Ways to enhance S.

Uncover and challenge irrational beliefs

Discover the tyranny of the should, Ex; I should be able to find quick solution to any problem

These will set you up for failure, resulting in low self-esteem.

Eliminate cognitive(thinking) distortions(twisted) – to only look at evidence that supports your existing
opinion of yourself.

DYK, depressed people always have cognitive distortions.

PRACTICING VIRTUE will help you feel good about yourself. Virtues are practiced by choice, no one is
born virtuous.

A virtue is a behavior showing high moral standard

There are 6 virtues

PART of positive psychology is the study of character ad the development of virtues and their
corresponding signature strengths.

These strengths are based on:

 The value placed on them by every culture

 They are valued in their own right and not just a means to an end

 They are changeable by choice and exercise of will.

1) Transcendence – The ide of a large unseen univers/spirituality

DON’T BE EGOCENTRIC – ITS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU

2) Temperance – self regulation that protect against t excess

Also known as self control

3) Courage – to exercise will over internal or external opposition

Stepping up to the plate even though you know you might fail

4) Humanity – an interpersonal desire to tend and befriend others

Sharing in humanity with one another

5) Justice – civic acts that support healthy community life

 Giving someone exactly what they desrve, does not always mean a punishment. Someone could
desrve a reward and get one, and that is also justice.

6) Wisdom & knowledge – The acquisition of skill/facts and the timing of when and how to use it.

The self youd like to be

Visualization or guided imagery- procedure that enables the person to see, experiences, and learn from
an intuitive, feeling, unconscious nature. (when you close your eyes and you imagine yourself behaving
successfully.)

This has been used to improve performance in…

 Sports

 Reducing levels of stress

 Improving immunice system

 Enhancing the comfort of people undergoing medical procedures.

Criticism:

1) Learning from criticism

2) Accepting criticisim

3) Acting on criticism

(critique may sound like an attack, but remember to focus on the behavior that can be changed. If
someone says that you are “rude”, ask what you said that was rude. If it is true that was ride, change
your way of speaking.)

Self Direction

The humanistic theory says that underneath all fo our prbolems lies the questions “who am I, really?
How can I get in touch with my real self?

The first stage of change is accompanied bu admitting yu are unhappy with certain aspects of yourself.
Then gradually you accept that you are in a process of change. You can even become more accepting
of complex feelings:

(Example: You may realize you feel lobe and disdain for the smame oerson,)
Persona growth

As you grow you start to accepy yourself and then beign to accept othes.

This is the opposite of Self-Alienation: when we fail to acknowledge an accept certain parts of ourselves

At times we can fail to accept certain personal qualities and project them on to others who we then
dislike. (like a projector!!!)

Example of prorjection:

A man whi is himself dependent on others may not acknowledge that he is dependent and then despise
other men he considers dependent.

As we accept ourselves, we then begin to accept others

(‘The good life is a process, not a desitination.” – Carl Rogers.)

Self affirming exercise

Continued on thursday