Izet passionately strives towards personal development
“It is not the personal challenges that you have to overcome in life, of which there were quite a few in my life, but rather a focus on the way you overcome it than the challenge itself.”
Izet Bredenhann, a psychology graduate and educator at Stanford Lake College, says her true passion lies in personal growth and that is why teaching suits her so well. “I finished my high school career at Stanford Lake College and moved to Pretoria and studied psychology. I was never sure of what I wanted to do exactly until I substituted a visual arts lesson for a friend who went into labour. That is when I knew I was a teacher at heart and how I found myself back at Stanford,” Izet says.
She has engrossed herself in life at Stanford. “I currently wear many hats. I am a junior visual arts teacher as well as housemistress of the Ken Shuter boarding house. I am also head of the international programme at Stanford as the current Round Square representative.” Stanford offers a subject called Trees, which is symbolic of the trees on their badge that represents the school’s values. “In this subject, we focus on developing soft or 21st-century skills and personal development.”
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Izet says she is inspired by people like Mel Robbins and Daniel Amen. Robbins is a motivational speaker and author of ‘The 5 Second Rule and the ‘High 5 Habit. Amen is an American celebrity doctor who practices as a psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist. He is also New York Times best-selling author. “I am constantly changing who I admire, depending on what my goals at a particular moment in my life are. At the moment, Robbins and Amen are my greatest sources of inspiration. I value the simplicity with which they approach the subject of human flourishing.”
She says, looking back on the Covid-19 pandemic, that it has shown her that “there is more in us than we think. As an educator, there were some really challenging times trying to navigate a full academic programme online. It has taught me patience and shown me that we underestimate ourselves and what we are able to endure.” To balance her life, she thoroughly believes in good personal organisation. “Also, looking after your mental health is very important, if your mind is in check, everything else will follow.”
On her bucket list is running the New York Marathon. “And please wear sunscreen, this is a valuable lesson that my mom Gerda taught me and one that I am really grateful for!” she concludes.
