A topic in Chapter Two that I found interesting is the set of guidelines they discuss to help improve self-concept. According to the book, self-concept is a process in which an individual sees him or herself as unique from others and their surroundings. To improve our self-concept, there are four guidelines we should follow:
1. Make a firm commitment to personal growth- if we want to change our current self, we must really dedicate ourselves and consciously work towards our goal. As stated, change is a process and takes time. It may be difficult to change because we are already so comfortable and used to our current behavior. We must also be consistent and keep our mindset on the goal.
2. Gain & use knowledge to support personal growth- As a part of life, we grow and make mistakes. However, we should take those mistakes and learn from them. Each mistake is a lesson and opportunity for growth so that next time, we know from our past experiences and current knowledge, what we should continue or dismiss.
3. Set realistic & fair goals- It is important to set goals that are not too overwhelming. A good way I learned to do this is to set SMART goals, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, & Timely. Goal descriptions need to be specific rather than vague, measurable so that we can assess our progress, attainable (or realistic), relevant to our overall desired outcome, and has a certain date of when the goal should be achieved by. If the goal we create is too perfect and unrealistic, we are basically setting ourselves up for failure. Taking baby steps and setting various short-term goals may be easier to attain.
4. Seek contexts that support personal change- Change is a complex process and being in the right environment is important. We must place ourselves in a positive, supportive environment and avoid negativity. A positive environment is being with people who are encouraging, whereas a negative environment can include self-sabotage by putting ourselves down. We must believe in ourselves and give ourselves that extra push to achieve change.
Hey Michelle, I really found your blog interesting to read. It gave me a more in depth look at improving self-concept then i would have got by just reading the text book. i had now idea that there were guidelines for this kind of stuff. It’s kind of funny to me. Anyways your explanations of each of the topics were perfect in detail and they outlined he guidelines nicely. My favorite guideline was the one that says set realistic goals for yourself because I believe it to be so true. Overall great job on this post and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteMichelle:
ReplyDeleteI wanted one of my comments to be on yours since I did the same concept as you. When I read about self-concept I took a little extra longer to read about it since it stood out to me. After reading about it I started thinking about different goals I could set to help improve myself, and to make me a better person all around. This is a powerful concept in my opinion since it really makes us think about who we are now, and what we can do to improve our lifestyle and personality.
Hy Michelle Delano... Nice blog buddy.
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