I thought I'd have a go at setting this project out using the design web approach, that I recently attended a workshop about from Looby Macnamara, a diploma tutor. All methods seem to cover basically the same journey of design, just offering slightly different support to thought processes. As she says, her method encourages a less linear path of working through the design, and so each element can be looked at and returned to whenever the motivation and inspiration is there in that particular place.
The scattered idea of going away and coming back to points appeals to my scattered nature. She has seperated each stage of the design into smaller chunks, just basically renaming them a little, so I thought I'd have a go and see if this helps me flow through the design process better. I've put a link to a better explanation of this method here.
The design is separated into four phases of growth..
The seed/growth phase contains all the beginnings of the idea - the visioning, the things that are going to help and limit my project.
The next phase of design is the root/exploratory phase; exploring through patterns, ideas and principles.
Next comes the fruit/productive phase,
The scattered idea of going away and coming back to points appeals to my scattered nature. She has seperated each stage of the design into smaller chunks, just basically renaming them a little, so I thought I'd have a go and see if this helps me flow through the design process better. I've put a link to a better explanation of this method here.
The design is separated into four phases of growth..
The seed/growth phase contains all the beginnings of the idea - the visioning, the things that are going to help and limit my project.
The next phase of design is the root/exploratory phase; exploring through patterns, ideas and principles.
Next comes the fruit/productive phase,
Helps
After brainstorming this I can see that the things that are going to help me are;
- I have freedom from jobs or a career just now, which will change in the future.
- Ohli is still young, he isn't particularly settled anywhere and is mostly happy so long as he is with me. I don't have to worry about schools, and his father is also supportive of our trip.
- I have connections in several overseas countries through friends and contacts I made whilst travelling before. I spent three years in and around Thailand when I was younger so I feel quite comfortable and familiar with that part of the world and still have several friends there. Also, the experience backpacking whilst younger alongside many other trips since then have given me an understanding of what we can expect, to a certain degree.
- I can also tap into global permaculture networks and wwoofing hosts, and also house sitting and couch surfing.
- As I am on my way with this permaculture diploma, I will need to be connecting with like minded people and inspiring places, and keep a connection to the land so I can keep working on projects. This should keep me on the right track and see that I can't stray into useless travel mode.. I really want to keep busy and use this trip to its full advantage, no time to waste..
- I will also be helped by books and internet resources, travel blogs, advice on travelling with children, word of mouth.
Limits: What things might block your path or slow you down
I can see that my limits seem to be all self created! I have identified them as:
- my self confidence/self belief
- my indecisiveness over what is the best thing for me to do
- my fear of losing the people/things I love and leaving them behind
- my desire to do everything, all at once. Can also be seen as a lack of patience
Patterns: Identify helpful and unhelpful patterns
Still thinking on this one, as I feel that I may just repeat some of the points above..
I am realising though that I jump ahead of myself often, my mind runs away with an idea or train of thought and I find it hard to keep up! So, seeing this behaviour, I am trying harder to document more what I am going through as I go through it, hopefully this will straighten it out.
I also can try to do too many things at once, spreading my time and energy too thinly, and not putting as much into each one as I would like.
Ideas: gather inspiration
I have broken down this journey into categories of things I need to think about.
Health
So far in Ohli's life I have decided against giving him routine vaccinations. I have, however, been following a programme of homeoprophylaxis, a method of using homeopathic remedies as a natural method of immunisation. But now we are about to go to countries where diseases are much more of an issue I need to be sure that I am definately choosing the safest thing for Ohli. So I feel that I need to do some thorough research on all aspects of this before we go anywhere. And since I know many other parents who ask the same questions, it'd be great to build a bit of a resource where I can share what I find out with others.
(I would like to possible create a separate page with this info on that I can link to here, but that is easier for other people to find if they would like to. For now I will put it all under the integration section)
Where we'll go
I've never been much of a planner, but experience travelling with Ohli has shown me that a bit of planning and thinking ahead just makes everything nicer.
Principles: look through the lense of each one
Stacking functions (and the possibility of being of use to the wider community)
I'd like to build a resource for sharing knowledge about homeoprophylaxis and natural alternatives to immunisations for other parents, whilst also preparing for our trip overseas, whilst also building a resource for sharing advice on travelling with children, where to go, tips and hints etc.. This can be added to with advice from parents I meet along the way.
Integration: bringing it all together
Action: make a plan to get things done
To do list, as of 21 dec
- Book flight
- contact Lloyd, friend in Chiang Mai, and arrange renting his apartment and tell him when we coming (done)
- make definate plans and dates with places I want to visit
- finish research on homeopathy for Ohli and order medicines, write up symptom and medicine book, make a natural first aid kit
- download all books I may need onto kindle
- open new bank account
- sell everything i have left of value
- create on line storage of all photos and back up hard drive
- open smugmug account and transfer pictures
Momentum: how to keep goingWhat are we going to need to keep us going, to sustain us?
The things that I immediately think of here: yoga, meeting good folk, grounding myself in nature, finding inspiration, maintaining connections with friends, family, and diploma group, staying focused, access to good healthy living food. Taking care of our heath; physical, mental, and spiritual.
Appreciation: focus on things to be thankful for
I am thankful for my friends and family. Their support lifts me and inspires me.
Reflection: evaluate progress
Pause: Incorporate times of rest and rejuvenation