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Wes Bertrand and I continue our series based on Nathaniel Branden's book, Six Pillars of Self-Esteem. Today's show includes a discussion based on the fourth pillar, the Practice of Self-Assertiveness. LIVING CONSCIOUSLY and asking in every applicable situation: Am I being authentic or not? Assertion of consciousness, see, think, be aware, outward and inward -ask questions -challenge authority -think for oneself SELF-ASSERTIVENESS isn't tested by what we are against, but by what we are for COMMITMENT: to my right to exist CONVICTION: my ideas and wants are important CONCLUSION: no one is coming, we are all responsible for our own existences all relate to COURAGE: When we were young: we were taught that what we think and want are not important and we're often left with an underdeveloped sense of identity and unnecessary "what if" worries... -if I express myself -if I love and affirm myself -if I am too happy with myself -if I stand out -how to balance this with most people's lack of appropriate self-assertiveness -living as spectators instead of actors or participants standing and moving "as if they have no right to the space they occupy" WHAT DOES SELF-ASSERTIVENESS look like? -confront challenges -strive for mastery in self and what we pursue -expand the boundaries of our ability to cope -learn, challenge, venture into unfamilair spaces -persevering through challenges -be in an intimate relationship without abandoning our sense of self -kind without self sacrifice -cooperation without betraying standards and convictions -how many great minds and great ideas were suppressed throughout history? simply because they had nowhere to go -authenticity -author -authority ALL derived from: auctor "master, leader, author" Who is the author of your story? THE SIX PILLARS OF SELF-ESTEEM 1. The Practice of Living Consciously 2. The Practice of Self-Acceptance 3. The Practice of Self-Responsibility 4. The Practice of Self-Assertiveness 5. The Practice of Living Purposefully 6. The Practice of Personal Integrity Questions to answer in this series: what is self-esteem? why is it important? what can we do to raise self-esteem? what role do others play in our self-esteem? The steps we'll try to follow for each pillar: -identify and define -what are the obstacles -personal stories, struggles -how to overcome them Bumper Music: "Punchup At A Wedding" Radiohead "Hold Your Head Up" Argent Look Closer: Complete Liberty Podcast http://completeliberty.com/ NathanielBranden.com http://www.nathanielbranden.com/ An Introduction to Nonviolent Communication http://happinesscounseling.com/NVC_Intro.pdf Happiness Counseling Resource Page http://happinesscounseling.com/happiness-resources/ The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem (pdf) http://experiencelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/70-the-six-pillars-of-self-esteem.pdf