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MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF

Students are bound to face multivarious tasks, overlapping with other roles they
portray at different social institutions. Having goals which they can track would ease
their minds to possible dilemma.

1. The Importance of Goal

 First, goals serve a directive function; they direct attention and effort toward
goal – relevant activities and away from goal – irrelevant activities.
Second, goals have an energizing function. High goals lead to great effort
than low goals.
Third, goals affect persistence. When participants are allowed to control the
time they spend on a task, hard goals prolong effort. Faced with a difficult
goal, it is possible to work faster and more intensely for a short period or to
work more slowly and less intensely for a long period.
Fourth, goals affect action indirectly by leading to the arousal, discovery, and
/ or use of task – relevant knowledge and strategies. (Wood & Locke, 1990, as
cited by Locke & Latham, 2002).

2. Albert Bandura’s Self-efficacy

 Students‟ goal can be achieved only if they are worthy of believing these
goals can be achieved. As Gandhi perfectly understood the essential role of
self-belief in the students‟ lives: “Your beliefs become your thought. Your
thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions
become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become
your destiny.”
 Self-efficacy was developed by Albert Bandura.
- Self – efficacy beliefs are an important aspect of human motivation and
behaviour and they influence the actions that can affect one‟s life.
- Self-efficacy, as Bandura (1995) explains, “refers to belief in one’s
capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to
manage prospective situations.” More simply, self-efficacy is what an
individual believes he or she can accomplish using his or her skills under
certain circumstances.
- Self-efficacy has been thought of as a task-specific version of self-esteem.
The basic principle behind Self-Efficacy Theory is that individuals are more
likely to engage in activities for which they have high self-efficacy and less
likely to engage in those they do not. People behave in the way that
executes their initial beliefs; thus, self-efficacy functions as a self-fulfilling
prophecy.

People with high assurance in their capabilities:

1. Approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered
2. Set challenging goals and maintain strong commitment to them
3. Heighten or sustain their efforts in the face of failures or setbacks
4. Attribute failure to insufficient effort or deficient knowledge and
skills which are acquirable
 5. Approach threatening situations with assurance that they can
exercise control over them.
On the contrary, people who doubt their capabilities:
1. Avoid tasks they view as personal threats
2. Have low aspirations and weak commitment to goals they choose
to pursue
3. Dwell on personal deficiencies, obstacles they will encounter, and
all kinds of adverse outcomes, rather than concentrating on how to
perform successfully
4. Loosen their efforts and give up quickly in the face of difficulties
5. Are slow to recover their sense of efficacy following failure or
setbacks
6. Fall easy victim to stress and depression

Four (4) Main Sources of Efficacy Beliefs (Bandura, 1997)

1. Mastery Experiences-- It is also known as personal performance

accomplishments; are the most effective way to create a strong sense of
efficacy.
Positive example: If an individual performed well in a previous job
assignment, then they are more likely to feel confident and have high self-
efficacy in performing the task when their manager assigns them a similar
task. The individual‟s self-efficacy will be high in the particular area, and
since he or she has a high self-efficacy, he or she is more likely to try
harder and complete the task with much better results.
Negative example: If an individual experiences a failure, he/she will most
likely experience a reduction in self-efficacy. However, if these failures are
later overcome by conviction, it can serve to increase self-motivated
persistence when the situation is viewed as an achievable challenge
(Bandura, 1977).

2. Vicarious Experiences.-- These are done through observance of social models

that also influence one‟s perception of self-efficacy. The most important factor
that determines the strength of influence of an observed success or failure on
one‟s own self-efficacy is the degree of similarity between the observer and the
model.
Increase in self-efficacy example: Mentoring programs, where an
individual is paired with someone on a similar career path who will be
successful at raising the individual‟s self-efficacy beliefs. This is even further
strengthened if both have a similar skill set, so a person can see first-hand
what they may achieve.
Decrease in self-efficacy example: Smoking cessation program, in which,
individuals witnessing several people‟s failure to quit, may worry about
their own chances of success, leading to low self-efficacy for quitting; or a
weight – loss program in which others do not achieve the results you are
hoping for.
 3. Verbal or Social Persuasion-- It is a “way of strengthening people‟s belief that
they have what it takes to succeed.” When it is effective in mobilizing a person to
action, and their actions lead to success, the enhanced self-efficacy may
become more permanent. It is influenced by encouragement and
discouragement pertaining to an individual‟s performance or ability to perform.
Positive example: A teacher telling a student: “You can do it; I have
confidence in you.” Using verbal persuasion in a positive light generally
leads individuals to put forth more effort; therefore, they have a greater
chance at succeeding.
Negative example: A teacher saying to a student; “This is unacceptable! I
thought you could handle this task”, can lead to doubts about oneself
resulting in lower chances of success.

4. Emotional and Physiological States--The state a person is in will influence how he

or she judges self-efficacy. Stress reactions or tension are interpreted as signs of
vulnerability to poor performance whereas positive emotions can boost
confidence in skills.
Some examples of physiological feedback are: giving a speech in front of a
large group of people, making a presentation to an important client, taking an
exam, etc. All of these tasks can cause agitation, anxiety, sweaty palms, and / or
a racing heart.
Although this source is the least influential of the four, it is important to note that if
one is more at ease with the task at hand he/she will feel more capable and
have higher beliefs of self-efficacy.

Carol Dweck’s Mindset

Mindset is a simple idea discovered by world-renowned Stanford University
psychologist Carol Dweck in decades of research on achievement and success.

Mindset are beliefs, beliefs about one‟s self and one‟s most basic qualities.
 People with fixed mindset people believe their qualities are fixed traits and
therefore cannot change. These people document their intelligence and talents
rather than working to develop and improve them. They also believe that talent
alone leads to success, and effort is not required.
- According to Dweck, when a student has a fixed mindset, they believe
that their basic abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed traits. They think
that you are born with a certain amount and that's all you have.
- There are many people with this consuming goal of proving themselves, in
the classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships. Every situation calls
for a confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character. Every
situation is evaluated (Dweck, 2006).

 People with growth mindset see their qualities as things that can be developed
through their dedication and effort. They are brainy and talented, but that is just
the starting point. They understand that no one has ever accomplished great
things without years of passionate practice and learning. This is based on the
belief that their basic qualities are things they can cultivate through their efforts.
Although people may differ in every which way, in their initial talents and
 aptitudes, interests, or temperaments, everyone can change and grow through
application and experience (Dweck, 2006).
 People with a growth mindset are also constantly monitoring what‟s going on, but
their internal monologue is not about judging themselves and others in this way.
Certainly they‟re sensitive to positive and negative information, but they‟re
attuned to their implications for learning and constructive action as reflected in
the questions: “What can I learn from this? How can I improve? How can I help
my partner do this better?” (Dweck, 2006).

- Your fixed beliefs about you will hold you back from making positive
change. If you have a trait that you believe cannot be changed, such as
your intelligence, your weight, or your bad habits, you will avoid situations
that could possibly be uncomfortable or that you think that are useless.
- Four (4) Simple Steps to Begin Changing Mindset
1. Learn to hear your fixed mindset “voice.”
2. Recognize that you have a choice.
3. Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.
4. Take the growth mindset action.

TAKING CARE OF ONE’S HEALTH

1. Stressors and Responses

 If, in fulfilling one‟s goals, obstacles get in the way and the surrounding
conditions become unfavorable, then stress is very much of an invitation.
Humprey, Yow & Bowen (2000) described stress as any factor that makes
adaptation to an environment difficult for the individual to maintain a state of
equilibrium between himself and the external environment. It includes a
physical and mental response to meet the demands of the stressful event.

 These events or conditions that put a strain on the individual are called
stressors (Santrock, 2003). In addition, stressors are situations that are
experienced as perceived threat to one‟s well-being or position in life, when
the challenge of dealing with which, exceeds the person‟s perceived
availability resources (Scott, 2017).
 There are two broad categories of stressors, according to the Center for
Studies on Human Stress (2017):
- physiological (or physical) stressors and
- psychological stressors. Physiological (or physical) stressors are those that
put strain on the body (i.e., very cold/hot temperatures, injury, chronic
illness or pain). Psychological Stressors are events, situations, individuals,
comments, or anything we interpret as negative or threatening (i.e., not
being able to review your notes for the exam as you are taking care of
your sick parent in the hospital). Moreover, scientists are now proposing
that stressors can be further divided into:
o Absolute Stressors – those to which everyone exposed would
interpret as being stressful. These are objective stressors that are
 universal (ie.: earthquakes, a tsunami, or events of September 11th
2001).
o Relative Stressors are those to which only some persons exposed
would interpret as being stressful. These are subjective stressors that
cause different reactions in different people (i.e.: time pressure at
work and school traffic, paying taxes or bills, writing or taking exam).

How does the Body respond to Stress?

 Folk (2017) explains; “when danger is perceived, the body‟s emergency system
automatically changes the body‟s balance by producing the „stress response‟
(also called the „emergency response,‟ the „fear response,‟ or the „fight of flight
response.‟).
 This change of balance, emergency readiness, is brought about via hormones,
chemical messengers that are secreted into the bloodstream.
 The moment we think we are in danger; the body triggers a stress response. The
stress response causes the body to secrete stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol,
norepinephrine, and others) into the bloodstream where they travel to targeted
spots in the body to bring about specific physiological, psychological, and
emotional changes that enhance the body‟s ability to deal with the threat, to
either fight with or flee from it (Folk, 2017).
 These hormones are powerful, that is why, and they can quickly bring about the
intended emergency readiness changes. Because stress hormones travel to
many target locations in the body, the stress response causes many
physiological, psychological, and emotional changes, such as: energizes the
body, heightens our awareness of and reaction to danger, elevates heart rate,
changes breathing, stimulates the nervous system, heightens senses, tightens
muscles, changes stomach and digestive function, changes brain functioning,
constricts blood vessels, and changes blood flow.

2. Sources of Coping
Optimism refers to the outcome experiences that good things rather than
bad things will happen to the self (Scheier et.al 1994).
Personal control or master refers to whether a person feels able to control
or influence outcomes (Thompson, 1981).
Self-esteem, that is positive and high, is also protective against adverse
mental and physical health outcomes, thereby contributing to better
psychological well-being. Self-esteem is often defined as an individual‟s self-
perception of his/her abilities, skills, and overall qualities that guides and/or
motivates specific cognitive processes and behaviors (McCrae & Costa, 1988).
Social Support is defined as the perception or experience that one is
loved and cared for by others, esteemed and valued, and part of a social
network of mutual assistance and obligations (Wills, 1991).

3. Taking Care of the Self: Self-Compassion

- Compassion involves sensitivity to the experience of suffering, coupled with

a deep desire to alleviate that suffering (Goetz, Keltner, & Simon-Thomas,
 2010). This means that in order to experience compassion, you must first
acknowledge the presence of pain.
- This involves pausing, stepping out of your usual frame of reference, and
viewing the world from the vantage point of another.
- Self-compassion is simply compassion directed inward, relating to ourselves
as the object of care and concern when faced with the experience of
suffering (Neff, 2003a).

The Three Components of Self-Compassion

- Neff (2003b) has operationalized self-compassion as consisting of three
main elements: kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.
- These components combine and mutually interact to create a self-
compassionate frame of mind. Self-compassion is relevant when
considering personal inadequacies, mistakes, and failures, as well as when
struggling with more general life situations that cause us mental,
emotional, or physical pain
- Self-kindness. Western culture places great emphasis on being kind to
others, but not so much to our selves. When we make a mistake or fail in
some way, we often use harsh, critical internal language – “You‟re so
stupid and lazy, I‟m ashamed of you!” We would be unlikely to say such
things to a close friend, or even a stranger for that matter. When asked
directly, most people report that they are kinder to others than themselves
(Neff, 2003a), and it is not unusual to encounter extremely kind and
compassionate people who continually beat themselves up. And even
when our problems stem from forces beyond our control, such as losing
our job or getting in a car accident, we often don‟t give ourselves the
sympathy we would give to a friend in the same situation.
- Common humanity. The sense of common humanity central to self-
compassion involves recognizing that everyone fails, makes mistakes, and
gets it wrong sometimes. We do not always get what we want and are
often disappointed – either in ourselves or in our life circumstances.
- This is part of the human experience, a basic fact of life shared with
everyone else on the planet. We are not alone in our imperfection.
Rather, our imperfections are what make us card-carrying members of the
human race. Often, however, we feel isolated and cut off from others
when considering our struggles and failures, irrationally feeling that it‟s only
“ME” who is having such a hard time of it.
- We think that somehow we are abnormal, that something has gone
wrong, and we forget that falling flat on our face now and then actually is
normal.
- This sort of tunnel vision makes us feel alone and isolated, making our
suffering even worse (Neff, 2011). With self-compassion, however, we take
the stance of a compassionate “other” toward ourselves, allowing us to
take a broader perspective on our selves and our lives. By remembering
the shared human experience, we feel less isolated.
- Mindfulness. Self-compassion entails mindful awareness of our negative
thoughts and emotions so that they are approached with balance and
equanimity.
- When we are mindful, we are experientially open to the reality of the
present moment without judgment, avoidance, or repression (Bishop et
al., 2004). Why is mindfulness an essential component of self-compassion?
First, we must be willing to turn toward and experience our painful
thoughts and emotions in order to embrace ourselves.
- For instance, the accepting stance of mindfulness helps to lessen self-
judgment and provide insight needed to recognize our common
humanity. Similarly, self-kindness lessens the impact of negative emotional
experiences, making it easier to be mindful of them. And realizing that
suffering and personal failures are shared with others lessens the degree of
self-blame, while also helping to quell the process of overidentification.
- Thus, self-compassion is best understood as a single experience
composed of interacting parts.

The Origins of Self-Compassion

- Gilbert (2009) argues that self-compassion is an evolved capacity that
emerges from behavioral systems involving attachment and affiliation.
Seeking proximity and soothing from caregivers in order to provide a
secure base for operation in the world is a mammalian behavior.
- For mammals, survival depends on the “tend and befriend” instinct
(Taylor, 2002). In times of threat or stress, animals that are protective of
their offspring and live within cooperative groups are more likely to pass
their genes successfully on to the next generation. Among humans, the
sense of secure attachment and belonging that emerges from the
caregiving system creates feelings of safety, of being worthy of love and
care, increased happiness, and reduced anxiety and depression
(Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007).
- For this reason, individuals who are raised in safe, secure environments
and who experience supportive and validating relationships with care-
givers should be more able to relate to themselves in a caring and
compassionate manner. In contrast, individuals who are raised in insecure,
stressful, or threatening environments are likely to have an insufficiently
developed self-soothing system and few internalized models of
compassion to draw upon (Gilbert & Proctor, 2006).
- With self-kindness, however, we are supportive and understanding
toward ourselves. Our inner dialogues are gentle and encouraging
rather than harsh and belittling. This means that instead of
continually punishing ourselves for not being good enough, we
kindly acknowledge that we‟re doing the best we can.