Facing Your Fears

Part 2: Poem

Write a hip hop (poem) about facing your fears.  This is great hip hop battle stuff right here.  Your hip hop should be at least 16 lines in length, and it should have a rhyme scheme.  Consider it a battle, but you're battling your inner fears, obstacles, and anxieties, as opposed to another rapper.  Have fun with it.  Be creative. 

One, Two, Three, Four

I pray this can be over so I can walk out this door 

Five, Six, Seven, Eight

I debate if I should even go; making me late

Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve 

God why do I have to go through this hell 

Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen

My anxiety went from a one to a ten

Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty

I would love to be anywhere but here 

Ahmed... 

My name is called 

Its time...

The wait is over

The nervousness is over 

The anxiety is over 

Fears And Obstacles

Part 1: Journal

Expand upon your list of fears, assets, and obstacles.  Write a three paragraph journal that focuses on identifying these aspects of yourself, how they are affecting you, and what you can do with them to move forward on your journey.  Elaborate on why these obstacles are there, if you can control them, and what ways can you healthily process fears and anxieties.  Be sure to include images.  

I have a huge fear of failing in school and not making anything out of myself. I grew up in a huge family that all went to big universities, and being the only one to be going to community college is tough. Growing up I was always reminded that I shouldn't go to a community college. And having siblings that have gone to universities and constantly being compared to is not fun. I always viewed community college as something bad, because I was taught that throughout my life. 

When the time came that I was applying to community college I was depressed I had a lot of anxiety because I didn't know what to expect next. I felt like I let my family down, they had so much high expectations that I was affected negatively. As the semester went by my family still loved me just as much as before. And I only view this as a step in my journey.

I can't control my obstacles but I've learned that life has its up and downs. However I am able to make my lows feel better by doing the things I love like playing a sport or working out because it distracts me from whats bothering me. And I plan try to get through this obstacle and the only thing between me and my goal it time. 

When I stop, I notice...

For this week's poem, we'll write about mindfulness experiences.  Being present is powerful.  It will help lead us towards the next steps - in the most appropriate way.  Write a 20 line poem about what you see when you stop and reflect.  If you'd like, try to do a quick breathing exercise before you write.  Sit somewhere quietly and focus only on taking deep breaths.  Try this out for a few minutes.  Some people like to count numbers or use a mantra (a word they like to repeat over and over - like a positive affirmation - see Week 1).   You could also practice one of the techniques outlined in the "Mindfulness" document posted below.

The title and first line of your poem will be:

When I stop, I notice the beauty of life

We tend to ignore the little things in life

I'm so caught up in things 

It crazy because we plan so far into the future

But we really don't know if we will see tomorrow

So when you stop for a second

It hits you 

We all are victims to it 

It doesn't hit you until you have a second to stop

Or when something tragic happens 

Sadly it hit me when my grandmother passed

It was a dark time in my life 

I was depressed because she meant so much

I felt that I didn't cherish her enough

But at that moment 

I got closer with my family

And now I cherish every second I have with them

You don't know what you have until its gone

So when I stop

I notice the beauty of life

Into The Present Moment

In a new blog post, this week we are going to do a free write exercise.  All you have to do is just write about your day, your week, or whatever is on your mind.  Please write three paragraphs about what is going on with you in YOUR PRESENT MOMENT.  You can focus on feelings, relationships, jobs, school - anything that is on your mind.  Don't forget to include pictures in your post (you should have 3 or more).  Have fun with this.

This week was very long. I had a bunch of things to get down and it made me very stressed. It also didn't help that I had work Monday through Friday. I had to study for a midterm on sunday, get two chapters of math done, and get catch up on some reading for my other class. Every day I got out of work at seven then I would go to the library to study for my math midterm that I took today (sunday). I felt confident that I was going to do well but what really was taking a toll on me was the lack of sleep. And I tend to worry a lot and then that causes stress.

Up until Saturday I was studying for this midterm. The next thing that I had to get done was two chapters off my math text book that took me the whole day since I also had to take online quizzes on the chapter. So I've had a very busy week which was very stressful. But it mad me appreciate the times that I had on vacations, it also made me look forward to my next vacation which made me think about where I want to go for next. 

And I noticed that its slowly been getting colder and colder. Which I am not looking forward to, I think winter is the worst time of the year. I think it does have some good about it but I also think that it is just to cold and I am not looking forward to the snow. Second to me I consider fall to be the "sundays" of  all seasons. Its when everyone goes back to there fast pace lifestyles. The weather gets colder, nobody looks forward to it and winter is a "monday". It also gets dark super early which I don't look forward to. Its very depressing, I think that weather has a huge effect on how people feel and what mood they are in. But the one good is that there is a vacation so you can get away or take a break from what you are doing.

Alchemy Poem

This week, please write a poem that tries to define what psychological alchemy is.  What does it mean to you?  What does it mean about reality?  Read my lecture, view the videos, then try to teach this term to your readers through expressive art.  

What can alchemy do for you?

Alchemy Poem

Alchemy is luck 

You try to make something that is ugly 

Into something that has beauty 

There are many things in life that are ugly

But if you look closely there is a propose

A durian has a terrible smell 

But it taste like heaven 

A tree doesn't seem like it has a purpose in life

But if you look closely it has a great purpose

It helps us get oxygen to breath 

And it takes in all the CO2 from us

Even though the purpose of alchemy is to make something better

One hundred percent of the time it already has potential to be great 

My mother always told me everything in life has a purpose

The random pebble on the floor had a story before 

And it will have a story after

It makes you look at things differently  

Alchemy basically helps something that is already great

It doesn't always turn something bad into something good

But it something into something better

Blessing in disguise

This week, I'd like you to write about a "blessing in disguise".  This would be a moment or occurrence in your past that, at first, seemed like a "bad" situation, an incredible challenge, or a even a defeat.  But what makes you alchemize that situation, is that you had some time to see that there was a lot of good from it.  It was a learning experience.  It's usually a moment of change.  Maybe it taught you a lesson.  Maybe it created a space or opportunity for something new to come into your life.  Maybe it changed you in a big way - for the better.  Please write at least 3 paragraphs: 

   

A blessing in disguise is always good. Its like the fruit durian, it can be the worst thing in the world but when you eat it, it taste like heaven. One experience in my life that was similar is attending a community college. I always thought that it would be a terrible experience. I always thought I was going to attend a university. Its not that i'm not smart, but I just didn't have a good work ethic. 

When I found out that I would have to attend community college.I felt depressed and ashamed that I couldn't go to a university. It was tough watching all my friends and classmates go off to universities and that I would have to stay back and go to community college. It wasn't fun seeing all my friends talk about the fun and awesome experiences they were having in university. I was going through a lonely time, all my friends were away at university and I was still at home preparing to attend community college. I spent days at class then would go back home were I would feel lonely and I got depressed. 

But with time I noticed that there is no way to speed up time so that I can enjoy the same experience that my friends were having. I just have to do what I have to do to get there. So over time my perspective of my situation changed. I am saving more money than all of my friends and I am still able to live with my family and have a job. So I noticed that it was kind of a blessing in disguise and over time I became content with my situation. I always my life as a marathon and this is just another mile of my marathon.   

Ahmed Farah