We’ve finally come to the end of our PGP year, and, to be honest, while PGP actually stands for Personal Growth Plan, I always thought of it as the Painfully Gruelling Program. I mean, who actually wants to have to spend their own time outside of school to do another course? Well, pretty much no one, but PGP, as gruelling as it may have seemed at times, was an exception that was totally worth it.

So, after reading that very blunt intro, you’re probably asking yourself why was PGP the exception? I mean, I did say that it wasn’t my favourite course, but, I also just contradicted myself saying that it was worth doing. Well, that’s because, PGP has taught me skills that go beyond the classroom setting. Think of it like Math. Not everyone’s favourite subject, but the concepts you learn will help you throughout life. PGP is much the same.

In this course, we learned about different ways of problem solving and effective thinking and organization tactics. One of the major things I learned from this course was goal setting: having a goal in mind and creating the steps to get there. As many have stated, a goal without a plan to achieve it is only a wish. We read the book “What Do I Really Want”. Along with the book, we were required to fill out certain forms that accompanied what the author had to say. The forms really made me sit and think about the goals I wanted to reach and how best to achieve them. Now, when I think of goals, I begin with the end in mind. Rather than making a wish and waiting for that wish to happen, I think of the end result which is the goal I want to achieve and then start thinking about the path it’s going to take to get there.

The course also taught me how best to manage time and reduce the amount of stress. We were introduced to two apps: Things and Calendar. Of course I already knew what these were, but a thorough refresher never hurts. Since then, Things has helped me manage the assignments in priority order so I know what needs to be done and handed in ontime.

So, I know we all have trouble dealing with stress. It’s just such an unpleasant feeling. Sean Covey’s Book on the Seven Habits reassured me that there are strategies to overcoming challenges and stress was no exception. The seven habits book has been written in many different forms to appeal to a variety of audiences and age groups. The main habit that stood out to me was seeing things from a new perspective. It showed me that no one’s life is perfect. But, if we could accept that there is both good and bad in everyone’s life, it’s easier to move forward. And, by doing so, we can focus on the good things. Again, it’s all about seeing things through a different perspective.

I feel that if there’s one thing I needed to take away from this course, it would be to see and understand that things only seem as they are because of the way you look at them. Similar to a cloud or painting, everyone sees it different. While you might see a cloud shaped as a dog, your friend might interpret that same cloud as a lion. The same goes with life, and to show this, I created a short dance video about myself and how I used to see a life full of misery, but now see a life of light and possibility.

As a dancer, I understand the language of dance sometimes more than a speech. For this reason, my final project for PGP was a dance that showed how seeing things from a new perspective can be life changing. I wish that I had seen this sooner…but I guess now I know. Thanks to PGP and my future self.