More than a month ago, I had the chance to hold a lecture to approximately 45 13-14 year-olds, who were also classmates at the same institute. In order to keep it engaging enough, I prepared 3 activities and one of them was the most creative one- to create their own life map. As a way to inspire them, I created my own life map on a poster board (see below) so they can look at it, too, in case they are unsure about how to go about it.
What is a Life Map?
A life map can be found online, for example, on Pinterest.com or Thoughtfullearning.com. What makes it so distinctive & fascinating is that everyone has a unique life story to tell (even if they don’t think so themselves!). Therefore, if you compare everyone’s life maps with each other, you would easily notice that they are never the same. They actually can’t be the same due to their individual uniqueness. The only 3 features they do have in common are the following: time of birth, where they are today and where they see themselves in the future. All of these 3 features are indicated in many different ways that everyone can understand.
Instructions
Materials needed:
· Piece of Paper or Poster Board
· Pencils
· Markers
· Stickers (optional)
· Pictures (optional)
When you start off, make sure you indicate when you were born and then where you are today. In-between these two major time points, make sure to mark the events that happened in your life, so far. These can be anything relevant, major or even minor to you and your life. There are no limitations to what is allowed or what is not allowed, just let your imagination flow freely and concentrate on you and your life while looking back at it, at the same time.
Futuristic Aspects
In regards to the future elements, of course, the teenagers I held this lecture for, were a bit lost but for this part I prepared some questions as a way to encourage them to think about it more. My questions were all about what influences them to make the choices they make in life, what are the hurdles they face and what are the factors that actually motivate them to achieve their goals in life. In case you (your age doesn't matter!) don't have goals or are not sure what your goals could be, I highly recommend to go on a self-discovery and volunteer in different places and sectors to find out what you are good at and what you enjoy doing.
The Powerfulness Behind it
After holding this lecture, I found that creating a life map is indeed a very powerful tool. If everyone were to have one and would be able to see the other person’s life map, even in a 3D format above their heads, for example, before talking to them, then there would be more mutual respect and understanding in this world. Think about it for a second, if you were to know something about someone you haven’t met in your life -and this could be anything- then you would talk to them in a way different, more respectful way, wouldn’t you? This means less prejudices and better communication with those who we don’t know would occur. Prejudices and judgmental behavior would be replaced with mutual understanding and respect. I think that would make life easier on those who struggle with being prejudiced and isolated from others. Ultimately, it would have a positive impact on the global community as a whole. Moreover, if you create your own life map and keep it, you will always have something to look back at. In two years from now, you could add new things to it or even show it to your children & let your children create their own.
A 6-minute video version of my life map and me explaining it a bit more in detail is available upon request. For your request, you can fill in the contact form or send me an email to saraw2266@gmail.com.