I have been an English teacher now for 10 years, a decade. I love my students and I love to see how English gives them the boost they were looking for in life. For our level 4 class I assign a YouTube video. The students watch it. We get together and discuss it for 1 hour. Later they are instructed to write a reflection essay to express what they learned. As I see them assemble their random thought into coherent ideas, stop translating, stop being ashamed or scared, I am filled with joy and pride. Just like an ART teacher would be proud of her students master pieces I am proud of what my students can do. Their thought would be impressive in any language but the fact that this is not their mother language, and they are able to process, analyze and preform on this level brings tears to my eyes. Take some time and see what they can do. Help us by supporting Proyecto Propósito. www.proyectoproposito.org
Power of Being Alone
By Christian.
One of the most important question sometimes we ask is: “How can I be a little better than yesterday?” There are so many answers.
First, we talked about how being alone is a good thing to improve and to realize who you are and what you are really thinking, because when your mind is quiet it is easier to listen to your inner voice, find yourself and create ideas.
Actually, most of us prefer being alone than being around people. In public you think before to do or say something, because we want to fit with the group. “What is somebody else going to think about me?”, is one of the question we ask to ourselves. Being someone else is not really good for us. If they think we are weird it means we are not normal. There are three options: being normal, being alone, or being yourself.
Another important question is: “What do you do when you are alone?” “Is it really good for us?”- Being conscious while we do something is the best advice I have heard. How many times have you checked your social media because you're bored? Are you doing this with your 5 senses? If you don't, you have to change it, or don't do that anymore. Being conscious, we are the only animal capable of this, is an advantage for us. Evolution is conscious not biological anymore, that's why you can transform and be whoever you want to be. You just have to be able of think it and do it.
Nature has no fixed a limit. Suddenly, one question came to my mind: “Am I around people because I'm scared of being alone?” When you figure out the power of being alone, you just want to be that way; but actually being alone all the time is not good either. Being alone changes who you are, being with company does too, choose wisely with whom to be surrounded is the key.
Now, I'm asking to myself, “What about being surrounded with wrong people?”
“Are people together for their needs, for a purpose, or are they really together for love?” Sometimes we are surrounded by people similar to us, so if you know who you are, you are going to know with whom to stay... but yes! Some people are surrounded by others for a purpose: to get something, or even worse... they are driven by the fear of being alone.
By: Diana Cardona
In these days, people are living in active society that has absorbed everyone; it seems that it does not let them to take a time for themselves. On the other hand, it is a fact that we can take the decision about what we want to do or who we want to be with.
We have the power to choose what is import to us, but how can we get to that point? The answer is simple: “being alone”. This can give us the opportunity to discover who we really are. As a result, we can create ideas and then we will be able to bring the best ideas to society.
Most people consider that being alone is better, but as humans we always will have company; for that reason, we have to be clever and select people who help us to increase our thoughts in a better way.
In conclusion, we have to be alone to find ourselves to be able to go back to people and transformer society. We are humans, we are conscious, and I have no doubt that our actions must have purpose.
After watching the video and discussed with the class, I realized that I have the power to change how my life is going and how I can make time for myself; no matter how long, as long as it is enough to find my own voice.
I must discover what are the things that stop me from growing professionally and personally, and the way is giving me more time alone. I consider that I can fix my problems because I have time to think about them and is easier get the solutions without distractions.
I am the only one that have the power to evolve and change many aspects of my life.
By: Diana Gomez
We sometimes forget the meaning of the words because we follow what others do. During the process of growing, we realize: the hardest challenge is to learn how to deal with ourselves; of course, the process is different in every person and the way is not easy. It is important to be clear that, sometimes, there is a misunderstanding about this subject. Being alone is not being without someone around us. It is a personal state where a person feels comfortable about their decisions, life, and spirit. There are moments with a lot of noises inside of us more than around us. This is why I think this: loneliness, we started it.
We are the beginning of our unconformity. Sadly, then we follow what others do and want in today's society; we start a trivial life or a competitive life and forget that we need time to ourselves. The habit of being in company is great. It is nice to have a family and friends who share our time; but if when we are without them, we cannot control our fear, anxiety, or other emotions, maybe we are dependent persons. My classmates said in this case it is necessary to find a balance because it is a personal process and decision.
Personally, I am used to being alone because my environment shaped me this way; without wanting I grew up playing, learning, discovering by myself, this allowed me know myself in a lot of ways. In fact, now after many experiences I can say that naturally my spirit asks me for time alone. I have made a commitment since I realized it is the one thing I will have with me until my last breath, and now in the present is the best I can give someone else, to share my love for them. I always ask God for better abilities, answers, and solutions, but in my worst moments he reminds me that: knowing myself is the key to resolving my other problems.
Answering the class’s question: “Am I going to improve or be the same?” I could say: knowing is just the beginning and there are always things in my personality I need to improve. One of them is to control my personality when I am speaking with others because I sometimes feel comfortable in an environment, but maybe the other person does not feel the same. I am not scared to show who I am, but I understand others' personalities do not match with mine and the result for them is scary, weird, and boring. It is not about me. I feel good about myself. It is just a commitment to respect and perceive better, if others choose and want to be alone or share with me, and then I can choose the best for me.
My conclusion is: If I feel good, I can try to understand in a better way the feeling of the people around me. Firstly, starting to respect myself and then respecting and understanding others. An environment of respect can cure the worst things.
By: Claudia Sierra
The video seemed very interesting to me. It talked about the power of being alone, and the benefits it brings to our lives. In the discussion in level 4 English class we were able to hear different opinions, some in favor of being alone, since this way they become more spiritual people, and others prefer to be surrounded by people, because they feel more comfortable, sharing one with others.
Other opinion is there exists a balance in our lives, to generate positive effects on physical health and reduce stress. Also, when we are in company or surrounded by people, we become more dependent on others, and I agree with this point, because we do not make our own decisions. And this makes us depend on the most people.
Personally, I identify with the video, because I like being alone, I feel more comfortable. During my time alone, I have time for myself, to think things clearly, to know myself better, to connect us better with ourselves. We get more creative. It helps us know which people are important to us, whom we miss the most. On many occasions loneliness can be therapeutic, or positive and this is what we need… to give ourselves time, to analyze and to discover ourselves.
But there is an important point It's not the same to be alone than to feel alone. Being alone is the person is physically alone. She does not want to be with other people, it is a choice. I decide to be alone. On the other hand, feeling alone is an unpleasant sensation, the person experiences the need or desire to contact other people, but is unable to do so. Here a depression can start, and this can have serious consequences. Also the person can feel insecure, useless, rejection, lack of courage. Isolation is not by choice; it is because of not feeling capable.
I agree where it is mentioned it is better to be alone, than in bad company. Currently there are many people who are bad influence; envious, selfish, etc... and we must be careful who we choose. The important thing to choose well, this is the key. To find sincere, true friends who value you, who respect you should be a priority. Another important point is, as human beings we need company, to feel loved, to be supported, respected, have someone to trust, and to feel useful. Helping others will help us feel good.
By: Lizzie Sorriano
Silvana’s opinion: “All the people think everything is just economic and professional.” “People do not talk how we can be human, in the video the man who was talking was saying how many times I take time to be with myself, something I cannot do because all of us live in a world when we need to study and in my personal situation I work, I need to take care of my daughters and I give capacitation to my customers I find it hard stay alone.”
Claudia’s opinion: “I live alone for a very long time and I enjoy it but I do have some points about it: living alone is good, because you have time to think about what is happening in your life and to analyze and know who is in your life and who is good with you, and who is a bad person with you.” “Sometimes I think it is not good to be alone because we are human and you need to share with other people, but one important thing is we need to decide with who we share, because in this time exist a lot of people bad, some people bad and some people good and we need to be smart and decide with whom we can enjoy and we who we are going to share our life.
Yoly’s opinion: “Being alone is something powerful because sometimes it is important to be with ourselves.” “It is important because sometimes we really do not have something to give to others because we really do not know who we are or what we are doing or what we want to do in our life” “So, that point is something important to think and if we want to be a good person and be unique, it is important to take time to know what I like, what I like to do.
My thoughts: Being alone is interesting in every different sight. Whenever I think about loneliness, the same word sounds a bit hurtful, but it really helps, because the video itself was saying: “being together is not always a good thing”, and I can say yes, because sometimes I like to be alone or with people, but foremost, I feel like I need to stay alone in some situations, since nobody understand me more than God and myself, but this is different for every society.
A human being needs to take time to see around you if you are a good person for others or do you feel enough about your version of a person and being alone can answer this issue.
Many humans are afraid to be alone, maybe their family always stay together and did not give the person enough time to be alone. The possibility exists that they have family to attend so it make it a little difficult too so for them being alone. It is the scariest experience in their whole life, they always need to be with someone. Adding to that, some people prefer to be alone, not because they are anti-social, it is because they like to take time on themselves and see what they did wrong and if they can fix it right away.
As I was seeing in the video, there was a part that caught my attention and it was: “not always everybody feels wonderful”, it was true. I have this experience. Sometimes I feel good, sometimes bad, I look in the mirror and think I look beautiful, the next day I say otherwise. It is okay, because it is me, no one else than me, every human thinks different about their lives so it is their matter, not mine.
To end, I would like everybody have a bit of logical thinking about the power of being alone, some of them will see it like something ridiculous, but it is not, the time of being alone can make them know more about themselves, change things quite much and help others to do so.
By: Silvina Bustos
Last Friday we were talking about a video of Sadh guru that left us, at least personally, some very interesting reflections. I have always asked myself how other people see me. Do they see me as I think I am? Do I convey who I want to be? It is very difficult because we live in a present day where we generally show what other people want or seek in us and we do it to be accepted in society. We live looking only for personal improvement based, for the most part, on economic matters because the more we manage to climb, our ego and our self-improvement increases. But I wonder if this is how we really want to be or is it ju
st a way of relating and getting compliments from others? That is where I wonder if I really know who I am or what I am looking for in my person, but my naked person without contexts around it, my real self, and it is not that I am not real when I interact with others, but I am aware that more than once I have acted just to climb in my professional life. Most of us believe that in order to improve we only need the help of professionals, and if they can help us improve our problems or change attitudes or personalities or raise our standards, but by 50% because the other half will always depend on us. We are the ones who have the power to change, the power to improve, to grow as human beings, or perhaps to begin to be!
When I saw this video, I understood that we can only empower our being if we get to know each other by spending time with ourselves, only our conscience has the divine power to make us become aware. God marks us the right path because his times are perfect, but how many times do we deviate? To recognize our attitudes we need to establish a healthy relationship with ourselves, that day in which we begin to meet we can achieve that today is better than yesterday, we can improve the society in which we live always looking for superficial improvements.
I always told myself, and I don't feel selfish for saying it, in order to help others, even our children, we must first be in synergy with ourselves. We must find a balance inside and to achieve it, what better way than knowing who we are. Many times we believe that loneliness is not good, that it is better to be in company, because it is true it is very nice to be surrounded by beings that feed your life, but sometimes we forget that loneliness also feeds our mind, allows us to focus on samples goals, our actions, our strengths and weaknesses, our achievements, and failures and to really know what we are made of. Are we alone when we are alone? or better accompanied than ever? What a question!!! Incredible class!