This ePortfolio article is to document my learning journey in the Applied Learning Design course that I am taking at Harvard Extension School.

#1 Transformative learning

burn·out | \ ˈbərn-ˌau̇t \: noun, exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration. [merriam-webster dictionary]

After months of investing in damage-repair at work, I woke up one morning, collapsed and not able to get out of bed or to focus on my own thinking. In the days that followed, I laid for ours in bed and on the grass.

Even practicing my hobby in Islamic Illumination (Tezhip) proved to be too much. I was convinced that I had a burnout and took a conscious decision to invest solely on my resting.

It was only a week left for the start of my Applied Learning Design course at Harvard. I thought I would check-in on the first class and drop right after, so to manage my boundaries.

However, the first class of Professor Haejung Chung proved to be a transformative experience.

There is something empowering about the educational approach in Applied Learning. I would like to capture that and use it in my own learning, both as a student and instructor. I also believe that both learners and educators can enhance their learning experience through mindfulness. So, I grabbed my ink brush and continued drawing illuminative leaves and flowers and I fully engaged myself in the knowledge and practice of Applied Learning. This article will map my journey in using Applied Learning and mindfulness as means to achieve healing and transformative growth in education.