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Class 4 Summary – Personal Reflection

This session leaned more into the psychological side of mindfulness and emotional intelligence, and I found it surprisingly impactful. It began with a video by Jon Kabat-Zinn, where he spoke about how our thoughts work. What stuck with me most was his comparison of thoughts to things like weather patterns or bubbles rising in boiling water. He explained that our minds constantly generate thoughts, but that doesn’t mean we are our thoughts—they’re more like passing visitors.

The idea is to stop fighting them and instead just observe them without judgment. It’s kind of freeing to think that if we don’t latch onto every single thought, they’ll eventually dissolve on their own. That message really stayed with me—it makes managing anxious or negative thinking feel more possible.

The second video we watched focused on the benefits of daily meditation. One point that really caught my attention was a comparison: apparently, a 50-year-old who meditates regularly can outperform a 20-year-old who doesn’t when it comes to visual learning tasks. That really put into perspective how powerful mindfulness practices can be for keeping the brain sharp.

We also had an open class discussion around whether “thoughts are facts”. That question got me thinking a lot. Realizing that not every thought I have is true—or needs a reaction—makes it easier to take a step back when emotions start spiraling. I remember feeling more in control just by acknowledging that we don't choose our first thoughts, but we can choose how we respond to them.

Later, we watched a video on cognitive distortions. It went through different kinds of unhelpful thinking patterns, and I was surprised by how many of them I personally recognized. Things like catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, or jumping to conclusions—I’ve definitely caught myself doing those. It reminded me how easy it is to fall into those traps, and how important it is to recognize them early before they impact your mood or lead to more serious issues.

There was also another group presentation on Emotional Intelligence (EQ). I already knew a bit about the topic, but it was still interesting to hear it discussed in depth. The group explained how EQ is essentially about managing your own emotions and understanding others. Again, I was surprised to learn that emotional intelligence only started being studied around 1990—it feels like something we should’ve paid attention to much earlier.

They included a quiz in their presentation, which was fun, but I did wonder how necessary it was. Still, it gave a bit of insight into how well we know ourselves emotionally.

For the next class, we were asked to track some of our emotional highs and lows over three days. I think that’s going to be a useful exercise to see what triggers certain feelings and how we react.

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Class 1 Summary – Personal Reflection

Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the first session in person, but I made sure to catch up on what was shared online, especially through the Padlet. From what I gathered, the class served as an introduction to some foundational psychological concepts and was also designed to create a supportive and comfortable class atmosphere.

The main focus was on attachment theory, especially through the lens of the Strange Situation Experiment. This experiment observed how infants react to being separated and reunited with their caregivers. It seems to be a way to understand how early life experiences can shape the way we relate to others as we grow older.

We explored four primary attachment styles:

Secure – People with this style feel comfortable with closeness and generally have healthy communication.

Anxious – Individuals often seek reassurance and worry about being left or abandoned.

Avoidant – They value independence, but might struggle to open up emotionally.

Disorganized – A combination of the above, often stemming from unstable or inconsistent early relationships.

After that, it looks like the class split into groups to discuss each style in detail. They were asked to reflect on questions like:

What difficulties might this person be going through?

What kind of help or support would benefit them?

This kind of exercise seems helpful for linking theory to actual situations people might face.

The reading for this class was Fast Friends, which ties into Self-Determination Theory—the idea that meaningful human connection comes from being open and vulnerable. It points out how scary that can be because of the fear of rejection, but that being real with others is actually what helps relationships grow. I completely agree with that; without honesty and trust, it’s hard to build any real connection.

Lastly, I heard there was a fun ice-breaker game involving a ball. It would’ve been great to take part in that, but I’m glad I’ve already started to connect with some classmates since then.

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Class 2 Summary – Personal Reflection

I wasn’t present for the second class either, but I went through the shared materials to catch up. The session seemed to center around the themes of relationships, emotional intelligence, and self-compassion, which made it quite a reflective and personal class.

They used an interactive tool called Wooclap, where students added different kinds of relationships they value. The result was a vibrant word cloud with entries ranging from close friends and family to more casual or unexpected connections like classmates, coworkers, or even bus drivers and online friends. It really showed how diverse our social circles can be.

One part of the lesson focused on nurturing important relationships. A worksheet encouraged students to think about who matters most in their lives and how they could invest more time or effort into those connections. I found this really meaningful, because sometimes we take important people for granted without realizing it.

Another activity called the "Gift of Time" stood out to me. It encouraged everyone to reflect on someone they care about and consider a thoughtful way to spend quality time with them. I liked the idea—simple, but powerful.

They also watched a short video called “We Are Built To Be Kind”, which featured a cartoon-style brain talking about human kindness and connection. Even just reading about it made me think about how being kind is kind of wired into us, but often overlooked in daily life.

There was another word cloud focused on self-compassion, with words like “empathy,” “understanding,” “patience,” and “kindness.” I feel like this was probably an important reminder to not just care for others, but also be gentler with ourselves.

One group gave a presentation on Emotional Intelligence (EQ), which I found fascinating even just from the summary. I hadn’t realized that research on EQ only really started in 1990—that’s not that long ago. Their presentation explained how emotional intelligence is basically about being aware of your emotions, handling them well, and being able to connect with others in a thoughtful way. There was even a quiz involved, which sounds like a great way to reflect on how much emotional awareness we each have.

As prep for the next session, students were asked to track emotional highs and lows across three days. I imagine that’s meant to help everyone become more conscious of their feelings and how they react in real time.

Overall, even though I missed being there, this class seems to have been really focused on deepening self-awareness and improving how we relate to others, which I think is super important—both personally and professionally.

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Class 3 Summary – Personal Reflection

This session was all about how we communicate—not just what we say, but the way we say it and how it affects our relationships. I wasn’t there in person, but I went through all the lesson materials and found the topic surprisingly relatable and relevant.

The main focus was on communication styles, and the class introduced a tool called the Communication Style Inventory (CSI). It helped break down different approaches people take when expressing themselves, depending on their personality and context.

We looked closely at three major styles:

Assertive – This one seems to be the ideal balance. It’s all about being confident in expressing your thoughts while still being respectful of others. One example showed a manager addressing a team member’s performance in a way that was honest but supportive—something I think a lot of leaders could learn from.

Aggressive – This style is more about dominating a conversation or pushing opinions without considering how it impacts others. There was a scenario where a boss was constantly criticizing an employee without offering anything helpful. It really showed how damaging poor communication can be in a professional setting.

Passive – This style involves avoiding conflict and not speaking up, even when something is bothering you. The example involved someone overwhelmed with extra work but too uncomfortable to say anything, which can definitely lead to frustration and burnout over time.

The class also introduced a list of 20 useful communication adjectives. Words like “empathetic,” “respectful,” “direct,” and “clear” stood out to me as traits that make a huge difference in how someone comes across.

Towards the end, there was also a section on mindfulness. According to the American Psychological Association, it’s basically being fully present in the moment without judging your thoughts or feelings. I didn’t realize mindfulness wasn’t something you are, but something you practice. Meditation helps, but it’s not the only way to develop that awareness.

For homework, we were asked to reflect on our own communication style using the inventory. I think that’s a valuable exercise—understanding how we typically interact with others is the first step toward improving it.

All in all, this class gave a lot of practical insights into communication—not just theory, but things that really apply to daily life, both in and outside of work.

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Class 5 Summary – Personal Reflection

This class marked the beginning of our listening exercises, and it turned out to be both fun and a bit eye-opening. We worked in pairs, each given a different image. The task was to describe the picture in detail so that your partner could recreate it by drawing, without seeing it. Since I was in Group 1, I started off as the one describing.

My image was a cartoon-style side profile of a man, which sounded simple enough, but honestly, the end result didn’t turn out quite as planned. Our drawing didn’t really resemble the original, but it highlighted something important—the real goal was to test how effectively we communicate and listen, not artistic talent.

The takeaway from the activity was to reflect on how we function as either speakers or listeners. Personally, I realized that while I consider myself a fairly attentive listener, explaining things clearly isn’t always my strong suit. That impression was backed up by the next part of the class: a listening skills quiz. I scored just below the “excellent” category, which felt accurate—it showed me I do well with understanding others, even if I still have work to do when it comes to clearly expressing myself.

We then moved on to a 24-question listening questionnaire, where we had to go through the list with our partners and pick out the questions that sparked the most interest or reactions. For both of us, one in particular stood out:
“Generally, I will not listen to a speaker who is disorganised.”
We both agreed strongly with that statement. It made us realize how much clarity and structure influence whether someone keeps our attention. Even if the topic is important, if it’s not presented in a coherent way, it’s easy to mentally check out.

This session made me reflect more on how listening isn’t just about staying quiet while someone talks—it’s also about being engaged, patient, and open, even when the message isn’t delivered perfectly. Definitely gave me a new perspective on communication.

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Class 6 Summary – Personal Reflection

This session was packed with insights on how we communicate and listen more effectively, both in our personal lives and at work. We kicked things off by watching two TED-style videos by Julian Treasure, which I found genuinely useful.

The first one, How to Speak So That People Listen, explored the difference between just talking and actually being heard. Treasure broke down key aspects of impactful speaking—things like varying your tone, staying authentic, and cutting out negative habits like gossip or constant complaining. What stood out to me was the idea that speaking is a skill you can sharpen—not just something you’re naturally good or bad at.

The second video, Five Ways to Listen Better, focused on the flip side: how to become a more mindful listener. Treasure talked about how modern life has trained us to only half-listen, often filtering or zoning out. He suggested practical ways to stay present, like taking moments of silence, tuning in more intentionally, and filtering less. It made me realize how rarely we listen with full attention.

After that, we paired up to practice active listening in a more personal way. We had casual conversations about our weekends while focusing on small but powerful listening cues—like nodding, keeping open body language, and summarizing what the other person said. It might seem basic, but being aware of these details really changes how connected you feel during a conversation.

Later, we had a class discussion on relationship dynamics in the workplace—things like micromanagement, poor communication, and competitiveness. It was interesting to see how those issues don’t just make work harder, but also impact motivation and team trust.

Then came one of the more vulnerable tasks—we had to record ourselves speaking and evaluate our delivery using something called the VAPER framework (Volume, Articulation, Pitch, Emphasis, and Rate). Hearing myself back was honestly a bit uncomfortable, but helpful. It showed me areas I need to work on—like cutting back on filler words and speaking with more energy and clarity.

We wrapped things up by sharing examples of good news in different areas of life—personal, academic, and professional. It was a nice reminder of how important it is to celebrate wins, even small ones, and to take time to connect with others over positive experiences.

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Class 7 Summary – Personal Reflection

In today’s class, we focused on the link between personality traits and communication styles, and how understanding both can help us become better at navigating everyday interactions. Things started off with a hands-on group activity where we explored how people typically respond in different communication scenarios.

We looked at three situations:

When a friend keeps borrowing things without giving them back

When a coworker keeps interrupting during a meeting

When your boss gives you extra work when you're already stretched thin

For each one, we were asked to identify passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive responses, and then come up with our own assertive responses—which were emphasized as the most balanced and effective approach. It really helped to compare how each style felt in practice and how they might play out in real life.

Afterward, we moved into a discussion about how personality traits shape the way we communicate. We broke down the Big Five personality traits:

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Openness

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness

This part really got me thinking. Personally, I’d say I lean toward introversion—I enjoy time alone and sometimes find social settings a bit overwhelming. That said, I’m definitely open when it comes to listening to others and taking in different perspectives. It reminded me of what we talked about a few sessions back—being a good listener is one of my strengths, and I think that still holds true.

We also had a few interactive tasks to dive deeper:

We filled in worksheets about the four communication styles

We discussed how different personality traits might influence the way someone communicates

And we did role-play exercises where we acted out different personality types in various scenarios, like managing group projects or trying to organize plans with friends who all want different things

These role-plays were actually pretty fun and surprisingly insightful. Acting out different personalities helped us see how people’s natural tendencies (whether they're more anxious, laid-back, dominant, or detail-focused) affect how they communicate—and how conflicts can be avoided by adjusting your approach depending on who you’re talking to.

We ended the class with some reflection prompts on how we personally communicate and how our personalities influence that. I found myself coming back to something similar to Kabat-Zinn’s idea about thoughts—we’re not defined by our default style. Just like we can choose how to respond to our thoughts, we can also choose how to communicate. The more aware we are of our own tendencies, the more we can adapt and improve how we interact with others.

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I’d like to sincerely thank you for guiding us through this course. Although I wasn’t able to attend every session in person, I’ve learned a lot through the class materials, discussions, and activities. This course gave me a deeper understanding of how our communication styles, emotional intelligence, and personality traits influence the way we interact with others.

I now better understand the importance of active listening, mindfulness, and self-awareness when it comes to building meaningful relationships—both personally and professionally. From learning about attachment styles and emotional intelligence to practicing assertive communication and adapting to different personalities, this experience has helped me reflect on my own habits and grow as a communicator.

Thank you again for creating a space that encouraged self-reflection, practical learning, and genuine connection.