The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Habit 1: Be Proactive
"Habit 1 is the key to unlocking all the other six habits and that's why it comes first. It says, 'I am the captain of my life. I can choose my attitude. I'm responsible for my own happiness or unhappiness. I am in the driver seat of my destiny, not just a passenger.' "
In order to be proactive, you must first develop foresight. Proactive people foresee potential obstacles and exert their power to find ways to overcome them before those obstacles turn into concrete roadblocks. They plan for the future. Proactive people are not idle observers, they are active participants. Being proactive means taking timely, effective action.

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
"Control your own destiny or someone else will." (Jack Welch)
To have the end in mind means to know what you're moving towards. If you have a goal, but no realistic plan for achieving it, then it is just a dream. 


Habit 3: Put first things first
"Organize and execute around priorities."  
The most important things in life should be people's number one priorities. If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse. In order to say yes to your priorities, you have to be willing to say no to other things. Life can be hard sometimes, but to make it simpler, is to set your priorities straight. 



Habit 4: Think Win-Win
"Think win-win or no deal."
 The best situations are those in which both or all participants win. This may be in business, life, and/or just in simple daily actions.






  Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood
"Diagnose before you prescribe." You cannot be understood, if you do not understand. Understanding is deeper than knowledge, there are many people that know you but only very few who understand you. Sometimes, you just can't tell anyone how you really feel not because you don't know why, not because you don't know your purpose, not because you don't trust them, but because you can't find the right words to make them understand.

Habit 6: Synergize

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (1+1=3)"
Sometimes people get bored of doing all the little things in life, but the truth is, those little things could amount to greater things. Even sometimes greater than you can imagine. If a leaf, for example, did not feel like he mattered to the tree, then what's to say that all the leaves where to think that about themselves? If that happens then there would be no leaves on the tree. Every little piece of something adds up to something that is or can be larger than life.
 
 Habit 7:Sharpen the Saw
Four dimensions of Self-Renewal: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Social/Emotional
To sharpen the saw is to renew oneself to be better. When a saw is dull, we need to sharpen it so it can work better and with more ease. If not, then the same problems will arise and you won't be able to get through them. 

Reflection:
These seven habits are very useful. They helped me be more optimistic in my life and have let me open my eyes to be a better person and meet more extraordinary people. 

School Break Days

 My Christmas/Winter Break, was amazing. I did and saw so many things, people and places that I've never been to before. I was also in two plays that I volunteered to be in for my church. I acted out a play as a lazy girl who doesn't obey her mother, then realizes that she should be kinder to her mom because of all of the things her mom has done for her. That play I did twice, once at the church and agian at the Plazita Olvera. Both days were very nerve-wrecking. I also was in another play and I was playing the role of Mary when the angel came to her and told her about her holy conception. I had a blast during practice and the actual days that we acted in front of many people. The part of my break that I enjoyed the most was on Christmas Eve when my brother came over from San Jose. We spent the entire Christmas weekend together which I loved especially because I hadn't seen my brother since the last day of January of 2015. on Christmas Day, I went to Candy Cane Lane with my family to view the nicely decorated houses. We ate tamales, drank champurrado, made bunuelos, and even went to a couple posadas.

Three Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

Technique 1: Don't criticize, condemn or complain.

"if you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive."

Technique 2: Give honest and sincere appreciation
"The big secret in dealing with people"

Technique 3: Arouse in the other person and eager want.
"He who can do this has the whole world with him. He who cannot, walks a lonely way."

Final Reflection: Write an overall final reflection in this post regarding the "The Three Fundamental Techniques in Handling People". Include your deepest thoughts and feeling. Write how you will apply the Three Fundamental Techniques.