Communication Skills

My Communication Skills

Improving my communication skills has been a work in progress starting back in the early years of my life. I have always been my own worse critic. Usually beating myself down through interpersonal communication. Now as an adult I have made great improvements but still have trouble dealing with perception and self-image. Not being raised in an environment of positive reinforcement and poor communication in the workplace I have made it a point to change that trait in my own family and professional environment.

When reading the opening lecture I cringed at the thought of dealing with communication. Sort of that belly ache feeling you get when you had to do an oral presentation in front of the class in elementary school. I understand have a number of strong qualities but self-image and my perception are still traits I long to improve.

My self-image is so low that I have a tremendous amount of self-pity or self-hatred. I do however want to find that happy median where I'm comfortable in my own skin. It's odd how my feelings about myself change from day to day. I engage quite often in interpersonal conversation, question my motives and encouraging myself to move forward. My success in business attributes to my abilities but I still put an unbelievable amount of stress on myself to be the best and never seem comfortable to relax and enjoy what I have and where I am at in life.

Unfortunately I put a great deal of value on what people think of me, what I look like, and how I come across to others. My goals for improving self-image are first to make the steps to be the person I want to be. Whether it is through exercise or education myself to build up my intellectual strength. Making a self-image inventory, noting those things that I like about myself. The make a list of the negative traits that I want to improve. Changing my focus from negative to positive should help me avoid being depressed. The best thing I can do I recognize my shortcomings but don't dwell on them.

A key characteristic in dire need of improvement would be my perception. I was raised in an environment where stereotypes and first impressions were