After You Make An Introduction, Get Out Of The Way
This post is a continuation of our last post about creating affinity groups through shared interest introductions. Tom talked about how he connected two strangers at an event because they were both wearing Batman shirts for International Batman Day. Read the post here if you need a refresher! After I made the Batman introduction happen, […]
The Importance of Creating Your Secondary Family
When I was 11, Mom got the call that Gram was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In that moment, Mom promised that she would never put Gram in a nursing home. Two weeks later, Gram moved in. For the next seven years until she died, we spent our days dressing her, feeding her and chasing after her […]
7 Little Tricks to Build Better Connections With Your Team During Conversation
In every team I have been in, the number one thing that sets a good team apart from a bad one is their level of communication. I’m not talking about keeping in touch with your team members about your projects. I’m talking about whether or not you feel a connection with your team at the […]
5 Lessons We Can Learn from The Water Horse
If you haven’t seen The Water Horse yet, it’s a movie I strongly recommend. Personally, I watched it about 30 times, but who is really counting. 🙂 The story is about Angus (the main character), who finds an egg that has this beautiful creature in it. He would do anything to protect his best friend […]
Finding The Good, Even On a Bad Day
Yesterday I had a really bad day, from my car’s battery dying to getting the worst headache I have ever had. It was an extremely bad day. However, thanks to a few individuals that demonstrated the core values of Swift Kick, I was saved from my miserable day. My friend Ann came to my rescue by […]
So, this one time, in an Uber…
As I opened the passenger door to the Uber, the first thing I heard was, “Hi Melissa!” To be completely honest, I was tired and really looking forward to a quiet, awkward silence type of drive home. Not this time. The two women, Lisa and Karen, in the backseat of this very fancy, black Mercedes […]
Handling Goodbyes: Make your Community Last Even After Members Leave
So it’s coming to that point of the year again…after all the stress of the spring semester classes and finals are over. My Res-Life Staff is leaving me! How can I possibly say goodbye to six unique individuals who have been a big part of my life as a first time res-life supervisor? Well, I […]
So Close, Yet So Far Away…Make Your Support System a Solid One!
So now that I’m in my second semester of graduate school, it has become apparent to me just how much a solid support system can become a great ascent. In college an individual can find multiple means of support through their department, friends, family, professors, faculty, adviser of organizations, etc… However, in graduate school, I […]
When You’re the Only One Who Wants to Do Icebreakers
“Hey Mom and Dad! Before we get started with dinner, what was your rose and thorn today? Mom, you start!” Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? If your family is anything like mine, you might be met with blank stares if you said this over your pasta. Since I started working at Swift Kick, my daily struggle is […]
5 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes on Building A Beautiful Community
Today we honor someone in American history who saw past the struggles of our society to a day when we truly would live to our fullest potential as one human race. He knew it would take work, but he also knew it would be worth it. Starting in his local community and church, his message […]