Value of Appreciation: Source of Motivation by Yena Shin

Well that was a typical day for my fellow Cadet Jonathan and I. On that particular day, we were shooting “A Day at Garage Society” video in an attempt to showcase what working at Garage Society is like (p.s. Working at Garage Society is pretty dynamic, to say the least). My last two tasks at Garage Society were to shoot “A Day at Garage Society” and “Messages from Garagers” video. Jonathan and I would go around all three locations with our cameras and shoot short clips of what a member would do in a day. We also asked members to shoot a 15-second introduction video to welcome the upcoming location in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You may ask why am I saying all this. To persuade you into watching the videos after it is uploaded? Maybe a little bit (you can watch them here). But while filming the clips in each space, I realised I was tracing back all the little moments I had in Garage Society, from small talk at reception to weekly team meetings, there wasn’t a single moment I didn’t appreciate. Ultimately, I was able to appreciate all the moments because I felt appreciated. Most, if not all, of the tasks given to me added value to Garage Society, whether it was interviewing Garage members or running to Jason’s to grab ingredients for a cocktail hour, there was never a task assigned just for the sake of it. Most importantly, Garage made me feel I was part of the team. As I was constantly G-Chatting, emailing back and forth, and uploading files on Dropbox, it was evident that each and every member of the team was essential. During my eight weeks at Garage Society, I was finally able to grasp the idea of working in and with a team. The warm, open-minded team always had smiles on their faces that allowed me to be the best version of myself. I learned how important it is to be surrounded by team members who motivate and encourage you, as they genuinely care about your growth. The time you spend at work is not just about finishing your task, but it becomes a playground for you to contribute new ideas, collaborate with others and dare myself. Call me sentimental, but as every grain of sand together makes up a stunning beach, every moment I laughed and struggled with the team eventually became my extraordinary daily life.