jenna stoliker corporate business retreats and leadership
  • Home
  • About Jenna Stoliker
  • Solutions
  • Success Stories
  • Blog
  • Contact

Self-Awareness: Write Your Beliefs

February 5, 2019Jenna StolikerAuthenticity, Awareness & Noticing, Curiosity & Non-Judgment

I’ve been writing about self-awareness and inner monologue, and how we can improve our connections to others through better self-knowledge.

This next exercise builds on the previous exercise where you simply write down your inner monologue.  It is a little harder because it requires you to pay attention to your beliefs and write them down. During a week or more, write down about a dozen beliefs or interpretations gathered from your self-talk.

We generally don’t notice how our minds work with beliefs. For one thing, they are embedded, we take them for granted, and we assume they are universal truths.  But beliefs are a way the mind filters out information.  So as not to be overwhelmed with incoming perceptions, the mind forms a mental model or a representation of reality for a purpose.

Most people confuse their perception of the environment with the actual environment, concluding they can’t change things because that’s the way things are.  If we remember that our perceptions are the map and not the territory, then we realize we can be flexible in changing our beliefs and considering alternatives.

Unfortunately, most of us pride ourselves on quick thinking and the ability to size up people and situations, and thus we forget that our interpretation of reality is NOT reality.

What to Do

  1. Carry a notebook, smart phone, tablet, or recording device.
  2. When you notice a belief or interpretation of reality, write it down as best you can, a few lines at a time.

Some beliefs that you notice will annoy you and others you will defend vigorously. The idea is to raise your awareness levels, not to make judgments.

Reflection and Learning

Next, reflect on your beliefs:

  • What did you notice most?
  • Did you notice any trends?
  • How hard was it to be non-judgmental?

Many people are resistant to changing life-long beliefs, but remember:  a belief is merely an interpretation we’ve chosen at one time because it helped us understand reality. We are always at liberty to choose alternative beliefs if they are better suited to a new reality.

“People’s greatest resistance to grow and develop often stems from inflexibility in changing beliefs or considering alternatives.”

Joshua Spodek, Leadership Step by Step: Becoming the Person Others Follow

Do you think this will be a challenge for you?  Are you open to creating new beliefs?  Get in touch with me if you’d like to discuss this further.  I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached here and on LinkedIn.

: non-judgmental, Self Awareness

Related Posts

Self-Talk: What We Can Learn About Ourselves

January 29, 2019Jenna Stoliker

Mental Toughness Starts with Self-Awareness

November 20, 2018Jenna Stoliker

Tips to Build Mental Toughness

November 27, 2018Jenna Stoliker

Recent Posts

  • The Paradox of Leadership Give and Take
  • Self-Awareness: Write Your Beliefs
  • Self-Talk: What We Can Learn About Ourselves
  • Exercises to Build Self-Awareness
  • Overcoming Adversity: The Will to Win

Archives

  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015

Categories

  • Authenticity
  • Awareness & Noticing
  • Change & Transition
  • Coaching
  • Communication
  • Curiosity & Non-Judgment
  • Decision Making
  • DiSC
  • Ego in Leadership
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Leadership Presence
  • Management
  • MBTI
  • Openness & Vulnerability
  • Trust
  • Uncategorized

JENNA STOLIKER

Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Main Menu

  • Home
  • About Jenna Stoliker
  • Solutions
  • Success Stories
  • Blog
  • Contact

Recent Posts

  • The Paradox of Leadership Give and Take February 12, 2019
  • Self-Awareness: Write Your Beliefs February 5, 2019
  • Self-Talk: What We Can Learn About Ourselves January 29, 2019

Copyright © 2015 Jenna Stoliker. Web Design by JCM Media Group.

  • Home
  • Solutions
  • Success Stories
  • Contact