Posts
6 Reasons to Scrapbook You
By Fion Lim (Nov 6, 2005)
As a devoted scrapper, you probably gain satisfaction from scrapbooking about others. Oftentimes, you are the one glaring missing light in your scrapbook albums, simply because you're so caught up with hiding behind the camera and being a fixated shutterbug. Somehow, it's happening too frequently.
Ever thought about why you should take a step back and start scrapbooking about yourself? Ever wonder how scrapbooking about "you" could bring out the shine in you? Come on, you are special; there's no way to deny it. Rare like a diamond. Just probably covered up in layers and needed some polishing to bring out the natural shine. And scrapbooking is a powerful method to reveal the rareness in you.
There are so many glowing benefits to creating scrapbooks all about you:
1) Leave Behind an Everlasting Legacy
For the people who will never get the chance of meeting and knowing you, your scrapbooks about yourself will leave behind memories of you as a person. It's a mean of letting them discover and know about you.
I once read of a mother who was seized with terminal stage of cancer. In her final days, instead of resting, she struggled to put together scrapbook albums of herself. Why? Just so that her two very young toddlers will get to know about the mommy whom they'll never see in person again. The scrapbooks will be constant reminders to the kids of their mommy's love for them and her thoughts about them. It's a heart-wrenching story, but it's a wake up call that you don't have an eternity. You have to take steps now to make time to leave behind a part of who you are. Like they said, "You'll never know"...
2) Show the World You as an Individual
Yes, besides being known as the scrapbooker who so lovingly and tenderly put together the family scrapbooks, your children and present or future grandchildren would want to know how you look like. They'll wonder "How did Granny Kate look when she's a baby? And what did she look like when she's a young woman?"
You're likely to have the same curiosity of your ancestors too. So showcase your changing faces or appearances throughout the years or decades. Come out from behind your camera, and ask or plead with someone else to take over the role of the photographer. You are important and you need to be in those pages.
3) Reveal the Real You
By scrapbooking, you'll immortalize a part of yourself in a permanent way. And through reading your journaling, others will get to know you in an intimate sort of way. You are granting them permission to be privy to your inner world of thoughts, which are usually hidden by the superficialities of your daily life. Your journaling will reveal the authentic side of you that many may not have the privilege to know of otherwise.
Do consider leaving those alluring computer fonts aside for a while, and write in your own handwriting. It may not be perfect but it's much more personal. Your handwriting is undeniably a part of you.
4) Pass on Your Beliefs and Values
Worried that your values and beliefs will be lost forever to your future generations? Scrapbooking about them is a great way to ensure that they'll get passed on from one generation to the next. "Great-grandma Emily is a strong believer of filial piety. It's her strongest trait..." Your scrapbook albums will likely become treasured family keepsakes, where your words will echo and impact on your future generations’ lives.
5) Pull You Out from a Crossroad
There are probably times in your life when you feel uncertain and lost about yourself. It's like your identity has gone missing. I've been at such a crossroad before too. At such disheartening moments, try scrapbooking on themes like "What Makes Me So Unique", "The Many Hats That I wear" and "Top 10 Things that I'm Most Proud". These themes will once again call attention to your own uniqueness. Such meaningful pages will reinforce the value in you as an individual. If you're daring enough, try "10 Things I Like About You". This is where you'll have to get a couple of your closest kin and friends to each make a list of things they like about you. You'll have to cast away your shyness and get those lists from the people you care about.
Then someday when you feel like you're in the dumps, pull out these precious little lists, read over them and call to your mind that you are wanted and loved by others. Instead of dwelling on your failures and imperfections, these powerful lists will push you forward and make you look at the positive traits of yourself.
6) Pump Yourself Up with Pride
When you're done with some scrapbooks on yourself, flip through them occasionally. You'll find yourself looking at you with a renewed sense of respect and pride. Be it as a mother, nurturer, wife, partner, daughter, sister, colleague or dreamer, your scrapbook albums will showcase you in different roles. It'll tell others that you aren't merely just a mom. The pages will remind you that you have meaningful contributions to make in various roles.
Are you beginning to see the therapeutic wonders of scrapbooking about yourself? Doesn't it reaffirm the goodness within you and unleash the power of you being a diamond? Aren't the above reasons compelling enough to cajole you into scrapbooking about yourself? Each delayed moment is a moment lost forever. So take positive steps now to uncover the diamond in you to share with others.
