Odd Days, Odd Socks, Everyone Has Them
Everyone has had at some time or another some odd socks. Well just like odd socks, we can have days when we are feeling off centre. The imbalance can make us feel strange and odd, and obvious to others that we are not tracking well. But once we realise that everyone at some time in their life or across the significant turning points in their life, has odd days regardless of having any odd socks in their draws. When we realise that everyone has off days, we don’t have to feel so stigmatised, or isolated. We can allow ourselves to feel fully human, and fully alive.
Click on the artwork below to view/play the full image/video.
Odd Socks by Samantha
Based on the Grow Odd Socks Day (October 9th, 2020) I purposefully wore my bright coloured striped white and pink sock which I previously bought from the Grow (SA), Grow centre in Adelaide, for Odd Sock Day 4th October 2013. The other black and yellow sock is a dark, yet happy bright colour with a smiling minion face (animation film Despicable Me, 2010 or Minions, 2015). These colours show that Growers can have down times (Bedrock, B.B. Pg. 28) and Growers can have maintained health and wellbeing (The 12 Steps of Recovery and Personal Growth, B.B. Pg. 13). Everyone experiences odd days, and we are all navigating the rough road together. In wearing odd socks, they are a great discussion piece to help reduce the stigma from national mental health issues to national mental health and wellbeing.
Samantha
Sock Scruntch Demo by Samantha
Everybody experiences odd days some time or other in their lives. During these COVID-19 restrictions, Growers are all ‘Navigating this rough road together’. In breaking down the stigma of Mental Ill-Health utilising socks in a creative way ignites creativity and discussion on a new way of how odd socks can be worn. Plus igniting the discussion about Mental Ill-Health and the struggles that Growers experience in their lives. It is another inspiring way of how Growers can repurpose odd socks in the future, not just wearing odd socks on their feet. It is another avenue for Growers to purchase for Grow fundraising when wearing their odd socks.
Garden - Mindful Moment by Samantha
During this season of navigating my own rough road, one way to assist in changing my thinking and having a healthy interest is by taking mindful photos of the garden. To be out in the sunny weather and the fresh air in the garden brings a sense of warmth and joy which also centres myself and calms down my mental health symptoms during this rough season. The garden shows signs of growth and splashes of colour. To relate it back to me personally, the garden shows signs of personal growth and bright positivity which helps to increase positive thinking. Mindfully taking photos with my phone of the garden assisted me being in the present moment and focusing only on the beauty of the garden, rather than the rocky, rough road of unhelpful thoughts and feelings. During this season of navigating the rough road I have created various PowerPoint slides and videos for family celebrations and for beginner meditation classes. This is the reason I chose to create a PowerPoint video to express my mindful garden photography. Note: The video is presented with a watermark from where I compressed or resized my video. I utilised parts of the program on the PowerPoint slides from the Grow blue book as a creative way of reading the Grow program - the parts of the Grow blue book I have personally used during this rough season and other parts of the program I thought related to the photos shown. The instrumental music I used related to the theme ‘Navigating the Rough Road Together’ because the music is titled, “Together, we will go through” (music used with permission, www.ryanhodgson.net).