Thought this designer’s work was really cool if anyone is interested in checking it out!
Habits Reflection
To start off with this reflection on innovative habits, I thought back to when we were introduced to these ideas earlier in the semester. I remember when I first read the assigned readings on some of these ideas such as embracing ambiguity and failing forward, I felt some internal pushback/judgment on the ideas. I felt this sudden response coming from inside me that felt threatened by the ideas or wanted to reject them as being “duh, that’s obvious” or trying to find some flaw in the idea that made it not resonate with me or my life. BUT– I made sure to hear out these inner thoughts that immediately sprang up and to challenge them. The result? Lots of growth. Rather than just hearing these concepts as a bunch of phrases I have heard, I know have a much better grasp on the meaning and depth that these ideas include, and how they really can be incorporated into my own life and shape me into a more innovative person.
In my life this semester, I have been more mindful during my daily walks by incorporating child’s eye and hyper observation. Previously, I find that I am often in sort of a “blinders on” trance walking to class where I can miss things that I would otherwise pick up when I am in an observant state. One benefit I have felt from this exercise is the passing of time- I feel like rushed and that I have more power over my time and thoughts, if that makes any sense. By taking these short spans of time between class to break free of other thoughts and to notice my surroundings, I have been able to relax more, focus on how I am feeling, and get into that curious and observant state where I can try to look at my surroundings with a fresh eye- I have noticed many things not only on campus but in my home town and neighborhood by doing this! During this time in particular, embracing ambiguity has been more applicable than usual in my life. Rather than being afraid of the unknown, I have “embraced it” by taking control of the things I can control (the meals I make, the schedule and routine I follow, my room and some of the home environment, etc), and to go with the flow and listen and join conversations about what’s happening rather than wasting energy simply worrying. This has allowed me to continue with my life despite all the new bumps and kinks we are all experiencing.
I have learned much about myself with respect to these habits– I want to focus on, in particular, is creative confidence. While I sometimes find myself feeling shy or uncertain in my life and sometimes in the classroom, I have always believed in my creativeness inside myself. But, while I knew I was creative, I lacked the creative confidence to use that to create things of and on my own and to further explore what I can do and just…do. I have also learned that I make assumptions about myself a lot without realizing it! I always assumed that I knew myself, but for example when we did this last design project, some of these assumptions proved wrong, for example if I like to follow a routine vs not, and what atmospheres I work best in.
One of these habits that comes most naturally to me is embracing ambiguity. Another one is being hyper-observant, which I have found myself to be at times, or more observant than others I know at times because I do like to take breaks to clear my head and walk around just for the purpose of walking around and seeing. But, going back to embracing ambiguity, I think that this is a habit that can definitely be strengthened by doing, and I’ve been faced with many unknowns/events where I did not know how it was going to end when I was younger, so I think that I became accustomed to understanding to accept it as best as I can and to find a way to make good and embrace the unknown rather than be afraid of it.
One habit that I want to work on the most is failing forward because this strongly applies to my life as a college student who is experiencing many things for the first time ever and is beginning to enter and find a path in the professional world. Relating back to what I said at first (how I would find something to challenge or disagree with), I felt some internal pushback due to the very strong statements made by the author of the article. BUT, I realized that there were so many great points, and I completely agree that failing forward is essential to make progress and move forward in life. Our failure resumes were an essential activity as part of the module, and I actually found the failure resumes of my peers to be helpful because they classified things as failures that I completely slipped my mind or I didn’t think counted as a failure when I made mine (ex. can’t back the car out of the garage without hitting something). By knowing to not be afraid of failure, I can go ahead and put myself out there, knowing that failure is not necessarily a setback, but simply a step to fail ahead and make more progress and learn from those experiences. I know that as I continue to interview and take part in my internship this summer, I will experience some sort of failure (which I realize now can encompass a broad range of things, failures don’t just have to be the big things like failing an interview). In fact, I know feel that I do not want to not experience failure. If everything goes right, how will we learn as much? While success is indeed important and I am definitely not preoccupied with failure by any means, i just think this idea of using failure to move forward and understand that our reaction to failure is important to how we pick ourselves up afterwards is really important to our success and growth in life.
One interesting thing I have noticed is how we are all such different people, and creative people can have different strengths and habits that have come naturally to them or they have really worked on to strengthen and incorporate into their lives. I have gotten really inspired to be more confident in showcasing my work and trying to make things using my creativity from an older MIDE major friend who has already graduated. I think that by having people to look up to or get inspired by will absolutely help me grow, and by continuing to practice these habits (and new ways to do so) is essential as well. I think that building an innovative character takes time and effort, and a lot can be drawn from inspiration and others. I was watching a youtube the other day with my friend (she had a video on how she became an entrepreneur and created her own brand after working a corporate job for a while), and it got the both of us really inspired to get creative and actually create things (taking pictures, making mood boards, learning how to code and design a website, etc). I will continue to try new things, and to not assume things about myself as best as I can (such as “I won’t enjoy that, or that won’t work for me, or I won’t be good at that so I should try this instead”). I also plan to work together with my other creative friends to continue to get inspired and build an innovative character through projects together and hopefully some trips and activities together this summer. I also found that listening to certain podcasts has been a great activity. I listened to one from the founder of Birchbox on how she created the company, and I thought this was very interesting, and you could see how innovative her ideas and the business model really was at the time (samples used to be free, throwaway things, now people PAY to get birchbox samples to try products out in smaller sizes, changing the way that consumers and beauty companies think about samples).
Test and Iterate
I changed my prototype jar using a memory jar I previously made (I would put receipts of memories in there such as little notes, movie tickets, museum tickets, etc). By combining these together, my previous prototype has really grown in strength and capacity. Now, not only can I be reminded of good memories and be inspired to make more after this social distancing and quarantine period, but I have added a new challenge to the jar. Now, when I pull out one of those memories, I will be challenged to rethink it in a new way- such as a way I could use that memory to make a new related one inside the house, or plan something related to that memory to do when this is all over. It will bring out more creativity inside me, and also work towards plans in the future. It is also just a fun experience to be reminded of good times and reflect on them and how I’ve changed since, like a diary. I also think it brings in another component I mentioned in my self-care concept, meditation and reflection. I can pull out memories and reflect on the components that went into it (physical space, businesses, weather, people, whether that or they are still around or how those components have changed since). This reflection will help me navigate my experiences and feelings in this new context of appreciating what we have/had while we must live in a smaller radius than before.
I have been following more of a routine with my prototype. I have been waking up earlier, and decided to do some sort of workout (could be something minor like an ab circuit some days) every day as another change. By including that as part of my daily routine, I have more structure and get more daily movement (which has been decreased compared to being at Bucknell with the dance team, walking to class, etc). Using the prototype has also led me to connect with my friends more meaningfully because previously, I had been sort of lazy about staying in touch.
Overall, my experience with my design has been a really positive one. I’ve found my days to be more productive and meaningful, and it no longer feels like I’m doing “nothing”. This has also (bonus) resulted in me having a better sense of what day of the week it is since each day has some distinct activities. I am also really glad to have had important conversations with my family that were provoked from my prototype activities- such as when we can get the family together, and why certain times work/ what people like to do since our schedules and interests are all pretty different (ex. I will not watch a horror movie, my mom always wants to watch those.
My overall experience utilizing the design process has also been very positive and informative. The inspiration and identification module was an eye opening step. At this point, I had been very confused on what the ultimate product would even be for this- I think I was overwhelmed and didn’t understand the extent to which we can have control over our lives in the environments we are in, and the extent we can shape our own environments by choice. I loved the conceptualization stage- this may have been one of my favorite stages. Putting down my ideas onto physical objects felt really good- especially the mood board part where I could get a sense of the idea and how it made me feel. Stage 4 of Exploration / Refinement and Stage 5, Definition / Modeling, were where I hit sort of a roadblock. It felt hard for me to then make a physical sketch of what the product could be, because I was thinking about the end product being a “thing” and not an experience, which was why I had been so confused. Stage 6, Communication, and Stage 7, Production were perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the design process for me, because I could actually have a physical prototype that I could share with others that really made sense to them and that I could finally use. The instant after I made the first draft of the prototype, I remember feeling as though it was perfect and that it needed no changes. But, I later realized that there were plenty of changes that could be made after testing out the prototype to improve it. Looking back at the progress since the beginning of the design process and along the way, I now understand not only the process making sense and distinguishing the different steps from each other, but I see the value in using the design process. Before this whole project and this class, I would have just jumped straight into making something after I had an idea. While this is still something good to do to get as many ideas out as possible, like we have done in class (ex. come up with as many apple pickers as you can), the process shows how an idea or ideas can evolve, change, and improve. I am also more aware of the multiple impacts and possibilities of design- how our ideas and designs can interact differently with different people and being aware of that, and how helpful it is to see things from someone else’s perspective- which also relates to not pigeonhole yourself into one idea that you block out possibilities for other ones or changes that could be made. At the end of all this, I am proud of myself for how I have developed throughout this design process, and I am happy at how my product turned out. I will continue to use it in the following weeks, and I can already see how it has positively impacted my social-distancing experience by helping me regain control of my surroundings, find a routine that is still novel day-to-day, and be a happier person in a better mood overall.
An Update from April 21st- My design product is still going strong! There are some better days than others, but overall I have seen how much value that my product has added to my life now that we are social distancing at home.
My Prototype
The prototype I created brings together my 3 concepts (self-care, self-development & learning, and quality time/engagement with family and friends). When I was first thinking about to make, I knew that I did not want to leave any of these concepts out, but I was curious how to have them together in one prototype when they are all pretty different from one another. As part of my inspiration process and to get in a creative and productive mindset, I went on Instagram and scrolled through my feed. A few days ago, I had followed some lifestyle and other bloggers that I felt like I could relate/connect with to get inspired. I saw some of these posts and read their paragraph story captions which were all really down to earth and real. I also stumbled across some 30 day fitness and 30 day photography challenges, which I am familiar with. But, I felt that for my personal self, I wouldn’t like that predetermined feeling of a planned challenge, and felt myself feeling rebellious in the future towards it when imagining planning one (ex. why do I have to decorate today and dot hat tomorrow, why not switch them based on my mood?). But, I did like that feeling of productivity that was present in the 30 day challenge, and how it really would get me to DO something and not just push it to a later date. So, I first decided to make 3 decks of card (each with a different color theme in case they got jumbled together so I could separate them). One deck per concept. But, I didn’t like how structured this was, and I wanted it to be more “together”, and add to my room decor and aesthetic. My mom gave me a “wish jar” which was sitting on my desk while I was thinking of all this, so I then decided to mix the cards up and put them in a jar that I then decorated. I thought this would be a fun way to give optional structure (I could pick from a certain color category depending on my mood), I could pick as many times a day as I want, or I could pick a card with my eyes closed.
I expect that this concept in my prototype will positively impact experiences during this quarantine time. Not only is it open to change (I can add or replace new ideas and activities inside the jar/decks), but it is also open to different users (I can connect with family by having them use it too if they want, or add ideas of their own that I may have missed). I also shared this prototype with friends and a meeting this morning with the Writing Center staff, and it sounded like some people were motivated and inspired by either the prototype or the 3 concepts I chose and some examples of each. I also think it would be fun to keep the jar evolving by redecorating the jar, moving it to different physical locations, making it a group or partner activity with a family member or friend on facetime, etc. It presents a challenge to motivate me and to work on those 3 concepts in a fun and exciting way.
3 Concepts
My first sketch models the concept of self-care. Self-care is so important especially during this time, and in order to succeed with school work, we first need to be in a solid mental state and not stressed out. I’ve included some activities that I know I enjoy and that work to de-stress and improve my mood and wellbeing as a whole. I’ve sketched taking a bath, using the new bath bombs and salts that I’ve picked up for the purpose of taking more special and quality baths, reading new books and starting new book series (I love reading and it always puts me in a good mood), and working out or doing yoga on the yoga mat. A change from usual is that I would be working out in my room, which I have cleared a space for, but for some workouts, I could follow along with online workouts, workout with my mom, or just do my own thing. I tried to sketch these different activities as being balanced- one for the mind, one for the body, and one for a “reset”/reflection/relaxation. The bubble bath connects to proficiency, as it specifically improves my previous shower experiences at college, and is better than my normal baths at home with the addition of the new and fun bath products I will be incorporating. This is also functional- it will serve what it was meant to do- care for my wellbeing through doing these activities. These are also reliable activities because they will always be options, I will be able to read books, the weights will always be the same weight options, etc. Usability and Creativity is also linked here since our own selves are not constants, I will be able to make adjustments as needed to each of these activities to make them fit to my needs, for example I can pick out a different book that I feel is what I need at the moment. I can take things in creative directions with workouts such as doing new ones, doing them with friends through facetime, online ones, or with my mom. This also pairs nicely with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, since it works towards self-actualization at the top and self-care is a part of the process.
My second sketch models the concept of quality time with family (pictured) and friends. Human connection is really important, and I’ve noticed that my family doesn’t often get together as much now because everyone is working and we can’t go out to places on the weekends so everyone kind of does their own thing. But, I want us to spend time together, and to solve this issue of everyone being busy or not knowing what to do, I want to plan family movie nights, or set aside some time after work or on weekends to play a game with everyone. And depending on what we feel like doing, this is extremely adaptable. Staying connected with friends through technology is also really important because, unlike my family, although we can’t physically be within 6 feet of one another or see each other as much, it is easier to find times to connect compared with my family who work late into the evening. Also by trying to make the little things happen like all eating dinner at the same time can make a difference. To make things more reliable, we could incorporate these activities into a schedule, roll a dice for a day, or make a calendar to plan out activities ahead of time so we can plan for those in our schedule. At the base of it though, is that we are all making an effort and know of possible options.
My third sketch models the concept of self-development, which includes learning and productivity for myself. There is a range of activities pictured, such as learning online by using new programs like adobe, cooking in the kitchen and trying new recipes, redecorating my room, trying to keep real plants alive for once instead of fake ones, making craft projects such as making photo displays, journaling, and writing. There is a lot of potential for proficiency and creativity in this sketch in particular, and again it connects with both hierarchy of needs.
Concept Board
To start off this concept board, I decided to create a color palette. I used adobe color to create my own colors using a color wheel and created my own custom colors into a color strip to represent a feeling. I made two separate color palettes because the first one felt very calming, organized, mellow, but I still wanted the vibrancy, playfulness, and hints of spring from the second color strip.
I made a list of feelings and ideas that created a collective mood that I wanted to embody in this concept board:
hygge
comfort
cleaning
organized
plants
pajamas
zesty
healthy
new
food and recipes
change
reading
books
journal
pastels
springtime
sunshine
productive
journaling
rest
facetime
connected
stretching
working out at home
family
learning
Once I have these ideas the first image I added besides those color strips I made previously was this wall decoration with the plants on it which I found particularly fitting because it made me visualize a circular in a seasonal rhythm where the plain part of the circle represents the period we are in now (winter, covid-19) since that area looks barren in contrast to the greenery that covers the other half of the circle mirror frame. I found a picture of a vase with a plant inside being used as a tea light candle holder so I included that because it marked this period of transition from the classroom to a home environment and this whole concept of innovation and trying new ways of doing things (and relates to our last IN class activity in MIDE 300). The leaves in the bottom left are all labeled with what kind they are so that represents learning and also a peaceful aesthetic that I want to surround myself with and have started to decorate my room with. The jar of flowers and lemons represent health, vitality, wellness, and cheer.
The spice jar that I added sit out to me because not only does it relate to cooking at home and try new recipes but the little note that says “season anything spice mixThe” represented this idea that you can make anything better or add a little bit of spice to your life if you really want to. The bookshelf in the corner that only represents reading for enjoyment, learning, and happy colors but it also represents organization and structure while still being whimsical. The man reclining on the chair reading a book also brought in a little bit of humor to this concept board. That image still gives me the sense of relaxation while being outdoors and doing something I enjoy (reading).
Of course, I wanted to add a sense of connection and being there with your friends and family while not necessarily being able to be physically close so I express that through a mixture of words and image (top center image). The overall color scheme also plays into this concept board.
Brainstorm and Reflection
I highlighted rather than circled 5 of these ideas that seem like they would be most impactful to helping me achieve my vision I created with my concept board.
I really enjoyed this module because it allowed me to be more mindful and reflective about the power I have in shaping my own life and how we can make those changes to make positive change.
For this brainstorming session, I set a time limit and sat down to start getting down ideas in a few different categories. At the very end, I stopped, then revisited my list the next day to see what still stuck and got me excited. My idea to make a photo collage and hang up photos on my wall in the new photo frame I got stood out because it connected to how I wanted to surround myself with positive and cozy decor in my concept board and to still feel connected with my friends without being able to physically be with them.
Spending quality time with family on weekends/after work also stuck because so far, it has been tricky to balance work and family time with my parent’s work schedules because they have been working late into the evenings on meetings and calls so it has been hard to spend quality time together. On my concept board I stressed the importance of people rather than things as well as being crafty, so this connects perfectly.
Doing online yoga and workout classes at the studio that my friend from home and I work out at is also something I want to continue. She pointed out that they had recorded classes online to do from home, and after trying one, I loved it. This connects to the brightness, self care, and health on my concept board.
Setting a “reading for fun” goal with books to read is something I have tried to do in the past but could get difficult time wise because of all the distractions and fun activities on campus. Now that I am at home and have more time by myself, there is no better time to sit down and read what I want. My love of reading is shown on my concept map as well.
My last top idea is to learn a new skill(s) or practice them (painting, using adobe, cooking). This is shown on my concept map with the spice jar that is an “anything spice”, representing that you can add spice to any aspect of your life and you can introduce something new to spice things up. I think trying new things will be a great way to have fun, continue learning, to engage with others who enjoy that hobby or know that skill, and to keep things ~spicy~.
Constraint Map and Reflection
Module 1 reflection:
The reading was very interesting to me in that I never really considered constraints to be a source of creativity in design, and I read about many ideas that I had never really thought about before or heard, such as this concept that “A project’s needs and limits are its constraints, and by identifying them, we understand what we need to engage with to create an effective design. We can then tap into our sources of inspiration and apply them to our projects, ” and Murphy’s Law (“The odds are always stacked against you, so stop being surprised about ii. Work with ii. Murphy’s law is not a defeatist principle, ii is a call for vigilance!”). I had heard that before, but it was never explained to me so I had always dismissed it as words from a pessimist. But, they clearly have so much value, especially with all the examples in the reading. The design for Princess Diana’s memorial was clearly flawed (explained in the readings the roots and contributors to how this came to be), and I can actually relate that to designs I have seen, such as the brand new (and expensive) elementary school they just built in my town. Inside the school on the second floors are lots of balconies and railings, but because the students are elementary-aged, the school has those all roped off and do not allow students to be within 6 feet. That 6 feet range away from the edges blocks off and waste SO much floor space, adding to hallway congestion. It can also be dangerous and downright tempting (I’ve heard students like to drop things down to see how they land on the first floor and get in trouble, all of which wastes people’s time). It seems that a better design for a younger-aged school would be to omit those balconies/ledges where you look down onto the first floor.
Looking at sources of news that have been circulating on the media, I found lots of positivity and inspiring posts, such as: A group of activists in the disabled community reported that they are “all too familiar with the feeling of being isolated and surviving in crisis mode” (kqued.com) so they are taking part in what they named the “Disability Justice Culture club” to band together and support the community. While encouraging others to take action and do the same, they are making kits of resources to send out to vulnerable people (such as homemade effective hand sanitizer and other supplies).
There are also articles from the LGBTQ community, such as one I read called “surviving a plague”, referring to the HIV/AIDS pandemic that affected their community. They offer stories and support from what they experienced that we can apply today during this pandemic. I also read an article from Astronauts who are sharing tips on “how to stay sane in isolation” which was really interesting.
One media outlet in particular that I looked at was twitter. A lot of people have been making light of the situation and are coping through humor and making funny content. There was a tweet I saw that referenced how Mozart (or another famous artist/writer) created (something really important, I forget what) during a quarantine in his day, and the poster compared that with a stick figure they created during this current quarantine. In general, lots of humor going around, and many memes.
On facebook and twitter, people are also sharing stories and interesting things. One I saw just now was a facebook group someone shared called “Cats of the Quarantine”. There’s lots of interesting things to consume and take part in to make quarantine life more enjoyable for all of us.
There are also people posting tips for self-care, guides for people who struggle with mental illness and are worried about getting worse if they are stuck at home, and daily quarantine routines that people post that people can follow or find inspiration from. Along with these are parodies of those routines and other parodies (again with the humor all over social media). Overall, people are still quarreling and fighting over things on platforms (ex. Arguments that people shouldn’t have taken tests because they should have saved those tests for more vulnerable people, even though that person tested positive and people replying saying not the blame the person but the overall lack of tests available, and then there are criticisms over the lack of tests and supplies, etc). But, there is also so much positivity, humor, and help that people are offering and spreading. Many companies are also doing donations and fundraisers, such as the clothing company Everlane who is donating 100% of proceeds from their Human’s collection to help support people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
I also read up on the 5 deadliest pandemics the world has experienced, and read up on the Swine flu and the Spanish flu to compare and contrast how the government and agencies reacted and recovered. The Spanish and Swine flu seemed awful and seemed especially relevant since those were more recent than past ones (ex. Bubonic plague). One note I made that stood out to me was that this is our first pandemic in the age of digital media, and false information and mass panic can spread faster than the virus online. This makes a difference because of how we get our information from a variety of sources, and how people communicate and produce content during this pandemic. I also read an article that directly contrasted how the government and agencies reacted (and how long it took) to react between Covid-19 and the swine flu. The US Government declared the threat only 2 days after versus a much longer time with Covid-19. There are also differences because of the virus itself and the long incubation period (4-14 days) before showing symptoms. But, there are many similarities between this pandemic and the past flu pandemics because of the qualities of the virus and how it affects us.
Tea Light
This was a little tricky to capture in a single picture, so I included a few pictures from different angles and a video to help see it more clearly! Also, all the paper IS far enough above and away around the tea light and it’s wick so it would NOT catch on fire if you were to light the candle within this holder #safety.
Inspiration- Week 4
This week for my inspiration, I found myself starting out in a bit of a rut. Recently, I’ve been doing lots of reading of many genres, but I suddenly found myself feeling stuck and bored of what I was reading (something not ordinarily in the genre I read). So, I got two new books- one from my friend and one for my own to get back into reading. But, I found myself “unable” to really start reading! I found myself constantly doing work/ studying for my midterms this week that after I was finished, my eyes felt too tired to sit down and read some more. So, instead of reading I decided to watch something instead. I got really into one show, but after watching (maybe a few too many) episodes in one day, I grew bored of it. I then decided to switch up the genre COMPLETELY from snippy rom-com with emphasis on comedy, to a documentary type show about improving struggling restaurants.
Surprisingly, I got really into it, but limited myself to two episodes so that I would be productive and not grow tired of the show. I then felt “sparked” on the subject of food and improving cuisine (like on the show). I changed up my daily smoothie recipe again and again, and began looking up restaurants in different places of the world because I found it fascinating for a variety of reasons- ex the restaurants in Italy versus the Italian restaurants in NYC. Then, I found myself drawn to my upcoming trip to NYC and my upcoming summer there, and began making a huge list of saved places on Google Maps that I wanted to visit and go to, beginning with restaurants, and ultimately expanding to a variety of other places and activities (such as attending live tapings of shows). By switching up my routine again, and by watching something new, I became inspired by learning about and seeing another topic (cuisine and the lives of other people since these restaurants in the show were in Malta and then in China). This led me to start doing research, and also to me getting excited. It also led me to start conversations and planning with other friends about what we want to do during Spring Break in NYC and over the summer there when some will live there too and when others will visit! Overall, I feel excited about experiencing new things- stemming back to after I watched this show about improving restaurants.
“Tart Crossed Lovers”
Inspiration – week 3
This week, I decided to go out of my way with purpose to disrupt my “usual” schedule and seek out inspiration. On Saturday, I went to go see “Little Women” which was playing at the campus theater. I walked there and tried to be especially mindful of my surroundings during the walk, and I really enjoyed the movie. It isn’t one of the types of movies I would normally or as commonly watch, but I really enjoyed watching something that is a little different than something I would ordinarily pick out on Netflix. Then, we had some beautiful weather on Sunday, so I decided to go for a walk around campus and downtown. Once downtown, I decided to sit in the bookstore and do some work, then I went to order coffee. Instead of ordering my usual iced mocha, I decided to order something I’ve never tried, and tried a custom cold brew recipe with one pump of vanilla and one of mocha. It was not what I was used to at first since it was less creamy and less sweet, but then I actually decided that I like it far better! I don’t think I’ll be ordering a normal iced mocha again now that I’ve (finally) tried something different. After I walked back to my room on Sunday, I then decided to do my work standing up (I put my laptop at the edge of my bed like a standing desk sort of set up), and opened up my windows to continue enjoying the weather.
On Sunday and throughout the next days, I was in an extra good mood and reflected on my weekend and what I did differently. I also continued to work through my “happiness: journal from last week’s inspiration post. I noticed that I was being more observant of my surroundings, more appreciative, and overall inclined to continue trying new things and not following the same pattern of motions from day to day. This relates to inspiration because by seeking out new experiences, I was able to discover how I felt about them and was inspired to continue trying new things and enjoying some of those new things I tried. My mind feels like it’s opening up to new possibilities for the future, and I also feel aware of this ability to adapt to change and enjoy these “disruptions” to such a routine schedule by adding novelty to them, and even just tweaking small things like putting my phone away during walks between classes to appreciate my surroundings.
Inspiration – week 2
For this week’s inspiration, I actually got a little book/journal (I’ve attached pictures of it to this post). Inside of it were areas to answer little prompts, that while small and short, actually got me thinking and reflecting on my life and what makes me happy in it, and how to make others happy In turn. There were also areas to doodle in and color, which helped spark my thought along the way. So, I spent some time just working through the journal and taking this time to reflect as I did this. The outcome was me being more mindful about who and what are in my life, my relationship to them, and how they make me happy. By working on this, I can better make other people around me happy, and work on bettering the relationships my life due to this reflection and mindfulness. This is related to inspiration because it helped put me in a state of reflection and made me feel inspired to go out and change my actions to better the relationships in my life and make others happy.
M + I + D Map
Inspiration- week 1
When I first approached this idea of practicing inspiration, I was reminded of some affirmations that we read in another reading for this class. I had copied some of my favorites down, including “ I feel joy within myself in all situations {say this as you visualize a stressful situation), I feel deserving of happiness, I feel joy in the happiness of others, My joy and happiness come from within me, for Self-actualization I put: I trust my inner self, I feel the presence of the divine within me, I allow myself to feel my feelings, I acknowledge my feelings about myself.” I was reminded of these because I feel that without having an established and confident sense of self WITHIN us, it can be hard to practice inspiration which often comes from OUTSIDE of us.
When I think of what inspires me, I know that watching dancers (ex. At millennium complex, viral dances online, etc) is really inspiring for me and my teammates (we do this often). So, I did that this week to get that feeling of inspiration that makes me want to get up and dance and try something new. Relating to this, I also went to look at other mind maps that were made in the other class, because I really enjoy getting inspired by the ones we see in our own class time. The outcome of all this was that I felt more motivated in the creative aspects of my life- I was more excited to go to dance practice, I attended a Creative Writing party, started a new book series (I used to read a lot). These activities led me to feel inspired, and with that inspiration, I felt sparks to take action and start writing for fun again, felt my imagination wandering from the books, and shared this joy and excitement with my friends and people who I know are interested in writing/reading to inspire them too and recommend new books. My friend recommended a book series for me to read, and I was able to start and finish it, which then made her really happy in return. These sources of inspiration have overall put me in a happy and creative state where I feel that I can be more observant of the world around me- and continue to seek out more inspiration.
KitchenAid Mixer
Design
Dental Floss
Johnson Mind Map
Mind Map
Getting out in the Open
One thing that I want to do in this class to break my personal norms in the classroom environment is to stop hesitating and just “do”. I feel that oftentimes when a question is asked, I hesitate to speak up or raise my hand, and then miss out on giving an answer after someone else calls out the answer or raises their hand first. I also want to be more confident in my ideas because I find that sometimes my thoughts are similar to one someone else already said, and I worry that it is not different enough or that it isn’t as good, so I keep it to myself. However, by not hesitating as much and by believing in the ideas I have, I know that I’ll be able to contribute value to the class overall by giving my input. The more ideas the better!