THE 8 Cs

By D Schwartz, ‘Internal Family system’

One of the key concepts in coaching is the development of deeper self-awareness and self-esteem in order to access a place of choice and intentionality.

During the process, it can be common to become aware of different parts of ourselves that may lead us to different choices, actions or decisions. The idea of all these different ‘parts’ working as a team to create the concept of ‘Self’ (with a big S) is present in a number of psychological frameworks, (such as Internal Family System IFS).

Distinct yet sharing some similarities with others, IFS describes the ‘Self’ as the true, core essence of a person, embodying a set of qualities defined by the 8Cs - Clarity, Curiosity, Connectedness, Calmness, Confidence, Creativity, Courage and Compassion. In therapeutic terms, the ‘Self’ is central to healing and bringing harmony to all parts.

USE IT FOR PROBLEM RESOLUTION & DECISION MAKING

The idea of ‘Self’, and its 8 defined qualities can be useful when sense checking who is taking the lead when thinking, doing and making decisions. So you might want to ask yourself the question: 

“Are these qualities present in me right now?”

You could also try applying a ‘Self’ lens as a tool to explore different perspectives or resolve situations by asking yourself:

“What would be different if I was more … Curious? Confident? Courageous?” or which of attributes do I need right now? or which one is missing?

USE IT FOR EXPANDING YOUR INTERNAL CAPABILITIES

If one aspect of ‘Self’ feels less developed or accessible to you, you can focus on it for a period of time to build more connection with that particular quality. In this case, you can look for ways to practice being more Confident, Curious or Compassionate etc. You can do this by looking for ways to integrate the desired lens into your day to day life. 

As an example, if you would like to become more courageous, you could explore:

“What does courage mean to me?”

“What would being more courageous look like?”

“How and where can I experiment with being more courageous?”

Then, regularly check in to see if you are modeling being courageous during your day, week or month.