Never Give Up

 When life (or graduate school, which is my whole life right now) is difficult I try to find the resiliency and strength to keep going.  When practicing archery it is essential to calmly aim before releasing the arrow.  With focus and determination, you can hit a bullseye, in archery and in life.  

Believing Change is Possible

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One of the lessons I have learned in my clinical internship is to not fall in love with potential. For example, you are working with a client for several months to help them change a negative pattern of behavior, an addiction, etc. The client proclaims they are "fixed" and they are ready to start their new life, but the next day you find out that your client fell off the proverbial wagon or ended back up in jail.  Not falling in love with the potential we see in our clients must be balanced with still having hope for our clients and encouraging them that change is possible.

I have learned that there are three important things to remember in regards to this:

1. You do not make your clients who they are

2. And therefore, you do not have the power to make them change

3. Change takes time

Believing In Yourself

Sometimes I feel like I can be my own worst enemy when instead I should be my biggest cheerleader and supporter.  Life is so much easier and challenges don't seem quite as hard when we believe in ourselves.  As social workers we are excellent at finding the strengths in our clients.  We see resiliency and strengths in even the most difficult and seemingly hopeless situations.  Why can't we do this for ourselves?

In my clinical practice with groups class we are learning about running a self esteem support group and one of my peers shared this quote.   It really made me think about how important it is to believe in myself:

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe,  deserve your love and affection." -Buddha