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Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Onto our next question for @oscbeep 

 

How can we put into action what our values are? 

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Firstly I need to write down my values and then I post them on my wall to Remind me of them!!

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

This is absolutely valid @chibam -this exact issue is something that becomes a massive barrier created by the systemic limitations of how our mental health system can pathologize our experience of distress, suicidality or crisis! These systems can really back us into a corner and make us feel very cautious about what to disclose and who can trust to hold onto our distress. This is why I love peer work!

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Developing love for our interests, having positive role models, having good places to discuss what is important to us to express.

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Figuring out what we care about is a great place to start- what is truly important to us? What do we even like? Connecting to our self-awareness and giving ourselves the time is to do this can be important too. The relationship with have with ourselves can become a driving force for action.

I like to encourage curiosity to lead me down the path of action. Say I have a spark- this thing that has hooked me and got me to care- I allow curiosity to encourage me to explore, learn, research. Once I feel like my curiosity has put some fuel in my tank then action feels far more accessible. If you are feeling at all stuck thinking about this have a look at VIA Institute on Character- Strengths survey – it can be a really nice to be asked some questions and have your strengths and values reflected back to you!

 

Honestly, action is work and it does takes fuel, so before I put anything into action I try to be mindful of where I’m at and how resourced I am. I have definitely have a personal understanding that sometimes we carry the heavy load of fluctuating mental health- this can mean that there are times that speaking up feels near impossible. I want you to know that you are not alone in this feeling.

 

If I am ever feeling limited by my capacity I always like to come back to these actions:

 

  • Communication-  Language is one of the most powerful tools we have as humans for self-expression and connection. It is how we share our consciousness beyond our internal experience and give it life in our external environment. I always come back to the saying: ‘the best way to get what you want is to tell people what you want.’ There is immense power in the language we use to communicate.
  • Choice- reconnecting to my sense of agency is important when it comes to action. Being able to make decisions, choosing how I want to show up helps me feel empowered to take action.  
  • Connection- to ourselves, to our bodies, to our environment, to personal relationships and to community. Connection is an action.
  • Compassion- caring about others and the fight for equality and justice is something that I value that will always recalibrate my actions. It is the core component of what has drawn me to activism and fighting for change. Compassion for me shifts the focus away from me to others and is an utmost act of care.  
  • Creativity- Move and express and imagine and create- lean into the methods that becomes the vessels of what we value-I think creativity is a really special way that we can used a new form of language to express our values and

 

If this is something you are interested in reflecting on more this is an amazing resource to have a look at- Living Into Our Values - Brené Brown

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT


@amber22 wrote:

How can we put into action what our values are? 


OMG, this one is so prickly! Because expressing our values can be so toxic to those around us if those values are contradictory to their own, can't it?

So, IMHO, we pretty much need to view this question as a follow-up to other questions like:

  • Should we put our values into action?
  • How can we get funneled in to an environment where putting our values into action will actually be beneficial? Not just for ourselves, but ideally for those around us, too?

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Awesome!!!!!!!

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

@amber22 @chibam @exploring @Loiter @Snowie @tyme 

Setting Boundaries by Dr Rebecca Ray helped me massively.

Saying “No” to someone once a week. You don’t owe anyone a explanation.

If it’s a friend asking you for coffee suggest a time and day that suits you.

Never explain, don’t complain.

First you got to know what you want for yourself and say what you want.

Say it with conviction. It is important that I …..

I did it yesterday and got exactly what I wanted.

G

 

 

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

Those are epic! Thank you for sharing 🙂 @Glisten 

Re: Topic Tuesday// Speak Up: The Power in Using Your Voice // Tuesday 30th January 2024 5:30-7PM AEDT

For our next question of the discussion... 

 

How to feel more prepared for difficult conversations? @oscbeep