Day 4: Saying thank you.

While sitting in my coworker's office this afternoon debriefing Job Club from yesterday and discussing how to improve the class structure for next week, we got off topic as we often do. I mentioned how I connected with the two students who attended class yesterday. They were both my coworker's clients who happened to be youth since he strictly works with youth.

I described how I chatted with one of the students about AmeriCorps because she has shown great interest in applying for a position. And when the other student heard I had previously been to Africa, he piped up saying, "That's where I'm from!"

I love building connections. One of my biggest strengths is being able to relate to others. 

After I breezed through these connections I had made with my coworker's clients, he gave me a compliment. I can't recall what he had said. But the reason he had said these words was because of the reference I made about his client interested in AmeriCorps. I said how she kept telling me, "You're so smart." I just brushed it off and continued answering her questions. I didn't do this in an arrogant way, rather I just had no words to say. I didn't know what to say.

After my coworker joined me in co-teaching Job Club a few months ago, he quickly pointed out how I had a difficult time accepting compliments and knowing how to respond to them. So when I had pointed out that his client told me, "You're so smart," I said I didn't know what to do in the situation.

He said, "You say thank you."

Umm....okay. I know that....

But why am I making it so difficult?

I haven't always been this way. It started less than a year ago...I think??

I guess I need to do some reflecting to get to the core of this.

Anyway, all of this is to say that what I did for myself today was to say thank you---and mean it!!