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dispositions:selfdetermined
Approved 19 November, 2022 @ 3:23pm by Jan Viljoen (version: 19)

Self-Determination


A healthy SELF-DETERMINATION provide us with a BIG HEART to live a self-reliant and fulfilling life to the fullest! (i.e. to productively deal with life's many adversities and bountiful challenges courageously!). Because we have the sureness that our core concerns are adequately addressed.

Self-determination is the human standing of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance, equilibrium & a symbiotic synchronicity, wherein we can or cannotplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigSelf-determination Achilles Heel:

We sit firmly in the saddle and can handle almost anything with the needed confidence. UNTIL... our Core Concerns - directly or indirectly - comes under pressure and are threatened. Then - all of a sudden - our self-assurance crumbles and collapses, and swiftly transforms us from an autonomous, self-assured individual (in control of our lives), into a dreaded, panicky and insecure person who is grabbing whatever straw just looks like if it can help us to get out of this emotional turmoil. Thus, we can RESPOND to external stimuli or forces, providing that our Core Concerns aren't in danger. If so, we simply REACT.
be controlled
by our environment as determined by our own choices. We are confident in our intra-personal interactions as the robustplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigRobust Clarified

The term implies that there are sufficient resources to an individual's disposal, allowing him/her to successfully address and overcome the many challenges that s/he is facing daily, particularly future shock confrontations.

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[Click to visit the Thesaurus Plus Website]

In essence, is evolving and preparing to create establish and sustain one's own future by dealing efficiently with
foundation for harmonious inter-personal relations. Thus, we reasons… BUT isn't compelled to react; we can decide how we would like to respond towards stimuli from our external environment.

We establish and sustain a healthy self-determination equilibrium1) by accepting personal responsibility and deploying productive self-empowerment strategies within the demarcation of group (i.e. social or community) accountabilityplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigAccountability

Many people view and responsibility as the same thing, leading to many misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts. The dictionary meaning - in short - of responsibility is “the state of being held as the cause of something that needs to be set right
; that should be integrated with the up keep of healthy psyche management mechanisms - especially resilience - and the initiation, establishment and sustaining of specialist knowledge.

Self-determination allows an individual to perform as per his/her capability. Therefore, self-determined individuals are highly Self-Determination and creative people who “can do wonders” and contribute productively to almost any situation. Self-determination refers to an individual that makes choices and takes decisions primarily based on his/her preferences and interests, to responsibly monitors and manages his/her actions, is goal-oriented, with a self-directing lifestyle and has the capability to…

  • create plenty of future opportunities by the choices made and decisions taken today.
  • reliably and responsibly manage personal & professional networks, needed services, support and any other assistance that might be required from time to time.
  • a self-reliant Self-Determination to control own resourcesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigImplies everything that might be deployed to achieve set goals, which can range from the materialistic, money, the physical, mental, skills, abilities and all the way up to the spiritual. and attain additional services -if and when required - to obtain specific objectives and achieve envisioned goals.
  • and a willingness to participate in and contribute to communal activities and events.

Thus, self-determination essentially entails being the director of our own “movie” rather than being a character in somebody else’s unfolding drama.


1. Lifestyle

To sustain an adequate level of self-determination for our daily lives, usually much easier said than done, because we…

  1. have to face our past without regret or guilt,
  2. should be thankful for the many lessons that we have learned from our past experiencesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigthe good..., the bad... and the terrible... in life,
  3. must handle the present with confidence and poise (i.e. utilizing the power of now and seize the moment),
  4. have to prepare for a future without fear, free from ignorance and focused on our dreams and expectations,
  5. need to sustain a harmonious attitude based on compassionate love, hope and faith in the cycle of human life.

Thus, to keep our faith and drop our fears. Don't belief our doubts and never doubtplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigDoubt

inner criticplenty of noisethinkingawarenesscontextmindfulnesscognitive dissonancesbenefitsnowmoment

There are two-sides to the coin... self- & idea-, the one side - by default - often is toxic, the other side - when handled correctly - is nourishing.

...

* self-doubt is BAD * idea-doubt is GOOD

it is imperative to obtain balance in this regard to restore a healthy
our beliefs
. Life is awesome, wonderful and marvellous… once we know how to live and make the most of it!

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it! To establish and maintain a healthy and productive level of self-determination, it is important to realize that the coping mechanism of repression often is the launching platform from which we develop and initiate a balanced level of self-determination, which gradually allows us to respond and no longer unconditionally react to external stimuli. This is also known as - in popular terms - emotional maturity and the source of our personal power.

Therefore a self-determined individual…

  • regard problems as challenges.
  • have definite personal boundaries for conduct.
  • do not manipulate for personal gain or deceive others.
  • envy no one and take charge of his/her own destiny.
  • know and understand that consciousness eventually changes reality.
  • both happinessplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigHappiness Can Be Learned

    A new study coordinated by the University of Trento shows the beneficial effects of an intensive program on .

    The results showed that several psychological well-being measures gradually increased within participants from the beginning to the end of the course. That was especially true for life satisfaction, perceived well-being, self-awareness and
    and suffering are sacred, because of the inherent life lessons.
  • do not censor him-/herself or care or take seriously what others do, say or think.
  • evil is seen as the absence of Self-Determination, personal choice and self-worth.
  • lead by setting an example, and is reluctant to follow any unquestioned dogmas.
  • truly forgive both real and/or perceived offenses.

2. Evolving Cycle

FOCUS:
Self-determination is dictated by economic activities and context (way to earn a living) and - unfortunately - self-determination got stuck and didn't evolve along with changes and technological developments.

Sustaining a healthy and well-balanced level of self-determination (i.e. Individual responsibility within the demarcation of group Self-Determination) in rapidly changing and economically challenging times, is extremely difficult because…

In general, we have an unhealthy tendency to mainly accept the illusion that our personal power is determined, granted and seated in “outside forces”. This self-defeating perspective or belief tends to upset and derail the delicate balanceplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigI.e. the age-old individuality versus conformity conflict. of our own self-determination, because our self-determination balance-scale is probably tipped in favour of an external dominated locus of control.

2.1 The Past

FOCUS:
The eras of hunter-gatherers, nomads, and the agricultural and industrial revolution, all peaked as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

The current personal self-determination tendency develops as a toxic result of the prevailing collective self-determination consciousness presently in existence. Our present collective self-determination consciousness is primarily determined by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs formulated way back in 1943. Despite plenty of criticism, Maslow's hierarchy of needs still forms the basic “carrot/stick” driven foundation of our modern-day collective self-determination consciousness, specifically in a manipulative capitalistic-bureaucratic driven straight jacket dominated countries, societies or communities.

Resulting from the above, a collective self-determination consciousness triangle developed that can be illustrated as follows...

2.2 The Present

FOCUS:
Information, technology and the Internet change emphasis… less on lower-order needs and more on higher-order needs to deal with changing times.

Back in the days - 1943 to be exact - the above self-determination triangle quite accurately reflects how the majority of people were able to successfully deal with establishing and sustaining an efficient level of self-determination. However, that was 70+ years ago and since then, many things (e.g. politics, the economy, science, technology, …etc.) went through a process of momentous change… which created a present-day workplace and societal landscape that is quite different from the one back in 1943.

The changes over 70 years, and in combination with toxic VIDSHE-manipulations, result in workplace and social landscapes, which are characterized by a brutality-powered social and workplace climate. This effectively transforms the collective self-determination consciousness triangle, from having a relatively secure footing to a volatile and very shaky “triangle” that is easily manipulated by any number of external forces mainly for their selfish advantage.

This easily manipulated self-determination triangle can be illustrated as follows...

2.3 The Future

FOCUS:
AI can to large extent take care of Maslow's lower order needs, and - therefore - for us humans to survive and prosper, we need to re-prioritize our needs, so that self-actualization (our uniqueness) becomes the foundation and not our physiological needs.

In modern times this current evolved collective self-determination consciousness triangle is no longer Self-Determination enough to withstand unexpected external pressures and is easily toppled over to create an inner psyche climate (i.e. stormy emotions and feelings) characterized by frustration, confusion, helplessness and utter despair. This inner turmoil frequently manifest in all kinds of social problems such as the escalation of corruption, increased divorce rate, spiralling unemployment, drug abuse, various addictions, depression, stress, suicide, burnouts, teenage pregnancies, strikes, rage, …etc. The primary instigators and the main source for experiencing acute future shock.

When the indicated collective self-determination consciousness remains an important primary directive for an individual's self-determination, we can safely assume that many things will get much worse in future, than it is at the moment. Thus, something gotta give …big time… before it will get any better.

However, chaos and catastrophes needn't be an inevitable outcome, providing that most people become aware of, realize and truly accept the healing power and Self-Determination countermeasure of a Self-organizing Networking Ethos for many of our modern-day dilemmas. Although the solution appears to be very simple and quite easy to implement, eventual success mainly depends on a profound attitude change and a major mindset shift. Something that can not be easily brought about in a collective social climate which is riddled by panic, stupidity, ignorance and many fears.

Therefore, as an important first step for healing (either personally or collectively), individuals must realize that authentic self-determination is based on and sources from the TRUE self. Any individual's true self is sustained by reliable self-actualization, brought about by resilience, sturdy psyche management techniques, productive self-empowerment strategies, unique competencies and specialist knowledge.

Keeping the above in mind, we have to realize that each of us has to calibrate our present personal Self-determination Triangle to give the required priority to optimal self-actualization to efficiently deal with the many adversities we are experiencing in modern day life.

A self-determination triangle governed by optimal self-actualization can be illustrated as follows...

2.4 Final Thoughts

Changing the collective Self-determination Consciousness Triangle, one person at a time… starting with you!

The Change Management playlist (hosted on YouTube) provides some insight into what the real power of healthy and balanced self-determination is all about. Please watch it… it just might influence your current outlook on life a bit.

Who really defines who you are …?

3. Traits and Characteristics

Traits:

Self-determined individuals tend to frequently portray the following traits…

  • Higher levels of awareness =
  • Accepting the Self and the Diversity of Others =
  • Sense of Realism and Problem centred =
  • Strong sense of personal ethics and Professionalism =
  • Autonomous and Self-reliant =
  • Enjoy solitude and Privacy =
  • Philosophical sense of Humor =
  • Spontaneity, Open, Unconventional and Spontaneous =
  • Minimalistic, Naturalness and Simplicity =
  • Appreciative and Grateful =
  • Integrity and Ethics -
  • Humility and Respect =

Characteristics:

In essence self-determined individuals are individuals that…

  • don't measure themselves against others…
  • learn to accept themselves for who and what they are…
  • know that they are in control…
  • responsible for their actions and…
  • refuse to stop learning and growing.

These essentials normally manifest as the following characteristics…

  1. Normally embrace the unknown and the ambiguous =
  2. Accept themselves and others =
  3. Prioritizing and enjoying the journey of life. =
  4. Self-determined individuals are inherently unconventional. =
  5. They are motivated by self development and growth. =
  6. Self-determined individuals have a purpose. =
  7. They are not troubled by the small things. =
  8. They are grateful. =
  9. Self-determined individuals share deep and meaningful relationships. =
  10. They are humble. =
  11. Self-determined individuals resist enculturation. =

Despite all of the above… self-determined individuals aren't perfect, because there are no perfect human beings! People can be found who are good, very good indeed - in fact - great. And yet these very same people can at times be boring, irritating, petulant, selfish, angry or depressed. To avoid disillusionment and disappointment with human nature, self-determined individuals give up their illusions about human nature and sustain an equilibrium and balanced mindset understanding that people cannot be all bad, all of the time… nor can people be all good, all of the time. An awareness and realization that the 'goodness' or 'badness' of people mainly are determined by a contextual perspective that we hold regarding a given event, situation and/or circumstance.

4. Hazards & Obstacles

Sustaining a healthy and well-balanced level of self-determination (i.e. Individual responsibility within the demarcation of group Self-Determination) in modern times - generally speaking - is constantly either threatened or obstructed by the following…

  • An unhealthy collective tendency to accept the illusion that our personal power is determined, granted and mainly seated in “outside forces”, in particular possessions and what can be consumed. Thus the more the better.
  • Upsetting of the delicate balance of our self-determination (i.e. individuality versus conformity), because our self-determination scale is often tipped in favour of an externally dominated locus of control, as a result of our pursuits to “fit in” and to be accepted by others.
  • Discouraged to critically question society's self-determination dogmas.

The inherent dangers of the above influences to personal self-determination often lie in…

  1. Others may look down on you, because of your pursuit for purpose and meaning in life, rather than the generally accepted and proverbial chase after the 'pot of gold at the end of the rainbow'.
  2. When doing what you regard as 'the right thing to do' you are isolated from the mainstream of society and tolerated as eccentric or weirdo.
  3. Consistently expected to explain your stance, views and ideas to others.

Never explain yourself. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe it.

Never respond to rudeness. When people are rude to you, they reveal who they are, not who you are. Don't take it personally.

You don't lose family or friends because real friends and family can never be lost. You lose people masquerading as family or friends.

An honest enemy is always better than a friend who lies. Pay less attention to what people say, and more attention to what they do. Their actions will reveal the truth to you.

…AND…

What sets a self-determined individual noticeably apart from everyone else around him/her, is that s/he will die on his/her feet for what s/he beliefs is doing the right thingplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigDoing the right thing:

Implies making the right choices, choosing the right path and displaying high ethics and moral rectitude.

EXAMPLE: By rejecting a 20 million rand bribe to award a contract, the official did the right thing and earned our respect.
, before s/he will live on his/her knees doing things rightplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigDoing things right:

Implies doing things in the manner as expected, needed or required to be done, often as a result of majority consensus.

EXAMPLE: To ensure a safe flight, a pilot must do things right.

Inspired by a 2001 movie A Knights Tale

1)
Self-determination equilibrium is a concept or term that indicates what optimal self-actualization is essentially all about.
dispositions/selfdetermined.txt · Last modified: 19 November, 2022 @ 3:22pm by Jan Viljoen