On October 27, 2021, I will be speaking on the topic of “Believing in Ourselves through Self-Advocacy — A Guide to Owning Our Power” through Zoom to Adapt Clubhouse in Alexandria, VA.
Below are links to the outline of the presentation and a list of question for discussion.
“Believing in Ourselves through Self-Advocacy — A Guide to Owning Our Power”
Questions that I Needed to Ask Myself to be able to Advocate for Myself to Own my Power (Addendum)
In Brief
The Beginning of Self-Advocacy
Following a brain injury, the way in which the individual relates to themselves, other people and their environment changes. Because of these changes knowing how to advocate for themselves may seem like a mystery.
Because of this mystery, individuals may knowingly or unknowingly give their power away.
In my experience, I discovered that I needed to grow in awareness before I could begin to accept and value myself. In the process, of accepting and valuing myself I was able to determine what I really needed and begin the process of owning my power. In the process I became aware of what I needed to excel.
To begin to excel in my mind body, spirit, soul and emotions.
Self-Advocacy
“Self-Advocacy is learning how to speak up for yourself, making your own decisions about your own life, learning how to get information so that you can understand things that are of interest to you, finding out who will support you in your journey, knowing your rights and responsibilities, problem solving, listening and learning, reaching out to others when you need help and friendship, and learning about self-determination.”
According to the Parent Center Hub for Information and Resources.
Self-Advocacy grows as I grow in Awareness, Acceptance and take Action one Day at a Time.
In my estimation, self-advocacy is about owning our power in every area of our lives. If we do not own power (over what is in my power to control) we will give our power away.
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt
In my estimation, self-advocacy means that I take responsibility for every area of my life. My mind, body, soul, spirit, and emotions. If I do not take personal responsibility, I acquiesce and give my power away in my mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions, by believing I lack power.
If I do not own my power (in my mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions) I will develop a learned helplessness. In the process, like the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly, my wings will not be strengthened to fly. And if my “wings” (body, soul, spirit, mind and emotions) are not strengthened, I like the butterfly will not possess the strength to fulfill my purpose through my life.
In my experience, I needed to ask myself several questions to be able to advocate for myself.
(In this presentation we discuss answers to these questions to empower self-advocacy)
What is limiting me?
What can I do about what I perceive is limiting me?
What am I telling myself?
Am I being bullied?
What am I doing for improve the quality of my life?
Whose shame am I carrying?
Am I at peace with my past?
Am I focusing on symptoms or solutions?
How am I cultivating hope?
Why do I react?
What is defining my worth and value?
Am I judging my insides with other people’s outsides?
What critical attitudes do I have toward myself and other people?
What am I doing to move from being a survivor to a thriver in my life?
What am I doing to accomplish my goals?
Am I identifying with people or comparing myself to them?
What is keeping me stuck?
Is the group that I am in helping or hurting me?
What is keeping me in a ‘box” of limitation?
What do I do when I face adversity?
Am I waiting for someone to accept me before I can accept myself?
What am I doing to create hope in my life?
Is my anger hurting or helping me?
Am I lying to myself?
Is my brain injury making me bitter or better?
Am I living with helplessness or hopefulness?
What am I doing to replace negative thinking with positive messages?
What am I doing to empower the relationship that I have with myself?
Has drama replaced living and why?
How am I looking at adversity?
Am I living with limitations or opportunities?
Is my brain injury awareness making me bitter or better?
Am I moving from being bitter to becoming better?
Where do I “fit” after my brain injury?
Am I OK with being a “square peg” in a world of “round holes”?
Have I given up too soon?
Why do I feel misunderstood and shunned?
Am I at peace with God and myself?
Whose truth am I living?
Am I dependent or independent?
What can I do to become more independent?
Am I living in a “box” given to me or in a “box” that I created for myself?
Am I / do I challenge my brain injury awareness?
Am I asking “Why Me” or “Why not Me”?
Am I looking at “what isn’t” instead of “what is”?
How can I stop fighting against myself?
What is holding me back?
When will I find my destiny?
How do I keep from being pulled back into a “victim mentality”?
What is my destiny beyond the “box” of traditional employment?
How am I going to excel in my life?
What am I doing to create dreams in my life after my brain injury?
How am I looking at success?
How do I now learn after my brain injury?
What can I do when circumstances change my plans?
Bio of the speaker, click on the below link.
Bio for Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
Click on the link to access resources to empower ongoing brain injury recovery through self-advocacy.
Self-Advocacy Resources for Ongoing Brain Injury Recovery to Empower the Individual, not the brain injury
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