Category: Self-Reflection

The quote above made a deep impression on me. It made me realize the importance of stopping and reflecting on the causes of events, the reasons for our actions and the best way to proceed. Rather than establishing our focus on other peoples perception of us, we should focus on carrying out our duty to pursue our passions without restraint. It made me realize that for every single action, it is essential to ask ourselves questions like, why am I doing this? Does the end-result of this action positively contribute to my development and personal fulfillment? How does it contribute to the wellbeing of the society at large? Even though the answer might not present itself immediately, the intricate journey of life has a tendency of revealing the answers to these questions. However, this cannot freely happen in a mind that does not take the brave step of stopping and reflecting. It only takes place in a mind that is free to explore and question certain fixed boundaries of societal norms.

As much as we live in a world where no man can live as an island, it is imperative that one considers his weaknesses and strengths in relation to his dreams and ambitions. Whereas the world might form their own biased opinion of me as an individual, this should not be the basis from which I should determine my real self. I should gauge my capabilities and weaknesses and pursue my dream without considering the distractions from society. On the other hand, I believe that as an individual, I should acknowledge their opinions analytically so that I pick everything that positively contributes to my development as an individual while selectively leaving out every opinion that might act as a speed bump on personal development.

All of us live with ambiguity and intractable issues. Our differences, however, reveal themselves through the diversity in which we respond to these conundrums. Some people just wait in the expectation that time will heal all wounds, while others make the utmost exertions in order to tackle problems head-on. I believe that the process of dealing with some of lifes intractable problems imparts upon us the art of patience and diligence so that we wont make choices in haste that we will later regret. These experiences can later become valuable resources.

Those of us living busy lives in modern society want to experience instant results. However, life frequently serves up both disappointment and success to help us find the direction and path that is most suitable for each of us. In order to draw a proper self-portrait practical experience is of paramount importance. Even though criticism is imminent in such circumstances, with a firm resolve to overcome present obstacles as well as a burning desire to pursue your goals, you will slowly approach your dreams through the process of trial and error. Through this process, one can tend dreams for the future, helping them grow. By living our lives and making mistakes, I believe we can find our own path.

Even if loneliness and sorrow line my path, I will continue to paint my self-portrait and pursue my dreams. Success and failure are all parts of life. The quote, At present you need to live the question, tells me to be brave and pursue my work with pride as the shortcut to success.

The purpose of this essay is to provide a better understanding of my personal beliefs when it comes to social service work, my views on seeking help and how my thoughts will influence my professional development, what I find is helpful for me, and lastly how I am able to overcome any barriers that come in my way. Although I have been able to grow with the help of peers and family, I am still learning many new things to this day, and it will never stop for as long as I work.

I believe being self-aware helps build a strong and professional relationship with clients. We are able to have a better understanding of ourselves as well as build on our mistakes and make improvements where we see fit. If a client sees that one is self-aware it can help them feel more informed while they are making a decision. This also includes managing personal needs, something that needs to be taken seriously. We are not able to please everybody, so that means we do not need to be fixated on impressing every single client. Their needs are the ones that need to be met first. Being a counselor is stressful for sure, and for a counselor to confide in a friend or a supervisor is not uncommon. For them to work their best sometimes they need to get advice from someone else. It takes so much strength for counselors to seek the help they need, and once they do they are amazing role models for their clients.

In the social service work profession, there are three personal beliefs that I find will stay consistent with me as I gradually get more involved. The first one is that I put others before myself. I do this by making sure their needs are met and that they have that extra support when they need it the most. This is something that I will keep doing as long as I am working in this field. Secondly, I like to improve the lives around me. I am able to do this by volunteering my time to those that need it whether it be helping my neighbor or getting out into the community. This helps me build better relationships with those around me. The last point is that I like to take the time to learn new things around me as well as get more knowledge on certain things. All three of these will help me with my social service work profession because I want to help everyone around me.

I personally believe that seeking help is one of the best things to do. Although it is one of the hardest things to decide on, it can have a rewarding feeling once getting the help needed. Many people struggle when coming to terms with seeking help because it is seen differently to talk to someone about your own problems. Counseling is something that is very foreign to people, it isn’t something that people do every day. It can be the most uncomfortable situation to be in, and it is totally okay to have these feelings toward it. I believe my thoughts will help influence my professional development in social service work because I want to advocate for counseling. I want to let people know that it is not something to be afraid of and that it is something that can help in the long run. There is a sense of relief when you are able to get all the weight off of your shoulders. I am not saying that everyone has to go see someone three times a week for an hour at a time. What I am saying is that counseling is a resource to help those that need someone to confide in and there is someone always willing to listen when they need it most.

When it comes to coping is one of the many struggles I face. There are many coping mechanisms I have in place for when things become too much for me. What I find to be helpful is writing down my thoughts, and playing with things when I start to become fidgety, I also like to make sure I can get to a safe space just for a deep breath. Now I do understand that everyone is different in their own way, and when it comes to coping strategies what might work for one, might not work for another. When it comes to working with clients I would not tell them what to do and tell them that it would work. I would want to communicate with them and see what their likes and dislikes are. From there, I would try and come up with ways to incorporate their likes into coping mechanisms to help them get out of an uncomfortable situation. Something I am able to call a helping skill is that I have empathy. I am able to make sure my friends express their feelings properly so I know how I can handle the situation. Another thing I can do is catch onto things quickly. I have been able to stop some things before they’ve gotten too bad. I am able to say I have been influenced by past counselors to understand these feelings. They were the ones that were able to help me find out the root of the problem, which has now helped me get more confident when helping those around me.

Working in social service work is something that excites me. I do have a few things that I find may be a barrier for me. To start off the first thing is if a client has a lack of confidence and doesn’t want to give me answers. I understand I won’t get what I need from the person right away, but I think slowly working with them and being patient will help me. The second thing I find would be a barrier is if I don’t have an answer to a question. I know I will be able to get over this by expressing that I am unsure but will be able to get back to them once I do have the correct answer. The last barrier I find I may face is that I will lack the confidence to speak with a client. I feel as if I don’t know anything at all, but I do know that if I keep working hard and stay open to learning new things this is something I can get over.

Being in social service work is like reading a never-ending story. You are learning something new every single day, whether it be from a client or from a book. Professional development, as well as personal growth, are two important things that will gradually change. To say there won’t be challenges along the way would be a lie, but there will always be a chance to move forward from them and continue on with life.

References

1. Shebib, B. (2020). Choices: interviewing and counseling skills for Canadians (7th ed.). North York, Ontario: Pearson.

As a child, I had stage fright, whenever I was called on stage to recite poetry or a short story in front of an audience. This was primarily due to an incident when I slipped on stage while climbing up the stairs of the podium. The fellow children laughed and mocked. I could not utter a single word as I froze on stage. It has never been the same after that day. Most people who fear public speaking have traumatic past public speaking experiences and often fear repeating them and becoming a subject of ridicule by the audience. Many people fear public speaking more than they fear death.

My own experience with public speaking was no better. I was too terrified to speak before the audience and tried to do anything to escape the ordeal of public speaking. If public speaking became inevitable either I would start stammering before the crowd or would freeze without uttering a single word. Giving interviews before a handful of people or participating in group discussions also became a herculean task.

Soon realization dawned on me that I would not get cured of this malady by some divine providence. I knew by then that I would have to learn all the tricks of the trade and master the art of public speaking if I was ready to grab the opportunities coming my way.

Presently I enjoy standing before the crowd and telling stories, giving impromptu speeches that are quite appreciated, and hosting in university training centers and in electronic media talk shows. In one of my part-time assignments, I teach a group of fifty students the basics of communication as a guest faculty. I have also successfully faced interview boards and participated in group discussions where I have been able to put forth my point of view convincingly.

An incident that had a profound impact on my public speaking came about when one of the star campaigners of the local representative visited our community some four years ago. After his inspiring speech, he encouraged the audience to share ideas for larger public participation in civic matters. While I had a good idea of what I wanted to convey, I was too scared to stand up and give my opinion, I conveyed my point of view to a friend who was standing beside me. Hearing my concept he immediately went on stage and presented it before the audience. Something I was too scared to do.

The star speaker hearing the concept was too happy and hugely complimented my friend. I was both angry with myself and happy that my idea was welcomed. I was terribly disappointed with myself and thought of finding a solution to this problem and ultimately overcoming this issue.

Besides, I was getting nowhere in my interviews for securing a steady job as I was not able to express myself before the interview board although I was doing well in written tests. It was at that point of time when I decided that enough was enough and I would do anything and everything required to conquer my fear of speaking in public.

I started reading all that came my way on public speaking and how to conquer the fear of speaking and also watched all good speakers on the internet. Gradually by sheer experimentation and genuine attempts to acquire this new skill and by also learning what works best for me, I started observing small steps initially to prepare myself to speak my mind coherently and explicitly in from of a crowd.

Not wanting to feel belittled before my well-wishers and friends who would breeze through any public speaking event, I decided to pull up my sleeves and decided to do well even on those occasions where I was addressing a crowd. I even took the help of a professional counselor for providing much-needed mental strength.

Offered some useful tips, asking me initially not to look toward the audience while speaking. He also suggested I see what works best for me in given situations as no two people may have the same set of There’s no point in comparing myself to someone who doesn’t have the same issue. I thought about solutions that best suit me while grappling with my own issues of facing the audience. So, I dedicated myself to trying to find ways to take the first steps. And one by one I started prioritizing certain practices which I started to pursue before every occasion when I had to speak publicly.

I’ve thought a lot about how to write this self-analysis, and it is difficult trying to figure out who you are, especially at my age. Trying to dissect why you are the way you are is even harder. Yet I have come to a consensus that I am pleased with. As of now, to the best of my knowledge, this is who I am.

I am quite outgoing around people I know well, but much more shy and withdrawn around people I do not know well. I think that I get this from my mom. My mom is more reserved around people she does not know well like I am. Yet when she and her best friend that she has known since they were 3 are together, it is like she is a different person. My dad is definitely extroverted, so I have to get the shyness from my mom.

I like to escape reality, whether it is by reading a good book, watching television, or just daydreaming, I find it fun to live a different life for a short period of time. It is not that I have a bad life, it is just that I like to not have to worry about the conflicts in my life. It helps to just have that bit of time to see other lives have their happily ever after, and to have all of their problems resolved and tied up in a pretty red bow, never to cause them trouble ever again.

I am an only child, so I had to entertain myself when I was little when my parents were busy. I loved to play make-believe, and I have a good imagination from using it. It comes in use in storytelling for my younger cousins, writing in English class, and whenever I’m bored. Being an only child has caused me to be fine with and even enjoy just being alone. That is helpful in some places, but also sometimes causes me to isolate myself, which I’m working on not doing.

I am an open person, which I get from the way I was raised. My parents have always talked to me about things without babying me, and always encouraged me to talk to them about things going on in my life. Being an open person can be good or bad, depending on the situation in which I’m being open. It helps to form friendships, but also can lead to oversharing.

I am an incredibly loyal person, almost to a fault. My parents raised me to see the best in people, and in doing that, I will sometimes overlook things that I should not. Once I become close with someone, it takes a lot for them to lose my friendship, even if they do not deserve it anymore. Growing up, I read a lot, and when I say a lot, I mean a lot. In the stories, the bullies were obviously the bullies and the friends always made up in the end. That gave me a warped sense of friendship. The stories never said that the friends could be the bullies.

I am a pretty adventurous person, which I get from my parents. I enjoy zip lining and surfing and climbing up onto tall things. I find it fun to spontaneously decide to jump into the lake (I put on a life jacket first) with just my jeans and a t-shirt on instead of changing into a bathing suit. I love big roller coasters, and the combination of thrill and terror that goes along with them. I traveled with my parents when I was little, so I learned from an early age that I loved taking adventures.

I have realized in the past couple of years that I am never going to meet a worse critic of myself than myself. I really like to do well and I criticize myself when I do not. It is a big part of who I am. This motivates me to study, take good notes, and pay attention in class so I do not have the opportunity to be overly judgmental about how I do. It also is because I hold my standards too high, to me a 93 may as well be a B, anything in the 80’s might as well be a C, and anything under 80 may as well be an F. I have not gotten a B on my report card since 5th grade and I can still to this day tell you exactly what test it was that I messed up on, what part of the test it was, and that it was one point below an A on my report card, which I think is very important to add.

I have lived in Murphy, North Carolina my entire life. Since I live in Murphy, I’ve grown up in a small town that has a tight knit community. I love living in a small town because you know everyone and it’s like a big family, but it also has negative aspects. There isn’t as much diversity people wise or belief wise as there is in in a big city, which is fine, it just means that I’ve grown up seeing things differently than someone my age that’s from a big city. In a town as small as Murphy, it does not fully encompass all of the beliefs and values of the outside world. It is almost like its own little world where the majority of people share very similar beliefs and values. It was a huge culture shock leaving Murphy and seeing how many different perspectives there are on topics that I have only heard one or two sides of.

I am a people pleaser. It stresses me out when people are upset with me, especially if I know that they are rightfully so. I cannot easily do things that I know will make people upset with me. If it is really important to me, it does not matter as much what people think of me, but I would rather not have people upset with me without a good reason. This is just a part of who I am, and I have always been this way. I try to do the right thing and try to follow the rules so I do not disappoint people, especially adults. It does not matter as much to me if it is people my age, only the natural yearn for acceptance leads me to attempt to avoid conflicts. Yet I go out of my way to do try to things correctly if there is a chance that if I do not, an adult’s positive opinion of me will become a negative opinion.

If I could change a few things about myself, I probably would. One change would be to not worry as much as I currently do about what will happen. I would love to be carefree, but not so much that it would affect my grades and morals. It is hard to find a happy medium. There are definitely sometimes that I need to let go and just have fun and not worry about the negatives. I do not enjoy worrying about things that will not matter in the end, so I don’t want to do that anymore.

If I could change something else, I probably would be more outgoing around everyone. I used to be like that when I was younger, but then I just got more and more shy. I love the friends I currently have, but it would be more fun to be to just go up and talk to people and become closer with some other people in my classes that my friends are not in. Most of my friends are extroverted so they go up and talk to people and I want to go with them and not awkwardly stand there while they talk.

Now to my future. I want first to graduate high school, and enjoy every day of it while I can. I do not know where I want to go to college, but I definitely want to get my bachelor’s and master’s degree, and I’m thinking about getting a doctorate after my master’s program. I think that I want to major in Counseling Psychology, but I am not completely sure yet, so I am grateful that I have time to decide. After I graduate college, I think that I want to get a job being either a counselor for things like everyday stress and anxiety, or to be a marriage/family counselor because both of those professions are interesting to me. I enjoy helping my friends work through their problems, so why not get paid for it?

I also see myself at some point settling down and getting married and having either two or three kids. It is not my main priority, but I do want to. I see myself living in a small town that is within 5 hours of the beach and living in a two-story house with a mini goldendoodle and a husky. I want to take a trip every year, or every other year and go surfing at least once a month. I see my future taking me somewhere that I love.

Have you ever looked at yourself and wondered who am I, and why do I do the things that I do? Well, I have always wondered this and it always seems to puzzle me. Do we do things because others are doing it, or because we ourselves want to do it, or is it that we want others to have a certain perception of who we want them to believe we are. So, which is it:

• Who are we really?
• What is the self?
• Will we ever find ourselves, and how will we know that we have?
• Are we biologically hardwired to act the way we do?
• Do we do things based on our experiences and interactions with others, or based on our emotions?

I chose this topic for a reason, which is to help me understand why we do what we do, and to try to better understand my ‘self’. The aim of this research is to hopefully find answers and or solutions to these questions, which have been on my mind for a while now.

This paper has been divided into four sections, based on the bulleted points above inclusive of my conclusion and appendices in which I have inserted a sample questionnaire. The methods used to perform this research are through observation, other findings on the Internet and questionnaires.

We sometimes argue that people don’t know us, for example, our significant other, we might say things like ‘you don’t even know me, so how can you love me’ for simple things, but do we really know ourselves and what we truly want. Or are we just wanting what others have, or wanting to be like others, to run away from being, or showing our true selves.

As Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”. So, to best understand my topic for research I have first asked the question, ‘Who am I?’. I am like many others in my research, still finding myself, however there is a saying that says, “No one knows you best than the people that surround you”. So, I have asked my friends and family to describe me in a couple of words, and their responses were that:

• I am quiet;
• I am talkative;
• I’m the life of the party;
• I don’t stand for stupidness;
• I have a kind heart;
• I am always giving advice (second point talkative);
• I am always doing something different and can’t make up my mind;
• I have a hot mouth.

These may all be true about me but sometimes we see ourselves differently and may say, things like ‘I don’t do that, or I am not like that’. This is because we don’t really know ourselves and what we think is an original version of our self is just a copy and paste of someone else. Some people see me as quiet this is because I choose to be quiet at that point in time, especially if I am doing something important such as school or work, I stick to myself and do what I have to because most times there’s a lot going on in my mind which I have to make sense of. This is because I am very creative but I can’t seem to figure out what I want to do with my life, so instead I do a bit of everything which keeps my mind overly active. I know I have a big heart, but most times my kindness gets abused, and my list about myself can go on and on because there is so much more to us that people don’t know, because we are too busy trying to be someone else.

Through observation I have come to realize that there are many people walking around with what we call many different personalities. We cannot just look at a person and predict their personality. This is because most times people show you the side of them that they want you to see. For example, someone may be the ‘class clown’ in front of others when in reality this person is hurting on the inside trying to hide their true emotions. There are even the bullies who prey on younger and weaker persons just to get attention or prove that they are though. Then there’s a saying about the quiet ones who tend to be dangerous. So, why do we pretend to be something or someone we are not.

Well, the good thing about personality is that we get to be whoever we want to be in any given situation; but is it the real you? According to Carl Rogers’s theory of personality, he uses the term ‘self’, or ‘self-concept’ interchangeably. He states that “the self (or real self) consists of all the ideas, perception, and values that characterize ‘I’ or ‘me’; it includes the awareness of ‘what I am’ and ‘what I can do’. The perceived self, in turn, influences both the person’s perception of the world and his or her behavior”. On the other hand, the self-concept does not necessarily reflect reality; a person may be highly successful and respected but still view himself or herself as a failure. According to Rogers, the individual evaluates every experience in relation to his or her self-concept.

Based on results from the questionnaire eighty percent of persons stated that their personality was based on the environment. The results were also similar throughout my observation among my peers and family members, inclusive of my children. For example, my eldest daughter is quite in front of her teacher at school, however at home she is talkative and very full of character. This shows that even from a young age we start to hide our true selves and become what others want us to become. So, what is the self?

According the Cambridge dictionary the self is “the set of someone’s characteristics, such as personality and ability, that are not physical and make that person different from other people”, but are we different.

As I have observed most people tend to become who others want them to be, or what society allows them to become. I say what society allows them to become because most times society fails us, everyone is expected to be on the same level or they get left behind. This is shown mostly in the educational system, where if you don’t understand something, you are labelled as a slow learner and forced to feel as if something is wrong with you.

A famous quote by Albert Einstein says, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. So, there are a lot of people walking around unhappy, stressed, and even depressed, because they are forced to stay in jobs, or study something they hate because their parents wanted them to, or they do certain things because society expects them to. In the midst of trying to please the world while battling to save ourselves, will we ever find ourselves and how will we know when we do?

There are quite a number of inspirational quotes encouraging persons to believe in themselves, one of my favorites is a quote from Oprah Winfrey which states “You become what you believe”.

So, who are we really and why do we do the things that we do? Are we biologically hardwired to act the way we do? According to Atkinson and Hilgard’s Nature-nurture debate, it says, “The nature view holds that human beings enter the world with an inborn store of knowledge and understanding of reality”. It also states that “Descartes supported the nature view by arguing that some ideas (such as God, the self, geometric axioms, perfection and infinity) are innate”.

On the other hand, the nurture view holds that knowledge is acquired through experiences and interactions with the world. According to Locke, at birth the human mind is a tabular rasa, a blank slate on which experience ‘writes’ knowledge and understanding as the individual matures. My view on the nurture argument is that, if at birth the human mind is a blank slate, then why is it that from the womb a baby has the knowledge to suck its finger for comfort or move around at the sound of noises, or even cry. According to WebMD, “New research shows that fetuses may learn to express their displeasure by crying silently while still in the womb as early as in the 28th week of pregnancy”. So, I do agree with the nature view that we enter the world with an inborn store of knowledge, however I also agree with the nurture view that we acquire knowledge as we mature.

Now emotions also play a critical role in who we are and why we behave and act the way we do. Psychology Today states that “our emotions can offer us clues into who we are as well as how we’ve been affected by our history. Many of our actions are initiated by emotion, which leads to the natural question of what emotions are being surfaced and why”.

One of the questions asked on the questionnaire were what do you do when you are angry. Sixty percent stated that they would act on their emotions, while thirty percent said they would analyze the situation, the remainder ten percent said they would cry.

There are now a lot of evidence that our emotions guide us and forms who we are. An example would be the current crime rate, it would appear that we have a lot of angry persons walking around, because it takes a simple argument to turn someone into a murder.

We can find ourselves, its right within us, and according to Psychology Today, when we live in harmony with our emotions, we become more in touch with who we are. We gain insight into the real core emotions that are causing our reactions, and we can be the one at the wheel, choosing our actions. Feeling is an adaptive mechanism to give us critical information. By focusing on emotion with compassion and curiosity, we can discover who we are and what we want.

In conclusion, I believe what we do in this life defines us. We all have a purpose for being here on planet earth, and until we find out who we are only then can we truly know our real purposes.

The purpose of this essay is to reflect on what I have learned and developed as a student of professional skills and ethics and how I can implement the teachings and frameworks in my professional life. Many of the case studies and frameworks have made me think critically and look at things from a different perspective.

Being an international student with a different cultural and ethical background, it was challenging yet exciting for me to understand the ethical and organizational behaviors in Australia. This course has helped me in many different ways through case studies and workshops about my working rights and how to succeed in the long run in my professional life. From the very first week of this course, I began to improvise myself by understanding the importance of my mindset and how I can make the most of my potential. (Dweck, C.S 2006) By understanding that intelligence and knowledge are not static and can be developed, I became more self-aware and started working towards my goals.

The Thomas-Kilmann conflict management style taught me the importance of teamwork and how to efficiently make use of the strengths and weaknesses of team members. As a team member of a sales force in my professional life, has taught me to be more assertive and cooperative by achieving tasks through collaboration.

The Johari window has made a significant impact on my learning and working style. Previously, I used to achieve great results with things that my peers and I were familiar with. I was hesitant to explore new things. By understanding and implementing the learnings of the Johari window, I learned to seek feedback from my peers and improve myself in situations that were new and unknown to me. This could be seen in my group presentations where my peers helped me discover my strength of being a good speaker that I was unaware of. The effectiveness has been proven through the great scores I have received for presentations with different groups. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, and Barriers (SWOB) analysis made me feel confident about my strengths; grab opportunities that will help me grow, and remind me about the requirements to overcome my barriers and weaknesses.

According to the Team Roles Questionnaire (R.M Belbin, Heinemann. 1981), my role in a group would be an implementer where I see myself accomplishing detailed and practical outcomes with an important role being implementing group decisions. I have also learned the importance of group decision-making from ‘The Challenger Disaster’ case study. As an implementer of decisions of a group, I would use the unanimity decision-making method where all the members are involved and aware of the decision made and its consequences.

Learning through communication with others is a proven way of learning. (Harrington, 2016) Previously, I found myself easily convinced into a decision and I faced difficulty in expressing my counter offers. This was probably because I wanted to avoid conflicts or the thought of what the other person thinks about me. By discussing the scenario with my professor and peers, I learned the art of negotiating positively without taking things personally.

Additionally, the ‘Employee Exit Interview’ activity during my SDW helped me understand that important conversations may require some planning and preparation. As a result, the activity helped me to understand different negotiations and to negotiate with a strategy.

Having finished 10 weeks of this course and reflecting on what I have achieved and overcome, I am proud to say that I am progressing towards the goal that I had mentioned in my ‘Letter to self’ during week 1. For me, the most important goal was to become a proactive team member and to improve my time management skills. Keeping my goal in mind, I initiated the formation of groups and took responsibility for directing and driving the team to its goal. I put myself in charge to take the challenge of encouraging and coordinating team members, contributing with my thoughts, plans, and timelines, understanding their shortcomings, providing possible resources, and providing feedback to derive the best possible outcome for the team. During the entire process, I learned to always support my team members and compromise for the best of the team.

Being a full-time international student and working part-time requires a lot of efficient time management to make the best of both opportunities. Zimmerman (2002, p.87) identified time management, as one of the key self-regulatory techniques dealing with the amount of time that should be allocated for studying. My poor management of time has impacted my poor performance in assignments during my previous semester. As I had to maintain a balance between university life and work life, I found myself prioritizing more work than a university which led to a situation where I found myself lagging behind with assignments. Even after reorganizing myself and catching up with university, I found myself poorly managing time as I was distracted by external factors and lacked self–control.

Time management is important in every aspect of life, and in my professional life, poor time management skills will impact not only my performance but also my stakeholders. In order to improve my time management skills, I have to take control of the time that I decide to spend with external factors and distractions such as entertainment, social media, and gadgets, which is defined as an environmental structuring technique by Zimmerman (2002, p.87) I can achieve so by practicing the technique of self-monitoring to observe and fix problems regarding my functioning with such external factors. (Zimmerman, 2002, p.93)

Having discussed my experiences and reflections on this course, I can proudly say I have achieved my short-term goals. I wanted to be a proactive team member who was responsible for the team’s actions and this has led to achieving good grades. However, there is improvement required in managing time in an efficient way, I will keep striving towards prioritizing and monitoring my activities.

I believe this course has helped me understand not only ethics but also the behaviors of different organizations in different cultures.

​To start off this reaction paper, I am going to list the books I have read and the YouTube video I have watched to form this reaction paper. The first part of this paper will be about my reaction to Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The second part of this paper will be about my reaction to the YouTube video titled, “Letting Go of God” by Julia Sweeney. The final part of this paper will be about my reaction to Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt.

I would like to mention that there are no “chapter” numbers in Siddhartha which is the book I am going to be writing about first. Instead, there are titles before the beginning of each part of this book. So, the first title is Son of the Brahman. For the first portion of this paper, I will be italicizing the titles since there are no “chapters” in this book.

Finally, in the instructions for this paper, it says “You may concentrate on one of two of three books you read. Just mention why you chose to concentrate on a particular book and what others you read.” I have chosen to concentrate on the YouTube video that is part of the list, Letting Go of God by Julia Sweeney. I have chosen to concentrate on this because throughout her video, I was able to point out some things that she mentioned in her video that I can actually relate to because some of the things that she mentions in this video, I can relate it to real life experiences. Thank you for understanding and I hope you enjoy this paper as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Part 1: Siddhartha

​Siddhartha by Herman Hesse tells the reader about the spiritual discovery of Siddhartha. The first thing I learned while reading this book was that Siddhartha grew up in a house directly located under a fig tree in a sal wood forest. On page 1 of “The Son of the Brahman” of Siddhartha, it states, “In the shade of the house, in the sunlight on the riverbank where the boats were moored, in the shade of the sal wood forest and the shade of the fig tree, the boy named Siddhartha grew up” (Hesse 1). After reading page 2 of “Son of the Brahman”, I learned that Siddhartha began the path to enlightenment at a young age because it states, “Siddhartha has been getting involved in the many discussions of the wise men, taking part in debate with Govinda, and practicing with Govinda in reflection meditation” (Hesse 2).

​One of many things I enjoyed about this book is how Siddhartha was always willing to help people in. In the section, “With the Samanas” it states, “Siddhartha gave his robe to a poor Brahman on the road” (Hesse 13). Throughout this text, it seems as if Siddhartha is always lending a hand to the poor in order to find the path to enlightenment without any sort of hesitation.

​On page 38 of “Awakening” is when the book “touched” me with happiness and sadness. This is when I learn that Siddhartha left his family and friends behind. On page 38 of “Awakening” it states, “When Siddhartha left the grove, where the Buddha, the perfected one, stayed behind, where Govinda stayed behind, then he felt that the grove in which he grew up also stayed behind and separated” (Hesse 38). I felt like he should’ve taken somebody with him onto the path because the world is a crazy place, and anything can happen, but I do understand why he left everyone that he knew behind and ventured off on his own.

​On page 58 of “Kamala”, Siddhartha asks Kamala, “I have the ability of writing poetry, would you like to give me a kiss for a poem?” (Hesse 58). This part of Siddhartha has surprised because I never imaged in Siddhartha writing poetry and I did not imagine Siddhartha asking Kamala for a kiss in return for a poem because I did not know that Siddhartha liked Kamala that way.

​On page 91 of “By the River” of Siddhartha, I truly enjoyed when Govinda and Siddhartha have been reunited once again, even though Govinda did not recognize him until Siddhartha said, “I know you, Govinda, from your father’s home, and from the school of the Brahmans and from the offerings, and from our walk to the Samanas” (Hesse 91). Once Siddhartha left the grove, I felt sadness because of all Siddhartha left behind, but it brings me happiness knowing that Siddhartha and Govinda have been reunited.

​To close this portion of the paper, I have learned a lot of information from Siddhartha and there was a good amount of information that I was able to relate to the information we learned in class. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about Siddhartha and the spiritual self-discovery of himself.

Part 2: Letting Go of God (YouTube video)

​To continue this paper, I have decided to watch the YouTube video titled “Letting Go of God” by Julia Sweeney. In this part of the paper, I am going to be writing about what I enjoyed, what I was confused about, the affects it had on me, and how it increased my knowledge. This video is about a person’s comedic and dramatic view about losing one’s religion which in this video that would be Julia’s and the religion that will be involved in this video is Catholicism.

​Approximately 3 minutes and 8 seconds into this video, I was confused to an extent because she started talking about Santa Claus and that if people are good he will bring presents because I was unsure as to how Santa relates to this video as Santa does not relate to God., she busted out saying, “There is no Santa Claus” (Sweeney, 00:03:08 – 00:05:38).

​14 minutes into this video, she said to the audience, “God made woman better than men and woman are less violent, better to cooperate, and adapt better to things” (Sweeney, 00:14:00 – 00:14:30). I am not offended by what she had to say because everyone has a right to voicing their own opinion. I appreciate learning about her opinion and what she has to say because I enjoy when people are completely straightforward with topics regarding woman.

​One of many things that I took away from this was at the 26 minutes and 15 second mark of this video. She informed the audience by stating, “Adam and Eve were born at the same time” (Sweeney, 00:26:15 – 00:26:30). This is something that probably shocks most people because I never knew that Adam and Eve were born at the same time, but that is what this paper is for.

​I started thinking to myself at the 38 minutes and 47 seconds mark of this video because of what happened. At this point of the video, she is using examples from the Bible to prove how aggressive Jesus is. In the video, she used Luke 21 as an example, “Anyone who does not recognize me, bring them in front of me and slaughter them” (Sweeney, 00:38:47 – 00:38:50). Another example that she used to back up her statement is from John 15, “Jesus said anyone who does not believe in me is like a withered branch that will be cast into the fire and burn” (Sweeney, 00:38:55 – 00:39:02). This is something that I enjoyed, but after I heard this I started to wonder if Jesus is welcoming to all people.

​Coming from someone who is Catholic and never read the Bible, I always thought Jesus was welcoming with open arms to all people. Since she mentioned her original statement in the video about how aggressive Jesus was and then backed it up with proof from the Bible, I questioned if Jesus is truly welcoming, caring, and loving towards all who pass through the gates of heaven (if there is a heaven).

​At the 1 hour 30 minutes and 12 seconds mark of this video, Julia said something that I can relate to with my real-life experiences, she started saying, “God did not create us because we created him. Julia stated, “Everything I have done has a common denominator and truly accepting with what is true and what I wished was true” (Sweeney, 01:30:12 – 01:30:40). Whenever I heard Julia say that in this video, I paused the video and said to myself finally someone agrees with me about this.

​Something that I absolutely disliked happened when Julia said, “My parents got up and went out to get their morning paper and there I was in the back of the front section a big picture of me with bold letters Sweeney loses her religion and the first two sentences of the article were Julia Sweeney came out of the closet as an atheist” (Sweeney, 1:45:16 – 1:45:33). At the 1 hour 45 minutes and 45 second mark in this portion of the video she said, “The first call I got was from my mother and it was mainly her screaming atheist then my father got on the phone and said you betrayed your family” (Sweeney, 01:45:45 – 01:45:51).

​I disliked that part because not only should the public media announce that to the world about someone’s religion like that while saying “came out of the closet” but my belief is that her parents should accept her for religious perspective instead of screaming at her phone and making her feel betrayed. What her mother and father told Julia on the phone, almost put me in tears because of her parents not accepting Julia for who she is.

​To conclude this portion of the reaction paper, I must say that this video has changed my view on many religious aspects in so many ways. I can relate 85% of the topics she discussed in the video. There were topics I liked, disliked, that affected me emotionally, and topics that I learned from this two-hour film. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in learning about how someone went from being a Catholic to an Atheist.

Part 3: Black Elk Speaks

​For this final section of the paper, I will be writing about my reaction to the final book I have read, Black Elk Speaks. Black Elk Speaks is a marvelous book that I recommend to anyone. This book holds the purpose of telling a story about a Lakota visionary and healer, Nicholas Black Elk. When deciding about what book I should read to officially end this paper, I wanted to end it with a powerful book and after reading what the rest of the books on the list were about, I decided to pick Black Elk Speaks.

​On page 52 of Chapter 6 I reacted in a positive way when Black Elk said,“You know, in the old days, it was not so very easy to get a girl when you wanted to get married” (Neihardt 52). because it’s still not easy to find two people are dedicated to the relationship to get married. It is nice to know that getting married today is as difficult as getting married in the nineteenth century.

​On page 70 of chapter 8, I had mixed feelings because Black Elk says, “My aunt, who was living at the Soldiers’ Town, must have felt the way we did, because when we were breaking camp she gave me a six-shooter like the soldiers had, and told me I was a man now” (Neihardt 70). I had mixed feelings about this because I believe that there is no need to be carrying a firearm around without a purpose unless he only uses it to defend himself.

​Something that bothered me was on page 86 of chapter 9. In this section, his Uncle told him, “When you have eaten, you must go to the horses right away something might happen” (Neihardt 86). This bothered me because as soon I read that line, I became hostile and immediately thought to myself, if something did happen, how would he know it happened? Is he a part of the attack or is he just being cautious? As I continued reading, it said on the same page, “Before I finished eating there was an excitement outside, then I heard our crier saying that the chargers were coming” (Neihardt 86). I questioned myself how his uncle was able to guess that something like this way going to happen or if he was just being cautious.

​At the end of page 109 of chapter 11, I became rather upset. In this section, Black Elk says, “Crazy Horse was dead, he was brave and good and wise he never wanted anything but to save his people, and he fought the Wasichus only when they came to kill us in our own country” (Neihardt 109). This section upset me because not only did I enjoy Crazy Horse’s presence in this book, but I do believe that he did not deserve to die because of all that he has done.

​On page 150 of chapter 17, I have reacted in a positive way because I have learned something that I did not know from the Indians. In this section, it states, “The east gave peace and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain, and the north with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance” (Neihardt 150). I liked this section of chapter 17 because I did not know how the Indians treated each Cardinal direction.

​On page 157 of chapter 18, I have learned something that I did not know. In this section, Black Elk says, “A men who has a vision is not able to use the power of it until after he has performed the vision on earth for the people to see” (Neihardt 157). Believe it or not, I did not know that there was a “power” in a vision of any sort. I found this section of the book to be interesting because I learned something that I did not know about.

​ To close the final portion of this paper, I must say that I truly enjoyed reading this book and there were times where I learned, liked, disliked and even got emotional. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the story of Nicholas Black Elk and his people during the nineteenth century. There is so much information that I have learned from this book that I did not know prior to reading Black Elk Speaks.

Conclusion

​I have learned so much information by reading Siddhartha and learning about his spiritual self-discovery. I have also learned a great deal of information from the YouTube video, Letting Go of God and Julia Sweeney’s transition from Catholicism to Atheism. Finally, I have also learned a handful of information from Black Elk Speaks about the life story of Nicholas Black Elk and his people. In closing, I hope you truly enjoyed reading this paper on my reaction as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Presentation Script

1. Introduction to the event;
2. Experience influence;
3. Key concepts;
4. Engagement with diversity;
5. Challenges and Strategy;
6. Positive and Negative Emotions;
7. How to deal with negative emotions;
8. Steps to advance human rights and justice.

Introduction to the Event

• “Black Lives Matter” in the USA;
• Hillsborough, NJ made a statement on June 6, 2020;
• More than a thousand citizens joined a protest;
• The theme of racism cannot be ignored;
• The silence “spoke” that moment.

The “Black Lives Matter” movement continues to spread across the United States, provoking a number of positive and negative emotions. Many American states have already joined the idea to support racial equality in society. On June 6, 2020, the citizens of Hillsborough, New Jersey, organized a peaceful protest to demonstrate their solidarity. Despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 situation, about a thousand citizens came to the intersection of Route 206 and Amwell Road, one of the busiest parts of the town, to discuss the theme of racism in the country. In addition to people’s stories and memories, a remarkable feature of this cultural event was the silence that lasted more than eight minutes.

Experience Influence

• It is possible to change something;
• The effect of the crowd is impressive;
• Black people do not want to ask for help;
• White people experience fear because of prejudice;
• Nothing should be based on color.

Is it possible to change someone’s mind in several minutes? The experience obtained during the Hillsborough protest proves that everything is possible – to make the loudest street keep silence, to be heard by the globe, and to learn how unfair human judgments could be. It is enough to gather and exchange public experience. My perception of diversity and differences was never distorted, and I believed that equality is something people cannot be lost. I was wrong, and this cultural event in my community shows the real situation. Many black people are not able to ask for help because they have already lost hope. Many white people feel fear not because it exists, but because they are Americans, and it is their nature to be afraid of something. This event is an opportunity to prove that nothing should be based on color.

Key Concepts

Race

• Blacks are inferiors;
• “fear ruled everything around” (Coates, 2018, p. 134);
• Discrimination is a denial of equal access (Zastrow et al., 2019);

Gender

• Gender issues usually mean women’s issues (Katz, 2012);
• Male domination predetermine women’s and girls’ role in society;
• Sexism provokes new inequalities.

Class

• Class debates are “stripped from popular culture” (Mantsios, 2018, p. 173);
• Global comparison hides the American truth;
• Wealth and power are related.

After visiting the chosen cultural events, the worth of such concepts as “race,” “gender,” and “class” has been considerably re-evaluated. Although many American people believe that they live in an equal society, Blacks are still considered as inferiors. Coates (2018) uses the explanation that fear rules people, and racial discrimination exists as a form of denial in human relationships. Besides, the quality of life is determined by gender stereotypes that are usually identified as women’s issues (Katz, 2012; Zastrow et al., 2019). Because of male domination, people are not able to understand how women and girls are discriminated. Sexism provokes additional inequalities, and class diversity is one of them. Mantsios (2018) show that Americans avoid class debates because they believe that the USA offers its citizens better conditions, compared to developing countries. However, wealth and power give birth to the elite that dictates rules and diminish the poor.

Engagement with Diversity

To engage with diversity means:

• to recognize differences in people;
• to respect differences that shape human experience;
• to communicate and learn;
• to participate in social events;
• to differentiate between privilege, power, and oppression.

Social workers have to cooperate with different people, regardless of their race, gender, or social class. Therefore, engagement with diversity and differences cannot be ignored or misunderstood. I consider this type of commitment as an opportunity to recognize and explain differences in people not to discriminate but to respect because it is the only way to respect human experiences and knowledge. History cannot be ignored, and individuals should be ready to communicate and learn, as well as to participate in social events. Such experience in social work practice will help to differentiate between privilege and power and never oppress minorities.

Challenges and Strategy

• Challenge One: the lack of effective communication (to be heard, people use protests and rebellions);
• Challenge Two: resistance to change (even if alternatives are offered, society does not want to believe in their power);
• Strategy: the promotion of clarity to avoid unnecessary judgments.

It is always easy to identify problems, shortages, and concerns in today’s style of life. People like to complain, but do not find it necessary to do something and promote positive changes. This course and social event experience help me identify two main challenges associated with diversity in society. First, there is an evident lack of effective communication between people. Even being aware of racial or gender inequalities and subjective stereotypes, it is hard for people to share their opinions. To be heard, it is necessary to organize a protest and an event, causing both negative and positive attitudes. Second, even if society recognizes a problem, many individuals do not act due to their resistance to change. If a problem does not touch their families directly, it is not necessary to change something. To address this challenge, the promotion of clarity is one of the possible strategies. This step will help to predict unnecessary judgments and inform people. Clear goals, intentions, and activities will demonstrate that society has to be changed.

Positive and Negative Emotions

• Hope that people are interested in not only discussing diversity concerns but acting.
• Disappointment that many people continue living in anger and despair today.

During the past ten weeks of the course, I have got a number of opportunities to understand the quality and worth of human life from the social worker’s perspective. I believe that the American nation is one of the strongest countries in the whole world, and the growth of the “Black Lives Matter” movement serves as evidence. I am pleased with the fact that American students, teachers, as well as other citizens, are interested in solving the discrimination problem in society. There is a hope that something can be done to change this world, and people are ready to act. However, the analysis of the literature, communication with peers, and observations show that many Americans still live with the feeling of anger and despair that no help is coming. Some people are afraid to share their true attitudes toward the current situation and need additional motivation.

How to Deal with Negative Emotions

Collective thinking is the way to find a solution.

Despite the intention to create a perfect society and achieve the highest levels of life quality, negative emotions cannot be neglected. Instead of avoiding them or demonstrating anger, it is high time to find a solution. Regarding my experience and observations, I consider the idea of collective thinking as an appropriate strategy to address negative emotions. People are eager to communicate and cooperate, and there is a need for a good leader or even several leaders who could support collective thinking. As soon as citizens start discussing their emotions, memories, and experiences, they will be able to listen to and hear each other and make decisions.

Steps to Advance Human Rights and Justice

1. Participate in local social events;
2. Communicate with people in social media;
3. Visit local churches and public agencies;
4. Learn theories, regulations, and political mechanisms;
5. Invite new people to discussions.

My collective thinking strategy includes five main steps:

1. I will continue visiting local public events to gather the opinions of people;
2. I will talk to people of both genders and different races to learn their experiences;
3. I will go to local churches and agencies to find emotional support and motivation;
4. I will continue my education to be theoretically prepared for social work practice;
5. I want to invite as many people as possible to contribute to the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

References

Coates, T. N. (2018). Letter to my son. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, D. D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed.) (pp. 131-138). Routledge.

Katz, J. (2012). Violence against women – It’s a men’s issue [Video]. TED.

Mantsios, G. (2018). Class in America. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. Castaneda, D. D. C. J. Catalano, K. DeJong, H. W. Hackman, & X. Zuniga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (4th ed.) (pp. 173-182). Routledge.

Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Recently the study on self-reflection has been activated greatly, which can be justified by the humans’ need to determine their place in this rapidly changing world, which is impossible without understanding oneself. Starting from the “early adolescence” people keep self-reflecting for their entire life (Honess, 1987, p. 150), which helps them to make decisions and live through significant changes in their life.

The essence of self-reflection is the ability of “the direct consideration of the self as an object” (Honess, 1987, p. 150). So we put oneself on the pedestal and consider oneself from different angles; we contemplate about our thoughts, deeds, emotions, feelings, etc. It is significant that, as Wilson et al. suggest, self-reflection can make people imply a different attitude than they previously held” (1990, p.45). This peculiarity makes self-reflection very demonstrative and, thus effective, since we clearly understand the reasons of our actions or emotions and can control them next time on similar occasion, for instance, we may try to avoid expressing some feeling, if we regard it as inappropriate; and, which is even more important, we find the real background of our feelings, thus, we are able to analyze it. All this helps people to be a part of society, without hurting someone and being heart as well. I can confirm that by thousands of my personal experiences and experiences of people I know, for so many times I was contemplating on why this or that saying made me angry or said: I sat and tried to find the reason, and, as mentioned above, I really found different reasons. First I thought that it was it, I analyzed it and made conclusions on how to overcome my difficulties, and I found the way, but the next time I acted as I thought to be right and still experienced negative feelings. So it meant only one thing – I found the wrong reason. Then I started the process once again, and, finally, always found the right reasons for my negative feelings. It is necessary to add that I often changed my mind even within a single self-reflection act. I put questions and found answers, I even argued with myself, and that brought its positive results.

Another very important psychological issue within the theory of self-reflection is self-concept. Theoretical research in this field is not so variable, as Suls puts it, because of its high practical application (1993, p. 59). And this is true, for self-concept research is widely used in many sciences and it is especially widespread in education, for “positive academic self-concept affects academic behaviors, academic choices, educational aspirations, and subsequent academic achievement” (Suls, 1993, p. 59). Thus, self-concept is very helpful for students, who need to decide what they are best at, and it helps to make one’s decision which can affect not only the future of this particular student, but the future of the whole humanity, which can either obtain or lose a genius. For me, for example, self-concept can be very helpful. Using this methodology I can define not only my inner (very rich and bright) world, but also it can help me to define my skills and my bents, which I can even accidentally miss while merely reflecting or thinking about my future expectations. Apart from helping to choose one’s future profession, for instance, self concept can also reveal one’s likings and abilities, in order to develop oneself to become a complete personality. Thus, this facet of self-reflection helps to form one’s future rather than make order in one’s past, or simply make order in oneself.

At present a lot of websites offer their help in finding oneself and especially in choosing future education. And it is very important to differentiate the necessary source of learning with fair and adequate information in this variety. The best variant for this purpose can be scholarly websites, but it is necessary to admit that not all of them can be appropriate. I have chosen three scholarly websites to consider the differences and similarities of these sources, their merits and demerits. My first example will be the website of the American Psychological Association (American Psychological [email protected]) which “represents psychology in the United States” (“About APA”, n. d.). It is necessary to point out that this site is very informative, even comprehensive, for those who are interested in psychology, eager to gain education in this field, want to start or develop their career as psychologists. And all this information is organized in such a way that there is no possibility to get lost there: the main links are revealed in the home page, so it is very easy to read the necessary information. It is significant that there I found a lot of information on the possible education in psychology, and then, of course, I passed to the link Career, which made me quite satisfied, for there one can, on the one hand, read about different opportunities in career and self-development (articles, news, events announcements), and, on the other hand, one can search a job or even post his/her resume. Moreover, this site has a very useful section Publications, where one can find numerous interesting books, articles, publications, etc. on psychology. It is also necessary to underline that the origin of all the publications can be easily traced, since even if the author of the article is not mentioned, there is a link with information about the source where it was taken, like in case with publication Managing Your Stress in Tough Economic Times, where it is pointed out that the material is written in cooperation with Nancy Molitor, PhD. So a person who has an aim to connect his/her life with psychology will find all the necessary information on this site. But apart from this the site contains a lot of material in psychology which can help anyone, for example, there are materials on different everyday issues, such as: Learning and Memory, Kids & Media, Personality, Stress, Teens, and many others. And here I found a lot of interesting stuff for myself, which can be very helpful in my everyday life, and even in my self-reflection. So this site can be regarded as a very good example of a successful and really helpful scholarly website, which can be interesting not only to those who want to connect his life with psychology, but also for the many other people, and thus, it can awake interest to its subject in people who were quite far from that.

Another scholarly website to be considered is Advancing Science, Serving [email protected]. This site is dedicated to the issues of scientific world. My main impression after surfing this site is its specific orientation. I don’t mean that only scientist can understand what is revealed there, but, to my mind, it will be interesting only for people connected with science. There is also a lot of information about educational possibilities and career development. The site provides links with different educational establishments with information about different programs, etc. And as far as the career development is concerned this site presents a link, which leads you to a separate site with comprehensive information on where to find a job, how to do it, and how to develop oneself and your career. And as for the veracity of information revealed on this site I must say it is absolutely traceable, and its sources are more than respectful. But on the whole, this site is still quite specific, and average person, with no connection to science, can only once visit it, find some general information for improvement of his/her general knowledge in publications or news, and have nothing to use in life. So this site can be considered to be a very good scholarly website for scientifically oriented people.

And one more scholarly website to be studied is that of the American Psychoanalytic Association (American Psychoanalytic [email protected] ). First of all, I’d like to point out that it is organized in a proper way, all the bulk of information is divided into logical section, thus, it is very easy to surf it. On the whole, I must say it is a very good scholarly website, which is more oriented on the education, rather than career development, and obtaining professional services. Thus here, in the section Training, I found information, even links to educational establishments’ sites, which is very convenient for those looking for study opportunities, moreover, this highlights numerous programs, researches and initiatives. And the site also reveals contact information of specialists all over the United States. The site provides a lot of publications on psychoanalytical topics. And there is also an interesting section About Psychoanalysis which can be very interesting in terms of overall knowledge, and to some extent, this information can inspire a person to know more about psychoanalysis. And it is also important to mention that the sources of the material are very transparent and competent.

So these three scholarly websites reveal comprehensive information on their topics. All of them are organized properly, and provide really up-to-date and truthful materials, compiled by the specialists. So on the whole they are quite similar and appropriate, but, to my mind, the one of American Psychological Association will be helpful not only in finding the necessary information on the educational establishment or work place, but it helps to find oneself. Two others sites are good for those who already decided everything and already knows oneself perfectly, but APA site moves further. It makes hints to those who is not quite sure, who only try to understand themselves. For example, I read one of the articles, Change Your Mind About Mental Health, which made me think on my own life and myself. I began self-reflecting, trying to find out whether I had those problems, discussed in the article. It turned out I haven’t none of them, and actually surfing this site made me feel like having more information on psychology. I looked deeply into myself and it occurred to me that I am quite interested in this subject. First of all, it really helps people to cope with their problems, for it is the topic of psychological study. And I understood that this science is very important and we should appeal to it. For example, one can think that the problem he faced is unsolved, for no one every couldn’t even think about it, and a bit later when this person visits a specialist it turns out to be an average case, with easy salvation. Or sometimes it is even possible to find a very good way out some situation simply visiting such great site as APA scholarly website.

In conclusion I would like to add to the above said some more words about self-reflection. My firm belief is that it is very helpful, for when you understand yourself you can understand people around and make those people better understand you. It is also essential to be honest with oneself and during self-reflection it is necessary to reveal every point of your own mind, without shame or sometimes even disgust. We must admit some negative facets of our nature, in order to remove them. Thus, I think that there can be no self-improvement without self-reflection, for first we find something and only then improve it. But I’d like to add (just now this idea flashed across my mind) that there can be no self-reflection without self-improvement, for when a person finds something negative inside, it is impossible to leave it there, people’s nature presupposes thirst for perfection, that is improvement, so there is nothing to do but improve oneself.

References

Honess, T. & Yardley, K. (Eds.). (1987). Self and Identity: Perspectives across the Lifespan. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Suls, J. (Ed.). (1993). Psychological Perspectives on the Self (Vol. 4). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Wilson, T. D. (1990). 3 Self-Persuasion Via Self Reflection. In Self-Inference Processes, Olson, J. M. & Zanna, M. P. (Eds.) (pp. 43-62). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Look Back

The event occurred in the fourth week of my practice. I was tasked with the duty of checking patients’ vitals and providing basic care. I witnessed a situation whereby a buddy nurse refused to give a patient the level of comfort she deserved because the nurse thought that the patient’s request was not a priority. As a result, the patient’s care was compromised because I did not defend her right to comfort by granting her a request to use the toilet. The issue was about the patient’s right to quality care and how a nurse (in this case me) can advocate for that patient if his/her rights have been ignored or violated by a fellow practitioner.

In my opinion, the nurse’s refusal to help the patient simply because her request was not a priority was not justified. I believe that as a nurse, it is my duty to help all my patients get quality care and the level of comfort that they require. The nurse’s behavior was unethical and I wanted to make sure that she understood that. This was important to me because I do not believe in double standards. One cannot provide service to one patient and ignore another. I believe in being fair regardless of my patient’s prevailing status, and I would like my fellow nurses to showcase the same level of professionalism in all their endeavors.

Elaborate

It was on a Wednesday during the fourth week of my clinical practice. An occupational therapist came in to dress the patient and assist her to do some motion exercises in bed as part of her daily exercise routine. Afterward, we transferred her to a wheelchair. Later on, the patient asked me to assist her to get to the toilet. I had to go and ask the buddy nurse to come and assist because the patient needed two people to help her get to the toilet. The nurse responded by saying that she was busy dealing with other patients and that my patient had to wait.

I went back to the room and relayed the message to the patient. Twenty minutes later, the nurse came into the room and started working with other patients. My patient was really pressed and I was getting overly concerned about her. I asked the nurse for her assistance and she told me to wait. I felt powerless and useless. I wanted to help my patient but I could not do it alone. I tried thinking of ways I could help her alleviate her discomfort. I knew and understood her need to go to the toilet. This was an uncontrollable action and if not addressed it would be messy and embarrassing for the patient.

What pained me was the fact that her request was simple and logical. It would not take much time. I could not understand why the nurse allowed this to happen well knowing how delicate the situation was. In school, we were taught how to defend patients and advocate for their rights. I wondered whether the nurse attended those classes. A nurse should be caring not dehumanizing. I looked at my patient and saw sadness in her face. I placed my hand on her shoulder and told her to hold on for a few minutes as I try to find other alternatives.

Analysis

The key issue in this event was that I failed to advocate for my patient’s right to comfort. According to Morse (1996, p. 6), providing comfort is a process that “includes discrete, transitory actions such as touching, or broad, longer-lasting interventions, such as listening (as cited in Kozier et al, 2010, P. 385). I failed to provide comfort because the patient eventually soiled herself. If I had listened to her and taken action immediately, this humiliating situation could have been averted.

Similarly, Heijkenskjol, Ekstedt and Lindwall (2010) assert that patients may participate in the delivery of their own care. This means that they can advice or recommend a course of action that benefits them and helps in the healing process. I did not do this because I failed to listen to my patient, which led to her embarrassing herself. My failure to advocate for my patient led to a situation whereby her care was compromised.

Revision

Looking back at the event, I believe that I was wrong and that I could have done more to help my patient. I comforted the patient by holding her shoulder and reassuring her that it was alright. However, I compromised her care by not listening to her, and taking swift action in response to her request. I will work hard towards developing positive therapeutic relationships with my patients. This means listening to them, taking actions swiftly and providing viable alternatives in cases where procedures are not working efficiently. For example, in this situation, I would have called in another nurse to help me when I realized that my buddy nurse was too busy. Alternatively, I would have provided the patient with a bedpan if no one was available to help me take the patient to the toilet. These alternatives would have helped the patient get the comfort she deserved and assist me in fulfilling my duty as a patient’s advocate.

New Perspective

It is my duty as a nurse to provide patients with the level of care they deserve despite the prevailing conditions. Patients have rights and as nurses, we are obligated to protect and avail these rights to patients without compromise. I believe that I can become better at my job if I learn to evaluate situations and come up with viable solutions to these situations. In some cases, the help that we are expected to get may not arrive on time. As such, we must be proactive in order to ensure that our patients get the best care under all circumstances.

References

Heijkenskjol, K., Ekstedt, M., & Lindwall, L. (2010). The Patient’s Dignity from the Nurse’s Perspective. Nursing Ethics, 17(3): 313-24.

Kozier, B., et al. (2010). Fundamentals of Canadian Nursing: Concepts, Process and Practice (2^nd Canadian ed.). Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.