Me, my true nature (apparently)
Using the Proust Questionnaire as a writing challenge, personality test, and reflection structure
This April, we’re all indoors! It has been a long time since I’ve followed and completed a challenge through and through. But here we are, attempting two! The first being Escapril, a poetry challenge with a daily one-word prompt, on Instagram. The next based on the Proust Questionnaire to see if I can surprise myself with the answers to questions that claim to help “an individual reveals his or her true nature.” I’m using this article for prompts. I didn’t want to answer them all in one sitting but I also wanted to make this another writing piece.
This article will be a work-in-progress for the next 35 days.
Note from December: Ha! I’m getting to it now, let’s wrap this up, 2020.
Note from December 24: Who knows if I’ll ever get around to finishing this. Maybe eventually.
Day 1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
It’s an accumulated feeling with all the perfect elements that bring us enjoyment, fulfilment, purpose, and comfort. That’s not exhaustive but simply what comes to mind. If I was to set the time frame at one week, I would want it to be winter — one day as a road trip with my favourite candies and chips and jams and friends, another with snowboarding in the mountains on a bluebird day, some others with relaxation and thrill alternating each other. Maybe even a day of relatively solo activities for a chance to write in a warm cabin. I’m looking for the surroundings of company that can dial up the hype or tone down to talks under the stars. I’m looking for the feeling of inspiration when on top of a snowy mountain and how it continues to flow all the way down. I’m looking for the sense of confidence and gratitude and warmth. I’m looking for a series of highs and mellows, dreams and nostalgia, balanced yet packed days — from now, to the rest of my life.
April 1, 6:21pm —6:33pm
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Day 2. What is your greatest fear?
It’s something about my ability to reach my potential, or whatever that means. I wonder if there’s a larger impact I’ll be able to make on the world, however immediate or even far. And what that might be — it’s different from chasing success because it stems from a confidence that there’s more to life than personal fulfillment. There must be something that’s less hedonistic than that. There’s something about giving back to the people and places that allowed you to thrive and like hiking, leaving it better than it was before you walked past.
December 15, 12:24am— 12:27am
