1

The Power of Initiative:

How to Take Control of Your Mental Health

Presented by

CIGNA Employee Assistance Program

2

Seminar Goals

Understand that we have the ability to choose how we respond.

Identify roadblocks that may be getting in our way.

Discover how to “re-frame” self-defeating thoughts.

Identify our priorities

3

What is Initiative?

Taking responsibility for making things happen in our lives.

Operating in a proactive manner.

Realizing that we have the ability to choose how we respond to a situation.

Reacting based on our values rather than feelings or impulses.

4

Choosing to Take Control

We may not be able to control the events or the people around us.

We cannot control what kind of family we grew up in or what happened to us as a child.

We can choose our responses to current and future events.

5

What Road Blocks May Be in Your Way?

Fear

Unrealistic goals

Negative beliefs about yourself

Assuming that happiness just means disappointment is around the corner

Rebellion or revenge

A lack of direction

Relying on others to take care of you

6

Negative Thoughts and Irrational Beliefs

Holding pre-conceived notions

Thinking in absolute terms

Making a mountain out of molehill /molehill out of mountain

Playing the blame game

Being a negative magnet

Drawing emotional conclusions

Living under a dark cloud

7

Fighting Back Against Negative Thoughts

Consider the evidence

Find other explanations

Give yourself credit

Don’t make hasty judgments

Surround yourself with positive people

Use your imagination

Smile until you mean it

Be realistic

8

Practicing Proactive Thinking

Negative Thought:

1. There is nothing I can do

2. That’s just the way I am

3. He makes me so mad

Balanced Alternative:

1.

2.

3.

9

Eliminate Should, Ought, Must, Have To from Your Vocabulary

What happens if you use words such as these instead?

I choose to…

I want to…

I prefer

I am going to…

10

Your Statement Of Purpose

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

-Carl Jung

11

Other Suggestions to Help With Initiative

Set realistic goals

Break things down into reasonable steps

Do not wait to “feel” motivated

Let go of your fear of failure

Visualize your end result

Do not live for external rewards only

Use affirmations

12

Change is Possible

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something that one finds. It is something that one creates.

-Thomas Szasz