My Proverb
Aim: The exercise aims to boost creativity, self-awareness and personal growth by exploring cultural wisdom hidden in proverbs.
Level: 3
Duration: 10-15 min
Exploring cultural and folklore wisdom.
Instructions:
- Take 5 minutes to check proverbs from different cultures. Pick up one that is resonating with you today and reflect on it.
- Then think about a proverb that was used in your family and friends circle, perhaps your grandmother or uncle have or used to have some funny saying? Was there any meaning hidden in it?
- Create your own proverb, everyday wisdom or saying that it’s based on your experience, meaningful event, situation, relation or effort in your life. It can be simple "If you can, you can" or "The later the better" or "If everything goes dark, then set it on fire", "Wednesday is a small Friday", or "Full belly, happy head". Do it in your own language to enjoy the double meaning or check if it sounds funny.
- Write all 3 of them down (from different cultures, your family and your own) on post-its and put them in a visible place. If you don't feel creative at the moment, just pick up one proverb you like and post it on the board.
Every day you can pick up a different proverb and reflect upon it. It will make a nice break from work, directing your thoughts into symbolic cultural heritage and also exercise your brain in a pleasant way while creating new ones.
Advice:
You may use some of the following proverbs:
- If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. | African Proverb
- Fall seven times, stand up eight. | Japanese Proverb
Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. | Swedish Proverb - It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness. | Chinese Proverb
- Who begins too much accomplishes little. | German Proverb
- Don’t sail out farther than you can row back. | Danish Proverb
- Change yourself and fortune will change. | Portuguese Proverb
- In a battle between elephants, the ants get squashed. | Thai Proverb
- Good advice is often annoying, bad advice never is. | French Proverb
- Examine what is said, not who speaks. | Arab Proverb
African Proverbs
- "What forgets is the axe, but the tree that has been axed will never forget."
- "He who digs too deep for a fish may come out with a snake."
- "The path is made by walking."
Australian Proverbs
- "Once bitten, twice shy."
- "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
- "In the planting season, visitors come singly, and in harvest time they come in crowds."
Bulgarian Proverbs
- "Tell me who your friends are, so I can tell you who you are."
- "The wolf has a thick neck because he does his job on his own."
- "Measure thrice, cut once."
- "Help yourself to help God help you."
Croatian Proverbs
- "The way it came is the way it will go."
- "Hasten slowly."
- "All that's well lasts short."
Dutch Proverbs
- "Do not wake sleeping dogs."
- "Every little pot has a fitting lid."
- "Think before acting; and whilst acting, still think."
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