Chapter 8 Journal Entries

Journal Entry 29:
1. Write about an experience when you felt one of the following emotions: FRUSTRATION or ANGER, FEAR or ANXIETY, SADNESS or DEPRESSION.

1. I was always super close to my papa, ever since I was little. I was with him all the time, I was his first out of four grandchildren so we bonded like no other. For as long as I can remember he always had breathing problems, but still seemed to be the happiest man ever. Last August he went into the hospital and we were in for a big surprise. He was very very sick, but with him being sick before, he was usually good with healing and pulling himself through. The next four months were a rollercoaster for us, he would get better and get worse again. At the end of October he was very sick and went to hospice, he was there a little shy of a week. I continuously talked and tried to tell myself that this was the end. I thought I was ready and prepared for him to leave but when I got the call, the news hit me like a train. Never had I ever been this sad before. The next week was hard, but I think the days after that were worse. While everyone's lives moved on, mine stood still. Not being able to call him, text him, or see him was hard. At the end of November, I knew my birthday was coming up and knowing my papa wouldn't be here for killed me. He's been gone for five months now and its still harder than ever.  There are still certain things I do that upset me and make me depressed but I know everything will be alright in the end.

2. Write about an experience when you felt HAPPINESS or JOY.

2. Pregnancies are a long, long, long, time period to get through. All three times my mom has been pregnant with my siblings, I felt like it took forever for the due date to come. Each time my mom has had one of my siblings, I've been there. Holding the babies for the first time are probably some of the happiest moments I've lived. Looking into their eyes for the first time and finally being able to hold them and cuddle with them are definitely memorable moments. I love watching them grow up, being a big sister of 2 beautiful girls, and a handsome little boy are things I will forever cherish.

3. Write about an emotional changes you experienced as you described each of these two emotions. What did you learn or relearn about how you can affect your emotions?

3.  Hearing bad news or seeing something I don't want to see has always been good at changing my mood from good to bad and vice versa. One thing I have learned is to not let others affect or change the way you feel about something. Do what makes you happy, or what works to your best ability.


Journal Entry 30:
1. Write about a recent time when you felt overwhelmed, angry, sad, or anxious.

1. At the beginning of freshman year I started college classes. It was very overwhelming because I was in all honored high school classes, I was a cheerleader, and I was doing dual enrollment. With it being my first year in high school, my first time cheering, and my first time taking college classes, I was taking on a lot and had a lot to get used to.

2.Identify two or more strategies that you could use in the future when you experience this emotion.

2. In the future when I experience this emotion, I can remind myself that not everything is easy. I will tell myself that I will get used to it and find a way to solve my problem. I will not let it take over my emotions because that is when things start to go downhill.

Journal entry 31:

1. Write about a specific past event when you experienced flow in any art of your life.

1.   A time where I experienced flow in my life was when I used to play soccer. Everything just came together when I was on the field. I felt no problems, and everything just felt right. I would run down the field with not a care in the world. I was always happy on the field, no matter what happened. Soccer was my passion, something I loved to do and when I played it everything went away and that's all I would focus over.

2. Write about your perfect work of the future, the kind that you believe will create the most flow in your life.

2. The perfect job for me would to be able to travel around the world and take pictures. I love taking pictures and traveling and think combining them would create a fantastic job. I would work different times of the day depending on when or where I saw something picture worthy. I would want to travel with other photographers or people that I love. I would enjoy this more because I do not want a job where I am stuck in the same building all day with people I am not very fond of. I would much rather do something I enjoy and something that means to me rather than something I just do to make money.