3 answers
Njoku
Student
Aba, Abia, Nigeria
1
Question
Asked
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How can I unlock my inner potential ?
I'ma good listener, I care so much and always give advice on how to handle emotional, relationship problems
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3 answers
Melissa Alvarez
Therapist
5
Answers
Elkhart, Indiana
Updated
Melissa’s Answer
As a therapist, I also go to therapy. My job can be a challenge and compartmentalizing is necessary. Self -care is a must to avoid burnout. Those are amazing skills and ambitions you have but if you do not take the necessary precaution, you can start to feel resentment. Setting boundaries is hard but also necessary. There are a lot of free resources you can take advantage of such as active listening skills courses or even look into more specific ways of helping others. These resources are not just for therapists but anyone can download worksheets from therapistaid.com and learn some skills for yourself and others. Setting boundaries can be hard if you have never done it, but think about how you want that to look. How long are you willing to listen for? You can also think of specific times that you are unavailable and let others know. What are your areas of expertise? Also let others know what they are and when you are uncomfortable talking about things you have no knowledge of. You can also expand those areas of knowledge. Alison is an app for free learning as well.
Kim Arskii
Social Media Analyst
75
Answers
St. Augustine, Florida
Updated
Kim’s Answer
That's wonderful that you have a natural talent for listening and providing advice on emotional and relationship problems! Here are a few ways you can unlock your inner potential:
1. Continued Learning: Keep expanding your knowledge and skills in areas related to emotional well-being and relationships. Read books, take online courses, or attend workshops to deepen your understanding.
2. Practice Empathy: Cultivate empathy by putting yourself in others' shoes and truly understanding their experiences and emotions. This will help you connect with people on a deeper level and provide more meaningful support.
3. Develop Active Listening Skills: Enhance your listening skills by being fully present in conversations, giving your undivided attention, and validating others' feelings. This will make people feel heard and valued.
4. Seek Feedback: Ask for feedback from those you've helped. This will help you understand your strengths and areas for improvement, allowing you to refine your advice-giving skills.
5. Build Trust and Confidentiality: Create a safe and non-judgmental space for others to open up to you. Establishing trust and maintaining confidentiality will encourage people to seek your guidance.
6. Set Boundaries: It's important to set boundaries to avoid emotional exhaustion. Take care of your own well-being and know when to take breaks to recharge.
7. Network and Collaborate: Connect with like-minded individuals, therapists, or counselors who can provide additional insights and guidance. Collaborating with professionals in the field can help you enhance your skills further.
Remember, unlocking your inner potential is a journey. Keep honing your skills, learning from experiences, and embracing growth. Your caring nature and ability to provide advice will continue to positively impact the lives of those around you.
1. Continued Learning: Keep expanding your knowledge and skills in areas related to emotional well-being and relationships. Read books, take online courses, or attend workshops to deepen your understanding.
2. Practice Empathy: Cultivate empathy by putting yourself in others' shoes and truly understanding their experiences and emotions. This will help you connect with people on a deeper level and provide more meaningful support.
3. Develop Active Listening Skills: Enhance your listening skills by being fully present in conversations, giving your undivided attention, and validating others' feelings. This will make people feel heard and valued.
4. Seek Feedback: Ask for feedback from those you've helped. This will help you understand your strengths and areas for improvement, allowing you to refine your advice-giving skills.
5. Build Trust and Confidentiality: Create a safe and non-judgmental space for others to open up to you. Establishing trust and maintaining confidentiality will encourage people to seek your guidance.
6. Set Boundaries: It's important to set boundaries to avoid emotional exhaustion. Take care of your own well-being and know when to take breaks to recharge.
7. Network and Collaborate: Connect with like-minded individuals, therapists, or counselors who can provide additional insights and guidance. Collaborating with professionals in the field can help you enhance your skills further.
Remember, unlocking your inner potential is a journey. Keep honing your skills, learning from experiences, and embracing growth. Your caring nature and ability to provide advice will continue to positively impact the lives of those around you.
Elizabeth Rahim
Board certified behavior analyst (BCBA)
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
I think this is something that a lot of insightful adolescents and young adults start asking themselves. What I've found to be the most helpful (personally and in my professional experience) is to focus on getting in touch with your values rather than focusing on, "What career field should I go into?"
In other words, what's meaningful and important to you in life? What are your values? Some might determine that family is important and know decisively that they want to marry and have children even if those goals aren't desired in the near future. Do you anticipate that in the future you will be providing for or caring for your parents or other family members as they age? If you're able to determine that family is an important value, you can start to think about things like what work-life balance looks like. Some careers make a work-life balance far more attainable than others.
What sort of lifestyle would you like to have? Is making a comfortable amount of money (and the freedom that comes with that) important? What about the ability to travel, and if so what does traveling look like when you imagine it (e.g. 5-star luxury hotels versus backpacking across remote areas of the world)? Even determining something like the importance of physical fitness and health might lead you away from office jobs and long car commutes and might help you gravitate to careers that keep you active. Do you prefer routine or would you rather have multiple work environments that involve frequent changes in settings and the professionals you interact most with? And for someone like yourself who is a great listener and gives sound advice, you might value a career where you're directly helping others.
All the decisions to be made as you approach adulthood and in early adulthood can be overwhelming. But I promise you don't have to figure everything out today. I can also promise that if you're in touch with your personal values, all of these decisions (career, geographical location to reside in, interpersonal relationships, etc) will be SO MUCH EASIER.
Best of luck!!
In other words, what's meaningful and important to you in life? What are your values? Some might determine that family is important and know decisively that they want to marry and have children even if those goals aren't desired in the near future. Do you anticipate that in the future you will be providing for or caring for your parents or other family members as they age? If you're able to determine that family is an important value, you can start to think about things like what work-life balance looks like. Some careers make a work-life balance far more attainable than others.
What sort of lifestyle would you like to have? Is making a comfortable amount of money (and the freedom that comes with that) important? What about the ability to travel, and if so what does traveling look like when you imagine it (e.g. 5-star luxury hotels versus backpacking across remote areas of the world)? Even determining something like the importance of physical fitness and health might lead you away from office jobs and long car commutes and might help you gravitate to careers that keep you active. Do you prefer routine or would you rather have multiple work environments that involve frequent changes in settings and the professionals you interact most with? And for someone like yourself who is a great listener and gives sound advice, you might value a career where you're directly helping others.
All the decisions to be made as you approach adulthood and in early adulthood can be overwhelming. But I promise you don't have to figure everything out today. I can also promise that if you're in touch with your personal values, all of these decisions (career, geographical location to reside in, interpersonal relationships, etc) will be SO MUCH EASIER.
Best of luck!!