What does “Genuine” mean for Rona?
"God-fearing and full of laughs, I’m the friend everyone finds easy to talk to and trust. Life’s better when we can laugh together."
Hi, I’m Rona! I’ve spent 5 years as a Virtual Assistant helping businesses stay organized and grow. I handle CRM, social media, lead generation, emails, calendars, files, data entry, and customer support, so you can focus on what matters most.
When we use language, we often mean different things because of different life experiences and life stories.
Darryl Lim 00:00
What does being GENUINE mean for you?
Rona 00:01
So for me, you know, "genuine" is when you know something or someone feels like real or [they are] being honest. Yeah, with people and it's like unforced. It's unforced. So it's not also about like being perfect, but I think it's about being consistent with who you truly are, and then, you know, just alignment between our thoughts and actions. For example, it might be one who speaks from the heart, even if it's awkward or if there's mistakes, without trying [to] hide or creating a facade.
Darryl Lim 01:01
Without trying to create a facade… Why is this important? To be real? Why is it important for you?
Rona 01:13
Um, for me, it's important because, you know, we can build trust faster, and we can make relationships feel deeper. People can sense when you're real. You know what I'm saying? The people can really say you are real. They're like, for example, [through] your micro expression, like your body language... they can reveal ... if [someone is] being authentic. If you're genuine, others feel safe around you because they know you're not hiding a hidden agenda.
Darryl Lim 02:05
Wow. Do you have example of very REAL relationships in your life?
Rona 02:13
That will be [with] my relatives. I don't have to, you know, rehearse what to say around them, yeah, [and] I can laugh without worrying if I'm too loud. I can cry without feeling judged [in front of] my relatives or friends. And then I can share a dream, you know, without, without them instantly, like poking? When they give some advice, it comes from a place of care and not control.
Darryl Lim 03:05
Come from a place of care, instead of control. Do you have friends or people you meet in life where you feel they control you?
Rona 03:19
I have only four friends. Okay, so I think my friends are one of my best investments in my life, and my family too.
Darryl Lim 03:38
INVESTMENT?
Rona 03:39
Yes, because you know, when it comes to money we can earn easily, but when you find a true friend, where they really care for you, they love you, that's, I think, investment for myself. When it comes to my friends, genuine friends, they help me to grow, and they are the most precious people that I've ever seen.
Darryl Lim 04:25
When did you decide for yourself that you only want to have four friends?
Rona 04:33
You know what, Darryl, I can say that my friends... they care without any conditions.
Darryl Lim 04:44
Oh, so you realized that that's what you want in a friendship.
Rona 04:49
Yes. And secondly, this is the most exciting. When we celebrate our wins, we're not jealous [of] anyone. [Even if] Rona is rich now, and I'm still poor like that, or you have nice work, and my other friends haven't worked before. [Even then,] we don't get jealous [of] any members of our family or friends.
Darryl Lim 05:22
So you celebrate each other's wins? Wow, nice, nice. Have you met a friend who is not like that? And then you stop being friends?
Rona 05:35
Yes, I have friends when I'm in high school. We are so close. Actually, we're so close. She's my best friend. But when we got a family, or, we [started having] our own lives, and then one time I saw her Facebook, and then I reached out to her, but, yeah, I was so happy because she responded [to] me. She [was] also happy. But when we met personally, face to face, yeah, I can say that we are not so close, unlike before. Because many years have passed, we [have] changed our lives, we [have] changed our feelings, we [outgrew] each other. So I think we have different circumstances also, but I think, that [was] when she saw me, like, poor Rona. Because, you know, I can say that she's like, judging me. After that, we don't have any communication anymore. I still be friends on Facebook with her, but she don't care about [me] anymore. She don't care anymore unlike before.
Darryl Lim 07:14
How do you feel about it?
Rona 07:16
You know, we are just human. But for me, she's still my friend. She's still my friend. She's been a part of my life. When I was young, until now, I still feel like... I'm disappointed because she didn't care anymore. If you are a true friend, yeah, you will feel like, when you're losing a friend, it's just like, you know, a breakup. So that's how I feel, like I'm disappointed.
Darryl Lim 07:47
What does FRIEND mean for you?
Rona 07:50
Friends, for me, is like, you don't have to act different, or you [don't need to] hide yourself from them.
Darryl Lim 08:00
Ah, you don't need to hide yourself from them?
Rona 08:04
Yes, and like what I said, they care about my thoughts, my feelings, even the small details. And... about showing up. It's not only when it's convenient, but when you truly need your friends, they are there.
At Split Arenas, we believe professional communication should be rooted in personal stories. When we look at the words people use, and the stories behind those words, we understand who they are, and we can build better relationships. To learn more about what we do, click here. If you wish to experience this conversation, where you’ll discover a word that means a lot to you and the stories/memories behind that word, book an appointment here.
