Course 3: PL 102 - Introduction and Story (Discussion 2)

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

About that personal growth is not easy. That it's okay to get lost, get distracted. That it's important to make your way back whatever it takes. That the path is always here whereever I'd feel lost.
Also, about that maybe we don't know every detail about people's personal things, we still have things in common, which unites us all in our journey through the life.

2. What was most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?

That trust, hope, love is a cure against fear. That fear only increases when you run from problems, you become more sensitive, irritated and exhausted to smaller problems, if you run away. That there is no shame in having the need in others presence.

3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

It should be popularised. The one who is asking for help should be encouraged with compassion when he receives help. They should know that having problems is normal. That there is no shame in having them. They should know that admitting the need would help them to be more helping to others. They should know they should not deny the pain and pretend all is good. That admitting the need will help to exit the numb state, finally.

@GlenM

1. Great opener to the book, but what stood out to me the most was growth is challenging. Growth truly is challenging, but it wouldn’t be fun growing if it wasn’t!

2. I learned that it’s important to reach out and not to keep things to myself. I know that it is not helpful when I shut everyone out.

3. Confiding in others really helps bring the need of reaching out. I’ve come to learn just how important that is.

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

What stood out to me the most, is 7 Cups of Tea by Lu Tong. It stands out to me because it goes through each cup as a healing process. The different stages of healing through each cup shows how it's not a linear path.

2. What was  most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?  Â

I learned that in order to see things in another view, you also have to accept things near you. Coping mechanisms work but not permanently, they are only a small relief that works for a short period of time. It's like another story I read the other day, it said how in order to recover and to feel “better” you can't just take small steps (like coping mechanisms.) you have to allow yourself to see the bigger picture and allow yourself to feel all these emotions in order to fully except it and therefore start recovering/ feeling better. Ignoring it, isn't permanent and will affect you later on.

3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

We can learn and help others learn this idea by telling them or us that help is necessary to ones way to grow stronger. We can also let others know that you are here for them, this way they might start feeling more comfortable talking to us and therefore more open to getting help or asking for help. I would also tell myself and others this quote: “Asking for help doesn't make you weak - it reveals the strength, even when you don't feel strong”

@GlenM

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

It was extremely inviting and calm but also telling you what it holds, almost like talking to a friend

2. What was  most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?  Â
THat people are different from eacothers bcause of culture, religion, thoughts, looks, but everyone still loves eachother and can understand eachother
3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

I can by showing most people learn by seeing other people doing something

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

the opening sentence!

2. What was the most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)? �

Ignoring things wont help you in the long run

3. How can we learn that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

Everyone needs it and its incredibly brave of people to ask for help!

@GlenM

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

I loved the first sentence, and how the author wasted no time in getting to the point. The encouragement, understanding, and empathetic vibe of the introduction really set the comfortable tone for the rest of the book.

2. What was the most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?

I learned about the significance of trust, love, and hope. What strikes me as through =provikign was the idea that it is important to acknowledge and address things rather than sweeping them under the rug. Coping on one's own is not always the ideal solution.

3. How can we learn that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

Asking for help helps us acknowledge that we always need someone in our life and that humbles us. It is nothing to be ashamed of, and we should use it as an opportunity to build better, stronger relations :)

@GlenM

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

I really liked the simple yet beautiful poem , 7 cups of Tea !

Next I loved how it's made very clear from the beginning that growth is personal to all and not easy , but nobody's judging us and there's belief we will be able to grow and help others grow better also .

2. What was  most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?  Â
I liked the analogy drawn between Ancora and our real world , the most important lesson I learnt from the story was that, love , hope , compassion and trust have incredible power to wipe off any viruses of negativity around us .
3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

Being a struggler with asking for help myself, I can understand why people feel hesitant, but it's also very important that we reach out for support , the basis is to find and accept that we have the need for support , then after acknowledging such , we must reach out to someone, we can trust , when we've recieved the help and support we needed , it not only makes us feel stronger and better but also encourages and increases our confidence to help support others needing us too .

We can offer good support to someone, by being gentle and patient with them , creating a comfortable space where they can let their guard down and just be a supportive shoulder to them , and be kind in our intention of helping them .

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

- The thing that stood out the most to me is that the community acknowledges that the journey of finding out and accepting who we are is a long and painful one and many have to go through it the hard way. The ending was really encouraging as they introduce the 7 Cups community with others who are going on the same journey, which highlights the High Warmth value in the community.

2. What was the most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?

- The most important lesson I learned from the story of Ancora is those who have a need are in more likely position to reach out for help, receive that help, recover, and continue the cycle to give help to others. It's really inspiring and especially easier to understand since the story is told from another country far far away instead of something close to me, so it's less scary in a way.

3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

- I think it's really important that people who come to 7 Cups feel safe and welcome enough to open up about themselves and allow themselves to be vulnerable. Once they are expressing the needs, we can lend a hand to help them and make them feel compassion. I believe that the members are receiving help from listeners, they would feel more inclined to help out others in their surroundings and consider become a listener as well to help other members. I've read a lot about listeners who first started out as a member and want to start giving back to the community so they started volunteering as a listener, it truly is inspiring!

@GlenM

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

Personal growth is not a straight line, it's full of challenges. When I get distracted, just pick myself up and move forward; allow myself start fresh, simply because I can and I'm worth it.

2. What was most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?

"If you are ashamed of admitting that you have problems, then you cannot ask for help. If you cannot ask for help, then you cannot receive help. Without receiving real help, you may find it hard to genuinely help other people."

3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

Before being able to help others get comfortable with that idea, we - the listeners need to be ready for ask for help ourselves. Related to this topic, I think Brene Brown made a good presentation on her Ted Talk "the power of vulnerability". We can help other get more comfortable by being vulnerable ourselves, sharing our own needs, like how Brene Brown did in her talk. We can help remind others often that being vulnerable, accepting our needs and sharing them to others take tremendous courage, therefore we could encourage others by praising them when they ask for helps or share their needs.

@GlenM

1. What was the thing that stood out to you most in the introduction?

One thing that stood the most in the introductions were some quotes which made me feel relieved. For example, I was really happy to see the quote, You made the best decisions you knew to make.”. When I read this quote I felt really grateful and proud of myself because it was like someone was saying that I have been doing a good job in my decision-making process of life.

2. What was  most important lesson you learned from the story of Ancora (Chapter 1)?

The lesson I learned from the story of Ancora is that it is okay to need help and seek for help. Although independence is important, I don’t need to do everything on my own and it’s important to help each other out.

3. How can we learn and help others get more comfortable with the idea that asking for help - or experiencing need - is a strength or a skill that we need to develop to help one another grow stronger?

I think it will be an obvious but very important task to always stress the importance of seeking for help when needed to other members in the community. This will be important especially in community rooms such as the Group support room. We will encourage members to speak up through their chats and not be embarrassed to reach out for help if they need too.