Growth Mindset: Which one am I?

* Where do you see yourself on the fixed-mindset/growth-mindset spectrum? Does your mindset differ based on the situation (work, home, sports, school, etc?

Fixed-mindset or Growth-mindset

I see myself having a growth mindset.

I love learning and believe knowledge is power. Often after feedback is given, I sit back and think about it. If it is constructive feedback which is sometimes negative or a different opinion then mine, I  try to look at both sides. Often I use this constructive feedback as something to learn and grow from.

Recently at work I volunteered to help out another department due to a shortage of supervisors. I accepted the temporary transfer to help them out, it was presented as a two to three month transfer that ended up to be less than two months. I accepted the transfer to help another department but also to learn the programs and business processes in the different department. I felt that it would give me a chance to help out and learn something new.
The temporary transfer left my department feeling like I left them and wasn't coming back. There were people moved around and some changes that had to take place because of me leaving. I returned a lot sooner then expected and the changes had to be undone. This left some co-supervisors upset with me. I started to notice a difference in our relationships. When I approached one of my co-supervisors about the tension that was being felt by myself and others, she informed me that I left our department and because of my move that she felt it was selfish and impacted her a lot. I explained that I had an opportunity to learn something new and help.
Since I returned to my department I have been able to look at things differently and have a different view about the things that happen in the department I temporally helped. If I did not go and give myself the opportunity to learn, I would have missed out on an opportunity to grow. This is a recent example of me having a growth mindset.

Introduction: Returning to College

Hi my name is Amber. In one month I will be 35 years old. I am a daughter, wife, mother, sister, friend, auntie, employee, supervisor, teacher, and college student.

One year ago, I couldn't see a future and I was scared to go to sleep because I didn't think I would wake up. Unfortunately, due to a series of events that were happening around me, I was in a place that I had never been before. I felt weak and alone. I started to go to church to try to find peace by building a relationship with God. I was emotional and felt lost, after a few months of feeling this way and only getting worst I went to the doctors. This in it's self was very difficult, I had to admit to someone else that I was loosing control and needed help. I went to the appointment to get medication for my depression but was very hesitant to take it. So after another week of feeling this way, I decided to give the medicine a chance. I also started to see a counselor weekly. 

After a few weeks of both the medication and counseling I started to slowly feel like myself again. However, I lost my self confidence. I questioned many things, one was if I would be able to add to my busy schedule, taking my daughter to cheer practice 4 times a week. Things that I would normally adjust to and not stress about, had be in fear and self doubt. I can say that I was able to change my evening routine and add taking my daughter to cheer practice, I became the cheer mom and towards the end had to step in and help the girls finish their season.

I continued my medication and counseling, I started to feel better and in a happier place, I was taking it one day at a time. 

One day at work I was talking to a co-supervisor, who mentioned that she was applying for Cal State East Bay for fall 2019. I told her that I had my all my units to transfer but stopped going 11 years ago and hadn't gone back. She asked, "why not?" I came up with many reasons as I always did and had done repeatedly for the last 5 years. I went back to my desk and thought, "why not?" I had always had reasons like I didn't have the money, my kids were young, not enough time, but really it was because I was scared and didn't want to fail. It was that moment that I thought to myself and said enough of the excuses, I will apply and if I get accepted it was meant to be and I will try. I wanted it for myself and to show my daughters that college is important. I wanted to show them how hard I will have to work to accomplish my goal, graduating with a Bachelors of Science.

I applied for Cal State East Bay and decided to take a few classes at Los Medanos College to get back into the student mode. 

Yesterday, Monday, January 28, 2019 I started my first semester back to school after a 11 year break and received my Conditional Acceptance for Cal State East Bay. I can now see a future, my future and I am excited for this new journey. 

Favorite Place: Calaveras Timber Trails

Calaveras Timber Trails is a place that my husband has been going to since he was a child. His grandfather bought it and it has been in his family for over 30 years. Four years ago, we bought the site and placed our travel trailer on it. The campground has several amenities, such as pools, parks, designated areas for different age groups (toddlers, children, teens, and adults), a commissary and a few other areas for group gatherings.
This is a place that we enjoy taking our daughters, family, and friends to. Our daughters love going camping there because they have some freedom that they don't get at home, they can go on a walk or take a bike ride, they carry walkie talkies to stay in contact with us.
It's a perfect location, less than a 2 hour drive from our home, close to the snow in the winter and near several lakes for the spring and summer. It's our home away from home and our happy place.

https://www.calaverastimbertrails.com/

Going back to school!

Today I start back to school after being off for 11 years. During that time, I got bought a house, got married, had a baby, and promoted to a supervisor. Now it is time I finish what I started, all those years ago.