Personal Foundations

   The Personal Foundations competency area involves the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to maintain emotional, physical, social, environmental, relational, spiritual, and intellectual wellness; be self-directed and self-reflective; maintain excellence and integrity in work; be comfortable with ambiguity; be aware of one’s own areas of strength and growth; have a passion for work; and remain curious.

     I believe the work I have done in CSP 6050: Capstone Seminar demonstrates my accomplishments in the area of Personal Foundations.  While taking this course I completed a personal statement of mission that outlined my personal beliefs and commitments in both my personal and professional life.  This statement of mission now serves as my reference to ensure that all of my actions are congruent with my personal and professional values (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).  After completing mock interviews for advising positions at our New Professionals in Transition conference, I was shown that I am truly living my personal statement of mission.  My number one personal value is “enthusiasm.”  I believe that there is nothing more important than showing enthusiasm in both personal and professional endeavors.  After completing the mock interviews, two out of the three interviewers listed “enthusiasm” as my number one strength (see comments here).  As a part of my coursework in CSP 6050 I also created a personal development plan which outlined my areas of strength and shortcomings in my professional knowledge base.  This assignment allowed me to construct plans and systems to “ensure excellence in myself" while “transferring thoughtful reflection into positive and future action” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 25).   My professional development plan also helped me to attend to not only immediate areas of growth, but also areas relating to the career path I wish to take upon graduating from this program (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).  CSP 6050 gave me an avenue to explore areas of my professional knowledge and values, while reflecting upon how these areas fit in with my personal values.

     HIED 7800: Graduate Seminar in Higher Education gave me the opportunity to put what I learned about New Zealand culture into practice when studying abroad in New Zealand.  The personal growth and development I experienced while studying abroad helped me to “transfer thoughtful reflection into position and future action” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 25).  The moment I decided to go on this trip showed my ability to “recognize needs and opportunities for continued growth” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 24).  Before New Zealand, I had never traveled out of the country, let alone the state of Ohio.  I recognized the opportunity to go to New Zealand as a time for personal growth and a way to challenge myself.  This awareness shows I have the ability to “seek environments and collaborations that provide adequate challenge such that personal development is promoted” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 25).  The blog (see blog here) I wrote pre-departure, while in New Zealand, and post-departure, outlines the critical reflections of my experiences as well as my personal growth before, during, and after the trip.  While studying about New Zealand before our trip, we were placed into various groups based on functional area.  I choose to be in the counseling/advising group because of my ultimate goal to work in the area of mental health counseling.  Learning about counseling from another country’s perspective gave me tools to understand others worldviews, which will help me in my future endeavors in the area of mental health counseling. This intentional choice shows my ability to attend to areas of growth relating to my intended career trajectory (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).  The experiences I had while in New Zealand and the reflections I have had since the trip have helped me to understand myself and articulate my thoughts, goals, and reasons for actions.​

     Although my experiences through academic coursework have made me more competent in the area of Personal Foundations, the activities I have chosen to do outside of my internship and academic work have also helped me to grow in this area.  Throughout the last two years, I have taken on the challenge to improve myself physically, which in turn is beneficial psychologically.  This aim for improvement shows I have the ability to recognize needs and opportunities for continued growth and I have the ability to identify and employ resources to improve my wellness (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).     I started this journey when I made the decision to become an Independent Beachbody Coach.  As a Beachbody Coach I help people on their fitness journey through selling health products and fitness programs while also serving as a role model, motivator, and resource. Since starting as a Beachbody Coach I have lost nearly 10 pounds, completed my first 5k, motivated others through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Blogger, and have improved my overall health, and self-esteem. Outside of Beachbody, I have also started various challenge groups with friends to help me, as well as others, stay on track and motivated to continue their fitness goals.  My work as a Beachbody Coach has pushed me to “seek environments and collaborations that provide adequate challenge such that personal development is promoted, and provide sufficient support such that development is possible” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 25).  Through my fitness journey I have learned to “create and implement an individualized plan for healthy living (see MyFitnessPal here) and “serve as a role model and mentor by sharing personal experiences and nurturing others’ competency in this area.  My health and fitness journey has facilitated my psychological growth while also motivating and facilitating growth in others.