“I knew that Leadership, Integrity and Service would make many positive changes in my life over time, but I was very surprised to see how quickly they set in!

When I came home from LIS, I was tired and hungry. We had driven home from New Jersey in the rain, and it was about ten PM on a Sunday night. As usual, my boyfriend and roommate were waiting on me to make the decision and take the lead about what to do for dinner. And , as usual, I told my boyfriend he was in charge of cooking and he didn’t trust in his own cooking skills enough to actually do it. Usually, I would offer up some more token protest and end up cooking myself.

This time, I didn’t. This is where the “usual” ended.

I was clear within myself about what I wanted. I told him exactly what I wanted, and how I was going to assist him to get me what I wanted – but that I knew that he could do it himself. Instead of the “usual,” which ends with me being more tired and frustrated than satisfied – my boyfriend actually did what I wanted him to do. He took the lead on the cooking, and accepted assistance and guidance from my roommate and myself. We had a much more satisfying meal than we would have if I had been grumpily doing all of the work. I felt like I finally had the ability to declare what I wanted and to actually get it! The next day, as I worked late, my boyfriend followed my roommate around the kitchen, learning more about what foods go well together.

From the perspective of an outsider, that looks like a very small change. But I felt the power within myself to finally get to where I want to be with my life.

In the weeks since LIS, the clarity I found there has helped me be more organized and more efficient. I drummed up the courage to apply for a job that, on paper, I wasn’t qualified for. I spent days pouring over financial sheets and coming to an understanding about all of the things I would need to know in order to succeed in the job. When I didn’t get the job – I wasn’t upset – all of that clarity helped me see that a previously unforeseen path was the best place for me to go. Now I am able to move confidently in the direction of this new position with a new commitment to my own personal integrity and responsibility.

Finally, acknowledging your own “skeletons” and shortcomings may be a painful process – but it is so important to understand your own true self in order to best excel at whatever it is that you do. LIS gave me a better understanding of not only who I am, but how to best discern the best place for me in the world.”