Reflection Activity

1. Transitions
Reflection Activity
1.
What have I lost and what are the negative impacts?
• Confidence and Self-Worth
• 2 years ago I was sexually assaulted. There was a period of time where I
was completely separated from myself and I was not able to function
and I wasn’table to live my life.
How did I feel and how did I behave about or toward the change?
• Afterwards I didn’tacknowledgewhathad happened and shutdown for
a while trying to continue living life normally. That didn’tlast long and
eventually my emotions were starting to trickle back in. It got to the
point where I didn’t know how to handle what I was feeling because I
was feeling too much too acutely. It was especially confusing because I
still hadn’tidentified what this was all stemming from.
How did I adapt and what coping strategies did I use?
• I didn’t cope with it for a long time, mostly becauseI hadn’t recognised it
for what it really was. Sexualassault isn’t as black and white as people
believe it to be. After a year of being so completely empty and yet so full
of emotion at the same time, I wentto stay with my mother and saw a
spiritual lady of sorts. Within the first session shehad helped me face
the truth and fromthere it was a matter of coming to terms with what
had happened and working on building myself back up.
1.

2. What are some of the positive aspects that I have gained from the
change?
• Itis odd to think that positivity can come from something so horrible,
and yet there can be. From that experience I was almostforced to re-
evaluate everything in my life. Even analysing whatmy life was like
before the assault. Fromthere I really feel I have been able to set myself
on a path that I can be proud of. I questioned whatsort of person I want
to be and what sortof life I wantto lead… and now? I am striving for
more and working on celebrating my femininity and everything that I
am. I am a strong, worthy and capable woman.
What types of changes were they – Predictable? Sudden? Ensuing?
• These positive changes were definitely a happy surprisefor me. I never
expected to have found a sense of power from whathappened. Don’t
get me wrong, I wish it had never happened and don’twish it on anyone,
but I can’t change history and instead will always look for the positivein
bad situations.
What have I lost and what are the negative impacts?
• Education and Direction
• I didn’t havea lot of guidance or parenting growing up and was left to
make my own decisions. This lead to me dropping out of high school
almost 6 years ago. Although it was a long time ago, I am only now just
beginning to correct whatI let go. Education and a senseof direction for
whereI want my life to go.
How did I feel and how did I behave about or toward the change?
• I felt really lost and unmotivated to do anything with my life. I didn’t set
any real goals for myself and threw myself into working measly jobs that
had no real meaning.
2.

3. How did I adapt and what coping strategies did I use?
• I didn’t really cope with it at all. I switched off in a sense, lostmyself in
mindless work and distracted myself by focusing on helping others
instead of dedicating time into improving myself and my own life.
What are some of the positive aspects that I have gained from the
change?
• Now I have a deeper understanding and greater appreciation for the
importance of always having a goal and something to strive towards. For
me that has been going back to schooland figuring out what I want to
do with my life.
What types of change were they – Predictable? Sudden? Ensuing?
• None of these positive or negatives aspects of this change were
predictable. Itwas definitely a progress in trying to understand how I
could improvemy life and myself.