krissywake

No Snoozing Allowed

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020 krissywake

When we first got the blog assignment list I was unsure about what to focus on for this particular one. I thought maybe I’d make a pact to wash my face everyday, I fell off the wagon on that one when I went home for reading week. So, I thought maybe I would do a shorter gratitude challenge since my therapist had recently suggested I try to do that to redirect my thinking toward positive things. I started this, then forgot about it as life got hectic. My last idea was to try to get out of bed at a scheduled time without hitting the snooze button on my alarm.

Since March 5th I have been successful at accomplishing this task. I have been able to get up and start my day at the scheduled time I planned to. In the rest of this post I am going to tell you why I choose to do this, why I was successful in this challenge and unsuccessful in the other ones.

I chose to tackle the challenge of getting up at my scheduled time because I have a habit of sleeping in or hitting the snooze button over and over until I am late. Due to this I often do not have enough time in the morning to take care of myself. I skip breakfast, and feel rushed to get to wherever I need to be. For example, on Tuesday’s I had class at 11:30 am, I would set my alarm for 9:00am so I could eat breakfast and have time to get ready before having to leave for class. I found that I would hit the snooze button until 10am or 10:30am leaving me only half an hour to get up and ready to go by 11:00am to make it to class on time. The goal for this challenge was to get up with enough time to have breakfast, and get ready without feeling rushed.

I learned from this challenge that I am more likely to commit to something if someone else is counting on me or I think someone is counting on me. In this situation that person was my boyfriend. My boyfriend, Curtis, and I have been living together since the beginning of the new year. He was commuting back to our home town an HOUR AND A HALF away every morning Monday to Friday. So, he would have to be out the door by 6:30am to make it to work on time. Before taking on this challenge, I would get up with him at 5:00am or 5:30am then go back to bed until I needed to go to class or anywhere else. When I started this challenge he was still making the hour and a half long commute everyday so I was committing to getting up with him at 5:00am and staying up until around 11:00pm the following night. I struggled with this at first, but it was easier when I had to be somewhere early in the morning so I started to book appointments and things for early in the morning so I would not be tempted to go back to bed. In the last week and a half of my challenge Curtis started a new job in London. He no longer needed to get up as early and we started getting up around 6:00 am. So during the week I was getting up earlier than I would have liked but it was easier when I knew he needed to be up as well. On the weekends during my challenge my wake up time varied. On weekends I worked I got up at 5:00am and was at work by 6:00am and on my weekends off depending on what was going on I would get up between 8:00am and 10:00am depending on how late I was up the night before and what I had to do the following day. For example, I had a midterm on a Saturday morning at 9:00am so I got up at 8:00am that weekend, but on the Sunday, I was up late watching movies with Curtis and we did not have plans for that day so I set my alarm for 10:00am.

My first few attempts at this assignment failed because I was not holding myself accountable. I rely on my commitments to others to force myself to do things on time. This can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing. I care about what others think of me and I want them to think of me as the young woman that they can always rely on. I tend to say yes to everything and bite off more than I can chew. I am learning now that I can not do everything and I need to focus on my well being and what is best for me more than others sometimes. I also learned that I make excuses when it is something for me. Like the face washing idea, I have acne that acts up when I get stressed and slack on taking care of my skin. So, I had thought this assignment was a great way to make sure I stuck with the routine of washing my face so I could control my acne. The pressure that it was for an assignment was not enough. I needed someone to call me out when I did not do it or was disappointed when I did not do it. My own disappointment was not enough to convince me to get up and go to the bathroom and wash my face when I was at my parents during reading week. When I got back to London, I figured it was useless to try to keep up with it now since I had already failed at it.

Overall, this challenge allowed me to learn to tell others what I am planning on doing to keep myself accountable because I can not let others down.

Photo References:
Alarm Clock: Image by digital designer from Pixabay
To Do List: Image by DraCat from Pixabay
Pinky Promise: Image by Kenya Aguirre from Pixabay

Reflecting on Learning

March 5, 2020 krissywake

MOS 2205G Business Communications so far has been a wonderful learning experience, but I may be biased as I always enjoy classes with Melissa. I look forward to the class every week. In this post, I am going to discuss what I have learned to improve my emails and slides, what I have learned about imposter syndrome and myself, what I would do differently if I were to take a class like this again and lastly, what I need to still improve on.

The first thing that I have incorporated into my daily life is the writing tips and tricks we have learned. I use these the most in my emails. Email communication has become my preferred method of communication because I like to have written messages and instructions to refer back to. To improve them I have learned to take my time to write, revise and edit the email messages I send. I rewrite my emails until they are free of errors, and are as concise and direct as I can make them without losing details the reader needs to understand the message.

Recently, we learned about making our slides for presentations more effective. Before Melissa showed us Echo Rivera’s video about making over slides, my slides looked like the slides she started with. I was taught in previous classes to limit the amount of text on the slide and use images to capture the attention of the viewers. Echo’s video changed what I had previously learned. Using more slides is not a bad thing especially when each one emphasizes one point. I will be able to use these design tips to create slides for the class presentation as well as for other class presentations. I will also be able to create slides in the future for presentations in my career. On top of this, we have learned about using photos for our blogs and projects. We are able to find photos that we do not need to buy to use without facing copyright issues.

Learning about imposter syndrome was the most valuable thing I have learned so far. After completing the imposter phenomenon scale I scored 85. A score above 80 indicates that the respondent often experiences intense imposter phenomenon characteristics. While reading the assigned articles I found it easy to see parallels between my life and the lives of the participants in the study. For example, my older brother seemed to be labelled the successful and intelligent one and I was the girl of the family. Completing the test and reading the article has opened my eyes to things that may be holding me back from accomplishing what I want to accomplish.

If I were to take a class like Business Communications again, I would make more time to do the weekly assignments. This class has a lot of smaller assignments that were due approximately once a week. If I could do it over again, I would ensure I started the assignments sooner. I believe that although I got good marks on the assignments, I could do better if I gave myself more time to perfect them.

Lastly, I know I still need to improve on some skills. Some skills I need to continue to improve on is focusing on the audience’s needs. Also, as the course continues I believe that with the presentation we will all be able to practice our presentation skills which is a skill I always need to work on. I try to work on it as much as I can. I participate in class as much as I can and pushing myself to work with new people. I have enjoyed the opportunity to have group seating arrangements that have changed throughout the course. This has made it easier to interact with new people and learning to work with others. However, I wish the term was longer because I find that the points we split into new teams that we are just starting to create good relationships with the new peoples in our groups and then we have to create new relationships with the new group. Maybe instead of switching 3 times in the term, we could only switch twice.

As a fourth year student taking this second-year course, I feel that 2205G has been the most beneficial class related to life skills that I have taken at Brescia. The skills and resources we have discussed in class will be skills and resources we can carry forward with us into our lives beyond Brescia and university.

Mental Health Communities

February 13, 2020February 13, 2020 krissywake

The purpose of this blog post is to outline what my blog would showcase in the event I decided to make one. Below I will discuss topics I considered, the topic I chose, the purpose of the blog, the audience and information the blog would offer. Followed by the benefits the reader would get from reading and following my blog. Lastly, I discuss the possible objections and contextual issues that could arise and how I would manage them.

I found this post difficult to write. I had a few ideas of blog topics I could pursue. I started by thinking about what I like to do outside of school. Decorative planning, interior design, learning about cars, but these topics didn’t spark any ideas of how to offer help to people. While discussing the assignment with friends the topic of mental health and my experiences with it came up. I instantly felt that I could offer people more with that topic than any of my other ideas. So, if I were to write a blog it would be on the topic of my mental health.

I was diagnosed with depression when I was in grade school. It was brought on my the unfortunate event of bullying. At that point in my life, I turned to the internet to find comfort and how to feel better. At the time I came up short. Later in my life, I was in a relationship with a guy that was controlling and emotionally abusive. Again, I turned to the internet to find help and sort out what I was feeling and experiencing. I find that many young people turn to the internet when they need help, but do not know how to ask for it. That is why I would write a blog about my experience with mental health and toxic relationships. The purpose of the blog would be to provide a safe space for young women to discuss their mental health, talk about their experiences, as well as learn about ways to help themselves. On the blog, I would find resources to share and post about my experiences. I would also include the perspective of people that helped me through it all. I would include the way my friends and family felt, what they thought and how they helped. I would also include resources for them. For the friends and family of people dealing with poor mental health. Resources like how to help, and ways to support their family and friends while they wait for them to be ready to come to them.

The reader benefits of my blog include resources, a safe space, and the feeling of not being alone. Resources I provide would be educational, and creditable resources, like videos of explanations of mental health conditions. Ways to get help such as websites, and telephone services. I would also focus on making my blog more of a community so people from all over the world could feel like they had people that are there for them even though they aren’t physically in the same place. Amanda says in her talk, “everyone is affected by mental illness,” and her story about her friend, Victor, captures the idea that that many of us just need a friend. Or a place to reach out to others and find others that are experiencing or have experienced the same things.

Amanda Southworth– Her Experience with Mental Health

To address objections and contextual issues such as not being an expert on the subject material and handling differing opinions. As well as dealing with topics that can cause readers distress as I recount my past experiences. To mediate these issues, I would start my posts with a disclaimer. This disclaimer would explain that I am not an expert on the subject matter, but I have completed a major in psychology at Western and that I do comprehensive research before posting anything. It would also include a note when the topic being discussed could cause people to become distressed. So that the readers could make the decision to continue reading or not. To deal with conflicts in the comments, I would assess the situation and make a judgement to delete comments that are not adding anything constructive to the conversation. The purpose of my blog is to create a community and encourage learning.

If I started a blog, the topic of it would be mental health. I would like to provide people with the place I wish I had when I was struggling to ask for help. To sort out what was going on in my world. The blog would also serve to help me handle my mental health and continue to deal with my own mental illness and continue to use good healthy coping strategies that I tell others about. It would keep me accountable, to practice what I am telling everyone else to do. I hope I could help people cope with their mental illness and see that things do and will get better.

References
Stop the Stigma: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Women crying: Image by <a href=”https://pixabay.com/users/Counselling-440107/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1006100″>Ulrike Mai</a> from <a href=”https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1006100″>Pixabay</a>
TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLOagmZTWmM&t=401s
Rainbow among the Clouds: My own photo by Curtis MacLeod

Presence Vs Charisma: Public Speaking

January 30, 2020January 30, 2020 krissywake

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.”
-Jerry Seinfeld

After reading the three assigned articles I chose to review the article, “Do You Need Charisma to Be a Great Public Speaker?” by Sarah Gershman. I chose this article because I have always struggled with public speaking and avoid it as much as I can. Ms.Gershman’s article provided tips that could help people become better public speakers in the future. I think that the view of the author is correct in saying some speakers are more memorable while others leave a lasting message. Public speaking is also a skill that I think most people would like to improve. I know I need to exponentially improve my public speaking skills. I am hoping that with completing 2205G and implementing some of these tips from the article that my public speaking will improve. This article also reminds me of power posing to boost confidence and performance.

I agree with Ms. Gershman’s point of view because I can remember details from some presentations and there are others that I remember the speaker, but not the content of their presentation. For example, from a presentation in primary school about multiple sclerosis (MS), I remember the details about that particular presentation because the presenter made the information about us. They had us run around and then breathe through straws. This explained to us what it was like to breathe with MS. Then, they continued with the other things that happen with MS such as not being able to walk easily or hold on to things all the time. The presenter always made it about us. What would happen to us if diagnosed with MS. Then, there are presentations from school from speakers that I don’t remember anything about except for who they were. For example, my school had Sara Westbrook come to speak. I have no memory of what she spoke about. I only remember her being extremely confident and enjoying what she was doing. These examples from my past make it evident to me that Ms.Gershman’s perspective about creating an emotional connection is the key to having a memorable presentation.

My public speaking skills are awful, and I know that I will only get better if I practice. However, I still tend to avoid it. I avoid it because I don’t like to be the center of attention. I try to avoid the attention of others as much as I can. I feel that I can not connect with my peers and engage them in my ideas as easily as other students. Due to this, I get anxious and I stumble on my words, especially when I am not confident about the material. I fear the possible ridicule that comes with that. I want to get better and be able to get in front of people and share the knowledge I do have.

From the article, I definitely want to try some of the tips Ms.Gershman listed for my next presentation. I want to try to make the next presentation I do about the audience and their needs. I also want to practice starting with an open posture and writing down anything that is keeping me from being present. I think that if I were to put these ideas into practice that my public speaking skills would improve immensely. On top of the suggestions in the article, I would also like to try to be as prepared as possible. I have a terrible habit of waiting until the last minute to do projects, especially presentations. I think if I prepared and practiced more I would be able to do better and have more confidence in my abilities to talk in front of a group.

Sarah Gershman’s idea of an open posture reminded me of superhero posing. I originally saw the idea in Gray’s Anatomy when one character is anxious about performing brain surgery. She stands with her hands on her hips, feet shoulder-width apart and her head held high. After seeing this I was curious about its effectiveness and if there was truth behind it. After a little research, I found a study done at Harvard by Amy J.C Cuddy and colleagues (2012). This study shows that the participants who used high power poses, like the one from Gray’s Anatomy, helped to improve the participant’s presentation. People who were in the high power pose condition “appeared to better maintain their composure, project more confidence, and present more captivating and enthusiastic speeches, in turn leading to higher overall performance evaluations”(8).

Overall, I think that the article by Sarah Gershman provides information that helps people improve their public speaking skills. I hope that by using some of the ideas from her article and the power posing that I can improve my public speaking skills in the near future as two of my courses this semester include presentations.

Links

Do you Need Charisma to Be a Great Public Speaker? By Sarah Gershman

The Benefit of Power Posing Before a High-Stakes Social Evaluation

Jerry Seinfeld Quote

Citations

Cuddy, Amy J.C., Caroline A. Wilmuth, and Dana R. Carney. “The Benefit of Power Posing
Before a High-Stakes Social Evaluation.” Harvard Business School Working Paper,
No. 13-027, September 2012.
Joseph Guarino, “Top 20 Public Speaking Quotes,” Institue of Public Speaking, January 30,
2020, https://www.instituteofpublicspeaking.com/top-20-public-speaking-quotes/.

Image Credit

For the image I used an image by Tan Cundrawan from Pixabay. However, I did crop it. Please see the original image.

Everything You Need to Know About Me…and maybe more

January 16, 2020 krissywake

Who is Krystal-Ann?

Hi, I’m Krystal-Ann. I normally go by Krystal. My birthday recently past on January 6^th, and I’m 22. I’m in my fourth year at Brescia and I am doing an Honors double major in Accounting and Psychology. Yes, it’s a strange combination. I get that all the time. To explain, I started as a food and nutrition student, but that program wasn’t what I thought it would be and I was miserable. However, the first-year business class we had to take was the one I looked forward to every week. So, I switched to my back up plan, accounting. I needed a second major to do the accounting major and I was missing the chance to study biology. Psychology as my second major gave me the opportunity to have the best of both worlds. I get to study biology and accounting. Last year, I used my school of interest to participate in Brescia’s Student Council. I held the School of Leadership and Social Change Representative.

Before Brescia and moving to London for school, I lived about an hour and a half north of London in Wellington County (near Listowel, Ontario). I lived there for most of my life and went to school with the same people since kindergarten. Due to this, it’s hard to introduce myself to new people. I did manage to make new friends while here at Brescia, but I think only a few of them will last a lifetime. My friends Kendall, and Julia are amazing people that I can not wait to share future memories with! My best friend, Jordan, from home, came to Brescia in 2016 with me. We were roommates in residence for two years. She has continued to stay in residence and work for Brescia as a Residence Assistance (RA). During, elementary and secondary school I used to be very active in sports and other extracurriculars.

Jordan and I as children and now
Photos: both are my own

To start, I started playing t-ball and continued to play baseball until I got to high school. I started figure skating in the winter around the age of 7 and stopped only when I was leaving to come to Brescia. I started participating in the local swim team in middle school and stopped when I got a part-time job in high school. Outside of sports, I completed multiple 4-H Life Skills clubs, the Sparks Program and did a year of Guides. When I got old enough, I followed my older brother’s lead and joined Army Cadets. I participated in cadet training for two years. I never really enjoyed it as much as my brother did, but it helped bring us closer. I also played rubgy for a year in high school, like my brother did.

Baseball, skating and rugby
Photo credit: Basball-Krista Lunz, Skating: Laura Mantler, Rugby: my own photo

Now, to explain why my brother and I needed to be brought closer entails a complicated story that continues to become more complicated as time goes on. However, I think its finally starting to calm down! I come from a growing blended family, in total, I believe there will be eight children. I am the youngest of two, me and my older brother, James. We have to older half brothers from our father’s previous marriage, Ryan and Greg. There are 7, 12 and 13 years between me and my brothers, respectively. We were never very close growing up due to the age differences and being in different stages of our lives. For as long as I could remember this was my family: my three brothers, my parents, and me. In 2012, my parents separated. Along came, my mother’s new significant other and the children of theirs from a previous relationship. I got two more brothers, just younger this time: Zack, who is eighteen and Michael, who is fifteen. Recently, my father has started dating again and his significant other also has two children from a previous relationship. Two more boys. If you lost track, I have or will have seven brothers. I also recently gained a sister as you can see in the photos below. My brother Ryan got married in 2018. The youngest being 15 and the oldest being 34. As I have gotten older the age gap has diminished as we are closer to the same stages in our lives. My family also includes my cat, Dusty, and my dog, Layla.

My family
Photo Credits
Top left: Centreline Design Photography, Top Right:my own photo, Bottom Left:Krista Lunz ,Bottom Right: my own photo

Next, I want to tell you all about one of the most important people in my life right now: my boyfriend, Curtis. Curtis came into my life a long time ago as a really good friend. We had grown apart and lost touch. He befriended my brother, James, and we eventually crossed paths again. In 2018, we started talking again and started spending time together. He has recently become my calm in the storm when I stress over the change coming with graduating and feel like I am failing. He helps remind me that everything will be okay and will work out.

Poker Run 2019
Photo Credit: Curtis MacLeod

On top of being part of my safe place, my boyfriend introduced me to Rumble Nation (RN). RN is a Subaru enthusiast group, but also includes car enthusiasts in general. It’s a non-profit group all funds raised through merchandise sales and fees go back into the group or are donated. Most of the time we just have small car meets with other members of the group in parking lots, drink coffee and socialize. We do other bigger group events sometimes like camping, skiing and snowboarding, and we have the annual poker run. The poker run is a series of predetermined stops and at each stop, you get a card. Whoever has the best poker hand at the end, wins.

As for my future, I plan on graduating in October 2020 and likely pursuing my CPA designation. I am also considering taking time away from school for a little while and then going to college as I am unsure I want to continue with accounting professionally. As I learn more about jobs and careers I am leaning toward working with people rather than numbers, or maybe both. I am considering pursuing a career at a car dealership in the financing or accounting department. However, I’m terrified of the unknown and the changes to come with finishing my undergrad. I feel like everyone else has a plan and I am so unprepared for the future. I have no idea how I’m going to get to where I want to be. I can only hope that things will happen the way they are supposed to and everything will be okay.