Each barrier subgroup is assigned a total score. Interpret your scores as follows:

• To locate your primary self-belonging barrier, find the subgroup with your lowest score.
• To locate your area of strength, find the subgroup with your highest.
• To assess your level of self-belonging, look at your overall score and then at the score key below to determine whether your level of self-belonging is Low, Moderate or High.
• Our response also includes tips on how to improve in your primary barrier areas.

Understanding Your Score

Self-Connection/Fear of Vulnerability Barrier: 

Participants with the highest score in this area might have a hard time trusting themselves or their decisions, being comfortable with vulnerability, feeling connected with their needs and expressing themselves. In order to grow, they could benefit from learning to listen to their bodies and minds, trusting their “gut” and expressing their true thoughts and feelings to small, trusted groups and gradually in larger groups.

Self-Care and Nurturing Barrier: Participants with the highest score in this area might have a hard time setting boundaries for personal time to allow them to rest and recuperate. They may have difficulty understanding or relating to their physical, mental and emotional needs, and they may lack the willingness or ability to find resources or ask for the help they need for self-care. In order to grow, they could benefit from regular check-ins with their body through activities like self-reflection, solo walks or swims, spending time with people they enjoy on a more frequent basis, as well as setting and protecting boundaries for downtime and self-care.

Risk-taking and Fear of Failure Barrier: Participants with the highest score in this area are likely afraid to step outside their comfort zone and may find it difficult to confront their fears or insecurities, acknowledge their mistakes or take calculated risks. In order to grow, they need to learn how to take risks without fearing failure and they can do this by committing to small tasks with low risks outside their comfort zone and following through with them. Over time, they can take more calculated risks as they grow more confident and less scared of failure.

Self-Advocacy Barrier: Participants with the highest score in this area likely face challenges accepting or acknowledging their uniqueness or differences, prefer to stay in the shadows and may struggle with taking on new experiences. They may find it difficult or uncomfortable asking for the things they need to support and enhance their personal goals and development, as well as their physical, mental, emotional, technological health and psychological well-being. In order to grow, they could practice speaking up in low-stakes situations. For example, commit yourself that once a week you will ask someone else for help on the smallest things and as you improve in this area, you can take on more risks, perhaps in areas that don’t impact your expertise.

Level of Self-Belonging

0-33: Low Level of Self-Belonging – This score could imply that the participant has challenges across multiple aspects of self-belonging. This means they might need a more intentional and focused approach on engaging in activities, adopting behaviors and making changes in growth areas that improve their level of self-belonging.

34-67: Moderate Level of Self-Belonging – This score suggests that while the participant is strong in some areas, they could enhance their sense of self-belonging in other areas. They should look to their lowest scores for areas of improvement.

68-100: High Level of Belonging – This indicates a high level of self-belonging where the respondent has a strong connection to themselves, are comfortable with risk-taking, advocating on their own behalf and investing in self-care. However, respondents falling in this category should still find the barrier in which they scored the lowest to ensure they are taking appropriate actions to develop that area.

Illustration (Based on the questionnaire):

Interpret the above scoring sheet as follows:

• Primary self-belonging barrier is self-advocacy
• Lowest bar to self-belonging (that is, your greatest strength) is self-connection/fear of vulnerability
• Overall level of self-belonging is 62, indicating a moderate sense of self-belonging.