Learning Challenge: Gratitude

Gratitude.

This extra credit assignment on gratitude started with one video (linked below) called The Amazing Effects of Gratitude. I liked it a lot. It talks about gratitude's location on the emotion scale. It talked about people tracking how grateful they were for a week and each day what they were grateful for. After following this month after month, happiness increased. The idea was that a gratitude journal improves the physical, emotional, and mental health of individuals over time.

Then, on the suggested videos sidebar I saw, The Gratitude Experiment (also linked below). It suggested that a gratitude journal is also beneficial, but went on to challenge the watcher to do an activity. This activity was actually one of several in what the speaker called a well cast journal.

I followed to the related videos that introduced the idea of this WellCast journal and liked the idea. I have decided to watch these videos for the next several weeks and participate in the challenge. If you are interested here is the link. WellCast Challenge

I hope to keep you guys updates on this ass I complete the tasks in the Learning Challenge Extra Credit Posts!

I am a sucker for personal development!

Image Information: Gratitude Quote by Steve Maraboli

Post/ Photo Credit: BK

Source: Flickr

Sources:
The Amazing Effects of Gratitudehttps://youtu.be/_sokh9e2WGc

The Gratitude Experiment

https://youtu.be/U5lZBjWDR_c

Growth Mindset: Insight to How Praise Effects Me

HI!

After watching Carol Dweck - A Study on Praise and Mindsets a presentation by Trevor Ragan I got to thinking very introspectively.

I chose this particular video at random. It ironically matched up with this week's discussion on feedback. It also goes back to what I was saying when we first were introduced to Growth Mindset in this class. 

Growing up I would've been the kid who was praised by being called intelligent, and then because of that, I didn't give up when things were difficult. I didn't get frustrated. I just avoided it all together. I think that is really a shame. I am a smart girl who has always put a lot of effort into the things I do, but I typically never kept doing things I wasn't good at the first try. 

I thnk of if I would have been praised and given feedback through the Growth Mindset how many more things I would've attempted or kept doing in life.

When I was 8, I tried playing the guitar. It was difficult, and I was not naturally good, so I stopped. 

When I was 17, I tore my ACL, MCL, and meniscus cheering. I had planned on trying out at here at OU with confidence I would make the team. It took me 18 months to recover, and I had lost so much time that I did not even try to apply myself to rehabilitate to the point where I would be able to try out. I just stopped. 

I think that I missed out on a lot of growth opportunities because of a fixed mindset that was wrong. I hope always to approach others with a Growth Mindset, and eventually keep changing my mindset as well.

Image Information: Growth Mindset

By: Jessica Ottewell

Source:Flickr

Sources:

Carol Dweck - A Study on Praise and Mindsets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv1VdDeoRY&index=4&list=PLrWYQjLLbXcinSlIDzuKWSxh_XzkZP0_b

Feedback Thoughts: Giving and Receiving Feedback

HELLO!!!!

I have attached the articles I read for this assignment at the bottom of the page.

I think the topic of giving and receiving feedback is important to read about and study. I truly believe that each generation gives and receives it differently. Maybe more specifically each individual gives and receives it differently. However, I do believe there are several main ideas and ways to the approach feedback that can help all individuals. 

I remember growing up how hard my dad was on me. He wasn't extreme, just extremely expectant. He knew I was capable therefore he pushed me hard. He always rewarded me when I did well but failed to provide reassurance or feedback (that was positive) when I did not meet his expectations. 

I believe because I grew up that way I am able to give feedback well because I recognize how much it can help people grow, but I have always struggled to receive feedback. Mostly negative feedback, or constructive feedback.

The articles I read had great points about trying to promote growth mindset, as well as ways to be a mirror, not a critic. I also liked the way the articles talked about self-thoughts. I believe that often people receive negative feedback, but are overly sensitive or emotional to be able to apply it. Then, on the opposite spectrum, people are too expectant to hear positive feedback for things that they should be doing because it is in their job description, in their handbook, or because it is simply the right thing to do.

Personally, I work with volunteers every day at work and it is important that I am able to give feedback to them as best and most effectively as I can.

I love feedback and learning how to receive it can definitely shape you and help you grow.

I love self-help books and such. So, I found these articles really insightful!!

Image Information: Feedbag, not feedback 

Photo Credit: Karl Horton

Source: Flickr

Why rejection hurts so much — and what to do about it, by Guy Winch

http://ideas.ted.com/why-rejection-hurts-so-much-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head, by Sabina Nawaz

https://hbr.org/2016/12/silence-the-critical-voices-in-your-head

Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset, by Gravity Goldberg

http://literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-daily/2015/12/08/be-a-mirror-give-readers-feedback-that-fosters-a-growth-mindset

Presence, Not Praise: How To Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Achievement, by Maria Popova

https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/05/23/stephen-grosz-examined-life/

Week 2 Story Planning: Forgiveness for Lya

Ahalya's Story

Within the first few sentences, I am thinking beauty and the beast. Belle and Gaston specifically. 

Indra could be a stocker. It is morbid, but this could be a suspenseful rather than a fairytale.

The adultery reminds me of two things. 1. David and Bathsheba 2. The x-man movie where the blue girl changes appearances and sneaks into Wolverines tent as the girl he is interested in.

The body being covered by the female organ is just gross. Guess that would show the world where your thoughts lie for sure.

It would be cool to write and shed light on Ahalya thoughts while she was stone.

Rama reminds me of Jesus sometimes, "let your heart not be burdened with what is past and gone" (pg. 21). Just as Jesus tells the woman from the well, to get up and sin no more.

Ahalya is going to be called Lya for simplicity of me remembering the name and for pronunciation purposes.

Brahma will be Lya's, father/creator. (In the sense of God)
Sage Gautama will be called Sagu in this story. (He will be like a living holy spirit/Jesus)

Indra will be like Kind David from the bible in a sense. He will also be devilish.

I would like to map the story out as follows...

Brahma creates and loves (like a daughter) Lya. He realizes the world and the things in it are corrupt and disgusting, so he sends her to be with Sagu. Sagu protects her as well as gives her a sense of peace, joy, and understanding from right/wrong.
One day when Lya is old enough to make decisions on her own because Sagu has taught her and guided her well, but her father sees she is in good hands and wants her to stay with Sagu.
Lya will grow up and live in a village having a nice life, she even has a crush on a boy in the village.

Indra will be a married man.
In the middle of the story, Indra will see Lya bathing on her rooftop. Indra will be overfilled with temptation and approach Lya.

Indra appears in the shape of Lya's crush from the village professing his love for her and his desire to be with her.

Lya will be flattered, and they will have relations. A village friend accidentally will barge in and see what is happening. She will freak about the relations causing Lya to see clearly. She will see past Indra's disguise. Indra will flee, but the woman will drag Lya out to the city center where she will be surrounded by all the city folk. They are all ready to kill her or exile her or something.

Sagu will walk upon the incident convicting all the bystanders of their wrong doings, getting Lya off the hook, and pushing her on to a better life telling her that if she were ever to do something foolish like that again, it is possible she would be turned to stone for the rest of her life.

Then Lya will go, and the story will end.

Image Information: David and Bathsheba

Bathsheba bathing on the roof by Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée

Source: Wikimedia

Please note the things in red were my reading notes.

Sources:

Narayan, R. K. (1972). The Ramayana: a shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic. Penguin.http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/05/week-1-of-2-narayans-ramayana-reading.html

English Standard Version. Bible Gateway. Web. 25 Jan. 2017

Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Section B

Chapter 4

Encounters in Exile

I thought it was fascinating that Rama has the ability to deny temptation, and see people for who they really are like the beautiful goddess in the forest.

I also thought the goddess went to crazy extremes.

I could possibly write about Rama choosing to trick the goddess instead of denying her.

Rama's brother is so awesome. He doesn't get talked about enough in the story, so It might be cool to follow him and his thoughts.

The goddess is pissed about Rama denying her and plots against him, but what if it would have been successful?

Chapter 5

The Grand Tormentor

The book has spent so much time building up Ravana 

It is interesting how Ravana's sister shifted her love for Rama to Sita being a fitting woman for her brother. Very smart of her.

The way everyone is so overcome with love throughout the stories is interesting. I could take the stories from a completely different perspective and be "love" like the holy spirit that swept through Egypt taking the lives of firstborn sons in unmarked homes, I could be writing as love, the swift moving criminal who infects people with obsession.

Sita became obsessed with materialism and that caused her to end up in the hands of Ravana.

The golden deer reminds me of the golden calf (mostly because it is gold, but also because it is idolized) 

The story ends here with Rama searching for his bride. 

Ravana is savage and killed the old helper dude who is a bird. The bird guy was loyal and bought some time for Rama to catch up.

 

Image Information: Ravana Approaches Sita 

By: Chitra Ramayana

Source: Wikimedia

Sources:

Narayan, R. K. (1972). The Ramayana: a shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic. Penguin.http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/05/week-1-of-2-narayans-ramayana-reading.html

Reading Notes: Narayan's Ramayana, Section A

Chapter 1

Ramas Initiation

Viswamithra seems mysterious, maybe he is evil?

This story reminds me of Abraham and Sarah and their faith through Sarah's barrenness because Dasaratha prayed for children.

I like how it talks about a child leaving a parent like a seedling leaving the tree.

The travel through the desert was super descriptive. Maybe I can write of this as the age of dinosaurs.

It seems strange the boys had enough faith and obedience to follow Viswamithra.

Thataka's Story

I think the biggest thing that stood out to me was the extent to which Thataka was serpent-like. Maybe I make her a snake.

I also feel like it would be interesting to write about her son's. Like a, where are they now?

Also, What about Rama's brother in became irrelevant very quickly

Mahabali's Story

So Rama is human too but doesn't know it? Does he live two lives at the same time with no idea of the other existing life?

This story confused me very much. I struggled to follow.

It was interesting how three steps grew It reminds me of a genie in a bottle type of situation

Ganga's Story

I like the way the horse trots through the lands. The horse determines what land is owned by the horse's owner. It is like fate. 

The idea of oceans being formed from where the boys dug for the horse is a cool visual.

The story ended with the telling of a new story, as they commonly have. I like this writing technique. It would be cool to introduce new characters through another character story over and over without ending the original story. This means there would always be a transfer of the main character.

Ahalya's Story

Within the first few sentences, I am thinking beauty and the beast. Belle and Gaston specifically. 

Indra could be a stocker. It is morbid, but this could be a suspenseful rather than a fairytale.

The adultery reminds me of two things. 1. David and Bathsheba 2. The x-man movie where the blue girl changes appearances and sneaks into Wolverines tent as the girl he is interested in.

The body being covered by the female organ is just gross. Guess that would show the world where your thoughts lie for sure.

It would be cool to write and shed light on Ahalya thoughts while she was stone.

Rama reminds me of Jesus sometimes, "let your heart not be burdened with what is past and gone" (pg. 21). Just as Jesus tells the woman from the well, to get up and sin no more.

Chapter 2

The Wedding

What if Rama seeing Sita was a dream?

Incorporating Deja Vu, or what they thought was Deja Vu, but actually glimpses of their heaven life together.

The sins as a bird is an interesting thought.

She was sick with love literally is something to mention.

I like how it gives insight to both lovers thoughts and perspective

Shiva is like a Disney princess, like Jasmine.

Rama and the bow remind me of Thor and his hammer or King Arthur and his sword

Sitas threat to end her life gives a very Romeo and Juliet vibe.

I could have Ramas father die before making it to the wedding

Viswamithras leaving is sad.

All 3 boys got marries, with no detail of their love stories, besides Rama's.

Chapter 3

Two Promises Revived

I could write that Rama doesn't want to be king or is killed by his brothers

Dasaratha's current wife Kaikeyi is easily manipulated by her servant

Ramas brother loyalty is crazy

Bharatha's mother was evil.

What the agreement the came to was good. 

I liked this story. It will be difficult to change. Maybe I will write of the reason everyone loved Rama

Image information: Personal photo

Ruger trying to help me read The Ramayana

Image Information: Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in the forest

Author: Raja Ravi Press

Source: Wikimedia

Sources:

Narayan, R. K. (1972). The Ramayana: a shortened modern prose version of the Indian epic. Penguin.http://iereadingguides.blogspot.com/2015/05/week-1-of-2-narayans-ramayana-reading.html