The pursuit of wellbeing: The Culture Paradigm

Transcription

1 2017 The pursuit of wellbeing: The Culture Paradigm SANDHYA RAJAGOPAL COACHINGWITHSANDHYA.COM 6/19/2017

2 Wellbeing is a multidimensional construct, ensuring a balance in life by considering all aspects of the individual. It is a global assessment of a person s quality of life according to his or her own chosen criteria. Culture is foundational in forming a person s personality and wellbeing takes it into account or rather depends on it. To strive for wellbeing is a human goal and can be achieved only within the cultural parameters of the individual This is the culture paradigm. Impact of culture: shaper of an individual s personality. Sandhya Rajagopal All Rights Reserved Page 1 of 4

3 Culture influences every aspect of our lives: The Way you Live The Way you View Things The Way you Communicate Customs / Habits / Traditions Beliefs / Values Language Family structures Spirituality Verbal communication Relationships Perceptions Non-verbal communication Food and its meaning Attitudes Interaction pattern Health practice Purpose and meaning Expectations Nature of culture: As a large part of the impact of culture is invisible, its importance is often ignored or lessened as we strive towards our and our client s wellbeing. It is this part, existing beneath the surface, that provides motivation, that formulates an individual s concept of self and that gives worldview. Behavior, the most visible part of culture, is the manifestation of values and beliefs given to an individual by the culture in which they have been brought up in. To affect any change in lifestyle or behavior, the values and beliefs at the core of the individual Sandhya Rajagopal All Rights Reserved Page 2 of 4

4 should be taken into account. As this part of culture is hidden, any work done towards higher wellbeing should be done at a deep level. Cultural Responses: As wellness professionals when we work with our clients towards their complete wellbeing, their vision, goals, behavior and most importantly, their motivation, are cultural responses. Cultural responses to different issues can vary and fall with the continuum. Relation to nature: o Domination Subjugation Relation to others: o Individualism Collectivism Relation to power: o Hierarchy Equality Relation to time: o Monetary time Living time Relation to rules: o Universalism Particularism Relation to activity: o Do Be Relation to emotions: o Affective Neutralize Communication: Communication between two people of different cultures depends on each person s awareness of their own culture and openness and knowledge of the other person s. Being aware of the existence of cultural blind spots allows us to navigate its pitfalls and work towards open and effective communication. Cultural blind spot is not being able to see something because your culture blocks it out. Sandhya Rajagopal All Rights Reserved Page 3 of 4

5 Cultural Communication Window - Between Two Different Cultures: My Cultural Awareness My Cultural Blind Spot Others Cultural Awareness Mutual Understanding and Partial Communication Effective Communication Others Cultural Blind Spot Partial Communication Breakdown of Communication As we are communicating with people of different cultures, we can run the gamut of crosscultural misunderstandings. Examples of cultural differences: Asking questions: o In one culture, asking questions is accepted as an effective tool for communication, while in other cultures questioning superiors may signal insolence. Saying NO : o In one culture, saying NO indirectly may signal indecisiveness while in another culture it means deference and respect. Personal space: o In one culture. the range of personal space may be much smaller than in other cultures. Eye contact: o In one culture, good eye contact implies honesty while in another it can denote aggression. When we deal with our clients or people of different cultures, it is essential to understand our own cultural conditioning so that we can appreciate that others are perceiving the world through theirs. Using this self-awareness, we can find a way to bridge the gap and carve out relationships that lead to mutual understanding and wellbeing. Let us recognize the important role of culture in an individual s wellbeing. Let us use tools like the C.A.R.E. model - to establish a bridge between people of different cultures and develop a deeper understanding. Let us achieve wellbeing at its highest level, using the culture paradigm. Sandhya Rajagopal All Rights Reserved Page 4 of 4