Tag: Self-belief

Don’t Stop Believing

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What’s the one piece of advice you wish someone had given you a year (or five, or ten…) ago?

I have an innate ability to know who to trust. It’s an instant ability I  have to be able to read people. When I interview for new staff I make it clear the person I choose will be the best fit for the team not necessarily the person with the highest scores on graduation. So far my trust has been rewarded by my choices being recognised as great team members by patients as well as other staff.

During the last 5 years however there was one occasion where my trust in a colleague was severely breached. I had to learn quickly not to doubt myself. I was right to originally trust this person however they broke that trust by their actions. I quickly recognised the problem—there was a crocodile in the pond, the pond itself although shaken was solid and full of life.

This realisation during an extremely difficult time helped me to continue believe in myself, build resilience in all concerned and continue to trust others.

Remember, sometimes when things are out of our control it’s not our fault, however we need to do what is necessary to take back control.

Self Belief

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/powerful-suggestion/

Mistakes

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Write an entire post without using three-letter words.

Everyone makes mistakes. These mistakes teach us lessons about ourselves that allow us to grow.  Think of these lessons as gifts from life. Some people find keeping a list of lessons learnt helpful. They’re a visible reminder that helps keep us focused on moving forward to reach goals.

Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented a light globe. He doesn’t describe these attempts as failures however as 10,000 ways they don’t work.

By re-framing your words, it is possible to change your thinking. Life is full of lessons—we choose at what speed we acknowledge them. Remember they help us to develop personally as well as professionally.

Do not be afraid to take a risk. Take on challenges, learn by your mistakes adding to your repertoire of things known.

***

I found this challenge tricky. I noticed that it changed my voice considerably because my style is made up of small words—mainly with three letters. It certainly made me think which took me from my comfort zone—teaching me some lessons as I went.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/three-letter-words/

Great Teachers

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What makes a teacher great?

For my purpose in this post I am describing a teacher as anyone imparting learning to others as well as formally trained teacher. Teaching is a skill we can all use. It is about imparting knowledge we hold to another person. We all know things that others can learn but what is the difference between someone who does this well compared to someone who just tells you the information.

  • Show passion or the topic
  • Listening skills
  • More detail
  • Give reasons
  • Approachable
  • Individualize the information
  • Explain in simple language—even technical detail.
  • Smile
  • Make people feel like they want to be teaching them the information
  • Set boundaries on unacceptable behaviours
  • Repeat the information 3 times
  • Check understanding of the student before moving on to new information
  • Have fun while learning
  • Teach why the learning is necessary and how it will benefit the student
  • Be transparent to all students
  • Be consistent
  • Be equal
  • Believe the student can learn
  • Be creative
  • Be honest
  • Patience
  • Use different learning styles to keep it interesting and to suit the individual needs of the student

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/we-can-be-taught-2/

Networking

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Are you good at what you do? What would you like to be better at?

I am good at what I do because I work hard at it. I am always looking for new ways to improve myself—both at work and in my personal life. My theory is when you stop growing—you stop living. So what is next you ask? As I hope to publish my book by the end of this year—2015 is about improving my networking skills—self-promotion. I have learnt that networking no longer means talking to everyone in the room—this makes it easier. Please enjoy my networking plan in a poem.

New experience to gather knowledge

Express interest in the other person

Time to bond with others

Working the room—who are you drawn to

Opportunity to ask questions

Relax and smile

Know your purpose and don’t be distracted

Include your elevator pitch

Note areas for later follow-up

Greet all with enthusiasm

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/i-have-confidence-in-me/

Circle of Five

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A writer once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If this is true, which five people would you like to spend your time with?

I think motivational speaker Jim Rohn is correct with this quote. Actually, I believe it so much that I have used it in my book on eating disorder recover. For this reason I maintain my distance from people, places and things that are destructive or will sabotage my goals and plans.

This year my focus is mostly on finishing my book and handing it over to Balboa Press to complete the self-publishing process. It has been a long journey for me about believing in and backing myself. Starting this blog was part of this plan, as my voice had never been heard online before. Each day I become more comfortable with marketing my brand.

To support this part of my life, the five people I will spend time with are:

  1. Louise Hay – founder of Hay House and author of “You Can Heal Your Life”
  2. Jack Canfield  – author of “The Success Principles and Chicken Soup for the Soul series”
  3. Janet Evanowich – my favourite fiction novelist
  4. Dale Carnegie – author of “How To Win Friends and Influence People”
  5. My husband – my supporter, friend and first editor

Who do you need to spend your time with to meet your goals. Although I may never be able to meet these people in real life and I can always reacquaint myself with them by reading their books and stories again—taking note of the points that are speaking to me.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/circle-of-five/

Boundaries

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What question do you hate to be asked? Why?

I don’t mind what questions people ask me. I have strong boundaries so if I don’t think the person has a right or reason to know the answer I will tell them I am not answering. If I think it is appropriate I will give them a reason but most of the time I don’t. My boundaries—my decisions. No correspondence will be entered into.

Our boundaries are imaginary lines that tell others what behaviours, attitudes and values are acceptable and not acceptable to us. They tell others how close they can come. Think of your boundaries as the fences to your life. Fences have gates that allow certain people to pass and stop others.They ensure your safety because you choose who gets close and whom you keep at a distance.

You get to choose your own boundaries—for your behaviour as well as others. If you don’t like someone’s behaviours—you get to choose your response to their behaviours. Your response can be very effective in changing or stopping the other person’s behaviours.

Healthy boundaries are important for healthy relationships. People not taught effective boundaries—live their lives in chaos—with regular unwanted invasions from others. Learn to work with your personal boundaries as they can help you mange uncomfortable situations and tricky questions.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/plead-the-fifth/

Transition Recovery House

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You’re given a plot of land and have the financial resources to do what you please. What’s the plan?

If I had the resources I would open a transition recovery house for people in the later stages of recovery from their eating disorder. It would be a small facility with 6-8 beds. Its purpose would be to support during the first 90 days after discharge from hospital anyone who was transitioning from their family home to independent living and met the entry criteria. This post discharge is critical for relapse as the stress triggers reverting to old coping skills. By living in a purpose-built facility and continuing to work on recovery—new practical coping skills can be taught in the here and now.

Moving out of home is a right of passage for most young people. For anyone it is a stressful time with a rewarding goal—independence. For people living with an eating disorder without extra support this is even more difficult. Pre-requisites of my transition recovery house would include:

  • a stabilised healthy weight for the individual—based on their bodies natural set point not BMI
  • study and /or working
  • individual and group cooking
  • group food shopping
  • daily recovery work time
  • weekly group work
  • mindfulness
  • body image work including shopping for clothes
  • compulsory participation in the structured house program
  • no alcohol or drugs
  • shared chore roster
  • personal clothes washing
  • keeping psychiatrist, dietitian and  psychology appointments
  • continued control of eating disorder behaviours
  • nightly accountability groups
  • budgeting
  • meal planning
  • volunteer work

I hope that over time my recovery transition house would develop to fill any other individual needs of its housemates and teach them how to do the same.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/a-plot-of-earth/

Self-Worth

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“Think global, act local.” Write a post connecting a global issue to a personal one.

I don’t know if eating disorders are classified as a global issue but I believe they are—statistics from 2002 state 70 million people world-wide are living with one so the number would be much greater today.

Knowing these facts are one thing, but what can be done at a personal level to help protect ourselves or our children from developing a dangerous eating disorder that has the potential to kill them. The answer is increasing low self-worth to a healthy level. Self worth is defined as “the opinion you have of your self and the value you place on yourself.”

Consider your current level of self-worth—do you believe in yourself and your abilities or is your self worth low and a struggle?

Work on improving your self-worth by focusing on the following 3 areas:

  1. Listen to your self talk – ensure you tell yourself positive statements. When a negative statement comes to mind—at least turn it into a neutral statement—even if you can’t  go all the way and make it a positive one.
  2. Give yourself permission to do one fun thing or one nurturing thing a day—because you deserve it.
  3. Set a mini goal each day that works towards your longer term goals.

So lets help to spread the growth of positivity through the world, by beginning at home. Let’s focus on supporting increased self-worth in everyone we come in contact with. Ensure that if we can’t do anything to help, we don’t do anything to make the situation worth. Self worth is improved one small step at a time—it won’t happen overnight.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/think-global-act-local/

Tomorrow Is Another Day

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Take a quote from your favorite movie — there’s the title of your post. Now, write!

As a child in early primary school I can remember going to the movies to see Gone With The Wind. It is a movie that changed my life.

I loved it.

I left the movie theatre that day thinking,  I as a girl, growing up in the 1970’s could do anything. Scarlett O’Hara was my hero. What I saw as a child was a woman who, if she wanted something, went out and got it. She was a tough, resilient survivor and I needed to know that was possible. I, of course missed all of her relationship difficulties, which are another part of the movie, but I was too young to understand.

The concluding scene of the movie and the title of this blog post has lived with me everyday since—”tomorrow is another day.” Whenever things get tough—I like Scarlett—remind myself “I can’t think about that now, I’ve got to think about it tomorrow, after all tomorrow is another day.” I usually find by giving myself some space, by sleeping on my problem—the next day I have an answer. My problem may still be as big but at least I have made a plan to get through it. When problems are really tough, I go back to an earlier blog post and ask St Francis of Assissi for advice.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/silver-screen/

Proud Of Me

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When was the last time someone told you they were proud of you?

I think this prompt needs to be turned on its head. Instead of saying “when was the last time someone told you they were proud of you,” it should say “when was the last time you told yourself, you were proud of you.”

Our self-esteem depends on our opinion of ourselves. If we are regularly criticising our efforts instead of finding ways to encourage growth—we are going to go backwards. It is okay to be proud of even small changes—it is not about who has the proudest moment—it is about acknowledging our own worth, not waiting for external validation.

For me, the last time I told myself I was proud of me and that I had done a good job was last week when I printed off the latest version of my Inspiring Hope manuscript. I hadn’t seen the changes I had made in the last six months and it looks more like a real book everyday. It looks good. I am proud of it and all that I have learnt on my journey of writing it.

Take some time and consider when was the last time you told yourself you were proud of you. If it has been a while—what are you proud of recently? Beginning this month, join me and give yourself a pat on the back regularly. This will help motivate us to take on more challenges and grow into the person we dream of being.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/proud/