BLOG POST PRESENTATION REFLECTION #2
Blog post #2
By Michael Oliveros
Introduction
The main and only mental presentation
Theme 1: Time is not the enemy
Weirdly, one of the most powerful messages in this…well, not all that powerful of a speech, was that time is misunderstood. We are in the past or the future, and in both cases, lose touch with the only time that really is — now. The person presenting stressed that the only way to fully live life is to live in the moment. This made me think of how often I find myself stuck in a loop of “what ifs” and “if only's,” rather than living with gratitude for the present. As a Business Major/ Business owner, I am sometimes forced to look into the future rather than looking at the now.
Subject 2: The Illusion of Control
Another good point was the illusion of control. The presentation showed that the more you try to control in your life, the more stressed or anxious you will become. But, by accepting and being mindful of the now, it can help to control our state of mind better. This one struck a chord: “I think it captures something that rightly resonates with many of us, certainly at least with me, a big source of the anxiety of our modern experience, one that we want everything to go perfectly and on schedule even though life is always full of uncertainties.” One of my favorite quotes is "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now." This is from an old Chinese proverb.
Theme 3: Mindfulness as a Tool, Not a Fix
The presenter ended that it’s not that we’re trying to escape our problems through mindfulness meditation, but rather approach them from a different perspective. It is a method to witness thoughts and feelings without being dominated by them. The movement from reactivity into observation is a strong one, especially in the heat of an emotional moment. The way I think is that if you can own your thoughts, you can own your reality because thoughts lead to actions, and if those thoughts help you out in any way, it can be a good thought. I know, contradicting the last "paragraph"
Happiness Presentation
This talk explored the slippery concept of happiness, unravelling misconceptions about what it is to be happy and how we can truly achieve it.
Topic 1: The Hedonic Treadmill:
One idea that really struck me was the “hedonic treadmill,” which is the concept that we quickly level out in terms of happiness no matter what happens — you win the lottery or take a really bad hit. It was an explanation for why people can be temporarily happy after they get what they want, but then quickly revert to the same old emotional patterns. This is useful for moving away from the pursuit of highs and toward the pursuit of a reliable emotional foundation. For example, when Erika interviewed me, I said that there are a couple of reasons I want to be wealthy, the main one being to help those I love, or things that I am passionate about and the second being I want a big ass house multiple G-Wagons and a McLaren. But I think when I get the cars, I'll gain a little bit of happiness, but the most from helping people.
Subject 2: External versus Internal Types of Happiness
Seating, and the difference between inside and outside happiness. The talk emphasized that, although outer things like money, status, and belongings can provide short-term joy, true happiness comes from intrinsic things — from gratitude, relationships, and a sense of purpose. That only served to underscore the lesson that real contentment springs not from what we have but from how we think and relate to others. This goes back to the last paragraph, as I said, the materialistic will bring my joy for some time, but helping out those I love most will come in greater shoals.
Theme 3: Perspective and Gratitude
The piece about gratitude was particularly popular. (Here’s how the pandemic is hurting your happiness.) It also suggested that happiness is largely a matter of perception, not circumstances. Training the mind to recognize the positive, even in small things, can make a big difference in overall well-being. This was quite an eye-opener and made me feel quite good about myself as I saw that our emotional state is just what we think about it, or rather, our perception of our experiences. Perception is very subjective, like I might think something is funny, and my sister will take offense to it. For example, when I was at the gym on Sunday, I decided to try and hit 225 lbs on the bench press. I was very close to failing it, but then I got it. This boosted my mood for the rest of the day because, looking back on how far I've come made me enjoy this life that much more.
Group 1 Project 2 Presentation
Project 2 – Economy and Potential Careers
My Group discussed the economy about careers. Specifically, it discusses what federal law and regulation are doing to our career future and how technology and education are fueling the workplace and job market. We also shared info from the interviews that we conducted.
Topic 1: How the Economy Affects Job Demand
One of the things I liked about our presentation was showing how different sectors expanded or contracted based on how the economy was doing. For instance, health care and tech jobs are growing in response to demand, while manufacturing jobs may fall victim to automation. Knowing these patterns can help inform us to make more informed decisions about our careers.
Topic 2: Government's Role in Career Support
This section of the presentation (which I presented) discussed how federal programs create work opportunities in employment and training, job placement, grants, skill training, and student loans. It was nice to see WIOA-type examples, and I suspect that good ones exist in other states. It made me understand that career planning is not only a personal journey—it’s also shaped by broader systems and acts of the federal government to further help. A big thanks was sent over to Team Diaz-Balart for helping me get this information.
Topic 3: The Future of Work and New Fields
Lastly, we delved (I like this word) into future career prospects in cybersecurity, clean energy, AI, and health care. These are not only high-paying jobs, but also fast-growing ones. It made me think ahead — what jobs are going to stay strong 10 or 20 years from now? What skills should I learn now? Also how can we use AI to build systems that will grow ourselves and the economy?
Conclusion
In all three, I found valuable takeaways that can be applied to both professional and personal development. The first inspired me about living in the moment, the second redefined my conception of happiness, and the third is a pragmatic map about thriving in the economy and creating a satisfying career. Whether it’s mental health, happiness, or your career, the theme to all these topics boils down to the same core concept: with awareness comes better decision making. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk
Very interesting reflection!
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