Doing well in college is your goal, and that takes having the right mindset. Yes, you want to be as academically prepared as possible. You’ll also value being calm and collected when difficult situations arise. Practicing mindfulness and showing gratitude are outstanding talents to have.
Today, there’s a lot of conversation about mindfulness. The Mayo Clinic describes mindfulness as a type of meditation in which you focus on being “intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.”
Stress can undoubtedly prevent you from doing well in college, so applying mindfulness is highly useful. Specific breathing methods, visualizing peace-inducing imagery, and other methods can relax the body and mind.
Executive coach Henna Inam began investigating the value and practice of mindfulness after 20 years in corporate leadership. Today, she uses mindfulness strategies to help people experience “the aha moment” – discovering insights about themselves that allow them to achieve goals beyond what they thought possible.
Self-awareness and mindfulness, she says, increases emotional intelligence, maximizes self-confidence, and builds stronger personal relationships. Ask any college advisor, and they’ll say those are valuable skills to doing well in college.
Another way to make sure you’re doing well in college is to recognize and practice the value of gratitude. Executive coaches like Inam know that showing gratitude and expressing appreciation have significant benefits, especially when your work involves interacting with people.
“Appreciation in Action” was the subject of a Healthy KC Networking Forum held in September at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC). Dale Marrant, vice president of Human Resources and Organizational Development at CUKC, was one of the panel members leading the session, said building strong relationships in the workplace is an important task for everyone.
“Feeling appreciated and helping others feel valued not only helps unleash the greatness that each person possesses,” Marrant said, but also helps one’s organization grow and prosper.”
A common theme mentioned by many at the event was that showing appreciation sometimes gets de-emphasized, which can affect employee engagement and workplace satisfaction.
Forum attendee Kechia Morrison-Booker, engagement consultant at Cigna Healthcare, agrees that appreciation of fellow workers has value. How to show it? Morrison-Booker says simple actions make a difference, such as acknowledging the effort others put into an initiative or project, being open-minded to other people’s ideas, and most of all, “being humble in everything that you do.”
Another forum attendee was Brynn Brichet, a client advocate for Lockton Companies. She says it’s important not to wait for leaders to acknowledge contributions and show appreciation.
“We have to do it for each other,” she says. “We have to take care of ourselves and be grateful for the work that we do, even if we aren’t getting a pat on the back.”
Brichet notes that work environments will take up a significant portion of life after one’s college education, and everyone can contribute toward building a positive work environment.
“It’s exciting to think about the opportunity that employers have, that teams have, that leaders have,” she says, “to impact people’s lives through the version of themselves they bring to work.”
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a private, nonprofit university specializing in chiropractic and health sciences. The 34-acre CUKC campus is in Overland Park, Kan., a prominent Kansas City suburb. As a student-focused university, we’re all about making sure you’re doing well in college.
For nearly 100 years, CUKC has provided next-level education and next-level services in support of our students. More than 11,000 U.S. chiropractors have earned the Doctor of Chiropractic degree through our College of Chiropractic.
Through our College of Health Sciences, CUKC offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in health sciences, including the associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degrees in Radiologic Technology and Occupational Therapy Assistant.
If doing well in college is your goal, and you’re aiming for a healthcare degree, you should check out our degree options here.
If you’re curious about financial assistance to achieve your career dreams, know what you need to know by contacting our admissions staff. You can download this free eBook: Your Guide to Navigating College Financial Aid.
