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Catégorie : Get inspired

Insight #122

magritte, hope, insight, coaching
René MAGRITTE – Les barricades mystérieuses, 1960 – Gouache sur papier, 19 x 25 cm

 

“C’était la possibilité de l’obscurité qui rendait la journée si lumineuse.”

“It was the possibility of darkness that made the day seem so bright.”

― Stephen King

 

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Why boredom is actually good for you

boredom, insight, coaching, sandi mann
Video produced by BBC Reel

 

Many people believe there is no benefit to boredom, but it is a very important emotion, according to the UK psychologist and author Sandi Mann.

In this brief animation, the UK psychologist and author Sandi Mann explores how embracing boredom and letting our minds wander can get us to step off the ever-accelerating hedonic treadmill, and might even encourage creativity.

« Boredom is a really important emotion. When you’re bored you tend to daydream and your mind wanders, and this is a very very important part of the process and this is something we can apply to our day-to-day lives because if you find that you’re stuck on a problem or you’re really worried about something and you can’t seem to find a way out, just be bored and let your mind wander and you might just find that creative solution will pop into your head.

So one way that we can really embrace boredom in our lives is to stop swiping and scrolling our boredom away. So what we tend to do is when we’ve got a bit of downtime is that we get our phones immediately or our devices out. We’re sort of afraid of boredom we’re afraid to let boredom into our lives. We get a dopamine hit from new and novel experiences and of course everything that is stimulating is new and novel, and so the more we have the more we need. And this kind of lowers the threshold for boredom.

So paradoxically the way to deal with boredom is to allow more of it into our life. So put your phones away and just let yourself be and let your mind wander. That’s really important so that you can get used to it and you can learn to manage it yourself. »

 

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Insight #121

Diane ARBUS – Identical twins, Roselle, N.J. 1966 – Photographie, impression argentique, 35.6 × 27.9 cm

 

“A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.”

“Une image est un secret à propos d’un secret, plus elle vous en dit, moins vous en savez.”

― Diane Arbus

 

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From Admiration to Incarnation

Magritte, coaching, admiration
René MAGRITTE – L’étoile du matin, 1938 – Huile sur toile, 50 x 61 cm

 
When it’s not about pride

Often attributed to the hubris of the ancient Greeks or to the sin of pride as Christianity calls it, the self-promotion of our own assets is discouraged in many Western and Eastern societies, while humility is highly praised. Rightly or wrongly, the result is that from earliest childhood, ignorance – or even non-recognition or denial – of one’s own qualities is reinforced, with the corollary of a lack of self-confidence and a difficulty blossoming. We are so used to looking up that we forget to look at ourselves – selfies aside – and as a result, we miss out on realizing just how beautifully and perfectly imperfect we are.

So, in a world where competitiveness is a reality and is constantly increasing, identifying one’s strengths, talents or positive differentiators stimulates self-confidence. It also helps to find or regain a rightful place in the social setting, a space where one can evolve and feel sufficiently at ease to have an equal exchange with peers.

A self-coaching tool

Put another way, the question is about how to build a sustainable balance between excessive pride which doesn’t support fruitful exchanges and self-depreciation which is an obstacle to growth. There are a number of techniques that can be used to boost self-esteem. The « Role Model » is one of them, suitable to all ages, genders, social levels and cultures.

First of all, identify two or three people YOU particularly admire. Here, by « people » I mean any real or imaginary individual, known personally or through any kind of media, admired for their acts, their impact, their attitude or their values. This could be your grandmother who is a war survivor, your godfather who achieved a brilliant career, a teacher who traveled the world, a politician who fearlessly faced his own party, a revolutionary artist from the Middle-Ages, or even a cartoon hero or a character from a sci-fi novel who protected their planet.

Maybe you will need to think back to when you were adolescents or children, at an age when your dreams were still vivid.

Actually, it doesn’t matter so much who those idols are, so long as you have sincere thoughts such as « If only I could be or act like X ». What’s more, it doesn’t matter whether the reasons for this admiration match with reality or not. It matters even less if others share the same opinion or not. What counts here is that you are able to verbalize the reasons or rather the components of your deep admiration and pinpoint the underlying values, strengths and talents. What makes these heroes so appreciated? What inspires you? What is behind these acts or behaviors that makes them so admirable for you?

In fact, starting from the principle that we can only appreciate what we have already experienced and in contrast to the externalizing conversations used in psychotherapy to help patients dissociate themselves from their problems, this is an internalizing technique, aimed at allowing you to realize the treasures you have inside of you, especially if these treasures are ignored or unused.

From observation to ownership

Once you have identified the ‘components’ of admiration (e.g. courage, creativity, resilience, kindness etc.) divide them into two categories: those you possess, even if only in part, and those you believe you don’t possess. In the most extreme cases – if you feel you have none of these qualities – just make a ranking. In this way, you will bring in a gradation in your own judgment.

The next step is to find both what to capitalize on and what to develop, as the key is to remember that what we admire in others is often already in us without being aware of it. Then a double dynamic develops.

By working on the characteristics already possessed, illustrate them using as many concrete examples as possible, recent and less recent. List actions, highlight experiences where you successfully expressed these values. You need to realize and feel that you are not starting from scratch, that you already have a base to draw from, a base for growth. This will be the stage where the foundations of improved self-esteem are built or strengthened.

Then, in the range of attributes you consider not to possess, choose those that are most desirable to attain or develop…while keeping in mind that an envied characteristic may hide a latent need. To admire someone for his or her sporting victories can express a deep respect for strength of character or express the need for recognition…and therefore love. Listen to yourself and possibly detect the wisest doors to open. The aim is to open the field of possibilities.

From ownership to action

Finally comes the stage of generating ideas as to the different ways in which these dreamt characteristics could be experienced, or how these strengths could be developed. How can you express these characteristics, how could you behave more like your role model? However seemingly insignificant or ambitious the acts, attitudes or rituals, it doesn’t matter. Start small, very small. Progress step by step. What could you put in place? What could you stop doing? What can you do differently? What can you do instead? How can you slowly incarnate your role model?

The action plan to develop is then very simple: choose the first of these actions to implement in your daily life, then a second, a third and so on according to a program that induces a positive spiral and moves from admiration to incarnation. And keep momentum.

The objective of the exercise described here is first the revelation, and second the appropriation of your desired values. What is sought is the embodiment of personality traits as a simple stage of your development without being an end in itself because the development of your personality necessarily passes through the acceptance and appreciation of your own uniqueness.

So, who are your role models?

 

“There is an innocence in admiration: it occurs in one who has not yet realized that they might one day be admired.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

 

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Insight #120

marc quinn, world, coaching, career
Marc QUINN – (Red) Eclipse, 2018 – Huile sur toile, diamètre : 199 cm

 

“Bien sûr qu’il y a des mondes. Des millions de mondes ! Chaque étoile que vous voyez a ses propres mondes, et la plupart d’entre eux vous sont invisibles.”

“Of course there are worlds. Millions of them! Every star you see has worlds, and most of those you don’t see.”

― Isaac Assimov

 

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What job is right for you?

TATANUA masks – Bismark archipelago – 49 cm and 45 cm

[Pour la version française de cet article, cliquez ici.]

The RIASEC model refers to a career and professional choices theory developed by the American psychologist John L. Holland (1919-2008).

Based on psychological types, it assumes that if we are aware of our personality, then we can choose a job that suits us and in which we can flourish. This approach is therefore relevant in the context of a career choice or a professional reorientation.

Six personality types in a professional context are identified, the first letter of which is the acronym RIASEC.

  1. Realistic: Need to be physically involved in what they do. Pragmatic, the Realistic types can take up challenges with skill and ingenuity.
  2. Investigator: Driven by a thirst for knowledge and knowledge, driven by intellectual values, they strive for excellence.
  3. Artistic: Wish to express emotions or thoughts through art forms. Dreamy, imaginative, intuitive, avoiding routine.
  4. Social: Attracted by activities that promote contact with others, especially to help them, motivated by respect for others and dedication.
  5. Entrepreneurial: Like to have responsibilities, overcome challenges in the hope of reaching the top. Ambitious and socially skilled.
  6. Conventional: Desire to respect standards, instructions and rules. Discreet, attentive, in search of security.

A 6-type model allows 720 combinations, but most of the tests highlight the three main key axes which, ordered by decreasing importance, are then associated with a set of professions.

To take the test online: click here

…and to explore a list of jobs according to the RIASEC profile, click here.

So, which job suits you best?

 

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Insight #119

Victor Brauner, joie, bonheur, amitié, friendship, metamorphisme
Victor BRAUNER – Métamorphisme, 1961 – Huile sur toile, 97 x 130 cm

 

“L’amitié améliore le bonheur et estompe la misère, en doublant notre joie et en divisant notre chagrin.”

“Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.”

― Cicéron 

 

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Quel métier vous correspond ?

métier, leonora carrington
Leonora CARRINGTON – Opus Siniestrus-Tola, 1973 – Encre, détrempe et crayon sur papier, 56,5 x 75,6 cm

[For the English version of this article, click here.]

Le modèle RIASEC se réfère à une théorie des carrières et choix professionnels développée par le psychologue américain John L. Holland (1919-2008).

Basé sur les types de personnalité – ou types psychologiques – elle part du principe que si nous sommes conscients de notre type de personnalité, alors nous pouvons choisir une profession qui nous correspond et dans laquelle nous pourrons nous épanouir. Cette approche est donc pertinente dans le cadre d’un choix de carrière ou lors d’une réorientation professionnelle.

Six types de personnalité en contexte professionnel sont identifiés, types dont la première lettre constitue l’acronyme RIASEC.

  1. Réaliste : Besoin d’être impliqué physiquement dans ce qu’il fait. Pragmatique, le type Réaliste peut relever des défis avec adresse et ingéniosité.
  2. Investigateur : Habité par une soif de connaissances et de savoir, animé par des valeurs intellectuelles, il vise l’excellence.
  3. Artistique : Souhaite exprimer ses émotions ou pensées à travers des formes d’art. Rêveur, imaginatif, intuitif, fuyant la routine.
  4. Social : Attiré par les activités favorisant le contact avec les autres, particulièrement dans le but de les aider, motivé par le respect des autres et le dévouement.
  5. Entreprenant : Aime avoir des responsabilités, surmonter des défis dans l’espoir de se hisser au sommet. Ambitieux et habile en société.
  6. Conventionnel : Désire respecter les normes, consignes et règles. Discret, à l’écoute, à la recherche de la sécurité.

Un modèle à 6 types autorise donc 720 combinaisons mais la plupart des tests permettent de mettre en évidence les trois axes-clés principaux qui, ordonnés par importance décroissante, sont alors associés des métiers.

Quelques liens pour passer le test en ligne (et pour le dossier technique du test, cliquer ici) : 

…et pour explorer une liste de métier selon le profil RIASEC :

Alors, quel métier vous correspond le mieux ?

 

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Insight #118

insight, coaching, gandhara, Bodhisattva, frustration
Tête de Bodhisattva en schiste gris Gandhâra – IIème-IIIème siècle, 27,9 cm

 

“S’il existe une solution, alors à quoi sert la frustration ? S’il n’y a guère de solution, alors à quoi sert la frustration ?”

“If there is a remedy, then what is the use of frustration? If there is no remedy, then what is the use of frustration?”

Śāntideva, The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyavatara

 

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