Personal Beliefs

To turn a phrase, I believe “an examined life is worth living.” The journey through college and in particular through the Social Work curriculum has provided me and at times forced me opportunities to examine who I am and what beliefs define me as a person. In addition to providing a better self -understanding, I believe self-awareness of personal beliefs will make me a better social worker. Self-awareness will allow me to see clients through lenses that are more appropriate and as a unique individual with unique needs.
In the past, self-examination has revealed positive beliefs and core values. Some of these beliefs include: live with uncompromising integrity, have empathy for others because we do not fully understand the struggles they …show more content…
Those imprints may or may not be indelible – recognizing the beliefs is the first step in whether or not they can or should be changed. Religion was one of the deep imprints left on me. I was raised in the Catholic faith. My family attended Mass, I went to Catholic education classes, and have received all of the appropriate Sacraments. As a practicing Catholic, like most other Christian religions, we believe that sins are an affront to God. Further, to not abide by the laws of the Catholic Church is to commit a sin. Of course, our belief is that God is benevolent and forgiving – nonetheless, by drifting away from some of the dogma of the Church, I am committing a sin. This syndrome is commonly known as “Catholic guilt” and this is where the difficulty arises. A case in point, homosexuality is considered a sin and until the new Pope was chosen, the Church took a very hard line on homosexuality. I am struggling because the teachings of the Church and my view are not completely aligned. The more I question myself, the more I lean toward this as a lifestyle choice and not an abomination as some in the Church might consider it. To even admit this on paper makes me feel a bit like a heretic (again, Catholic guilt) – hence the internal struggle. The drift away from Catholicism is what is causing me personal difficulty. In some regards, it puts me at odds with my family and their beliefs. When my grandmother was alive, she was an extremely devoted Catholic. I could never have expressed these views with her – she could not comprehend why I would question the Church’s teachings and the Pope’s infallibility. My parents on the other hand are more understanding. They have suggested that I have to find my own path and step out of their