A few weeks ago, I took this photo of Hudson, standing at the window when we had our follow up visit at the ENT. This is the caption I wrote:

“Your reflection…do you see what others see? Do you see yourself, how you want to be seen? Or is it the real You staring back at you? Social Media makes it so easy to live a life that’s not authentic, staged and made to look picture perfect..do you know how to spot something or someone that is fake? 

Reflections

As a student studying Education, one of the things that we had to do a lot, was to do a reflection after each lesson we did whilst doing our in-service training. I hated writing reflections. Unlike my peers I had six years teaching experience and training teachers overseas. But boy was I in for a shocker, coming to terms with the state our Education system was in, and still is.  I honestly didn’t see the true meaning of reflections when I actually had to stand in front of 58 high school students and had only 40 desks in my classroom. Also, when I was looking at topics to do my Maters dissertation on- I was actually thrilled to use reflection as an investigative tool looking at the current support structures in place for novice teachers.

So what is it all about? Reflection is all about thinking about your action. In research we use a term called action research. In short it means that you do the same action during different cycles and the aim is to improve every single time. You go through the first cycle, sit back and reflect and think about what went well and what did not and where and how you can improve. Life should be like an Action research. We go through cycles everyday, at night we sit down and reflect on the day’s happenings and tomorrow we start all over aiming to do just that, better!

Grateful AF

Social Media makes you question what the realities of people really are. Is it as perfect as their grid appears to be? Last weekend one of my favorites on Instagram, Ria Agloo posted about the blogger/influencer world and what it has become. One of the talking points were the fakers and the shakers (my terms) on her instastories she shared some responses from her followers. There were quite a few that answered and told Ria about blogger friends that they have that do things for attention. One person said that if her friend does not see an increase in following and engagement, this person makes up stories about being in the hospital, just to get sympathy votes and to up their engagement rate. Another person posted that the person her friend is on Instagram is not the person that she knows in real life. They don’t “speak” the same way. I have come across a few account of people (Men and Women) trying to imitate someone else, by having the same sort of tone and vantage point. As a language person I always read between the lines, and since I can sniff plagiarism out a mile away (thank you for improving my skills varsity students) it really frustrates me.

Back to the heading of the paragraph. The mug BTW I saw on a post from Sugar and Vice this week and I want it! I am grateful AF, that this world of numbers has not sucked me in. I am grateful AF, that I do not have to prove or meet the standards of somebody else. I am grateful AF, that my parents instilled the values I have in treating people with kindness, but best be told, I will treat you exactly the same way that you treat me. I am grateful AF that I am way too tired to become someone else I am not, I am happy and uniquely me. I am grateful AF that I have met some amazing, true and honest people, although I have seen some claws out in action, and girl that was not pretty. I am grateful AF for all the hard work I have put into this blog and my social media accounts. I am grateful AF for every tap, click, read on any post that I have done by YOU. The world is so full of negativity and if I can somehow bring on giggles of laughter I am happy.

Concluding thoughts

I have unintentionally jumped all over the place with this one- but trust me there is a link. Reflection plays a big role in how we portray ourselves and how others perceive us. I always think of the legacy I will leave behind, and what I will be known for. I am constantly reminded that I am enough, and that I do not have to be anyone else other than just plain old me.