Week 8 Can I Melt a Candle?

Way back in the first week I tried to make my own lemon and orange scented fragrance oils. About four weeks ago I made candles with my homemade fragrance and they basically have no scent. So this week I melted down the lemon candle and added more fragrance oil, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I might try one more time and add even more, and if it doesn't work then I will probably give up on the homemade oils for the time being.

My new occupation of candle making can facilitate well-being by giving me a time to take a break from school work and do something calming and relaxing. In the first few weeks it was more exciting, and I was more nervous about getting it right. Now I have more of a system going and it feels more calming. In some ways it can hinder my well-being, because I still consider this occupation to be school-related, which makes it hard to find the motivation to do it sometimes. Though even when I don't want to do it, it always feels great afterward to have created something. 

Well-being is connected to seven occupational needs: accomplishment, affirmation, agency, coherence, companionship, pleasure, renewal (Doble & Caron Santha, 2008). Candle-making definitely gives me a sense of accomplishment, both in the longer term development of skills and understanding, and after each candle is finished. I experience affirmation and pleasure while making the candles, but more so when they are lit and I get to enjoy the scents and calming atmosphere created by them. Similarly, enjoying the finished product gives me that sense of renewal and encourages me to keep making them. The agency aspect is hard, as I mentioned that the fact that it is related to school makes it hard to be motivated sometimes. Coherence improves my well-being as I become more confident in my candle-making skills, which affirms my identity of a "crafty person." I don't experience very much companionship with this occupation, but I always love it when my roommate notices the scent of the candle when it is burning.