Renew Your PassionThe RA Job, Lollipop Moments,

Positive Psychology, and Various Activities

What do you desire most?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We3lYkgWEh0

Full Video

Why Did You Become an

RA?

Why Did You Become an RA?

You wanted to help people You had a great RA and wanted to give residents the

same experience you had You had a horrible RA and wanted to make sure residents

never went through what you did. You wanted to work on professional development skills. You wanted the “Free Room” Resume Booster Wanted to go into high education.

Activity 1: Three Good Things

Jot down three things that went well for you today and give an explanation as to why these good things occurred.

What Made you Lose Sight of Why You became an RA?

Not Enough Recognition/ Little Fulfillment Residents Just Don’t Care Sometimes

Duty / The Duty Phone LONGGGGG & Boring Meetings Difficult to balance your time and loyalty between the

job, residents, friends, loved ones, significant others. Programs & Budgeting Feel Like your Voice isn’t being heard Dislike your coworkers

The Hard Parts of the Job

Lollipop Moments

http://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership#t-226065

0:00- 5:01

You have all changed someone’s life whether you know it or not.

The biggest impacts we make, we might not even notice.

We might not even remember the most influential moments of our life.

Activity 2: Counting Kindness

Write down three kind acts that you’ve done as an RA. You can

include nice acts toward friends, residents, your CD, or even your

staff.

So, How do I Get it Back?

So, How do you get it Back?

1.Keep The RA job in perspective2.You are more than an RA3.Concentrate on the task at hand4.Be Clear about what’s expected of you.5.Delegate wherever appropriate6.Learn to relax7.Don’t Neglect Diet & Fitness

Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play.

Many of us have a tendency to become focused upon negative information and events. As a result, we may under-represent our successes and fail to draw energy from them.

Happiness increases the release of dopamine within the brain - which can activate our learning centers - helping us to absorb the information around us. We learn more and work more effectively when happy; bringing us closer to realizing our potential.

Raise Your Positivity In the Present!

http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work#t-465719

7:56- 12:20 (end)….. Shawn Anchor- The Happy Secret to Better Work

If I Work Harder.. I’ll be more successful.. Then I’ll be happier….. WRONG

Raise Positivity in the Present! You will be more productive, happier with your job, and more successful.

YOU CAN Make your brain more optimistic.

Activity 3: Three Funny Things you’ve experienced as

an RAWrite down the three funniest things

that you experienced or participated in as an RA; also write about why the funny thing happened (e.g., was it

something you created, something you observed, something spontaneous?)

So Where Should I Start?

Identify what you like about the job, and do more of it! Focus more of your attention on the things you love, but don’t

forget about the things that you need to do! Exercise.. With your residents if you’re comfortable Meditate/Relax.. Bring someone in to teach your residents how

to do this as well Participate in Random Acts of Kindness Keep Doing these “Activities” on a regular basis to help mold

your brain more optimistically.

While the job may seem hard sometimes, you are making a positive impact on the people

around you.

Challenge: Gift of Time

Offer the “gift” of your time to three different people this week. This might be in the form of helping

someone move back into their room, sharing a meal with someone who is lonely, or simply helping another staff member with their bulletin board. These “gifts”

should be in addition to your planned activities.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will love the RA job again when you focus on the reasons

you became an RA.