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Role of Self-Identification in Stress Management

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Dr. Kasturi Naik (Assistant Professor) & Dr. Srini R. Srinivasan (Associate Professor),  Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies JBIMS is one of the most prestigious B-school of India which offers full-time Masters in Management Studies programme, Masters in Finance, part-time courses and a doctoral Ph.D programs and many more.

The major reason why people are stressed out is because we don’t understand why we exist? If we are clear about our by means of individual value identification, major amount of our stress will be relieved, as we will be able to focus on our personal objective being clear about the same in sense of both ends and means to achieve the ends. Self-identification enables us to be grounded so that we are not on cloud nine by any body’s praise or dejected by any body’s insult.

Self-Identity
Understanding self-identity is essential for self-enrichment. Human being is a social entity and social identity and individual identity are interdependent. Arrogance leads an individual to forget his/her self-identity. In the process of finding self, many a times we forget to live, we forget our health, we forget our family. Our entire day, week, month, year, life ends with focus on needs of the future, but in this process we forget to enjoy the present. If we have focused dedication, consistency and understand that our future is created by what we do today not tomorrow then challenges will surely be converted to opportunities.

The one who has understood the meaning of self in self-identity will always be respectful to self, other individuals and the society which he live in, leading to spread of peace, harmony and unity. If there is peace, harmony and unity in the surrounding then SELF will also experience peace, harmony and unity. It’s essential to understand that we took birth to fulfill our duties and to be happy and make others happy in the process of fulfilling our duties. It’s a natural, self-regulatory, automatic system setup by creator that runs the world
like growing plants, different seasons, positions of sun, moon and others. The aim of understanding Self-identity is to initiate exploring the codes that make us who we are and which we use to express identity. Components of self-identity include Relationships, Ethnic identity, Personality, Body image, Career, Political views, Religious beliefs, value system, peer effect and many more.

Personal SWOT analysis is one of the techniques, which enable an individual to explore the self-identity and learn more about self. Strengths refer to internal positive aspect that are under an individual’s control and upon which one can capitalize. Weakness or areas of improvement refers to internal negative aspects that are under individual’s control and one will plan to improve. Opportunities refer to positive external conditions that are not completely under control but of which one can plan to take advantage. Threats refer to negative external conditions that are not completely under control but the effect of which one will be able to lessen. Analyze the gap between your current situation and what you want to realize with by means of personal SWOT analysis in harmony with Self-identity (Be the CEO of your life, Hubert Rampersad).

Emotional Intelligence a Tool for Self-identity
Emotional intelligence makes an individual aware of his/her emotions and enables an individual to be in charge of his/her emotions. Understanding & practicing emotional intelligence gives us a roadmap to lead successful personal & professional life by realization of self-identity of how emotions have impact on productivity of the individual leading to self-regulation of the emotions in a constructive manner. Emotions like being happy, sad, depressed, excited, anxious are all temporary and essential aspect of U.S. as they make U.S. ‘HUMAN BEINGS’. Our exterior physiology is totally dictated by our interior emotional states. So allowing guilt-free outlet for emotions is a requisite for both our mental & physical health, for example: in the state of anger or frustration instead of being quiet or screaming on our friends, family or colleagues, we can hear music on full speed and scream in an enclosed room, leading to a guilt-free outlet for emotions without hurting self or others.

Passion & Conscientiousness
Self-identity enables an individual to choose a career path after understanding his/her own competencies & passion for a particular domain (research is essential whether there is market for your passion or else you have to generate your own market) without any self-doubt.

For example, I choose my career path in education domain as I was always passionate about learning and felt a sense of satisfaction when I shared with others what I learnt. Initially in my career days, I opted for a corporate job and performed extremely well but didn’t felt the sense of achievement, which I feel now after shifting to my passion – updating myself with knowledge and sharing the same with others. It gives me an immense sense of achievement and not a single day feels as if I am at work. That’s the magic if you allow yourself discover your passion and pursue the same.

Research also states that if you are passionate about what you do, you will surely excel in both your personal & professional life. My passion of learning enabled me to complete my Ph.D in stress management without any stress. In due course of Ph.D, I could also complete my certifications in NLP, Emotional Intelligence and Mind.