What are your Top 5?
Achiever, Developer, Empathy, Harmony, Discipline

How do you see them playing in your life?
I see all of my top 5 strengths playing in my daily life, but two of my strengths stick out most. I am amazed at how "spot on" my results were after learning more about each strength during our company Christmas party.  

My number one strength is Achiever. This plays out in my life in many ways. I am a hard worker and love being busy and productive. I tend to work on projects until they are complete. Sometimes I work to pure exhaustion, just to get to a place where I feel most comfortable. I feel most productive at work when I can follow and create systems and processes. When I come home, I am at peace when my surrounding environment is neat, clean and orderly.

Empathy, my third strength, brings me the greatest joy. I love being there for the ones I love the most. I am a very intuitive person. I love that I am the person everyone can come to anytime.  

 What's your favorite theme? 
My favorite strength is Empathy. I often wonder why I wasn’t a therapist or a counselor. I get the greatest joy out of being able to hear the good, bad and ugly from all of my closest friends and family. It makes my heart full when others seek my guidance. I do not judge but love whole-heartedly and only want the very best for them.   

What's the one theme that "get's in your way"?
Discipline is my fifth strength that gets in my way the most; however it is positive in my life in many ways as well.  Discipline is a negative for me when I am not in an environment or situation when I don’t have the structure and routine I am used to. I am most comfortable with the “order they create” and when I don’t have that order or structure I tend to make myself crazy by trying to gain control. After learning more about Discipline as my “strength" I have been working on trying to let things happen and not take control.  

How has knowing your Top 5 empowered you to live a more authentic life?
Knowing my top 5 strengths has opened my eyes to why I am drawn to the situations I am. It also makes it easier to say yes and no to certain jobs and events. I can now look at these as my true strengths and not as weaknesses. Now that I have studied my strengths and have heard Sarah speak several times, I am empowered by my strengths and can use them to my advantage.

What are your Top 5?
Harmony, Focus, Consistency, Futuristic, Includer

How do you see them playing in your life?
Oh man, where do I begin?!  Since 2011, when I was first trained in this subject, my world has opened up tremendously to seeing and playing to my strengths. Going through my career as a corporate trainer, certain aspects of the job stood out more than others.  Those being coaching, creating experiences for my workshops to bring people together, and teaching about Strengths.  Once I started to deconstruct my Top 5, I started to really see that I was actually thriving most in these areas that stood out.  For example, if I deconstruct my strengths with just coaching it looks like this:
     Harmony: Coaching individuals not in conflict but in areas where they want to grow
            and become successful
    Focus & Futuristic: Partnering with clients to establish their dream life and create
            lasting goals to get there
    Consistency: I provide the same level of service for all my clients and each session has a                             particular routine due to ICF regulations (which I love!)
    Includer: I love to get people together so group coaching is amazingly fun for me

 What's your favorite theme? 
By far my favorite is Futuristic. I love dreaming of what could be and who I will be in the future. Every year I create a vision board of magazine cutouts with things, feelings, ideas, and dreams I want to accomplish throughout the year. (Ok so my Focus gets partnered a lot with my Futuristic).

What's the one theme that "get's in your way"?
Problem with dreaming all the time is that I don't live in the moment or appreciate the journey.  My Futuristic really keeps me in "what could be" all the time and with that comes tons of ideas.  These ideas sometimes are not reality because they do not match the dreams of my husband or they are so far fetched there is no way to get there without winning the lotto.  (I can dream of winning the lotto though right?!)

How has knowing your Top 5 empowered you to live a more authentic life?
Knowing my Top 5 has really allowed me to hone in on what makes me feel strong and where I am thriving.  It has allowed me to decline offers and ideas that may sound amazing but truly are not aligned with who I am.  Being in communication with my husband about both our Top 5 have created a much more meaningful and deeper relationship.  We are able to partner more productively on things like yard work, taking care of our son and even budgeting.  I am still a work in progress, just like all of us are when it comes to this idea of focusing on strengths but what I am realizing is that when I do choose to focus on strengths, I am a living out my best self.


                                                           reCreate's Strengths Mission
For strengths to come alive, we must have the opportunity to use them everyday and make them personal.  We showcase our friends, family, clients and anyone who dares to show us the personal side to their Top 5. These post are meant to encourage, inspire and connect you to having a life well-lived in strengths.  

Want to be featured?  We would love to showcase you!!!

Haven't taken Strengths yet?!  Click here! 

Like this post?! Comment below!!!

Last week our very own Sarah was highlighted in the Coronado Eagle & Journal.  Here is the full article:

Rady Children’s Hospital’s Coronado Auxiliary Unit To Present Workshop March 20

Rady Children’s Hospital’s Coronado Auxiliary Unit will present a two-hour workshop entitled “A Life Well Lived Through Strengths” on March 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Social Hall, 700 D Avenue.

The fee for the seminar is $35, which includes a pre-assessment of strengths to be taken online that will help individuals understand how to harness their top five strengths out of the following list:

Achiever, activator, adaptability, analytical, arranger, belief, command, communication, competition, connectedness, consistency, context, deliberative, developer, discipline, empathy, focus, futuristic, harmony, ideation, includer, individualization, input, intellection, learner, maximizer, positivity, relater, responsibility, restorative, self-assurance, significance, strategic and woo, which stands for winning others over.

To sign up, go to www.recreatestrengths.com, registration closes March 17.

The seminar will be conducted by Sarah Davis, a member of the Coronado Auxiliary whose company, reCreate, works with organizations and individuals nationally, helping them identify, embrace and focus their personal strengths into the most fulfilling and constructive paths for personal and professional development.

“We’re going to ask participants to bring their reports with them to the seminar,” Davis said. “We’ll then participate in activities that will help them understand their strengths and how they can apply them to their lives..”

For those who want to go further, a follow-up workshop may be scheduled.

Davis holds a bachelors degree in marketing from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, where she attended on an academic scholarship. She relocated to California in 2008. Davis is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Gallup is a 75-year-old research-based company, which also certified Davis’s partner, Jennifer Fore. A third partner, Amanda Flisher is obtaining her certified coach certification through International Coach Federation. She is also a Gallup Strengths Coach.

It was while working in the field of private education, that Davis’s company selected her to participate in their Future Leaders Program and she was introduced to Clifton StrengthsFinder. After completing the leadership program, Davis decided to turn her own passions and abilities into her career of strengths developments in others, which led her to found reCreate.

Rather than teaching new traits or skills, strengths finding is about taking talents that already exist in a person or team and recreating them into strengths through coaching, training, and consulting.

Davis coaches teams in corporate America, particularly in the fields of real estate and education as well as nonprofits across the country and also has several independent clients including college students that she works with one-on-one.

A portion of the proceeds from the seminar will go towards In - Unit fundraising of the Coronado Unit of Rady Children’s Hospital. The Coronado Unit was formed in February 2013 and is still accepting members. For information on membership, contact chapter chairman Dr. Rev. Marilyn Menges at 619-791-6344.

Coronado Eagle and Journal Article
http://www.coronadonewsca.com/news/coronado_island_news/rady-children-s-hospital-s-coronado-auxiliary-unit-to-present/article_a37d33d6-aa27-11e3-b522-001a4bcf887a.html

What are your Top 5?
Maggie: Maximizer, Relator, Discipline, Strategic, Developer

Molly: Learner, Communication, Individualization, Includer, Arranger

How do you see them playing in your life?
Maggie: Each one of my strengths play a key role in my life. They not only help me understand what I am good at but also help me find areas of opportunity to use them. Now that I know what my top 5 strengths are, I don’t always have to focus on being good at everything. Instead I focus on what I am good at and try to use those skills to help me in other areas. They have given me more clarity of how to use my strengths in my professional life to create my dream job. They have also helped in my personal life with relationships and how I use my strengths within those relationships. I can see how I use each one of my strengths at different times each and every day. If I stick to my strengths it seems like life is a lot easier all the way around. My strengths are a great way to explain who I am. I am always maximizing every opportunity, trying to relate to everyone, disciplined in all areas, very strategic, and always developing myself.

Molly: My five strengths have definitely defined who I am and who I aspire to be. I am almost to the dissertation stage for a Doctorate in Psychology which demonstrates my learner strength. I have always had the need to learn as much as possible and challenge myself to know everything in one area before moving to another. This has driven my educational pathway and led to a career in Learning and Development where I am able to utilize my other strengths as well. Knowledge is only power if you know how and when to use it. To do this, I rely on my communication strength to help explain information to others. Furthermore, this strength has been useful in all areas of my life including my marriage. Individualizer can be seen in my perception that everyone has something to contribute to the world, no matter how small or big. Individual contributions shape my perception of others more than their affiliations. In turn, this influences my perception of the world. Going along with individualizer, I have a need to include people. My husband always says that when we go out, you never know what new best friends I’ll meet! I recall being in 4th grade and purposefully making relationships with all types of kids, even the kids no one wanted to be around. I have never had any special requirements to by my friend. Mostly, I just want to be yours! Arranger can be seen in my planning abilities. No, not daily planning but life planning. This first became apparent to me when I started planning to buy a house when I was 18 years old. I set my goal, had a plan and achieved it at age 22. I have always had a plan A, B, and C for my life direction and look to the plan when guidance is needed. My arranger strength has played a critical part in achieving my goals because I have to carefully arrange my life priorities, responsibilities, and tasks to make sure the plan is on track.

What's your favorite theme? 
Maggie: I would choose Maximizer as my favorite theme. I am always looking for ways to maximize everything in my life; either personal, professional or spiritual. I think there is so much more that I can give if I maximize each opportunity to its full potential and in return I will get more out of the situation. This has allowed me to have opportunities that I might not have had if I did not push for more.

Molly: My favorite them is Individualization. This theme shapes my interactions with others and perception of the work in so many ways. It has impacted my career and educational journey. I see this as strength because it allows me to truly see others for who they really are. Of course, I like the other ones too!

What's the one theme that "gets in your way"?
Maggie: The one theme that I always struggle with because it “gets in my way” is Discipline. I am a very disciplined person and I guess you could call me a “control freak” at times. I always like things done early and in a certain way. With any task that is given to me I have already thought 5 steps ahead before I have even started working on it. Sometimes I just get started on something without being asked to do it because I see it is something that needs to be done. This is great for me but not always for others. I can get frustrated at times if things are not in order like me because I tend to expect the same out of others and sometimes that is unrealistic. This is one theme that I am always reminding myself to stay calm, everything will be ok and work its self out.

Molly: Includer is a strength that sometimes gets in the way. If I was to paint my perfect world, everyone would get along. We don’t live in this perfect world, so sometimes I find myself forcing relationships on others. I naturally want to include everyone but not everyone wants to be included. This is something I have to remind myself of time to time. 

How has knowing your Top 5 empowered you to live a more authentic life?
Maggie: When I first found out my top 5 strengths, I though each one described exactly who I am. This was not only in my professional life but also my personal life. I have more definition to what I am good at and as to why I am the why I am. It has allowed me to build upon my strengths and use them to my advantage. It also gives me a clearer picture to areas that I think I can be helpful with when it comes to projects. I might not be able to contribute in all areas but if I leverage my strengths, I can do a lot.

Molly: Confirmation is the biggest empowerment I have received from knowing my strengths. We all have assumptions to what makes us unique but having confirmation gives you the opportunity to maximize them in your life. In addition, it gives me a foundation and a guiding light to future endeavors.

reCreate's Strengths Mission
For strengths to come alive, we must have the opportunity to use them everyday and make them personal.  We showcase our friends, family, clients and anyone who dares to show us the personal side to their Top 5. These post are meant to encourage, inspire and connect you to having a life well-lived in strengths.  

Want to be featured?  We would love to showcase you!!!

Haven't taken Strengths yet?!  Click here! 

Like this post?! Comment below!!! Add Comment

We are overwhelmed by all the love and support the San Diego community has shown us!  Don't miss out on this amazing 2-hour event!  Seats are filling up quickly so don't forget to register!

In partnership with the Rady Children's Auxiliary Unit of Coronado, reCreate is looking forward to showing you how to have a well-lived life through the use of strengths.

This event is open to the public and we would love to see you there!  

Check out our events page for more details.


See you there!

                                                                          With Love,
                                                                          Team reCreate

Between the minutes of running my dog to the vet for her annual appointment, meeting the team to promote our upcoming event, lunch with the staff members at a college, coaching freshman boys volleyball, dodging the crowds at Costco, reading a bedtime story to my 10 month old, catching up on all my new school work, writing this massive run-on sentence; magically, somehow, I saw Now is the Time: 170 Ways to Seize the Moment by Patrick Lindsay.  My fingers just picked a page to open and I looked down to read it. 

The world absolutely amazes me at it's impeccable timing.  The page read as follows:

            Now is the time….