The following are templates to help you understand yourself more fully and decide what is next. You can do these on your own, with family members or friends, or ask a teacher or mentor for help.
Part a: Self-reflectionSelf Reflection Exercise
By Liz Campbell, PhD |
Part B: my planSome people love to have a schedule and a definite plan, some like to be free-form and invite each day to unfold as it may, and some like a mix.
The decision to be a FL does not mean that now you need to create a time-table. Nor does it mean that you can’t create a schedule if that’s what you would like. For some FLs the transition to more freedom will be challenging; school has generally told you what to do. For others it will be easier; you have a passion and now you have the time to peruse it to your heart’s content. For some, the insights from the “Now what?” section will have formed into a natural plan. However, if you are looking to create a more detailed plan or devise a schedule for yourself, here are some tools and resources that may be helpful. |
1. Who am I?
There are many ways to answer this question and there is no “right” answer. This question is about your values, beliefs, interests, skills, passions, and worldview. Perhaps you already have some ideas about how to dig a little deeper so go right ahead, start digging. You can write, doodle, draw, take pictures, and so on, whatever you are inspired to do to represent your response.
If you need some additional suggestions here are a few that I have used for my own self-study and with high school students, university students, and teachers who are doing self-study professional development.
If you need some additional suggestions here are a few that I have used for my own self-study and with high school students, university students, and teachers who are doing self-study professional development.
- You can Google search “free personal values assessment” and try some different assessments. I like the Barrett’s Value Assessment and have used it many times. You do have to provide an email address to get your results, but it is quite safe to do so. You can do several assessments and compare the results but remember these are simply tools and you need to trust your own critical thinking. The Barrett Value Center also offers some additional ideas for further exploration of your values. Whatever you do, enjoy the journey.
- Another thing to think about is your worldview (how you see and interpret the world and how you think you interact with the world). My personal favorite is Annick De Witt’s. You can also do a Google search for Indigenous worldviews or cyclical worldviews or non-Western worldviews to see if anything else piques your interest.
- You could explore the tree of contemplative practice and see what resonates with you, what you would like to explore, what you already do, and so on. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for printable trees, including a blank one.
- You can do the same kind of search for a free personal assessment of your skills, passions, and interests. I suggest doing a Boolean search to refine your results.
- Once you identify some of your core values or specific principles in your world view, you can do a search on Youtube, Ted Talks, Vimeo, Upworthy, RSA Animate and other platforms to find out a little more information. Often our values are something we take for granted or assume that we know what we mean by these abstract concepts, but if we try to define them we stumble around a bit. We should be able to provide a definition of what these terms mean to us. By doing so, we gain a deeper understanding of what it requires to live more fully according to our values.
2. what do I need?
Now that you have identified your values and other concepts that define your unique self and how you interact with others and your world, it is important to consider what you need in order to keep yourself engaged, supported, and cared for. Take some time to reflect on what this might mean for you.
Here are some examples:
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3. what do I enjoy doing?
Now you know what you need in your life, but that might not mean you know what you want to focus on. That’s ok! This time is all about exploring that, changing it, and challenging your expectations. Make a new list about the things that make you happy, the things that get you excited to wake up in the morning.
You might even notice that there are similarities between what you need and what you enjoy, which will help guide your direction. For example, if you need time outdoors, and you enjoy spending time with animals, maybe it would be worth exploring the opportunities that combine these things. Talk to people in your community who have these experiences! Start a group of people with like minded interests. Talk to a teacher about it and see what they know. Ultimately, you can decide that you spend your time surrounding yourself with things you enjoy. And when we enjoy what we do, it doesn’t feel like work.
You might even notice that there are similarities between what you need and what you enjoy, which will help guide your direction. For example, if you need time outdoors, and you enjoy spending time with animals, maybe it would be worth exploring the opportunities that combine these things. Talk to people in your community who have these experiences! Start a group of people with like minded interests. Talk to a teacher about it and see what they know. Ultimately, you can decide that you spend your time surrounding yourself with things you enjoy. And when we enjoy what we do, it doesn’t feel like work.
4. now what?
Now that you have a deeper understanding of yourself (your values, beliefs, etc.) it is time to think about next steps. What will you do differently? What would you like to learn? What do you want to improve?
Begin by answering the following questions:
Self-Reflection Guide by Dr. Liz Campbell. Contact Liz for more support.
Begin by answering the following questions:
- What do I want to improve?
- What would I like to know how to do?
- Where can I go to do the things I enjoy?
- What would l like to spend most of my time on?
- What would I like to try that I have never done?
- Who might help me answer my questions?
- What else?
Self-Reflection Guide by Dr. Liz Campbell. Contact Liz for more support.
references
- Dadds, M., & Hart, S. (2001). Doing practitioner research differently. London, UK: RoutledgeFalmer.
- Holt, J. (1989). Learning all the time: How small children begin to read, write, count, and investigate the world without being taught. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.
- Mann, B. (2008). Double wampum. In Four Arrows (Ed.), The authentic dissertation: Alternative ways of knowing, research, and representation (pp. 40-47). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
- Whitehead, J. (1989). Creating a living educational theory from questions of the kind, “How do I improve my practice?” Cambridge Journal of Education, 19(1), 41-52. doi:10.1080/0305764890190106
"You've forgotten--but you knew once--when you were a very small child. So that's the place to start our search for the lost treasure map of your talents: in the first five precious and mysterious years of your life--the greatest learning period you ever had. I'll tell you one thing about who you were then. You were a genius."
-Barbara Sher, Wishcraft