Writing About Your “Self” Life Mapping.ppt

Writing About Your “Self”: Life Mapping Troy University (Main Campus) Student Support Services (SSS) Objectives are to . . . Teach students to use a life map as a memory wake-up strategy, and motivational writing and planning device. Teach students that life maps help them visualize their individual life journeys. Teach students the power of autobiographical thinking and narration. Promote “self” awareness, identity and creative expression in college writers. Inspire students to assess themselves and not wait for others to determine their self-worth or value. Shakespeare wrote . . . There are a various ways to identify, define or think of yourself. Four Ways to Define Yourself Externally Internally Subjectively Objectively How do you define yourself? You can define yourself based on your Externally – Example: Your job or position (writer; full-time student; stay-at-home dad; minister of music at my church) or some tangible valuables in your possession (owner of a summer home in the Florida everglades; Internal resources – Example: Your personality characteristics (kind, impatient, rowdy, optimistic) How can you define yourself? (cont). Objectively (factually / without opinion) Subjectively (creatively / uniquely / based on opinion) Autobiographical Writing Is a way to identify yourself in various ways . . . Gives you a chance to be creative. Gives you an opportunity to be self-conscious. Self-Conscious – “intensely aware of oneself” (Merriam Webster) – Importance of being “Intensely Aware” Self-Conscious – “intensely aware of oneself” (Merriam Webster) Self Conscious does not have to have the negative connotation that that the person is Shy, lacks confidence, or is overly concerned about what other people think. An intense awareness can be a powerful and empowering awareness of one’s self. If someone is intensely aware of himself or herself, then he can analyze his own limits and strengths and not rely on others to judge hi