Get to know your amazing Ambassadors!

Time for a bit of a splurge on #AskAnAmbassador

Okay... Sam... this is a really important question!! If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature what new animal would you create? =D (Anon)

oooo good question and so many options here! A giraffe and a hummingbird because how amazing would it be to see a massive giraffe flitting around with tiny wings, or a bat and a spider because besides being terrifying youd have something amazing called a spat! But I think the winner for me would totally be a chinchilla and a pill-bug because then youd legitimately be able to say to someone here, have a chill-pill

How do you relax after a busy day? (@Zara and Anon)

I relax in many weird and wonderful ways which include trail running, mountain biking, surfing and skydiving. Im naturally energetic and I find that exercise is good for my soul after a long, busy day and helps me to wind down. Other than that coming home to my husband and kids each night is usually all I need to relax and forget about any real life stresses.

What's your favourite food? (@Ila)

I LOVE Thai food and Italian food, both to eat and cook. My favorite meal though is our national dish in South Africa called Bobotie, which is a curried meat and fruit dish, similar to moussaka and no one makes it quite like my mom!

Is it hard being that awesome? When do you get time to catch a breath? (@Zizytheturtle)

Aw Zizy, thats very sweet of you! You are awesome yourself and this site would be nothing without wonderful people like yourself. As for when we get a chance to catch a breath? Well, I take self-care very seriously. No matter how experienced we are as listeners, and regardless of our skill sets, we still have every chance of burning out like anyone else, so I tend to check in with myself pretty regularly and if I need a break, I take one without feeling any guilt whatsoever. It means I can sustain a high level of involvement here at 7cups and that I enjoy every second I do spend on the site. Besides self-care breaks, Im not active much at weekends as its when I spend time with my family and friends after a long work week, and unwind, so come Monday I I'm usually feeling refreshed and energised after a couple of days off.

Hello lovely Ambassadors! I was wondering, would any of you like to share a challenge that you personally overcame related to your active listening technique (or more generally in your role as a listener) here on 7 Cups, and how you managed it? Thanks very much! (@MichaelMichael)

Mikey Mike, great question! And for me, it has to be boundaries. Ive always found setting boundaries with members rather routine and easy and Ive been fortunate to have wonderful members who are respectful of those boundaries. What I used to find more difficult was enforcing boundaries on the listener side. But its ever so important for your own self-care that you are consistent in your approach with other listeners, particularly with things like not supporting them and their personal problems on their listener accounts. It can be tough if its someone you know well from the chat room but its important that you always put yourself first and that you dont feel guilty about having to ask someone to log in as a member if they need support or letting them know that youre unable to support them on a personal level. Sure, the more time you spend on the site the closer you may become with others, through interactions in the chatroom or elsewhere, and its okay to support each other in some capacity in PMs, as long as youre mindful that it shouldnt be distracting you from the job at hand which is supporting members in a direct or dynamic way when you are logged into your listener account. Its a fine balance, and one that needs constant self-reflection and fine-tuning.

If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? (@Zara)

Im a sucker for a cult movie, so it would have to be Pulp Fiction or a 90s classic like Point Break! (I mean Patrick Swayze even did his own skydiving stunts in the latter!)

What is your favourite quote? (@Zara)

Everyone knows that my hero is Nelson Mandela and I can roll off just about every amazing quote of his, but my favourite little pearl of wisdom is something my dad used to say to me when things didnt quite work out in life: Dont regret the things youve done, only the things you havent done. And Ive lived every second of my life by that quote. Not being afraid to fail, to walk towards the fear and to take every opportunity that ever comes my way.

I've been quite busy last week, since I didn't have time to answer anything yet I thought I'd answer a bunch! #AskAnAmbassador

What's your FAVOURITE project that you're working on currently?

Teen Stars! I also like Profile Searchers a lot though!

WARNING: VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION COMING UP! ...What is your favourite food?

This might be the hardest one to answer! I love food bowls, it's basically a mix of veggies (some raw, some roasted) and usually some quinoa or brown rice and hummus or avocado! You can google it as Buddha bowls.

What is your favourite part of the site?

The chatrooms :)

How did you feel when you first received the news about becoming an ambassador? Did you apply or were you nominated? Did you freak out? xD

I felt very happy! I was nominated. I didn't freak out, but I wasn't at home when I received the news, I was in a cafe so I just smiled a lot! haha

If there's one wish that could come true involving 7Cups, what would it be?

I'd love to have the site translated in Spanish (and more languages too) to make it easier for a lot of people to receive and provide support.

What is your job outside of 7 cups of tea? :)

I'm working in a retail store, we sell "women" clothes and shoes! It's lovely cause I get to talk a lot (which I adore) and I've lots of fun!

First, let me thank you for all of time and hard work you put into our community, lovelies! You have lots of listening experiences, so I'd like to ask do you have any advice you would like to share with new listeners?

I'd say read the help guides carefully and practice! We were all new once! I think that I learnt a lot from taking chats as it helped me to figure out what was helping Members the most, I also spent some time in the chatrooms as there was always a helpful tip in there. Nowadays having community discussions and the options to get a Mentor, I'd say do it!

What do you like to do to relax in your spare time? (Apart from 7Cups, duh)

I love cooking, exercising, yoga, watching tv shows is also a fav.

Crucial question coming up which will determine your future... What's your favourite TV show? ;)

I don't have favorites! But I'm very excited about the new (and last) season of Downton Abbey.

If you could watch only one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Legally Blonde

How does it feel to have so much responsibility on your shoulders? (We appreciate it all so so so SO much)

To be honest, I don't know! I tend to have a leadership role everywhere, so I'm used to having responsibilities. Sometimes it can be a bit stressful but I'd say self-care and not taking more than what I can handle are my key

What's your favourite forum thread?

Might be Glen's "How to handle requests for advice", I keep it in the top of my Bookmarks.

What chatroom do you like best?

All chatrooms are nice but I've the most fun in the Teen room

What are your wise words of wisdom to those who aspire to be like you? (Because maaaaaaan, you all are role models)

I'd say, don't aspire to be like me/us. Be yourself, find something that you have fun with, a project you are passionate about, if you can't find it, MAKE IT! Never forget what the goal of 7 Cups is and have fun :)

I look forward to responding to your questions

Okay, I lost the post right as I was finished typing it. So that means I get to start over. Yay!

Questions From: @ZaraSmiles, @Ila, @Lyra, @ZizyTheTurtle, & Anonymous

Tell us something we may all not know about you?
I was given the wrong name at birth.

How does it feel to have so much responsibility on your shoulders?
It's a natural feeling to me as I love having a lot of responsibilities. It keeps me productive and focused, even if it does get stressful on the bad days. In college, I've always been really involved and busy with classes, student organizations, part time jobs, and research labs so having responsibility on 7cups isn't anything new.

What's your favourite characteristic in yourself?
I am resilient. I know that I will be able to get through things because I can't afford to let myself believe otherwise.

What are your wise words of wisdom to those who aspire to be like you?
Some things I always try to keep in mind are:

- No one is better or superior over another person. It doesn't matter if someone is more educated on a topic, has a higher education degree or training, hold a higher position/title, or anything of the sort.
- You will make mistakes, and that is okay. Learn from them, and never stop striving to improve.
- You will never be perfect, but you will always be enough.
- Write long posts in google docs so 7cups doesn't eat it.

What's your favourite nickname?
I use Candy Kane a lot to introduce myself because people can never hear my name correctly the first time around, but I also don't mind Sugar Kane. I'm not really picky with nicknames names so I'll basically accept most of them and jokes regarding my name aside from WWE Kane, the illegal substance, or Cain and Abel. The former because I have heard it so many times, and it takes away my individual identity. The latter two because they are negative connotations.

How many hours a day do you spend on 7Cups?
It varys. I spend a lot of time doing 7cups related things, but I'm normally doing other things as well like watching tv. Some days, I will spend 8-12 hours just cranking things out, but then I will only spend 1-2 hours (or no time) on 7cups for the next couple of days to balance it out. I try to avoid spending too much time on 7cups.

How many PMs do you get a day, on average? And how do you answer all of them?
It really depends. Some days, I'll get a lot. Other days, I get very few. I think I get the most on the days I choose not to go on 7cups though! The weekend I took for recovery, I got 37 messages and a bunch of emails in two days. I try to keep the numbers low by checking them throughout the day and answering the ones that I can answer on my phone.

What are your tips to balance 7Cups with outside life?​
I use 7cups only on chrome. My other activities are on safari so if I don't want to go on 7cups, I don't open chrome. If I really want a day away without the temptation, I will shut off my laptop and put away my phone or ignore any 7cups related messages on my phone. I also schedule 7cups around my outside responsibilities, not the other way around.

What's your next goal in life?​
At some point, I would like to start a non-profit organization. I've thought about helping homeless, veterans, foster youth, and disadvantaged youth, but I can't really do all of it so I think I may focus on homeless as it (sort of) is related to all of them. For now, my goal is to start a career in organizational development with a focus in training as I would like experience in order to develop a non-profit job skill training program for those who may need it. But, this might change! Who knows?

What was your first thought when you found out that you were becoming an ambassador?
"What?"
"No way."
"Oh (swear word). They're inviting me to the team."
"(internal excited screaming)"

What is one thing that keeps you going everyday?
I think one thing that is comforting is the knowledge that I will not always feel mentally well, and that's okay. It helps me cherish the good days, and be kinder to myself on the bad days.

What do you like most about being an ambassador?
Working with the other ambassadors!

What is it like in a day of an ambassador?
I usually wake up, check my phone for messages, talk to other ambassadors who have blown up my phone with notifications, and then answer my other PMs. From there, I may roll off the bed, get ready for the day, and then do whatever I need to do. Or, you know, stay in bed for a while.

Is it hard being that awesome? When do you get time to catch a breath?
It's about knowing when to step back. I get comments a lot from people who are surprised to know that I may struggle with things because I always seem so collected. @Sam said that to me the other day! But, that is really intentional. I always want to be the best I can be for others so if I'm not feeling mentally well, I will take a step back to recollect myself.

More answers for @Ila, @ZaraSmiles, @Lyra #AskAnAmbassador

Tell us something we may all not know about you?
Im really quite shy… *cough* okay thats not true. But when I was little my mum sent me to ballet and I was kicked out because I couldnt point my toe.. true story. So I took up tennis instead and the rest is history.

What's your favourite characteristic in yourself?
That I am emotionally fearless. I experience fear, but it doesnt stop me from doing anything I want to do. I love challenges and I love change, and I love proving to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. When our attitudes outdistance our abilities, even the impossible becomes possible

What's your favourite nickname?
Sam, haha! Which is not, in fact, my real name. When I was little my brother couldnt pronounce my real name and it came out as Sam and it just kind of stuck!

What's your next goal in life?​
Well, I am already somewhat further on in my life than most people here with me being 21 plus VAT (a hell of a lot of VAT), so right now Im very comfortable in a career that I love and with a husband and children who I adore. But my very next goal, as soon as I have the time to train, will be a half-Ironman marathon. I have always competed in endurance events, most recently joining the obstacle-course racing brigade, and being able to compete in the 70.3 Ironman series will be a lifelong dream come true for me. Right now 7cups is taking up all my training time, haha, so @KrinkTheMellowUnicorn if you can include voice-activated participation in the new chatroom design that will be much appreciated, then I can moderate the chatrooms whilst on my trail runs! ;)

What was your first thought when you found out that you were becoming an ambassador?
The same thought I had when I became mentor and mentor leader. I sometimes just blink at the screen and wonder how this all happened – how it is that I keep being rewarded with these leadership positions just for being myself and doing the things I love. I work incredibly hard on 7cups but it feels effortless because I love what I do and I enjoy every second.

What is one thing that keeps you going every day?
Gratitude. You can read more about it in this post.

What do you like most about being an ambassador?
Being part of the most amazing and supportive team, I am so grateful for that every day. The most important thing to remember though is that you dont have to be an ambassador to make a difference, just like you dont need to be a Peer Supporter to offer support and encouragement to your fellow listeners. Its not about the badge, its about the role we play in the community. Sure, badges offer you leadership roles, extra responsibility and in some cases, mod powers, but there is so much each and every person can do without those things and its beautiful to see just how many people on 7cups offer up their free time and go above and beyond for the good of the community. You are all awesome, incredibly valuable and we appreciate you so much. The ambassadors would be nothing without each and every person in this community.

What is it like in a day of an ambassador?
Well yesterday I woke up at 6am, had breakfast, replied to some PMs whilst the kids had breakfast, took the kids to school, went to work, logged on at work, answered some more PMs, spent some time testing the new 7cups website and providing feedback, had a member chat, then had a project call with @Kane, spent some time in LSR, replied to some forum posts, had a catch up with @Laura about projects and other exciting developments, did some brainstorming with the Ambassadors, spent time approving and flagging reviews, then I logged off at work, picked the kids up from school, went home, made dinner and activated *relax mode*

@ZaraSmiles

Question: What's your FAVOURITE project that you're working on currently?

Answer: I am really enjoying awarding the verified listener and peer support badges. It is awesome to see how excited the listeners get when they receive them.

Question: What is your job outside of 7 cups of tea? :)

Answer: Im a stay at home mom to my daughter and soon to be son:) Im also mom to 4 fur children 2 cats, 1 dog, and 1 bunny. They all keep my pretty busy and looking forward to welcoming a newborn into the mix.

#AskAnAmbassador

Been a while since the last one of these!

Questions from the following people: @Lyra, Anonymous, @Laura

When you took a semester abroad, what was it that you missed the most from 7 Cups?
I really missed the community. I wasn't able to keep in contact with a lot of my friends on here so it was pretty much like I had dropped off the face of the earth (which, uh, I kind of did.)

What's your best tip for keeping what you do on 7 Cups in balance with the rest of your life?
If you have a set schedule, schedule 7 Cups around responsibilities. Don't add it to the list of responsibilities. In college, I would regularly have 8-12 hour days, and I chose not to set a specific time for 7 Cups unless it was a chat appointment. This made 7 cups feel less like a responsibility and job so I enjoyed being online a lot more.

What inspired you to be a teen/adult listener?
I've worked with youth before as a program manager, music and art tutor, and academic tutor. Part of the research I helped with was for disadvantaged/foster youth as well.

What is your funniest, silliest or most memorable 7 Cups moment?
I don't really have one specific moment! I can say, though, there was one time @Sam and I were talking when we were both incredibly tired. It was hilarious because we would misspell a word in basically every message we sent to each other. I think the entire conversation was 20+ minutes of us cracking up over the typos rather than actually getting anything done!

I love this thread and so I have dug out the response sheet and thought I would bring it back to life!!

If you could use the mighty force of the munchkin army to do just one thing for you, what would it be? (I'm thinking up to and including the invasion of a small European country here)

I love my munchkin army, it is full of unique, inspiring, dedicated individuals that I have so much fun hanging out with. If I needed to use the munchkin army for a purpose other than listening to members of course, then it would have to be for glitter production and cookie baking. Its near impossible to be anything other than happy with glitter and cookies so we could solve all of the worlds problems :D

What's your number one favourite resource to give to mentees or new listeners?
I am not a fan of giving out links etc to new listeners as it can be incredibly overwhelming when you first join. With my mentees I prefer a hands on approach to discuss situations and courses of action. However I do at times link the FAQ page for listeners to save and then they can refer to it at their leisure or if needed when I am not online to help answer questions. I find it to be the most comprehensive and easy to follow guide. It can be found here

What's your best tip for keeping what you do on 7 Cups in balance with the rest of your life?

I am a firm believer and advocate for selfcare. I work full time and so access 7cups on evenings and weekends. I always have at least one weekday and one day at the weekend when I do not come online at all. I also am very careful about projects, I do not take on too much so that I am not pressured to work more hours and burn myself out. When things come up in my real life, which can happen as life is full of surpises, then I am always happy to deactivate for a week or so and return when I am able to. I love 7cups and what I do here, but it is just a hobby and I always ensure that I keep that perspective with it.

As an ambassador super dedicated to teens, what was your first experience with the teen side like?

My first experience was in the teen listener room and it was super crazy. Back then it was not uncommon to have 40+ people in the room at one time. I believe I walked in and immediately had people jumping at me, cuddling me and nomming on me. It was a crazy initiation and a juggling act to keep everyone happy, but I fell in love with it instantly. Even through the craziness I could see how loving and supportive the teen community was, I felt immediately welcome and I was inspired by these young people that were dedicating so much time to helping others.

#AskAnAmbassador

Love that @Sarah brought this back to life! I don't have access to the response sheet, but I just gathered the questions from the thread and will work on my answers to all of them and post soon! :)

I'm excited to dive in! Here are my answers to a few of the older questions. :)

Question: What is your job outside of 7 cups of tea? :)
Answer: Outside of 7 Cups, I work in HR for a consulting firm, focused on special projects, analytics, and strategy for various pieces around talent acquisition, development, and retention. But I'm currently job hunting, so that might change soon! :)

Question: How did you feel when you first received the news about becoming an ambassador? Did you apply or were you nominated? Did you freak out? xD
Answer: I was nominated, and was incredibly shocked and honored when I got the email. I'll admit, my first reaction was definitely self-doubt, and a sense of "But why me? There are so many people in this community who are so deserving and have been here longer than me / done more than me / etc.", but thanks to some wonderful encouragement, especially from some of my mentees, I started to feel excited and like maybe being asked meant that I was having more of an impact than I realized. :)

Question: What's your FAVOURITE project that you're working on currently?
Answer: This one's easy for me - I LOVE the suggestion boxes! As a lot of people have probably figured out, I'm pretty passionate about making sure people feel heard, and combined with my background in consulting, which is all about problem solving and continuous improvement, the suggestion boxes are amazing! I get to see so many incredible ideas from the community, I get to pester the admin team non-stop, I get to meet a lot of new people in the community when I follow up on suggestions, and I get to see a lot of these things become realities, which is pretty awesome.

Question: WARNING: VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION COMING UP! ...What is your favourite food?
Answer: Super tough one, because it changes a lot, but I do really love sushi and could probably eat it every day and be happy. Also macaroni and cheese. And guacamole (but only if it's really good - I'm a guac snob). And tzatziki sauce. Any really a lot of other things. I love food a lot.

Question: What is your favourite part of the site?
Answer: I think everyone knows...it's the forums! So much forum love!