Joining the military has truly made a difference in how I see the world and how I treat people. When I was in my first few years of service, I remember embracing the new environments with my peers and discovering what real service was. We learned about the mission and our purpose in it. We went through good times and we trudged through hardships. If I can say one thing, it would be that the best part of the military at times can also be the worst part of the military, and that’s the people who serve with you. I’ve had great coworkers who were willing to go the extra mile for the team and who taught me a lot and got me to where I am today. I also had coworkers who were pretty ridiculous at times and caused drama in team settings. I had supervisors and leaders who inspired me to go above and beyond, who believed in me and gave me opportunities to excel. I also had leadership who were in it for themselves and would throw you under the bus in a heart beat. The military has taught me that its greatest resource is the people serving in it and in order to succeed, you must steward that resource well. Because of the military, I understand the value of communication and relationships more deeply. I now strive to not only develop myself, but to find ways to bring others up with me as well. I try to be a source of encouragement and motivation rather than someone who brings people down in the workplace. From being a battle buddy on deployment who listens when you’re down, to hosting barbecues for the shop so that we can have a morale boost, I endeavor to show not only those below me, but those above me as well that I care and that I am here if they need me.

A few years ago, my mother bought my siblings and I each one book for Christmas as part of her new holiday "tradition". Initially I was a little underwhelmed by this gift with less than 200 pages, but I decided to give it a chance one afternoon and soon realized that I was not going to put it down until I finished it. Each page compelled me to read on and stirred a hunger inside of me for change. Something I had thought of as just another book was now stoking a transformative fire inside of me. The book that I am talking about is "Who Moved My Cheese", by Spencer Johnson. The reason I chose this book is due to its challenging contents and brief length. In my opinion, the fact that this book was short and full of reflective material that caused me to look inward every few pages made me feel inclined to finish it. That leads me to the contents. Johnson does a great job of creating a story that the reader can relate to. Additionally, this story together with the short length of the book call the reader to finish the journey with the characters. Each lesson the character Haw learns is a lesson we each can take and apply to our own lives. Reading this book helped me to take inventory of the lifestyle that I was living and choose change!

"It is better to give than to receive." This phrase is one that has been repeated to me since I was a little kid. Both of my parents are very giving people, so as a kid I would look at what they were doing and sometimes question why they went to such lengths for other people. Whether it was donating to fundraisers or going out to pass out meals, those two would go above and beyond wearing joy on their faces while helping others and giving back. It wasn't until I got older that I really started to understand why giving back was so important. Growing up, there were different after school programs and summer break programs that I was enrolled in because my parents worked far from home. These programs provided me a safe recreational environment that my parents trusted. As I became an adult, I saw the impact of these programs when my little cousin got enrolled into one and that they needed to be supported so that the next generation could experience the same fun environment that I did when I was younger. Now that I am in a position to, I do my best to help meet the needs of others. One way I like to give back to others is by helping to raise awareness for the CFC Campaign each year when it comes up. It is a campaign that features thousands of different causes that people can donate to. This allows people the opportunity to donate to what they are passionate about. I love letting people know about it, because it gives them a chance to help others as well.

When I look back on my life, I see the rewards that patience has brought into my life as well as the consequences that have come from being impatient. Unfortunately, I made a lot of decisions that could of been avoided had I just been patient. In all honesty, I did not truly understand what it meant to be patient for the things I wanted. I had a hard time grasping why I needed to hold back rather than just going for it. Then one day, I watched a video about farming and how valuable the time after planting a seed is to farmers. They knew that they needed to take care of the seed and not disturb the plant until harvest time when it is ripe to pick. The way these farmers were patient for their crops really transformed my thinking. Joyce Meyer once said that patience is not the ability to wait, but that it is the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting. After watching that farming video, I realize how vital it is to not only wait, but to wait with a good attitude. I believe what makes being patient easier is understanding the reward at the end. Just like the farmers understood the importance of not harvesting their crop until it is ready, I am learning every day to look at my own crops and to wait patiently for harvest time. I believe being patient is important, because it allows us to gain a greater sense of appreciation for the things we desire when the time finally comes.