Week Seven+entry

Since the Open House I have been feverishly working to finish my output packet for Gaia University.  It has been a challenge explaining my experience at Emerging Leader Labs and tying in my personal, professional, project, peer, and political goals.  It all ties together, but there's so much that it's hard to see the big picture. 

I came here wanting to work on my communication skills.  I have done a lot of communicating, but I don't know how much progress I have really made, especially since I feel like I back-slid at some point by becoming so self-focussed that I lost my ability to empathize.  Just recognizing this is good.  I'm feeling better, but maybe just returning to a previous level from when I lived in community housing back in 2006.  After that I got into an abusive relationship, maybe that's when the back-slide started.  It's been a slow process getting back my confidence, but this experience has definitely helped.  I've been spending most of the afternoons this week huddled in my cubicle.  I am looking forward to getting done with my output packet so I can spend the last week concentrating on my next steps and how I want to stay connected with the people here after I leave.