Self-Reflection Thread: Time for Power Psychology!

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by sean893, May 1, 2019.

  1. Good day to everyone! In light of a new month of 1st May 2019, I will be making a new thread not just for myself but also for all of you to do take some time to unwind and do some real self-reflection!

    So without further adieu, let's hop right in to the ten questions that you can answer! They are presented from the website:
    The Power of Self Reflection

    Questions



    1: Am I using my time wisely?

    2: Am I taking anything for granted?

    3: Am I employing a healthy perspective?

    4: Am I living true to myself?

    5: Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?

    6: Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?

    7: Am I putting enough effort on my relationships?

    8: Am I taking care of myself physically?

    9: Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?

    10: Am I achieving the goals that I've set for myself?

    spacing



    I'll start with myself!

    Moderately, yes. On my past two weeks, I have spent my time developing my non-verbal memory by playing brain-friendly training games, such as Sudoku, Crossroads, Piece Making and also to hang out with some real life friends daily on weekdays. On weekends, I leave my whole time out for my parents to normally decide what plans they'll have for me in store!

    I am also still in the midst of learning Chinese, some very basic Filipino and trying to get my mind the habit into reading a book a week.

    However, during the weekdays when I have all the time I needed to develop myself, I often squander half of the time away doing something that ends up not giving myself any kind of new progress.


    I took pretty much nothing for granted, except time for the most part. This was because I knew I had a goal set in mind and yet I let myself get sidetracked to do some other minor activity that gives me temporary psychological comfort, such as playing my Nintendo Switch.

    No. Far from it! I am still stuck under the habit of generalized mass anxiety running through the trains inside my mind! These were the inner demons that I created myself as a bad, mental destructive habit since 2018, on the aftermath of a particular event that flipped my perspective completely.

    And even if I could think positive thoughts and know instinctively that thoughts are better off being inside my mind than the negative, my subconscious mind normally always wants to try to stay close with the negative thoughts - overthinking or nothing thinking.



    Moderately yes. Except in times of me falling down into the state of anxiety, that "I-do-not-feel-safe" in the time present, I was always living true to myself 100% of the time! I could very well say that in overall, I was living true to myself 70% of the time.

    Most of the time. I recall some days where I wake up from my bed and look my objectives that I have outlined as a to-do list in my day-to-day activities as the first thing before I hit my feet on the floor! The to-do lists includes: practicing my mind in a brain-training website, achieving 10,000 steps, practicing a piano-based musical song online, and memorize verses inside various poems!

    That come for only 70% of the time. In other times, the first though that enters my mind as I wake up was my inner anxiety, which was not a good start.


    Half of the time. I could easily identify though, that none of my negative thoughts were about other people. My negative thoughts are usually about "I can't get this situation under control." "I am trying to relax my mind but I can't!"

    Rarely real-life wise. Because, my family insisted to provide things for me even though I asked them a couple of times that "I would like to drive the car, please!" or "Please teach me how to iron the clothes", or "please teach me how to cook." The response I got was: "Not now, we will still cook for you. You focus on your own share of house chores!

    Never had I asked my parents whether they were fine or doing great, however on the past two weeks I have been welcoming them home in Chinese. If you see me in online however, that's where I got my full freedom on putting effort in relationships with my online friends!

    I would give myself a 4 out of 10 score for this question, since I put more effort on my relationships online than on real life (mainly just because I don't quite have any rl friends who would take an interest in my everyday life.)


    Yes! ALL of the time. I can't say this more. I made sure to sleep 7-9 hours each night, on the same time. Always a morning person, always makes sure I get out first thing in the morning to either immerse my feet in cold ice-water or walk out to enjoy the air of nature! And 70% of the time, I did not touch my phone or Facebook for my first hour of the day!

    Nope. Not at all! Why would I throw my mental energy over a temporary situation that is out of my control stress me out? There's just nothing I could do about it, so remain chill and walk the flow!

    Some of the time only. Most of the goals I've achieved are only benefiting me short-term (although I continue to try to write more short-term goals.) I have never thought of a big goal, because I do not wish to stress my mind out dreaming of big things that I don't feel quite ready yet to accomplish!

    FINISH



    Here are my answers written to my ten questions of Power Psychology! I must admit I have a lot more areas of improvement I could make, specifically towards question number 3 and 4.

    Do you feel fulfilled psychologically and making the most out of your life? I'd love to hear your answers below! Discussion is always welcome!

    And as always!
    Happy 1st May 2019 to everyone!
     
  2. Sure I'll give it a shot. I normally don't muse in public because frankly it gets a bit old after the first few years, but it's been a while so I'll get reeeeeeeeeeal personal. And rambling. Buckle up if you care to read :p

    Am I using my time wisely? Maybe not as wisely as I should, but I think I'm all right given RL circumstances. I've been having physical health problems this year that have exacerbated depression/anxiety for me, so I haven't accomplished all the things I've wanted to in the time I have had. I don't have the finances for a couple hobbies I'd like to do, but that will come in time. I've been making a point to start building and rebuilding more friendships, via text, hangouts/get togethers, and physical letters, all of which take time. All things considered, I've kept reasonably busy and productive whenever I wasn't spending time getting (needed) rest. It could be better spent of course (not many can say they're spending their time perfectly!), but I feel I am doing well.

    Am I taking anything for granted? Sure, loads on a daily basis. I try to acknowledge each of my priveleges or 'blessings' on a semi regular basis at least, though. I have a functional car, a good romantic relationship, stable finances, clean water, a comfortable home, good friends, good enough health to keep working and living, adequate access to nutritious food, a sense of physical security, access to requisite medications, a job, good coworkers, no dangerous political instability, no combat or terrorism in my immediate vicinity, and a whole host of other things going for me. It could always be worse, and I remind myself of that every time my day isn't going so hot.

    Am I employing a healthy perspective? From a psychologist's perspective, probably not. Depressive realism is generally considered an unhealthy mindset, as it is literally caused by mental illness. But, my variation of it works for me. It keeps me alive, and it keeps me grounded throughout my anxieties. I think I am living an authentic perspective, if not one that is objectively healthy, and that is important to me.

    Am I living true to myself? I try to every day. I feel the need to live authentically (in the Sartre sense of the idea). Acting or thinking in ways that are not true to my being make me genuinely, fundamentally uncomfortable, and so I avoid that as much as possible.

    Am I waking up in the monring ready to take the day? Oh god no. I've been having numerous spells of horrible fatigue, and just dragging myself out of bed some mornings has taken a lot out of me, much less doing chores and hobbies and work. Fortunately, it isn't too bad if I take an "easy" day at work, so if I can get to work I can still get things done, and my partner is wonderful about picking up the chores slack. I really need to sort out these health issues tbh.

    Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep? Occasionally. Usually only when I'm having unusually high anxiety AND something particular set me off during the day. I tend to think things through during the day, and resolve them mentally before night. Usually by bedtime my meds have conked me out so hard I don't have normal thoughts anyways, and I just drift into random storylines until I drift off. When they don't, I drift into random storylines on purpose.

    Am I putting enough effort on my relationships? Difficult question. I'm putting enough effort into my relationships to maintain them, at a minimum. Some I am putting effort into to develop further, but I could be putting more into a few of them. I should put more active effort into my romantic relationship, and have had the most recent letters from a couple people for several weeks now (i.e. I need to write back to be fair). Most of my face to face friends are pretty busy, so we all make time to hangout as we have time.

    Am I taking care of myself physically? BOI AM I TRYING BUT MAN IS IT HARD WHEN THE BODY REVOLTS. I drink lots of water and little else, eat lots of protein and vegetables (could always, always be more vegetables though), avoid my numerous allergies as much as possible, average around 8h of sleep, shower daily, exercise 1-4x per week as I can work past fatigue and other issues. Lost weight last year so I'm in the healthy range again. Doesn't prevent most of my health problems, but my knees hurt less and when the doctor asks, I'm already following a lot of their lifestyle recommendations so I got that going for me :^) I'm definitely not perfect with physical care, but I'm actively trying to improve on my habits and have been for a while.

    Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out? Honestly, 99% of the time only at work. Work matters tend to stress me out, but the second I hop in my car they all go away and I don't think of them again for 16h. I'm usually pretty good about work stress, but that's most often where I start getting crabby and stressed about things I don't influence.

    Am I achieving the goals that I've set for myself? Really, my only personal goal is continuous improvement. Improve my diet, slowly, one week at a time. Improve my exercise habits, until they become a habit again. Improve my health, physical and mental, though that one is a lot slower going. Jury is still out for this year if I'll get a raise at work, which is definitely a goal. I've been very slowly getting out and doing more social things, improving my social life. Mostly, my goal is to live contentedly and authentically, and I work towards those every day. So, on a basic level, yes, I am gradually achieving my goals.
     
  3. no
    no
    no
    no
    no
    yes
    no
    no
    yes
    no