【INNER】Run

When I was a child, I always ran forward, hoping that by running, I would grow up. Now that I have grown up, I want to take it slow, savouring the wind, the sunshine, and the beautiful mountains and waters along the way. The journey feels like a continued race between my past and present self. In the past, I wanted to be a cartoonist and a veterinarian, and I'll travel with friends to the African savannah to save lives. However, the idyllic days I envisioned never materialised in reality.

Through this picture, I realised what "seriousness," "precision," and "duty and responsibility" represent in myself — I have habitually assumed I should do certain things without truly considering whether I want or need to do them. In essence, my life plan is more like a list of obligations than a reflection of my desires. This contradicts my current understanding, as I often tell myself, "Life after growing up is not solely mine; it's a shared existence with others because I can no longer act recklessly, and freedom has become a luxury. Every decision will affect others."

However, in today's class, I think I need to start pondering whether I should do things because I feel obligated or because I genuinely want to or hope to do them.

"Reflecting on my current life" is an excellent activity that disconnects from external noise and links to one's inner world. It allows clients to visually portray their past selves, illustrating how those past experiences have shaped their present selves. Through this process, individuals can contemplate what they can do for themselves soon or what they aspire to become.

I hope that when I use the imagery in counselling, especially when expressing the inner world of a client, I can also incorporate grounding skills. By gradually disconnecting the client from the external world and then slowly connecting them to their inner world, I can explore the details of their inner self. Finally, by expressing the ultimate image lingering in their mind through drawing, the process of using imagery to convey and express the inner world of the client is complete.