Day 1 of Tania's 7 days Writing/Blogging Challenge "YOU"

Hellow, I'm Helena. 

I am a mom, a wife, a lecturer and an educator. 

I have an amazing 9 years old who LOVES reading to the brink of addiction. I also believe that she is an amazing writer. Far better than I am. 

This writing/blogging challenge is my initiatives to help her grow her writing skills. I agree to do the challenge with her too. This is a breath of fresh air for me. An opportunity to be in touch with my long forgotten creative side after being for so long doing teaching and academic stuff. 

For this challenge, I picked 6 random writing prompts for kids from various site on the internet and wrote it on small cards. She then choose the writing prompt at random. I created the flyer just for her to see what the week is going to be. The cards have several questions and statements as prompts. 

For our first day, Tania chose the card 'You". The prompt asked us to "Write 3 words that best describe you the best"

Below is my answer for today's challenge. 

"3 Words that Describes Me"

If you asked me this question 10 years ago then my answer would be quite different. I have changed quite a lot since then. At the same time, it is also difficult to describe yourself. But if I have to choose, then the three words that describe me are Dreamer, Hardworker, 'A-work-in-progress'.   

Dreamer

I actually wanted to use the word visionary but that sounded much more sophisticated. Meanwhile, I think a dreamer is a safe choice without getting my head to big. I am indeed a dreamer. I love daydreaming. I like to visualize things in my head to understand and to know what needs to be done. Long time ago I took a quiz and it said that I am a visual person. I think that is correct. In order to have a full understanding of something I must be able to visualize the process, the mechanism or the connection. If I can't then... well... all is lost. 

But on the constructive side, I am a dreamer because I have been dreaming and by the Grace of the Almighty God, my dreams have come true one by one: Study and live abroad, work as expat, be on international platform, got a scholarship, CEO of my own business and many other. 

My dreams are my visual. My self motivation. My way of paving my path for the future. Making sure that all the process mechanism and connection are there, paying attention to details, staying true to who I am and reaching up to the stars... because... Sky is the limit for your dreams... 

So... break that glass ceiling, princess!

Hard-worker

This one I am pretty sure. I do consider myself a hardworking person. My husband sometimes call me overachiever or stubborn perfectionist. Hehehe... I think I am not a perfectionist person because I just want to do the best that I can;. In the end, if I didn't achieve the perfect standard, I am not so bothered as long as I know that I have given the best that I can. Overachiever... perhaps... I think I am a little bit of that. 

When I was in Junior High school, I read the Readers Digest Magazine. It was in the 90s and my mom was working a staff at SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics) as well as managing the SIL Guest House. Mommy brought home some old battered Readers Digest Edition that were being thrown away. I was learning English at that time. (Thank you Mommy!! :-)) 

I remember reading in one of those magazine (I forgot which one), a story about a rescue helicopter pilot who finally located and saved someone. The story tells the tale of an almost failed rescue mission. The other helicopter sand rescue teams had circle the perimeter several times and there was no sign of survivors. All other teams had given up and was about to circle back to the base because it was almost dark. This pilot was about to do that too when he remembered the message that his mother/grandmother  told him. They taught him to "Go an Extra Mile"... Just do a bit more than what you are asked for. So, the pilot decided to do one last circle in the air but this time he expanded the search area a little farther. And there it was, he spotted the survivor, called for the other team and it was a happy ending for that rescue mission. 

I asked my father what "Go an Extra Mile" means and he explained. I was too young to understand but somehow the words stuck. During my growing up time, I heard myself whispered the same chant to "Go an Extra Mile"... So when they asked me to do something, I asked myself how I can do it better. 

This message is best partnered with the lesson of the bible in Colossians 3:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" KJV. When I do my work, I do not do it to be praised by other people, or to be the winner or the best but because I know God have given me the skills, knowledge and ability to do better. And last, I do it for myself, to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone and to be the best version of myself that I can be. 

So I work hard. 

A Work-in-Progress

Ok, this is a bit cheating. The third one is not a word. But I think this sums me up better. 

I would like to describe myself as a work in progress. 

It means that in my life I am constantly evolving: learning from my mistake and making new goals. 

I am not perfect. I make many mistakes along the way. I perhaps will make some more. But we learn from our mistakes. Our character and future are build upon our learning of this mistakes. 

I lag, I procrastinate, i am also lazy and moody. But those down time do not count. What count is how many time you get back up again. 

And when I or other people think that I am already good, there is always room for improvement... to go an extra mile. 

So that's my 3-words-that-describe-me for Day 1 Blogging/Writing Challenge. 

To see my daughter, Tania's Day 1 blog post you can click here