Personal Reflection Paper

Personal Reflection Paper
Invidious comparison is a harmful correlation that demonstration one’s individual view of others as indicated by another as per their class, race, sex, or religion. This is a negative practice to adapt to. I work daily trying to redirect my mind from comparing myself to others; it is human nature to have these thoughts. I have notice when I do compare myself to others I become sad because I have not reach the level of their success and the flip side to this is I never compare myself to anyone less fortunate than me. No one win at comparing themselves to others.
The direction I have taken to stop invidious comparing myself to other are concentrating on my own beauty. I have created a habit in tell myself how beautiful I am every time I look in the mirror. I made a short and long term list to help me keep up with my progress. Watching my list advance keeps me center on and therefore, I can see my growth. These habits have helped me to appreciate who I am. I enjoy writing in my journal several days a week it helps to shift the atmosphere from comparing myself to other. A saying I like to quote is “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you”. To me, that quote is telling me to be kind to other people and help them. If this is done I won’t have time to compare myself to anyone. Last, I stay focus on the positive things I do in helping other and this help me to appreciate what is positive in me.
The definition of vicarious traumatization is the second witnesses to traumatic events that happened almost every day. It’s where the professional listen to clients tell about alcoholic in their family, child abuse, domestic violence, drug addiction, and rape. They listen, support, and validate their feeling and their experience. The opportunity is open to shed their burdens. As professional helper we second witnesses the trauma; we cannot help but, to take in some of the emotional pain they have left with us. It is like they exhale and we inhale bits and pieces of the trauma. Dealing with vicarious trauma can be difficult, but one must find a way to avoid the repeat of trauma in our own lives. I am thankful that I know the warning signs when trauma has consumed my thoughts. The steps I take are going to my quiet room where I pray. It gives me meaning, purpose and hope of why I am in this position. Getting the adequate time off of work to take care of me helps release stress and escapes the dreadful events. I take long walks to reflect on Mother Nature’s beautiful earth. Journaling a couple days of weeks gets my thoughts on paper and out of my head. Last, I have support team in place that I can talk to and release what is going on within me. With the above strategies set in place it will help me with avoid feeling vicarious traumas. We have to understand vicarious traumatization is real. Over time, human service workers confronts trouble on a daily basis. If they do not have an outlet it would be easy to start questioning - why is God allowing these things to happen in the world, and why is there so much suffering in this world? You do not won’t to get caught up with those thoughts continuing to wonder in your mind because a humans service workers could lose focus and become angry, bitter, depress, and sad. Yes, it is natural to feel some type of way; you might even be change by seeing and hearing terrible things, but implementing strategies to help avoid vicarious traumatization is where transformation take place. Vicarious traumatization is a normal reaction, but the fact that traumas are on a rise we need to be a head with preventative measures in place. Here are a couple of strategies that I would create to help workers release their stress. First, I would provide a support group where others can come in and participate in conversation with their colleagues about the devastating events that have happen around them. Supervisions will be on call for employee’s who need help with stressful issues. Holistic resources for self-care would be available which would include emotional, mental, spiritual and aesthetic domains. Monthly in service would touch on how to handle and recognize vicarious traumatic signs. Inspiration quotes would be posted around to office and waiting area to encourage the workers to reflective on the good they have done. Last, maintaining a supportive network outside of the work place. Having outside resource will give a person the opportunity to ask other what they have done in saturation similar to yours. You want to have many option available would be the main goal. A long this journal in life there will be a time when you will be face with invidious comparison, but it would only bring difficulties to you in the long run because you would never win in comparing yourself to others. We do not know the direction they took to get to that point being good or bad. It would only bring frustration. It is best to look at you and compare yourself to you by reflecting on your own accomplishments and the goals you are trying to reach. Working with clients every day and listening to their tragedies can become overwhelming and lead to vicarious traumatization, which can be danger if it is not dealt with in the proper way. It is the second witness to traumatic events. One must recognize the signs of vicarious traumatization just in case you started feeling the cares of the world weighting heavily on your shoulders. Therefore, a plan of action should be put in place to help with avoiding vicarious traumatization. The steps you take to release the secondary stress is important. Taking time out for you and breathing fresh air is a positive move. Having a support team and journaling your thought down helps you clear your mind. Working in the field of human service it is healthy to have balance in your life.

Diller, J V. (2011). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole