MODULE 1

THE SELF-IMAGE: YOUR KEY TO A BETTER LIFE

• EACH OF US CARRIES WITH US A MENTAL BLUEPRINT OR PICTURE OF OURSELVES.

• THIS SELF-IMAGE IS OUR CONCEPTION OF THE “SORT OF THE PERSON I AM”

• BUILT UP FROM OUR OWN BELIEFS ABOUT OURSELVES. ( BELIEFS THAT UNCONSCIOUSLY BEEN FORMED FROM OUR PAST EXPERIENCES, SUCCESSES AND FAILURES, HUMILIATIONS AND TRIUMPHS, THE WAY PEOPLE HAVE REACTED TO US ESPECIALLY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.

*ONCE AN IDEA OR BELIEF ABOUT OURSELVES GOES INTO PICTURE, IT BECOMES “TRUE” . WE DO

NOT QUESTION ITS VALIDITY, BUT PROCEED TO ACT UPON…JUST AS IF IT WERE TRUE.

SELF-IMAGE BECOMES A GOLDEN KEY TO LIVING A BETTER LIFE BECAUSE OF TWO IMPORTANT DISCOVFERIES:

1. ALL YOUR ACTIONS, FEELINGS, BEHAVIOR, YOUR ABILITIES ARE ALWAYS CONSISTENT WITH THIS SELF-IMAGE.

• 2. SELF-IMAGE CAN BE CHANGED

• THE SECRET IS : TO REALLY “LIVE” • MUST HAVE AN ADEQUATE AND REALISTIC SELF-

IMAGE.• MUST HAVE A WHOLESOME SELF-ESTEEM.• FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS CREATIVELY, RATHER THAN

HIDE OR COVER UP.• KNOW YOURSELF BOTH YOUR STRENGTHS AND

WEAKNESSES.

MODULE 2

TOWARD UNDERSTANDING

ONE’S SELF

OBJECTIVES:At the end of this module, the students will be able

to:1. IDENTIFY THEIR “REAL” SELVES;2. DEFINE OUR GOALS, OR VALUES;3. DESCRIBE OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES;4. ENUMERATE THE STUMBLING BLOCKS TOWARDS

ACHIEVING THE ABOVE, AND 5. EMPOWER THEMSELVES.

ACTIVITIES:

1. GIVE CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF EACH OF THE FEARS THAT PREVENT US FROM REALLY UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES.

2. ON THE READING, “THE POWER TO BE YOURSELF”, CHOOSE ONE OR TWO PHRASES THAT TOUCHES YOU THE MOST AND EXPLAIN WHY THEY DO SO.

WHO AM I?WHERE AM I GOING?

WHY?

EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS, IN ITS OWN WAY, DEALS WITH OUR SENSE OF SELF, OUR GOALS, OR

VALUES, OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND OOUR WAY OF LIFE OR LIFESTYLES. HOW WE SEE EACH OTHER AND OURSELVES ARE REFLECTED TO SOME EXTENT IN HOW WE ANSWER THESE THREE

QUESTIONS.

SOME NEVER SEEM TO CONFRONT THEMSELVES WITH THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING FEARS:

1. FEAR OF MATURITYGREATER MATURITY MEANS GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AND FOR SOME THIS IS A FRIGHTENING POSSIBILITY.

2. FEAR OF SUCCESSSUCCESS ESTABLISHES A PRECEDENT, A STANDARD TO BE LIVED UP TO, A PERFORMANCE LEVEL TO BE MAINTAINED AND THIS IS FRIGHTENING TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS DOUBTS ABOUT HIMSELF/HERSELF.

3. FEAR OF ONE’S BEST. MANY OF US STOP SHORT OF BECOMING WHAT

WE COULD BECOME BECAUSE OF WHAT IT CALLS “ FEAR OF ONE’;S OWN GREATNESS” OR “EVASION

OF ONE;’S DESTINY” OR THE”RUNNING AWAY FROM ONE’S BEST TALENT”.

THE POWER TO BE YOURSELFYOU ARE THE POWER TO BE YOURSELF. AND

BEYOND THAT GREAT TRUTH, YOUR ASSIGNMENT ON THIS EARTH IS TO BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE CREATED TO BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE DESIGNED TO BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE EQUIPPED TO BE YOURSELF. YOU ARE DESTINED TO BE YOURSELF.

IF YOU FIND IT UNREWARDING AND UNPRODUCTIVE TO TRY TO FIT YOURSELF INTO THE SLOTS PREPARED AND MERCHANDIZED BY OTHERS; IF YOU SINCERELY QUESTION GOALS OFFERED BY SOCIETY, RELIGION OR

• OTHER INSTITUITONALIZED BEHAVIOR SYSTEM, IF YOU FIND WHAT A FRIEND CALLS “UNLIVED POSSIBILITIES” STIRRING WITHIN YOU, IF YOU ARE DISCOVERING UNEXPRESSED POTENTIALS BENEATH THE PICTURE YOUR PRESENT LEVEL OF LIVING PRESENT TO YOUR WORLD. I, INVITE YOU TO STAND ERECT ON YOUR SPIRITUAL FEET AND EXERCISE YOUR POWER TO BE YOURSELFR. START RIGHT NOW TO BE YOURSELF, TO FREE YOURSELF FROM THE OLD PATTERNS OF BOTH CONFORMITY AND REBELLION. RISE ABOVE THEM BY THE SIMPLE, CREATIVE PROCESS OF BEING YOURSELF.

• BE YOURSELF IN THE SMALL, DAILY ACTIVITIES OF LIVING . EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS, YOUR DESIRES. TAKE YOUR STAND WITHIN YOURSELF AND LIVE OUT FROM IT. ACT AND NOT JUST REACT. EXERCISE YOUR POWER TO BE YOURSELF GENTLY, LOVINGLY, JOYOUSLY, BUT FIRMLY, WITH NO HEDGING, GUILT OR EVASIVENESS. LIVE EASILY, GRATEFULLY, WITHOUT BATTLLING OR INFLICTING YOURSELF ON OTHERS. YOU WILL NO DOUBT BE AMAZED, AND EVEN A BIT IRRITATED TO FIND WHAT A COUNTERFEIT YOU HAVE BEEN IN MANY WAYS. YOU WILL BE STARTLED TO DISCOVER THE NATURE OF THE CHARADES YOU HAVE PLAYED WITH OTHER

AND WITH YOURSELF . YOU WILL HAVE YOUR “UPS AND DOWNS”, BUT AS YOU PRACTICE BEING YOURSELF, AS YOU RETURN AGAIN AND AGAIN TO THE INNER STRONGHOLD OF TRUE SELFHOOD, YOU WILL DISCOVER ALL KINDS OF CHANGES

TAKING PLACE IN YOU AND YOUR WORLD. YOU WILL LOVE TO BE YOUR SELF AND YOUR WORLD WILL RESPOND IN GRATITUDE.

YOU ARE THE POWER TO BE YOURSELF. EXERCISE THAT DIVINE POWER WITH GROWING CONFIDENCE, JOY AND ENTHUSIASMS. I REJOICE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF YOUR WAY.

FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF, MY FRIENDYOU’VE ALL THAT THE GREATEST MEN HAVE

HADTWO ARMS, TWO HANDS, TWO LEGS, TWO EYES,

AND A BRAIN TO USE IF YOU WOULD BE WISEWITH THIS EQUIPMENT THEY ALL BEGAN

SO START FOR THE TOP SAY, I CAN.

LOOK THEM OVER, THE WISE AND THE GREAT, THEY TAKE THEIR FOOD FROM A COMMON

PLATE,AND SIMILAR KNIVES AND FORKS THEY USE;WITH SIMILAR LACES THEY TIE THEIR SHOES,

THE WORLD CONSIDERS THEM BRAVE AND SMART.

BUT YOU’VE ALL THEY HAD WHEN THEY MADE THEIR START

COURAGE MUST COME FROM THE SOUL WITHIN,

THE MAN MUST FURNISH THE WILL TO WIN.

SO FIGURE IT OUT FOR YOURSELF,MY FRIEND.

YOU WERE BORN WITH ALL THAT THE GREAT HAVE HAD

WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT THEY ALL BEGAN

GET HOLD OF YOURSELF AND SAY, I CAN

• Donna Cruz - I Can I can live, I can love

I can reach the heavens above

I can right what is wrongI can sing just any song

I can dance, I can flyAnd touch the rainbow

in the skyI can be your good

friendI can love you until the

end

What took you so long to make me see

How lucky I am cause I am free

Free to do the things I wanna do

What took you so long to make me feel

I can give love, a love so real

What took you so long to let me know

That I can live, I can loveI can reach the heavens

aboveI can right what is wrongI can sing just any song

I can dance, I can flyAnd touch the rainbow in

the skyI can be your good friendI can love you until the

end

What took you so long to make me

crySo I'll know the

reasons whyI'm so lucky I could

smileI didn't know this for

a while

I can live, I can loveI can reach the heavens above

I can right what is wrongI can sing just any song

I can dance, I can flyAnd touch the rainbow in the sky

I can be your good friendI can love you until the end

I can dance, I can flyAnd touch the

rainbow in the skyI can be your good

friendI can love you until

the end