Week 12

The theme for this week made me to feel inspired to go out and make a difference! The first TED talk by Drew, Everyday Leadership, was one of those videos that you will think about from time to time and mention to people when you are on the topic. It was short, but that lollipop moment he spoke about has managed to stay on my mind. I admit, the concept of leadership for me intimidates me – well it did – until Drew put it in perspective for me. Leadership should not be a topic that easily frightens us, we do not necessarily have to go out and change the world; to do something different every day can influence the world around us. To those who have given us that lollipop moment, we should thank them and let them know how important that moment was to us. We all like to be appreciated, and to have someone tell you that can only encourage you to embrace that leadership and to continue to distribute those moments.

Nate’s video put the pieces together. Everything in our everyday lives can be considered tools, because…well…they always have been. The tricky part is regulation: how do we regulate the tools in our lives to better the atmosphere around us? We create habits that stem from our habitat, so why not put these tools to use and better both? Every generation has been different than the next, and it shows throughout the years. We have to be the generation that changes everything, because at this rate we are regressing and by far too much. Nate mentioned healthcare and how society in the U.S. tends to value you more if you are sick. People SHOULD go to the doctor every six months to receive a check-up, but we all know that is nearly impossible. Even then, people hardly go to the doctor whenever they are sick because of how expensive it may be, or possibly finding out something IS wrong and now they have to pay for the care and medication they need. The focus should go to the outcome of situations and work towards bettering the outcome rather than the output society puts forth.

The Hidden Influence of Social Network changed my outlook on networking and just staying connected. Knowing how everyone around us is connected fascinates me, because we are all an influence of our world! If my friend’s sister is happy, then chances are I will be happy. This kind of reminds me of what Drew talked about, and how one little thing can change the environment surrounding us. I have always heard that who you hang around with influences who you are, and I believe it. No matter how much people deny it, you manage to pick up habits from the people you surround yourself with. Emotional contagion is something very real that I, myself, have experienced. Once I surrounded myself with those who have drive and positivity instilled in their life, I was able to pick up on their little habits and emotions that, in the long run, have influenced me for the better. Everything is interconnected, the entire world runs off of social networks, all that matters is who we choose to associate ourselves with and how we should let their healthy habits overcome us in order to pass it on!