Posts

Ask and follow the advice of someone

On Thursday the 17th of November 2017, I asked and followed the advice of a friend. I was trying to finish off an assignment and started stressing about it.  I felt that my assignment was done to the best of my ability but still felt the need to make it perfect. I have always had high standards for myself and due to that I have become a perfectionist. My perfectionism always leads me to breaking point and at times, makes me incapable of finishing tasks (especially during the last stretch). I asked one of my friends for some advice on whether I should continue to work on my assignment or hand it in. She then asked me if I was pleased with my work and I said I was but felt the need to go back and refine certain aspects of the work. She came to the conclusion that I should hand in my assignment rather than dwelling on the little things. After handing in my assignment, I felt relieved and had a weight lifted off my shoulders.  I think this experience could encourage me t...

Be bored for a day

On Thursday the 2nd of November, I spent the whole day bored, and to add cause to effect, my electricity went off too. Usually a day being bored in my books would be a day spent watching Youtube, which necessarily isn't bordem because I am still entertaining myself. With the power off, I forced to be REALLY BORED. I attempted to entertain myself with reading a book but eventually I grew tiresome of that. Surprisnly after my bored day, the next day I was extremely anxious to work that I covered a lot of my assignments. Weirdly enough, I think this bored (day of procrastination) filled gave me energy for the next day. I don't know if it was because my brain was super relaxed the day before or if I was just super anxious that I got my work done. Either way, this activity could encourage me to take a break more often as it could push me to work even harder in the future.

Create a time capsule

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On Sunday the 5th of November, I decided to create a time capsule of my high school memorabilia and photos. I am a very nostalgic being and thus creating a time capsule put my heart in a very happy place. I read through all my memorabilia and it brought me to tears. This experience allowed me to reflect on how I've changed and where I was a year ago. After going through the items, I instantly became thankful for all the people and where I am in my life. I began to recognise how privelged I am to have a loving family and to be studying and venturing into my biggest dream - filmmaking. This activity shall encourage me to always reflect on my past and how I feel in my life. P.S. Unfortunately I am not allowed to bury my time capsule in the ground as my complex management doesn't allow it so I put all my memorabilia in a Flora contain and hid in a cupboard that I never open.

Climb in a tree and sit in it for a while

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On Wednesday the 8th of November, I sat in a tree in my complex. The tree I choose to climb was against a wall with an electric fence (which was a little risky). The experience was odd at first, as I felt that I was going to break the tree but after a while I got comfortable and enjoyed it. Sitting in the tree gave me some time to reflect on my day and the week (which I never do). This experience will encourage me (in my creative process) to set aside some time to reflect on both my work and my state of being.

Try meditation for a week

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On the 29th of October 2017 I tried meditating everyday for a week. Since I'm an early bird I decided to incorporate the meditation in my morning routine. At first it was hard to set aside 10 minutes as my mornings are usually busy with me getting ready for class and the first morning I woke up feeling anxious (due to a nightmare I had had the night before).  However, on the third day, I started getting into meditating a lot easier and began to feel more relaxed throughout the day. By the end of the week I felt like the meditation had made a slight difference in my days and I hope to continue meditating in the morning because of this. This activity shall encourage to take time out my mornings and week to calm myself and reflect on my day as I start it.

Plant something and maintain it

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On the 25th of September 2017, I planted a tomato. I've always wanted to start my own herb/vegetable garden but I believed that I possessed a black thumb. Plants always have a way of killing themselves around me so I knew this would become a challenge for me. The experience surprised me as I found out that I actually can take care of something besides myself. Surprisingly, I remembered to water the plant every second day and it continues to grow on my little balcony. This experience helped me learn that I shouldn't doubt my capabilities.

Meeting a stranger

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During the course of the week 2nd of October to 6 of October I met a 2nd year student named Koketso (Kookie), on the Open Window Campus. She was a very kind young women and told me that she was triple majoring in Photography, 3D and Communication Design. The experience was eye opening as I got to know a fellow student on campus that I have similarities with. Strangely enough, I felt an artist bond between us and hope to see her around more. This experience encouraged me to know more people on campus as I might be surprised to find many people that I could form strong bonds with and inspire me.