LYS -- Parishioner Strength Stories

These are our stories…excerpts of how Living Your Strengths has impacted us as parishioners of St. Margaret of York.

I whipped out my strengths during a job interview! The hiring manager was intrigued by this, it allowed me to really show who I am and how I would work within their company.

To be honest, I know myself pretty well. When I saw my strengths, I said "yep, that’s me". It’s nice to know that I wasn't just being an egotist though when I always thought I was a happy person. But after I saw my strengths, I thought to myself, "There is no excuse now. You have talents, go use them."

Knowing my strengths helped me significantly when it comes to school, cross country, and relationships. Because I know that I am an achiever, I set small goals for myself every day, week, and season, knowing that I have the drive to reach those goals. On a different note, many people my age think they should be dating someone, and they are distressed if they aren’t; knowing my strengths makes me confident that I do not need someone to cling to, to be truly happy with myself.

As part of Confirmation preparation, the 8th graders take the Strengths Spotlight Survey. One of the strengths identified for my daughter was "Woo". Neither one of us was quite sure what having "Woo" meant so we had to look it up. In short, it means enjoying the challenge of meeting new people, and "in your world, there are no strangers, only friends you have not met". As a parent, for years I have watched my daughter constantly move from friend to friend and worry that she was having challenges building relationships. Uncovering this strength and the way she approaches life actually was a huge relief! Now as she embarks on her Confirmation journey, she is working on identifying ways she can use her "Woo" to get more active in the church community and in reaching out to others in need.

My third strength - Individualization - is really my best gift of all. In school it allows me to delve deep and form meaningful connections with my students and staff so that I can truly understand their levels of thinking and understanding. As a result I am able to tailor instruction to meet their needs and move them along their own continuum of learning.

I believe that knowing these strengths has provided more confidence in all of my relationships; personal, work related, etc. I understand what areas of stewardship would be the best fit for me inside the parish, but have yet to find an opportunity to do so. I'm on the lookout for volunteer opportunities where I might best use my strengths!