StrengthsFinder 2.0

A little over a year ago, someone at worked mentioned StrengthsFinder 2.0 which is a strengths-based approach to career development. What does that mean you probably ask? Well, it means you take an assessment with a bunch of questions, and based on your answers, it tells you your 5 top "Strengths"(out of the 34 options). I know, I know...it's just another assessment, but what I like about this one is the philosophy behind it. It suggests that you shouldn't focus on your "areas of development" which you'll likely never be GREAT at, or motivated to work on (they are you areas of development after all). Instead, you should focus on what you're good (or even great) at, and find a career where your strengths are needed and can blossom. I was skeptical at first, but after taking the assessment, and reading through my strengths I started to believe (which actually is a trait of a Maximizer). Many people at work also took the assessment, and after reading their strengths I was pretty amazed at how accurately they portrayed my co-workers. I'm not saying that every single strength was exactly right, or that every description of a strength was perfect, I'm just saying, in general they were pretty correct.

When it came time to find a new job this year, I realized my career had kind of picked me up until that point. I went to school for "Business" but I never sat down and thought "I love calculating in Excel and analyzing things all day"...it just kinda happened. This was the first time I was actully going to choose my career so I thought back to my Strengths and asked myself where I thought I could best use my strengths best, knowing that using my strengths would make me happy. Know what? It worked. I've been in my new job for over 3 months now (which means I'm officially past the honeymoon phase) and I couldn't be happier in my new job. I just feel like I'm doing what I was meant to do, and it's a great feeling.

Below are my strengths and some of the things it says about people with these strength. (Click on the image to make it bigger.) Writing in blue are points I feel are dead on about myself. What do you think?

April TV

I realize April is almost over, but I still have 3 or 4 days to sneak this in. This won't come as a surprise to many of you, but I love tv. My favorite shows are reality shows, even though they're usually far from any reality I live in, but that doesn't stop me.

To recap the month of April...

Shows that ended in April:
'Shear Genius' (Bravo) 3rd season finale - I was mad that Brig won
'Melrose Place' (The CW) 1st season finale - Yes....I watch the new one
'Millionaire Matchmaker' (Bravo) 3rd season finale - Gotta love Patti
'Ugly Betty' (ABC) series finale - SO SAD to see the end of this show happen
'Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution' (ABC) 1st season finale - Very inspiring

Shows that started in April:
'Intervention' (A&E) 8th season mid-season premiere - Some people find this show depressing but I think it's amazing, especially when people stay clean
'Glee' (FOX) 1st season mid-season premiere - Loved the Madonna episode, can't wait for the Lady GaGa episode, and word on the street is they might do a Britney Spears episode too
'Dhani Tackles the Globe' (Travel) 2nd season premiere - Sports-related, but Dhani sure is nice to look at
'Say Yes to the Dress' (TLC) 5th season premiere - I'm not planning on getting married, but I can't help watching the random bridezilla
'The Hills' (MTV) 6th season premiere - see below
'The City' (MTV) 2nd season premiere - I love Whitney but I'm not sure she's a big enough star for her own show. 1st season was alright, we'll see how this season goes
'Friday Night Lights' (NBC) 4th season premiere - Mom will be happy about this one too, starts on the 30th

Shows I wish I watched but no one has convinced me to add them to my DVR...yet
'Little People, Big World' (TLC) 6th season mid-season premiere
'Celebrity Fit Club' (VH1) 7th season finale
'Top Chef Masters' (Bravo) 2nd season premiere
'Tori & Dean' (Oxygen) 5th season premiere

Don't worry, I don't actually track all this information in my head. I'm not that obsessed. My source is here.

Season 6 premiere of The Hills
I promised Rachel that I would blog my reaction to tonight's season premiere of The Hills, so here you go.
1. Why is Stephanie friends with everyone now? She's only there to ask "loaded" questions. I don't like her and wish she wasn't on the show...ever.
2. Did Heidi and Spencer rob a pawn shop? What's with all the gold jewelry?
3. FrankenHeidi is going to be in my nightmare tonight. She's straight scary looking!
4. Brody ...need I say more.
5. Since when does wearing sunglasses mean you do drugs? Jack Nicholson's been wearing them to Lakers games for years. Oh...wait...
Final Thoughts: Overall, it was a pretty boring season opener although clips from the rest of the season look pretty juicy. I think it's a good thing that this is the last season though. It's starting to be same old, same old.

BTW, did I mention that I love reality tv. I love it so much, that I read both of Lauren Conrad's books, L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies, which are about reality tv. They are "fictional" although a lot of the story lines and people sound very similar to those in The Hills. Regardless, the books were fantastic and I highly recommend them.


On a side note, a commercial for Sex In The City 2 came on during The Hills, and I just want to say...I can't wait! Aidan's back..yeah.