Personal development
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New season, new goals
I’ve always loved the early fall with its changing of the colors, the crisp air, and the “back to school” feel of everything. I always feel compelled to buy pens and notebooks this time of year and I’m so happy that, as a teacher, it’s a perfectly valid thing for me to do. While everything…
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My happy place
I try to make a habit of practicing gratitude and give thanks for all the wonderful things I have going on in my life. I find this daily practice particularly helpful in a year where none of us are having the 2020 we had planned or hoped for. One of the things that made me…
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A note on depression
Before this headline has you starting to worry about me, let me assure you that I’m fine. I’m not depressed in a clinical sense, but that does not mean that I can’t have short spells of feeling depressed every so often. Like James Corden, so eloquently puts it: We all have good days and bad…
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Keeping busy
There’s an adage that says “a busy mind is a happy mind”. We should therefore all strive to keep busy at all times, as it would prevent us from worry and sadness. During WWII, Winston Churchill famously said that he never worried about the outcome of the war. “I am too busy. I have not…
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How to deal with a grieving person – a universal guide
People who have lost a loved one generally report an improvement in their sense of grief after 6-12 months. Generally. Not everyone. Because everyone is different. The depth of their grief depends on who they have lost – a parent, grandparent, child, spouse, friend. On whether the death was expected or not, and on what…
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Stress
스트레스는 만병의 근원이다 – Stress is the main cause of all kinds of illnesses. This is a common saying in Korean and something my best friend used to say from time to time if I ever mentioned anything about being stressed. And he was right, stress is truly the root of all evil. Googling the…
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I’ll be fine
It’s no secret that I’m on an emotional rollercoaster these days and that the joy of being free and independent and the frustration of feeling useless are battling for my mind’s attention every breathing minute. I’m doing all I can to stay positive (…and sane) so I thought I’d give you an update on my…
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Gratitude
While Monday was tough for me, I feel that things have been picking up a bit the past couple of days. Since I’m on sabbatical, I’ve got a lot of time on my hands these days for reflection, which can seem overwhelming. Nonetheless, after days of feeling bored and empty, I’ve decided to take matters…
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What does it mean to be fluent?
Are you fluent in Korean? This is a question that I hear quite often and my usual answer is yes. But to be honest, the correct answer is maybe. Because, really, the answer depends on the definition of fluency. Being able to speak a language, being fluent in that language, and mastering the language at…
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Open your books
I once had a brilliant lecturer who told us that “you don’t get smart from just leaving the books on your shelf – you have to actually read them”. Wise words indeed. Way too often I find myself buying books with the intention to read them, and then just letting them collect dust in my…
Sofie to Korea 