#gyls

[farahlutvica]

Back in GYLS Global Youth Leadership Summit connecting with amazing people all over the world! It was a blast. This was 2011 I believe

[brooklynnsbridge]

GYLS Recap video

Literally crying over the GYLS recap video. They got to a point in the video where the camera panned over the back of all the Youth Leaders while we were watching the ambis and alum write on their boards and I almost started crying. And then they showed some film clips of the kiddos actually breaking the board and I started crying. The board break helped so many kids realize what they can do. I miss it. I miss everybody from there. I'm devastated that I won't be able to make it this year, and I hope all of my babies do well and are super successful and okay I'm getting emotional again. 

[0livinski]

I am so freaking proud of this kid! My daughter Sierra is amazing! #gyls #tonyrobbins #breakthrough #sandiego #ucsd #leadership #youth

[brooklynnsbridge]

camp

monday: we got to welcome the ambies. they were so cute and excited and It legitimately made my life. After that, we met our room mates and the girls I roomed with were the sweetest slices of pie I have ever met. Also we got locked out of our room and had to put everybody's stuff in another room and it was way hectic.  That night, we had a welcome dance and as an alum, I was instructed to go around and make the ambies dance. I am so grateful I got to do that, I met some of the greatest people at the dance.

Tuesday:  We listened to Kathy Buckly speak. If you don't know who she is, I suggest you look her up, she is the most inspiring person I have ever met. then, We split up and we were told about the 6 human needs and also about different styles of leadership. We had to start ideas for a play to be preformed the next day, and I was in charge. That was something I had never done, but regardless, it was empowering to take charge. Then we went back into the main room and did a board breaking exercise. I broke my board labeled with "Anxiety" and it was so empowering. However, that didn't compare to watching the ambies break through their boards. Not gonna lie, there were tears shed. we went to dinner, and then went back into the main room and listened to Anand Chulani speak. 

Wednesday: we were instructed to build a house of 20 spaghetti  noodles,1 marshmallow, and 1 foot of tape. After that, we went onto the ropes course. It was so scary. I had an anxiety attack while we were up 45 feet in the air. thankfully, my friend Dani was there and talked me through the course. I learned something. People were always mad at me for my anxiety. "Why can't you do this?" It is so easy. "stop being a pussy"  but, when she helped me, I learned that I don't have to be alone, I always have a support. After that, we went to our split group, and split into boys and girls. the girls got to ask questions to our female councilor and the boys to the male councilor. we then went to the main room and had a little... blues harmonica party? idk, but it was really cool. I also met a guy, Nav, and he taught me how to dance and it was so fabulous!

Thursday: we broke into our alum group and we had a talk about finances.  It was... helpful.  Then Jaret Robbins came to talk with us. and in his lecture, he had us imagine our perfect day. my day was, I woke up around 8. it was sunny out. I baked cookies for 4 hours, then Jacob came and took me on a surprise picnic. after that, we walked around the park and had loads of fun. we went out to dinner with my parents and then after that, I had a backstage gig. through the entire exercise, I didn't have anxiety once. I realized then that I don't have to have anxiety. I can be a normal person. and it was just a big breakthrough. After that, we went into the big room and did a dickens. In a dickens, you write your beliefs you want to bust. Mine were that 1) I was not good enough 2) I was ugly and disgusting 3) No one would ever be proud of me. During the dickens, We got taken to a bad place, and then a wonderful place, and I have never felt better about myself. I got to dance onstage after dinner, and we got a lesson in goal setting. SO HELPFUL! 

Friday:  we got a talk from aiden the boy who played the harmonica and he talked to us about giving. he has raised over 75,000 dollars to help people in need. Then we got talk to about Compassion It. and that was.. informative. we went to get ready for our dance and it was wonderful! we got to dress up and get pretty other than just wear our alumni shirts. My best friend saw me as I walked in and he said " wow, You look so beautiful" and the way he looked at me, and the way he said it, I finally felt it. I felt like i was beautiful. and I don't think he will ever know what that meant to me, but I know he knows I appreciate it. that night, I said goodbye to all my friends I made. Back in the room, my ambies and I had the talks we should have been having all week, but they finally opened up. it was great.

Saturday: We said goodbye to everyone we had met. It was hard. but it was worth it. because we know, it isn't the end. It is the beginning. time for us to share our messages. I cried... but in the end, I know everything will be okay. 

Overall this week has been the best thing I have ever done, and I wouldn't change a thing about it