chapter 14

When I finally got done with Chapter 14 of Corey and Corey (2010), I had mixed emotions.  I was happy because we finally reached the end of the book and course but I was a little disappointed as well.  I was disappointed because I was no longer going to be getting any more helpful tips from the text or class.  I felt that over the past semester, I have grown immensely.  I have learned so much from the text, my small group, and the class in general.  It is time to move on, but not before reflecting on the main places I have grown and what I can do in the future to ensure that I keep growing.

Two things that I have started that I wish to continue throughout my life are reading and writing in my journal.  In regards to reading, I have been reading books and magazines in the field of physical health, mental health, and nutrition.  Considering these are some of the main topics that Corey and Corey (2010) stress are so important for personal growth, I believe this is an important trend that I continue.  Also, writing in my journal has been extremely therapeutic for me.  I plan on writing even if it’s only for a short period a few times each week to reflect on how my life is going.  This way I can observe what I have been feeling, thinking, and doing in my life. 

The two ways that I feel that I have grown within the semester is in terms of mindfulness and work and recreation.  I have realized that mindfulness is a very important aspect of life.  This process is supposed to keep us in the here and now and also relax the mind and body.  I plan to continue to meditate a little bit each day in order to obtain a state of mindfulness.  Also, keeping recreations can help with deriving meaning from daily living.  I plan on continuing the recreations that I love to do because it revitalizes me for when I have to return to work or complete daunting tasks.  I hope that I can continue doing both of these tasks because I can see a serious upside in practicing both activities. 

In closing, I feel that this has been a great semester.  I have learned so many things that I can use in my future.  I have also learned that in order to be a successful counselor, you need to be able to find who you are and push yourself to continue to grow.  We may never be completely done finding ourselves, but the journey we take in trying to do so is what makes life so awesome.  Thanks everyone for a great semester!

Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2010). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth. (9th ed.) Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole.