Risk-Taking

Senior year presents itself with many options: where to live, where to attend school, what to study, etc. Though I would like to study creative writing and psychology in college, I have no idea whether or not I'll end up staying in Chicago or moving to New York. Frankly, it scares the shit out of me. Will I be well enough to even consider The New School of New York? Who knows?

It's important to practice taking healthy risks so that I will be confident enough to consider moving away as an option, rather than safely staying at home. Doing this involves practicing:

Self-Confidence : Allowing one to please one's self and somewhat eradicate anxiety associated with change.

Freedom : Understanding how free to do what one pleases one truly is.

Boundaries: Not allowing others' goals to get in the way.

What risks have you held back on?
What risks have you taken?

Sticky Situations

My therapist noted recently that, rather than ask for a garbage can, I'll simply stick my chewed gum into a wrapper back into my pocket. This may not seem like much, but to a therapist, it's a goldmine of information.

What it means: I would rather risk getting myself into sticky and messy situations than take care of myself. At first, I thought this was a long shot, but it now makes complete sense. I have difficulty getting my needs met first, even if it means a risk. If I don't ask for a garbage can, I risk the gum sticking to the inside of my jeans; if I do, I take care of myself first, even if it means interrupting our session momentarily.

Getting my needs met first: Meaning, taking care of what I need even if it involves slightly inconveniencing others. Personally, this means setting appropriate boundaries to maintain safety and security in relationships; asking for help; and speaking my mind rather than allowing others' opinions to take precedence.


I'll continue to explore the theme of boundaries in later posts. For now:
Do you have any unique quirks that may mean something?
Have you identified where you need to set boundaries in your life?

Photo Update 8-18-2010

I haven't taken pictures for a while (laziness, job, tiny social life, etc.) but here's an interesting take on my old photos:








I used this tutorial to create a "vintage" look on all of those photos. It was surprisingly simple and inspired me to use my software, Gimp, more often. I'm pleased by the dingy, grungy look it creates by layering yellow, blue, and pink over the photograph.

With regards to my absence, I plan on getting back into blogging more often immediately; I've got a couple of topics planned out and look forward to writing!