure the team was always working hard and having fun, a task that is not easily accomplished. As a leader, <> was always there for her peers, and if anyone wanted or needed t o talk about something going on in their lives, whether related to cross country or not, <> was always willing to lend an ear. <> 18 <> was a very caring and motivational leader, and she always offered words of encouragement for each individual on the team. <> demonstrated she was a great leader also by setting a good example both in practice and in day -to-day life for all her peers to follow. Good leadership is a rare quality to find in people these days, and <> exemplifies this quality of leadership to the fullest extent. <> : Friend The thing that always pops into my head is the day last November when I was at the hospital for my clinicals from 11am to 9pm and I was so stressed about school, friend issues, living situation and life in general and when I came out of clinical I saw that I had a missed call from you and a text message that was so encouraging and made me feel a lot better, saying something like you knew I was stressed at the time and were thinking about me and said I'm awesome...so even though everyone knows how much you love to bully me you are a great friend who is thoughtful and does pick up her friends when they need it! <> : Dad Strengths include encouraging and leading others on in a group, such as in soccer drills and at <> drama stuff -- like during the cleanup takedown thing after <> when you were directing a bunch of kids on where to put stu ff in the new storage area. Similar strength was entertaining/engaging all the kids at children's theater in the "stall time" before the shows. Honesty is another strength, like when you found the $100 in the <> and immediately turned it in. Responsibility on following through and followin g up on paper route. Willingness to "step out:" and be the bold one, like in taking a solo with <> . <> :: Mom <> 19 When I think of your strengths I think of your hosting/planning/preparing the amazing race/Survivor things in <> . Also, your team leadership in <> and soccer. <> :: Friend One of <> ’s best qualities is her loyalty and dedication to friendship. Her friends know that they are important to her because they are obviously prioritized. I remember one instance during our junior year of High School very clearly. We were both single on Va lentine’s Day and so we decided that we would be each other’s Valentines. I thought it was funny and was totally joking around about it, but <> took it to a whole new level. She came to school with little poems printed out on little notes and in every class period she had someone deliver one to me. It was very embarrassing at times, but we’ve been laughing about that day since. Honestly, it was one of my favorite Valentine’s Days ever. No matter what, <> will put one hundred perc ent into her friendships, which makes being her friend quite rewarding