self aware

I have been in Los Angeles for over two weeks. I have hesitated to write. Not as if I have little to say, I have been committing bits and pieces to my travel journal. There are so many feelings still swirling. Happy for the work, glad to learn.
Discovering where I fit in. Wondering what will happen when I return home, head filled with knowledge, wanting to put it all to good use.
L.A. Pride came in, saw the city, hit the ground running as far as work is concerned. Not too excited about this city but figured it would be at least a little fun. I have had some fun here and there, my coworkers are really awesome. Work can consume so much time as well as finding your way around such a huge mass of land sans car (Somehow I have managed to lose weight in the first couple of weeks. Wondering if it has anything to do with all of the walking and bus catching?).

Responding to my first weekly report, Moof, my supervisor, called me 'very self-aware'. Here is a bit of what she was responding to:

• Which one of Fred Ross’s axioms speaks to you and why?

“Leadership – You don’t develop new leaders, you push people into taking action by refusing to do it yourself. You are then providing them the opportunity to become aware of their own capabilities.”
I think the most important idea that I learned this week was ability to work with volunteers and to be looking for leaders at every junction. I feel that the ability to work with and for people is very important to making any movement or change sustainable. The name of the game in organizing is sustainability of a movement, for volunteers, and for the organizers themselves
In the past I have struggled with sustaining myself and other organizers whether that was from lack of help, lack of asking for help or recognizing when someone else needed help. I am not going to let that happen. I am going to make sure to take time out for myself, explore the city, and ‘get a life’ outside of work.

I think I need to listen to myself more.