Join the Community Guide team - applications are now open for January 2022 🎉

Hello @nony

and

@Shaz51@AussieRecharger , @ShiningStar@The-Hams@Daisydreamer@wellwellwellnez , @Judi9877 , @Anastasia@outlander@Zoe7@jem80@Faith-and-Hope , @NatureLover@Snowie@Fizz , @frog @Judi9877 @Emelia8 @, @

and other members visiting this thread

I have been active in the role of Community Guide for about six months, probably a little less. During my life, I have been active in similar roles in both employment and volunteer activities. As I hope that I demonstrate in the following discussion, I am still learning and will continue to do so, I hope, for quite a while.

What you describe about “setting ourselves up to fail” is familiar. I really don't think that it is a feeling that can be, or is isolated to any particular situation, but rather a state of mind that permeates nearly all our endeavours as a result of mental illness or disorder.

A straight answer to your question is “Yes!!!” I always have the feeling that “I am setting myself up to fail”. Whether that is a result of nature (hereditary) or nurture (style of upbringing) is a question that I cannot answer, though I have some idea. All that I can deal with is who I am now. Knowing and understanding the past may help me to understand my present. However, since I cannot change the “past”, I can only deal with who I am in the present.

Unfortunately, this specific feeling, anticipation or expectation of failure, is persistent and pervasive. But if we allow it to significantly influence or control our lives, we simply collapse into a heap and do nothing.

I am just over 70 yrs of age, and the feelings of anxiety and trepidation are still ever-present. In my situation, I believe that I probably take action in such a way as might be considered overcompensation. In order to demonstrate my suitability for any particular role, I will pull out everything that is in my “arsenal” to demonstrate, not only my suitability but also my worthiness. Consequently, much of what I offer, may be viewed in its presentation as “inflated or excessive”. This is an aspect of myself that i endeavour, sometimes successfully, to control. However, that is one of the characteristics that I bring to the role with which others may also identify.

But even writing this response to you is increasing my awareness of my own position and situation, from both the mental or intellectual aspect, the superstructure, through which my “I”, or person, is projected and the psychological foundations on which that “I”, or person exists. The beauty is, that “segments” of the foundations and the superstructure can, I believe, be remodelled, in parts, without destroying the whole structure. That is, to my understanding, the general purpose of therapy, in which we may consider ourselves to be offering and receiving assistance and thus, in which we may be taking a minor, but significant and purposeful role, in such activities as occur here on the forum.

And those changes for myself and hopefully for others are, in some small way, what I am accomplishing in writing this response to you and also in the role of Community Guide.

So, even what you do as a Community Guide, assists not only the person or people with whom you are speaking, but yourself also. I hope that with my example, I have demonstrated that principle in action. That does not only apply to Community Guides, but I believe that most people in community service areas would possibly express much the same ideas, though very likely, in different words.

I prefer not to encourage people individually to undertake any role. I believe that it is important to provide people with the information that they require to make their own decision about their particular suitability. That is, of course, unless they specifically ask me to offer my thoughts.

Interestingly, it is through the role of Community Guide that we see people with a wide range of attributes, skills and styles, some of whom we relate to and others, less so. Some of the qualities of each person are not apparent or available to us. Their physical appearance, the way that they respond to what is said – the non-verbal aspect of communication, their facial expressions and other non-verbal cues. None of these inputs are available to us to assist in interpreting how a person or people have responded to our words. We only have access to the written word, that gives us a glimpse of who the other person is and through which we can present ourselves. It means that we need to be careful in our communication. That is a skill and attribute that can be developed in this role and transferred to our everyday life, if it is our wish to do so.

I certainly hope that you and others will make a decision that serves yourself and others, as well.

With My Very Best Wishes to all

@HenryX

Hello to the original members who were messaged regarding the role of Community Guide. While I have posted a number of responses to specific questions posed by various members, I would like to encourage members to look through the various posts offered as statements and in answer to questions posed by others, in this thread.

It may be that you are considering applying for the Community Guide role, or that you may consider that role, or something similar in the future. In any case, the observations and answers offered by various members may help in distilling some ideas for you and will offer you information that, I hope, will be useful to you in considering this role or others in the future

With My Very Best Wishes

@HenryX

@2qwerty @Adge @AEB @AlwaysHappy @Anastasia @Angels333 @Anon4 @Ant7

@Arizona @ArtistZ @AussieRecharger @BabyDragon @Bellarose75 @Bezak482 @Bill16 @BlueBay @BlueBells @Boo13 @Bow @BPDSurvivor @BraveOne @ButterflyWings @Carer101 @Carlachris @ChaiMaker @chibam @Cin @Clawde @Coffeelover @Corny @Crazy_Bug_Lady @CrazyChick @Dark_Olena @davidharper_bal @Dec @destructive

@Determined @Dimity @Eden1919 @Elac @Emelia8 @Engineer @eth @Eve7 @Everan @Exoplanet @Fadin @Fee1 @Faith-and-Hope @FindingStrength @Flax @Fluttershy1 @Fredd50 @frog @Grasshopper3 @greenpea @greenspace @Gwynn @Historylover @HoneyOne @Hope4me @Itsjustme1 @janedoe2 @jay2 @Jay5 @jem80 @Jo-anneJoy @Judi9877 @JungleGiants @Kateeg84 @Krishna @Kurra @Last-Lament @Lee82 @Liberty @Lilly6 @Lise07 @Lost9 @LostAngel @LustStarrr @M_P90 @Ma60 @Maelstrom1 @MaryMahem @Matt12 @Meggle @Meowmy @MIFANTCARER @Millieme @mishyanne73 @Mumi @NatureLover @nony @oceangirl @Olga @outlander @Owen45 @P12 @pancakes @patientpatient @Peri @petrichor @pinklollipop15 @plasmo @Powderfinger @RedHorse @rivergal @Rosemary4 @Sam3 @Sans911 @Scoo @Sehnsucht @Shaz51 @ShiningStar @SJT63 @Smc @Smiling_Gecko @Snowie @Sophia1 @Sophie1 @Starta @still_bookish @StuF @Sweet_cheeks @TAB @Tay @Teej @The-Hams @The-red-centaur @theaveragejoe @TheVorticon @Time @Tinker67 @Unlonely1 @UprightRabbit @utopia @Wanderer @wellwellwellnez @WIP @WriterMelb @znp @Zoe7

I keep thinking maybe this was sent to me by mistake? I would love to be involved although worry my ongoing depression issues might get in the way. How do you apply for it?

Hello @Lilly6

As it happens, suffering some form of affliction, such as depression and other mental illnesses and disorders, is not uncommon. Indeed it is the reason that the majority of members join the forum. Either because of their own experience or because they are caring for someone who is experiencing such issues. I also suffer depression and am receiving ongoing treatment, so it is not something that prevents you from applying. Doing so, if you feel up to it, may actually help you, as it has me and many of the other Community Guides who have joined the team and contributed to their own personal development while acting to assist others in their situations.

If you go to the first post on this thread you will be able to read the information that relates to the position of Community Guide, what you offer, what is available in terms of support, the learning opportunities, and the application format and process.

Please have a look at what various people have said about their own experiences and that will give you a fair idea of what people put into the role and what they, in turn, get from or receive through the role.

With My Very Best Wishes

@HenryX

@HenryX I really would like to but don't know that I am in the right headspace. I am still highly capable of helping others and helping them feel supported but I am still such a mess. I will see how things go.

Hello @Lilly6 ,

Thank you for your response to my earlier message. I very much understand the thoughts and consideration that you have given to membership of and participation in the Community Guide team.

Contribution as a Senior Contributor is, from my own experience, very worthwhile and can be personally rewarding while, at the same time, offering support to others in a real and valuable way.

Should you think, that at some stage, the Community Guide role would fit in more closely with your existing circumstances, it can offer you the opportunity for some personal development through the guidance and training that is also offered.

In no way would I wish to convey that I think anyone should take on more than is appropriate for them, at any given time.

I do certainly hope that participation in the forum, in whatever capacity you choose, will be worthwhile, nurturing and personally rewarding for you.

With My Very Best Wishes

@HenryX

Thank you for the invitation, I will be declining this time.

I am putting self-care practices in place over the next 6 months. specifically putting in daily times. I will still be coming on the forum, I just don't want to accidentally over commit myself and lose motivation on failing forwards.

My aim for 2022 is putting myself first, i have created, set and am already implementing a time-framed plan with setting 2 days a week where my entire focus of the day is on myself. one is a rest day at home. the other having the day not at home, social, dance, art something activity.

Everyday i ill be putting into place, 30 mins of an online class, 5 min diary entry, 5 min habit tracking kinda just marking what i've done for the day eg. breakfast,lunch, brushed teeth, showered, washed hair, had morning med's, arvo med's, walked the dog. just so i can see over time slump days, good days and OMG perfect days.

Catch you all soon.

HUGS

Nony

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Hi there SANE Community and to all the amazing people who responded to this post,

Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to all those who have applied. We have had an incredible response, and we are so grateful for each and every one of you 🙂

If you haven't applied but still want to, or have partially completed the application, there is still time! You are welcome to complete the application this evening 🙂 We start reviewing applications later this week.

Secondly to all those who reached out to let us know that now is not the right time, I really admire and appreciate your willingness to set boundaries for your mental health and wellbeing. This is so important, and I am grateful that you have been open with me and the team about how you are feeling about the role. There will always be more opportunities in future, as we have recruitment every 6 months 🙂

What are the next steps?

The applications will close tonight, and the SANE Forums Team will begin reviewing all the applications. We aim to get back to every applicant by Monday the 31st of January to let you know the outcome.

In the meantime, if you have any questions you are more than welcome to email the team and I at team@saneforums.org

You are all leaders

One last note to say that whether you choose to join the Community Guide Program or not, all of our Senior Contributors are leaders in our community. We wouldn't have the community we have today if it wasn't for you, so thank you for all you do for your peers, for the community and for SANE. We see and appreciate you