Did you really evolve?

Did you really Evolve?

Creative Workbook Niki Vegkou

For everyone who needs a bright light in a sometimes dark world but also wants 2020 to be over

Introduction I guess you are reading this booklet because you are participating in “Evolve” You are probably hoping this book will provide answers to the question “Did You Really Evolve?”. You might be hoping that you will find a secret for a happier 2021.

I’m sorry to say that you will not find those things here.

You might not find what you are looking for here, but this book is an opportunity. It is an opportunity for you to take some time away, self-reflect, and find out about some tools for selfreflection, practice your creativity and thankfulness "muscle” Also, have a mindful ending of 2020 while you are waiting for 2021 with a sense of hope.

At this point, I should say that I am not a doctor, nor someone who is an expert in the field of mental health. I’m just a girl who loves journaling, creating art, and exploring the mind. My hope for anyone who has the chance to fill out the journal is that they can stop, take a step back, a deep breath in and out. I hope that they can give themselves some time to reflect, to see their life from a different perspective. Hopefully, a more positive one. I hope that you get to create and draw. now that most of you haven’t done this a while - so it might feel awkward. But, trust me it will get better. I hope that by filling this booklet you get to know yourself a little bit more. Most importantly, I hope that it can bring a smile to your face.

Okay, let's start with some questions...

How do you feel?

What are 3 things you love?

What colour is your mood?

Happy

Energetic

What is the weather like?

This is me Tired

Sad

Where are you heading?

What shape is your life?

How full is your heart?

What is the most important thing?

How full is your mind?

Learning Goals It is common sense that it is important to make the most out of it the session! You might be wondering how are you going to do this? To be honest, I’m not sure yet. But I can share with you what works for me. I set

I set aI set learning goal learning goal a learning goal The analogy that I like to use is the following: the wind and the sea are the sessions, the people, and events that take place, which most of the time you can’t change. But you can learn to navigate through them, set your course,

and reach

your destination .

Just close your eyes – visualize a sailing boat if the sailor doesn’t charge its course it will either sail aimlessly or stay at the same place. Usually, nothing changes, and the sailor doesn't evolve...

Learning Goals This is your time to set your course for the session.

Choose your learning goals, write them down and get creative with a visual representation of them

*1. Use this space to make a drawing of how you see yourself before the session and after the session once you have achieved your goal 2. Here are some examples that you can use: By the end of the session: Know how to; Have learned/ practiced/ achieved; I’m able to;

Wheel of Life You have gotten to know yourself a little bit better and set a goal you want to achieve. What comes next might surprise you! Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. It is selfreflection of course! The tool ''Wheel of Life'' is all about

self-reflection and reestablishing balance.

This coaching tool allows you to see your life from the birds-eye position and assess what's off-balance. It is also a way to reflect upon what brings fulfillment in your life and what is draining your energy.

Here is how it goes: Take this circle or draw one. Note that value 1 is the closest to the center of the circle and value 7 is the furthest.

Each piece will represent an area (category) of your life. You can find my suggested categories down below but feel free to change the categories, if there is something more fitting for you.

.

Wheel of Life Assign a value to each category, according to how much attention you are currently devoting to each area of your life. The values are from 1 (not at all focused) to 7 (completely devoted).

Join up all the values across the circle and take a look at your wheel of life. Does it create fulfillment and joy?

Now focus on your ideal situation. How would you like your life to be? Markdown the ideal value in each category, according to what feels right for you (different colour).

Notice the difference between the current and ideal level. What areas of your life need improvement?

Take action! What are the steps that you can take now to create a more balanced and fulfilled life?

.

Family

Education

Hobbies

Carrer

Friends

Relationships

Digital Wellbeing

Mental Welbeing

Health

Finance

Personal Growth

Personal Time

New Skills

Performance

Other

EYP Spirit

Comfort Zone I can go on forever about self-reflection, but I think that it is enough for one session. We are going to move on to our next topic.

In EYP you will hear people talking about "getting out of their comfort zone” and trying new things. Unfortunately, you will also see people trying too many things all at once or being in very stressful situations that they end up “freezing”, not being able to react and grow from it.

That is when the theory of the “Comfort Zone” comes into place. Ηere is my dumbed-down version of it:

Panic zone

.

Comfort Zone

learning zome

Comfort Zone Comfort Zone:

is a psychological state where a person feels comfortable, relaxed, stress-free concerning the requirements of the surroundings and familiarity with the situation. In the comfort zone, one does things effortlessly or the things that have become routine.

Learning Zone:

is a psychological state where a person feels challenged, uncertain, with increased stress, but not at a level to be paralyzing. This is the condition where people learn the most as it involves exposing yourself to new information that expand the depth of your knowledge base and get you to experiment. is a psychological goal state created in Panic Zone: learning

connection to situations and circumstances that provokes high stress or panic. In the panic zone, people experience stress and failure. Unrealistic attempts to grow exponentially, instead of incrementally, within a short time frame will only produce stress and failure.

Now, you can use the theory to reassess your learning goals.

Is it challenging enough? Is it too much for the session?

?

Comfort Zone The circle will be filled with the size and the things that are currently inside of your “zones“

*Make your "zones" as small or as big as you think best reflect your current reality...I hope that during the session you challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone! .

Comfort Zone Is being outside your comfort zone actually that bad?

That is something that you can see for yourself with this little exercise. Bend your fingers back to the point where they start to feel uncomfortable and just hold them there for a while. Your first instinct will be to stop because it doesn't feel nice. but if you hold that position you'll see that those feelings quickly dissipate. You'll realize the pain isn't as bad as you first imagined, and as the pain dulls it will be replaced with warmth. When you finally let go of the fingers you will probably even feel better. .

What did you feel?

A Mindful Ending It is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the year. On a personal note, I can’t remember a year that everybody wanted to end so desperately. There is a collective sense that this has been one of the more challenging years in memory and that all of us hope that there will be something more positive on the other side of the new year.

I think that this is a very wealthy way of looking at life. At the same time, I feel like we shouldn’t be too quick to run away from the year that has gone by. As painful as the year has been, I know that there are valuable things to take away.

The only reason that this has come about is because of challenges, obstacles, and adversities.

My hope is when you look back not only feel a sense of optimism for what is about to come but be able to say “as difficult as this was these are my takeaways”. And I hope that your takeaways will help you live a happier life with more passion and fulfillment. .

Check it out

Subject: Imagine some time in the you're in a better place.

future

when

You're more confident about who you are, where you are, and what you want.

Do you need encouragement, reassurance, or a kick in the a little tough love?

Tell yourself the things you need to know.

Use futureme.org to send yourself this email on a day in 2021 you think you'll need it.

Click Here

send

Subject:

Stay Bold

Hey future me, I hope you are doing well! I know 2020 was a bit of a hard year for you, but you also know that you survived it and I will forever be proud of you for that. I know you have some bold goals for this year and I really hope you managed to achieve all of them, with this in mind, how is university? Have you met amazing people? I am positive you did! Always remember that EYP makes you super happy and that you are much stronger that you think!

send

Gratitude As with everything, I want to finish this booklet with a gratitude challenge.

It is not joy that makes us grateful it is gratitude that brings us joy

Think of ten things in your life that you're grateful for.

These could be people places or pizza. Write on thing on each finger of these hands. Whenever you're feeling low in 2021, remember that these things are always within reach. Count them off, then go and find one .

Check it out

I am thankful

for...

What Now? More often than not with booklets and books when you get to the end it feels like an end. I hope that this doesn't feel like an ending. I wanted this booklet to help you get out of your comfort zone, create and even make you smile a lit bit more. So please, don't treat the end of this booklet like an ending. Treat it like a new beginning, or a part of this story. I hope that when you are struggling, need some time off, or are confused you come back to this. I hope that you remember the time you took for yourself to fill out this booklet and how it made you feel. I hope that you can start 2021 being a little bit happier and kinder to yourself.

*I will create a booklet with all the answers I will get anonymously. If you want to participate add your answers to this google doc in which you will be able to find more information.