BLOG 2: No mistakes, just happy accidents.

 

This week I completed the finishing touches on my maple leaf painting. This piece went from a realistic maple leaf to a very abstract style painting in a short time. This switch was not on purpose, rather a series of what Bob Ross would refer to as, "happy accidents." It’s only up from here! :)

After painting, I thought about a couple of reasons I chose this specific occupation out of all the other occupations that exist out there. I concluded that painting would allow me to strengthen my creative side. I have found that I feel more fulfilled when there is a balance between all areas of my life. For the most part, I do pretty well nurturing my physical body through diet and exercise because I have worked hard to develop these skills in the past. I tend to place a high value on health and education in this present moment. However, my artsy and creative side could use some love and attention. In my mind it makes sense that if I develop my painting skills, I will improve my self identity as being more balanced. This thought process has encouraged me to go about this new skill with a flexible and fun mindset rather than a checklist mindset of just getting it done like I tend to do while performing other occupations. In class we talked about the importance of meaningful occupation and how it relates to not only a meaningful life, but a meaningful identity. Painting regularly might allow me to feel like I am building my identity to become the most well rounded version of myself through participating in all types of occupations, not just the ones I am comfortable with.

The Raanaas, Lund, Sveen, & Asbjornslett (2019) reading explored the concept of “occupational biography.” It is powerful to think about who we are and who we will become in the future in relation to the occupations we regularly carry out. I believe that intentionally reflecting on my own occupational biography has allowed me to understand my strengths and weaknesses. I purposely chose painting because I knew it was a skill that did not come naturally to me. My hope is that by the end of the semester, I can look at my paintings and feel proud of the fact that I tried something new without the expectation of achieving perfection. This new skill will allow me to add another layer of meaning to my life, which is so much more impactful than mastery alone. I like to think of these layers of meaning in relation to a cake. The more layers of cake and icing, the better the slice. The more occupations we participate in, the more layers we add to our lives, which results in a life full of purpose and satisfaction. This leads to improved self esteem which is a vital component of identity.

Ruth Kjærsti Raanaas, Anne Lund, Unni Sveen & Mona Asbjørnslett (2019) Re-creating self-identity and meaning through occupations during expected and unexpected transitions in life, Journal of Occupational Science, 26:2, 211-218, DOI: 10.1080/14427591.2019.1592011