Reflections, Resilience, and Recommendations

As the end of the semester is a few weeks away, my reflection on whether or not to continue my new occupation (if that’s what we are still calling it by now) has led me to think that I will not be continuing the frequency of engagement but will continue to teach myself new skills that relate to my desire to build, create, and fix. Because my life had some really big changes over the course of the semester affecting my participation within my new occupation, my occupation never felt like it was continuous (because it wasn’t). As much as I would have loved to feel the accomplishment of making something functional through the acquired knowledge, self-taught moments, and movement and strength of my own hands, that accomplishment seems absent. I could say a sense of accomplishment has been acquired by my mental ability to be stronger than I ever have been in the past, putting the trust within myself to feel competent, and strengthening my independence. Physically, I have nothing to show but a few emblems torn off my car.

 

My involvement with learning to be a mechanic and attempting to weld has been extremely disappointing. I don’t blame that entirely on myself, but I could have chosen an occupation that I did not have to rely on others for or that did not require the resources to be provided by another knowing those resources had the potential to disappear. I would say I have benefited from the experience of trying a new occupation more than I have from the occupation itself. I have gained a new sense of determination and drive, motivation, and independence. Often times I found myself being more frustrated with the occupation because of my circumstances than I did actually participating in the occupation. I can see how trying to learn or relearn an occupation without the proper resources can put a damper on mood, drive and motivation, and the ability to possess mental strength and resilience through struggle. 

 

One of the biggest influential topics we have covered throughout the course of the semester has been the concept of resilience. Although I initially dreaded wanting to read a manageable portion of a book every week (and I thank Megan and Kylie for that), I always took more from it than I would have imagined. Resilience created the biggest impact on my outlook on disabilities and the turning points in our lives than make us feel mentally, and spiritually disabled. Resilience taught me how beneficial and impactful occupational therapy can be. It is resourceful, full of knowledge, creative, and full of fun and effective ways to engage in the occupations than hold meaning in our lives. Sometimes what we don’t realize is those occupations could be simple. But what is simple for most, is not simple for all. Through struggle, the depths of lost hope, and coming out on the other side of what was once thought of as the tallest mountain to climb becomes a steppingstone towards finding the greatest meanings in life and harnessing the abilities we do have. As we continue to find ways to overcome hardship and navigate around blocks in the road, we continue to create a longer path of steppingstones to feel a sense of belonging. Resilience is human nature.

Recommendations I would make for a future MOT student when choosing a new occupation would be to create a list of occupations in mind or that strike interest. Be open with your options. Don’t be afraid to list an occupation completely out of your comfort zone. With that list, gather pros and cons about each occupation you wrote down. Which one’s strike you as challenging? Which one’s seem attainable? Which one’s provide you with the most resources? Don’t make it too easy, and don’t make it so challenging that it interferes with your schoolwork and ability to balance other important and meaningful occupations. Is it an occupation you can reflect upon (positively or negatively) and learn from (not an occupation you already have too much experience with)? I give them this advice and ask them these questions because it is something I wish I would have done for myself. I don’t think I would feel frustrated with the outcome or feel as though I haven’t accomplished anything compared to others in my cohort. These recommendations would allow for deeper reflection upon the topics discussed throughout the semester. I encourage them to dive deeper into something that might create meaning for themselves or others.