#012 What's holding you back
You really are amazing.
Hey,
Welcome to the latest edition of Social Work Survival. As we enter the middle of January there is a lot of discussion about how long the month is but have you noticed how there is a little more light? Each day gets a little longer and there are signs that Spring is around the corner.
This week, I share with you an inspiring quote, I explore the power of mindset and finally, I offer 4 more powerful questions to ask yourself or someone in your work.
Inspiring Quote
I have so many wonderfully inspiring quotes saved and find them a great little tool to add some reflection into my day. Especially during difficult times. This week, I want to share a quote from Steve Jobs.
“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you. - Steve Jobs.
For me, this sums up why I am still a Social Worker over a decade after I qualified. For me, helping people overcome challenges in life is a calling and something that I really care about. And this quote reminds me that at the core of who I am, I have a vision to support people believe in their own capacity to become the best person they can be.
What’s holding you back?
Last week I wrote about what needs to happen alongside setting goals/intentions. If you haven’t read it, it is here:
As we move through January, many goals that we set just a few weeks ago might be starting to slip. I know I have been in that situation. Personally, I set a goal to run 3 times a week but last week I only managed once and it got to yesterday before I went for a run this week. I was in the headspace where I didn’t care about that goal. I was taking the easy path of not going for a run and opting to say “I’ll do it tomorrow”. But the problem with that is I wasn’t practicing what I talk about, I wasn’t showing commitment.
Recently I have been thinking that there are some key things which happen in my day which I know will set me up to complete my daily goals. I know for example, if I have sugar in my porridge rather than nuts, seeds and a banana that it will be easier for me to opt for a meal deal for lunch (or cheese on toast). Which then leads to me making choices for my evening meal which aren’t as healthy. So this leads me to wonder, what is the thing or things which I choose to do which prevent me from living in line with my desired values and reaching my goals?
For me, I think it is the habit of a commitment to action. By developing the skill of following through with action rather than thinking I give myself the best chance of making the changes that I desire. Now, this means that I need to WANT the goals that I set for myself and need to buy into what that goal means. Last week I wrote about needing to be prepared to say no to things which do not align with my goals and this is probably the key to effective Social Work.
How often do you find yourself working with someone who is resistant to the service you are providing? I know I have. The key to effective change is to understand the motivations for the person you are working with rather than impose your own opinions it is important to sit and empower the person you are working with to share their own thoughts and views about their life and situation. This is person centred practice at the core. And without it, chances are the changes you are putting in place will not remain in 6-12mths.
Think about a personal example in your own life. Perhaps you had an intention to meditate as a form of self-care. You set your intentions but don’t really know how to do it, or whether it is going to suit you. You don’t set aside specific time to do it and you can’t really visualise the benefits. You just say “I want to mediate more” because it is supposed to be “good for you”. Well, unless you look at your daily routines, and are prepared to make changes to how you function at the moment to include time to meditate, chances are this goal isn’t going to come to fruition.
So whether it is your personal goals, or goals you are setting in work for someone you are allocated to work with, ask yourself whether you know the motivations behind the proposed actions and whether they align with the identity of the future self/person.
4 Powerful Questions
I love questions. They can give us a framework to help work through difficulties and when used appropriately, they can help us develop a clearer understanding of steps we need to take to overcome any number of challenges.
If you could change ONE thing about your situation, what would it be?
This simple question is really great. It helps you (or someone else) become really specific about a situation and can help to know how we can start to see what we need to do to make that change.
How does changing that one thing align with your values?
This question helps you to gain context on the wider impact on why it is important to us.
If a friend came to you with this goal, what would you advise them to do?
We often find that if a friend has an issue, we can give them advice but find that following through in our own lives a little bit harder. By asking what would you advise a friend to do you shift the mindset to opportunity rather than challenge.
What would your life look like if you made that one change?
This question is future and solution focused. It roots thinking in the future and is often the step which motivates someone to take that first step to achieving the thing they desire.
Finally, I am still looking for a small group of people who would be interested in attending a Preventing Burnout Workshop for FREE. It is an opportunity to understand the triggers for Burnout and develop a personal plan for yourself. The session will be certified and can be used as CPD when it comes to renewal of professional registration. If you are interested, please do message me or comment and I will make contact with you. If you know someone who might be interested, please do share this newsletter with them.
That brings us to the end of this newsletter edition. I hope you enjoyed it. As ever, if nobody has told you recently, you are an amazing person and make a real difference to peoples lives every single day.
Until next week,
Take Care x
Hi ☺️ Happy New Year. Enjoy reading your posts and reflections. When is your workshop: Preventing Burnout? Is it online? Who can join ?
Hi Chinara, happy new year to you too. I don’t have a set date for the workshops at the moment. Anyone can join and they will run online over 4 weeks for about 90mins a time. I have a few people interested but have capacity for a few more.