Writing About Yourself

7/29/2019 Writing About Yourself

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Writing About

Your Self:LifeMapping

Troy University(Main Campus)

Student Support

Services (SSS)


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ec ves are

to . . . Teach students to use a life map as a memory wake-upstrategy, and motivational writing and planning device. Teach students that life maps help them visualize their

individual life journeys.

Teach students the power ofautobiographical thinking andnarration.

Promote self awareness, identity and creative expression incollege writers.

Inspire students to assess themselves and not wait for others todetermine their self-worth or value.


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Shakespeare

wrote . . .To thine own self betrue.

In order to be true to yourself, youmust think about your entireself, not just the parts that

make you look or feel great.

1. If you are truthful when viewing yourself,then you can see similarities betweenyourself and others.

2. To be extreme is to have flaws, as well as

great qualities.


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There are a various ways to

identify, define or think of yourself.

Four Ways to Define Yourself

Externally

Internally

Subjectively

Objectively


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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 mychurch) orsome tangible valuables in your possession

(owner of a summer home in the Florida everglades;

Internal resources

Example: Your personality characteristics (kind,

impatient, rowdy, optimistic)

Source: http://www.creatingstrategies.com/articles/life_mapping/who_are_you


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How can you define yourself? (cont).

Objectively (factually / without opinion)

Subjectively (creatively / uniquely / based

on opinion)

Do you agree of disagree with this

statement?

What you see is not always what you

get or all that you get. There is often

more beneath the surface than there is

on the surface.


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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)


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Importance of being

Intensely Aware

Self-Conscious intensely aware of oneself(Merriam Webster)

Self Conscious does not have to have the negativeconnotation 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 empoweringawareness of ones self. If someone is intensely awareof himself or herself, then he can analyze his own limits

and strengths and not rely on others to judge him or her.

A person who knows his or her limits or strengths can learnto trust his or her own judgment and not be afraid to usehis own thinking skills in order to make decisions.


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AutobiographicalWriting is . . .

Writing about your self in the (1) past, (2)present or (3) future tense, depending onthe purpose of the writing.

One key to writing about yourself is to havea destination.

Another key to writing about yourself is toknow your self.


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Logic of

autobiographical or SelfWriting:

If you want to go backward, then prepare to focuson your history or the history of your culture or

your environment. Write or think in past tense.

If you want to stay where you are, then write aboutwhat is going on right now in your life orenvironment. You will write in the present tensewhen practical. (Example of present writing isJournal writing.)

If you want to go forward, then you focus on your

visions or plans. Write or think in future tense.


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What is a self?

Answer: the abstract (part left to interpretation)and concrete (factual) parts of an entire person

Before you write . . . Think About Yourself

Your self . . .


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Next, Ask Yourself these Questions:

Where do I think I want to travel physically or emotionally -- to the past, futureor nowhere?

Am I prepared to reveal to others secret passages of my life?

Am I prepared to revisit my entire past the good and bad parts?

Am I happy, frustrated or simply stuck in the present?

Am I prepared to change my path if I run into an obstacle or think myself intoa corner or a circle?

Am I interested in exploring new routes in order to find my future?

Are there images of my life that immediately or repeatedly come to mind?


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How to begin a Selfor Autobiographical

Writing . . .

Life mapping supportsautobiographical writing(writing about ones self).

A Life Map is graphicrepresentation or blueprint of

your life past, present and


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Life Mapping . . .

Life mappingsupportsautobiographical

writing (writing aboutones self in order toidentify or defineones entire self).


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What is a Life

Map?a graphicorganizer

A graphic organizer is agroup of pictures,

images, or symbols thatrepresent events and

goals in a persons life.


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Sample Life Map(simple version)

On a life map, use mainly images or symbols. You mayuse a

few words or no words.

Source: http://www.education-world.com/a_tsl/archives/05-1/lesson023.shtml

L M (d t il d/ i


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amp e L e Map (detailed/usingcomputer software)

Source:http://lion.taoriver.net/wp-content/Lion1200.png


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Now, it is time to work on

Your Life Map . . .

Use the list on the next slide to help you start

thinking about your self first.

After you think, then begin to draw symbols thatrepresent your life. You may want to create atime line or be more creative.

You may want to use unique figures to representthe events or details of your Life Map.


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ow, rea e ourLife Map.

Think on the important events of your life and Draw Symbolsto represent them.Use the sample list below to motivate your life map drawing on the handout

provided.

1) Stories you have heard about your birth2) Your earliest childhood memory (describe in detail)3) Your most vivid childhood experiences4) Your school years5) A special trip you have taken6) A favorite meaningful thing/object you received from someone special7) The first time you gave a speech8) The first time you wrote an essay9) A time you hurt yourself10) A very funny event11) A time when you cried12) Your first bike ride13) A memorable/favorite book14) A hospital stay15) Your first plane flight16) A day you met someone famous17) A death in the family18) Your First love19 The Da You Realized The Pur ose for Life or for Your Life

Be as

CREATIVE as

You Can Be!


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Share Your Life

This concludes this presentation.

Remember . . .Complete your workshop evaluation form

and submit to staff.


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THE END

Thank you for your participation.

Have a successful learning experience at TroyUniversity.

Talk to the SSS staff about your learning needsor concerns. We are here for you.

Contact information:

Phone: 334-670-5985 / Center for StudentSuccess, Shackelford Annex 109; TroyUniversity; Troy, AL 36082

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Writing About Yourself