Today’s Homework: October 21, 2016
1. One of the most powerful and important concepts in the Hope Life Skills program we will encounter this year is the concept of ‘change’. I will be asking all of you to consider some ‘change’ in your life. Your ‘change’ might be an attitude; maybe an opinion about something. Or, it might be they way you do something or avoid something. Why do I ask you to consider ‘change’? Because ‘change’ is a fact of life; it’s happening all around us, every day, often affecting our personal lives. ‘Change’ does not always have to be a ‘big’, ‘dramatic’, ‘180 degree, complete change’. ‘Change’ can be ‘incremental; small steps’. Yes, ‘change’ can be hard, challenging, intimidating and somewhat confusing. But, ‘change’ can also lead to exciting new opportunities which change our life for the better!! Whatever ‘changes’ we encounter and possibly consider, we should at least acknowledge ‘change’ happens every day in our world. I encourage you to be curious about these changes and learn about their potential consequences. For those changes affecting our lives in a good way, we should either do something to take advantage of the opportunities or, if we decide not to act on a change, at least, justify to ourselves why we should wait. Waiting can sometimes be the best answer just as embracing a ‘change’ and acting now could be too. It’s up to you to decide. Finally, just think about the stories we’ve heard to date from our guests – Jason, Narine, Ali, Kalimah and Randy – and their attitude on ‘change’ and the changes they’ve embarked upon in their lives. Read pages 1 through 40 in the “Story of Change” book posted on this web site.
Please don’t tell me you are “too busy”!
Jason told us today he is taking 10 credits in college, has a full time job at his law firm, running his non-profit and always networking. “Too busy” is a flimsy excuse. Manage your time. This is what Jason, Narine, Ali, Kalimah, Randy and every other successful person does to be successful. Then,
tell me one thing you read or observed on these pages that made you think slightly different about ‘change’ in your life.
As always, your response should be well written with perfect spelling, good grammar, punctuation and sentence structure and sent to my email address by Tuesday, October 25th, 11:59pm. Please, no run-on sentences. And, thank you.
2. Use your intuition about me, your teacher, to determine why I use this Richard Benjamin photograph as a metaphor for my perspective about ‘change’.
Please tell me what you think my perspective is on ‘change’ based on my use of Richard Benjamin’s photo on the cover of the “Change” textbook.
As always, please send your answer to my email address in a well written statement. I’d appreciate receiving your answer no later than Tuesday, October 25th, 11:59pm. Thank you.