love_planet-500x334I have decided to put these words down.

Last few years have been a roller coaster ride for me. I am not going to lie about not enjoying it.

A series of incidents with quite a few people gave me a sneak peek into how assuming we often become about a person or an incident or even our own selves.

My fears were confirmed when I sat down to read the first chapter of my Psychology Course material. The Chapter was about how a Counselor was expected to be as a person and as a professional.

As the chapter progressed  the author went on to speak about, how a Counselor should consciously make an effort to not let his problems, opinions and ideas interfere when he’s listening to a client’s problem.

Is that only true for a counselor?

What about all the other people?

After a few days of soul searching and conscious attempts of putting the advice into practice, I felt may be, everybody needs that small dose of that author’s writings for their lives even if they were not mental health professionals.

I would not say I was successful in putting everything into practice. But a small step is a great leap.

What happened when I’ve tried to put some of them to practice in everyday life?

  1. My relationships with the people around me were of more worth.
  2. I learnt it in practicality that everyone has their own story and a whole universe in their heads. Moreover, with more emphasis every single person is the hero in his or her own narrative.
  3. I have become more optimistic in my approach.
  4. I’ve learnt more about myself in a short span

Here’s is what the author had to say about the qualities of an effective counselor are, which I personally think are a great takeaway even for the non-counselor folks.

  1. Respect and appreciate yourself.
  2. Be open to change.
  3. Be willing to tolerate ambiguity
  4. Being authentic, honest and sincere
  5. Have a sense of Humor
  6. Make your own mistakes and be willing to admit them
  7. Reinvent yourself
  8. Live in the present moment
  9. Have a sincere interest in welfare of others
  10. Maintain healthy boundaries
  11. Find interests beside work
  12. Find meaning through play, travel or new experiences
  13. Attend to yourself through sufficient sleep, adequate food, meditation and relaxation
  14. Make time for your own growth
  15. Seek counseling for personal growth

NOTE: This is a Guest Post by our inhouse Psychology Intern