Lessons From AmeriCorps
In AmeriCorps, Members get the opportunity to learn a lot of technical skills, like how to use a chainsaw and fell a tree, how to use a drip torch on a prescribed burn, or how to use different forms of technology to aid a disaster response. But more importantly, what Members come away from the program with is personal development they can carry with them no matter what path they take after the program. Reflecting back on his first year of service, current ACSTL Team Leader Brett Miller shares some of the lessons he learned throughout his service journey.
By Brett Miller, AmeriCorps St. Louis Team Leader
“My first year with a AmeriCorps STL was a unique and challenging experience in a lot of ways, not only because of the long hours in the field, the occasional short nights of sleep, and the various places we had to travel to but because I was encouraged to look inward at myself and really challenge myself as an individual. As a result, this year became a major transformational period for me and here are some lessons that I learned from last year:
SELF CARE!!!!!!!!!!!! Before I stared this program, I had heard about the concept a lot and but I never really did a good job at putting this into practice. I used to always have the mindset that the only way I'd be valuable was through putting in 100% at all times. ACSTL did a really good job at beating this mindset out of me and encouraging me slow down when need to and go at a pace that is appropriate to my current condition. Now I believe I've learned to evaluate myself and determine how much I'm able to put into a task based on how I'm doing at the moment and I'll still have days that I put in 100%, but I see no reason to have that be everyday.
PATIENCE. From working at camps, I had learned how to be patient with youth and other people very well and I had believed that I had done a good job practicing patience but I realized this past year that I was never patient with myself. I had looked at my peers, notice their progress, feel behind, and get into the mindset that I must catch up to the them if I am to be valuable. Overtime I realized that everyone learns and develops at their own pace and that it is something you cannot rush, I started being patient with myself and it paid off.
ROUTINES/ORGANIZATION. When doing a service year with AmeriCorps, there are a lot of things to keep track of and I have always had the trouble of remembering small details until I came up with a classic solution that took me much longer than I'd like to admit, taking notes because as simple as it is, writing something down takes pressure out of having to remember it and that helped me be organizes. It also helped me established routines, giving me mental checklists during the week and also helped me start stretching and exercising more. Putting things into a routine added consistency to an other chaotic environment and helped me feel satisfied with myself and get into a flow.”
Brett (front middle) and his teammates on a prescribed burn with the Missouri Department of Conservation.