| This Practice is designed to teach
you how to appreciate and build upon the competencies you
already have, to help you excel in areas of your life you
would like to be more successful in.
You will want to have a pen and paper handy.
Read through all of the instructions at least once before
actually doing the Practice.
1) Develop a relaxed "base"
state.
As you sit comfortably, breathe deeply a number of times and
move any parts of your body that feel like they want to move.
Please really DO this! There is no right and wrong way. Just
move your head, neck, trunk, arms, and legs around some, so
that all of yourself has the best chance of feeling relaxed
and flexible.
Now, take a few deep breathes, and slowly come to a place
where you are sitting still while feeling the previous movements
still reverberating through your system.
Take at least two or three minutes to go through this entire
process, as you get into a feeling state that pleases you.
2) Consider and choose, the core competencies
you feel you exhibit in most circumstances in your life.
Some examples of what we mean by "core competencies"
are the following:
Well organized; High quality technical skills; Good at making
lasting, caring, and or productive relationships; Creative;
High quality project management skills (which would include
completing tasks on time and on budget); You like to be of
service to others; Good at finding the weak points in a project
or plan (Good at critiquing); Good at being a supportive team
member; Optimistic; Your tendency is to search for what is
good for all parties/circumstances concerned; An overriding
belief that the "universe" works well for us if
we learn how to follow the appropriate principles; You are
skilled at understanding the needs and wants of others; You
have an uncanny ability to help people live a more productive
life; etc.
You can of course consider many different core competencies
that are not listed here.
Be generous and kind to yourself, while keeping in mind that
"More is definitely not better."
Write down some sentences expressing your core competencies,
similar to the examples above.
3) Pick a domain you would like to feel
competent/successful in.
By "domain" we mean a specific "area"
of your life. For instance— Family (As a parent, child,
or spouse), Career (What career specifically?), Community
or Organization (What community or organization?), the Environment
(What area in particular), etc.
You can choose either a domain that you have been hesitant
to enter, or a domain that you are currently in but not feeling
good about the results/relationships you are achieving.
Please write down the domain you would like to be more competent
in.
"I would like to be more competent in the domain of
'X'."
4) Think about the domain you want to
be more competent in, and the core competencies that you wrote
down before.
How is it that you can use your core competencies to help
you excel in the domain you have in mind?
You might find thinking about this quite illuminating in
many different ways.
For instance, you might find that your core competencies show
up clearly in business but you do not know how to bridge your
business competencies over to your relationship with your
spouse.
Or you might find that you are a loving caring parent, but
you have no idea how to bridge this competency over into business.
Take your time. Whether you find this task simple or difficult,
there is a good deal to learn here.
While not at all simply making things up, you might find
that you need to go back and reevaluate your core competencies,
to see whether or not you have left out something important.
Or,
You might discover that there is a core competency that you
are currently not manifesting in any of your life's
domains, and thus you are struggling.
Or,
This task might seem quite straightforward and clarifying.
5) Develop a clear written statement
of intention, which shows how you would like to use your core
competencies to help you excel in the domain of your choice.
For instance:
"I want to help to bring about greater harmony and caring
within my divided community."
"I want to foster improvements in productivity and creativity
in my workplace."
"I can set the tone for a more humane workplace."
"I would like to help other people respect the diverse
opinions of others."
"I want to show my spouse the love I am wanting her to
show me."
Write down a definitive yet concise statement concerning
your intention. You might find that this takes a fair bit
of trial and error and editing. Take your time, and come out
with something that is concise and clear.
6) Now, turn your statement of intention
just written, into an "I am" statement.
In order to do this you will:
Make believe you are ALREADY actively achieving your intention,
and make a statement about your ongoing achievement in the
present tense.
For instance:
"I am bringing greater harmony and love to my family
life."
Or
"I am improving the productivity and creativity in my
workplace."
Or
"I an creating a more humane workplace in my company."
Please start your statement with the words "I am"
and write down your "I am." statement now.
7) Redevelop a relaxed base state.
Let go of all the thinking you have been doing and check back
in with yourself and redevelop your "base state."
As you sit comfortably, breathe deeply a number of times
and move any parts of your body that feel like they want to
move. There is no right and wrong way to do this. Just move
your head, neck, trunk, arms, and legs, around some, so that
all of yourself has the best chance of feeling relaxed and
flexible.
Then take a few deep breathes, and slowly come to a place
where you are sitting still while feeling the previous movements
somehow reverberating through your system.
Take at least two or three minutes to go through this process,
and get into a feeling state that pleases you.
8) Once you are feeling relaxed and
in rhythm, slowly repeat your "I am" statement to
yourself in a slow, relaxed manner, as if you are musing over
a great idea.
Take at least three minutes for this. As you continue to breathe
deeply, and move as you like, repeat your "I am"
statement internally, or out loud if conditions permit.
Repeating your statement out loud, usually adds to the overall
power of your words.
Moving, breathing, speaking, all as one activity.
9) Debrief.
Usually this Practice helps people to shift the way they have
been thinking and feeling in regard to challenges they are
facing. When we start by appreciating our current competencies,
and then we move, breathe, think, and speak all as one seamless
activity, we tend to shift our emotional state. When we shift
our emotional state we tend to shift our perspective and our
beliefs about what is possible. Hopefully the same will be
true for you. Take some time to feel into and think about
what you have learned. You might want to take some notes.
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