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Understanding Self

by cjxpadmin | Jun 2, 2012 | June 2012 Magazine, Uncategorized

This article provides a starting point for you as you begin your journey in search of a new direction for your life or your career. It sets the tone for all of the actions to follow. It reminds us that a healthy understanding of our past life patterns is a prerequisite to an effective transition into the future. While it does not suggest we dwell in the past, it does encourage us to look carefully at past situations to determine which situations have resulted in the greatest gains and which have resulted in less than positive outcomes. It helps us identify which of our actions should be repeated and which should be avoided in the future.

You will be invited to participate in a series of games, assessments, and self-discussions designed to stimulate your personal introspection, encourage examination of life patterns, examine causes for failure, and project the actions needed to ensure future success.

EXPLORING SELF-AWARENESS is meant to lay a foundation for you to become aware of the way you have made up your mind about yourself. This exploration into self-image, self-concept, and self-esteem can, then, open the doors for you to upgrade your respective ideas about who you are and what you can accomplish.

The goal is to establish a way for you to upgrade and update a self-evaluation. We can stop the pain of our own attacks upon ourselves. We can begin to nurture the positive skills and attitudes that are within each of us. We can begin to feel worthy and capable just by the way we view ourselves. We can be a hero to ourselves, a big person capable of big things.

We begin this part of our Life Skills Adventure in the past because so much of who we are today is shaped by what has happened to us in the past. We have learned how to act, what to believe, and how to feel. For the most part, our experiences have helped us become good, healthy, and happy people; however, there are troubling bits and pieces from our past that might get in the way of allowing us to be who we truly want to become.

As we go forward, we will recognize the value of the past and recognize the value of other people who have influenced the shaping of our personalities. We will also explore the parts of our past that have hurt us, and we will use this opportunity to heal old wounds. We will think about the world and family we grew up in and how our families helped or hurt us. We will see how we modeled ourselves in the image of our parents and how we have formed our self-image from what they said about us.

We will then see how we have protected ourselves from the hurts of our past. We will come to recognize how our current problems, fears, and limitations are still tied to past experiences. Though this may bring some painful memories, our goal is to use this exploration to heal and      remove the limiting influence of the past.

After thinking about the following paragraphs, examine the information about your past. Sharing this information about yourself is encouraged and it could prove to be helpful.

“Where do you come from?”

You are invited to share your background, how you grew up, some of the things for which you are grateful, and some of the parts of your past you feel might have had some negative effect on you. Share with someone you trust – take enough time to share about some of what was most important to you. While you are sharing, the person you trust, in many ways, may know and understand what you have gone through. Many people feel uncomfortable about sharing their past. They carry shame, embarrassment, and fear into the present. If this is difficult for you, you may want to write a story of your past.

It is helpful to remember that now is the present. Whatever happened does not have to keep upsetting you. Now is the time for you to begin to write a NEW story. So, once you get the story of the past out, you can get to work on a new chapter.

Let’s continue this discussion in our next issue, please join me. △

Having A Job Worth Keeping

by cjxpadmin | Jun 2, 2012 | June 2012 Magazine, Uncategorized

Most people look for a job because of financial responsibility. Money is needed to pay the rent, buy groceries, and pay the bills. This is true in everyone’s life, but where does it say that you have to work just to earn money. You should enjoy what you do in your job. You should do what you do best. That is why you make a plan on how to look for employment.

The planning stages of looking for employment can be cumbersome, but they can also be challenging. Put your best foot forward and let’s start this journey with some of the most important things you need to do to create a better life for you and your family.

First of all, know that you are capable of anything! Get it straight in your mind and your body will follow. Your body will react to whatever is in your mind. Fill your mind with thoughts that are positive, confident, fulfilling and absolutely winning. The mind can do some pretty miraculous things. It can take you to new heights that you may not have thought possible. Believe in yourself and others will do the same.

The task of finding, getting, and keeping a job does not have to puzzle you anymore. The task is to take the mystery out of looking for and finding a job that will keep you in happy employment. Let’s start with talking about you! In order to find that perfect job, you need to be aware of what it is that is going to make you happy. Sometimes, it’ s just a location or a title or even a certain boss or company. What is it that you want to do? What is it that you do best? These are questions you must ask yourself prior to finding that job. In getting a job that makes you happy, you will find a job worth keeping.

When a group of people was asked why, in their opinion, they had lived such long lives the response was not, “I didn’t smoke” or “I didn’t drink.” Instead, they agreed that they had been happy in their employment. They were doing what they liked to do. The real key to finding, getting and keeping a good job is to find the job that is most suited to your skills, abilities and personality. Find the things that you do best and turn your job search in that direction. Make a list of everything you like to do and a list of what you need to make to fulfill your financial obligations. These two lists are going to be your guides to helping you plan your strategies.

Don’t give up if you don’t find what you are looking for right away. Be prepared to give yourself a little time. Be prepared to stair-step your way to that ideal job. Know that you have the stamina to keep going and keep looking and keep asking. This is the time to turn to everyone you know and ask them if they know of any employment that is suited for you.

As most people start their job search, they feel that they are at the mercy of the employer doing the interviewing. The real fact of the matter is that you are interviewing them at the same time that they are interviewing you. You are choosing the job, the job is not choosing you!

With that in mind, let’s talk next month about what you are bringing to the job search. △