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#WFH: 7 Simple Exercises to Help

We all come to the planet with special gifts and talents. We have natural abilities to perform. Our insights, instincts and independence can be (and often are) trained out of us in a very systematic and powerful way. We are influenced by our family of origin, the educational system, religious affiliations and society at large. The age of media has intensified this subconscious programming. We are constantly performing to the expectations of others. This tends to remove us from our own sense of inner independence. We become more interested in people-pleasing and not making trouble than in our own autonomy. So, the first step in responding with autonomy is to get in touch with who you really are, what you love to do and how you can support yourself. We all need food, shelter, acceptance and love. We are social and connected beings by nature.

Exercise 1: Who are you?
Write down the five most important things that define you.
In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than 90 seconds to do this exercise.

Exercise 2: What do you value? Write down five to seven things you value most. In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than 90 seconds to do this exercise.

Exercise 3: What do you think is expected of you? Write down five people from your past/present and what they want or wanted FROM you.  In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than three minutes to do this exercise.

Exercise 4: The Courage to Change
If I could make one change right now, today, to improve my life what would it be? In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than 10 seconds to do this exercise.

Exercise 5: Who has impacted your life? What did they do and why were they important to you? Write down five people who have had an important impact on you and why they were important to your life. In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than two minutes to do this exercise.

Exercise 6: What do you love to do?
Write down five activities you love to do. In this exercise, write down what comes to your mind immediately. Take no more than 90 seconds to do this exercise.

Exercise 7: The Evening News
If you had to go on the evening news and tell the world something that was important to you, what would you say? What would your message be? Prepare a two-minute speech. This is an elevator speech – concise, clear and deliverable. Take no more than five minutes to do this exercise.
Acting with autonomy is all about being independent and taking action. Unfortunately, for most of us this is not second nature. Fortunately, this can be learned, like all other respond-abilities. These are skills that you can acquire. If you have trouble with any of these exercises – that’s good. It means you have touched upon something you may want to address. Ask yourself why it was difficult. What is stopping you? Try it again tomorrow and then the next day. Acting with autonomy requires being very secure and accepting of who you are right now. It also requires a willingness to work on what you want to change.

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