I think that CAS can have both positive and negative effects on our wellbeing, depending on how we approach it and the assignments I have externally also.
On one hand, reflecting on my experiences allows me to see the growth that occurs through them. I have noticed that significantly in my activity of Bodypump, in myself becoming more confident and pushing myself to try harder in order to improve my fitness. It is also just a good chance to question why I participate in the things I do, which gives me a clearer picture as to where my interests lie. When I look at my struggle through my CAS experiences, I get a sense of where my weaknesses are and what I can do to improve. Especially with my service, I am able to delve into the emotional and psychological side of helping disabled kids, and what that means in my life and what I have to be grateful for.
On the other hand, there are certain times of the year where I have deadlines from several other subjects, and having to keep up with CAS can be quite an issue. There are already reflections that I am behind on that I have pushed behind for my academic assignments. Sometimes, consistently having to reflect on an activity can ruin it for you, in the same sense that analysing a book to an extreme, can completely ruin your love for it.
I think the key with CAS is to find the balance between the authencity of reflections and the effort you put in trying. You need to be honest with yourself in your reflections, even if it means admitting that it causes you stress, but you must also take the reflections as an opportunity to visualise your learning.
