I started life writing in the fifth grade. My mother bought me my own Girl Shout diary! Are you wondering what a Girl Shout diary is? It was a Girl Scout diary kept by me. I had a minor learning disability, undiagnosed in those days, resulting in funny spellings. Undaunted, I wrote to Dear Diary, sharing the best of I Love Lucy, visits with grandparents, and weekly meeting with the Girl Scouts. Then one day this dairy was put away. Junior High School, High School and college were years when
I took pen to hand on loose leaf papers. I kept details of my love life, shed many a secret tear and wrote some of my finest, darkest poetry. Adult life found me writing on fragments of papers. These scraps housed everything from cute expressions my children used to my less dark poetry.
When I decided as a psychologist to interview women who were not in my practice, then incorporate my findings into a book, I never dreamed how much my own life writings would play an essential part. I had interviewed women ages 35 through early 80's, looking at how messages they received growing up about themselves, influenced them as adults. I asked them when they felt most whole, most joyful. In analyzing my data, I had an "Aha" moment. I saw these women, no matter how dysfunctional their childhoods, and no matter how many negative messages they had received growing up, had managed to find pleasure and joy in their adult lives. This insight convinced me that we have not utilized the history taking of our lives to focus enough on what is giving us pleasure and joy. Also we haven't learned to harvest out past so as to discover precious moments even in the most dysfunctional of times. This included me.
In writing THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy, I began writing about my past and experiences again, but this time looking for precious treasure: the positive parts of myself and my life. In writing down my thoughts, feelings and memories, I discovered many wonderful memories growing up. I found myself remembering times where I felt delighted with life and full of energy. There were moments of elation and successes when my true and sometimes lost potential showed through. I discovered events that even though they had felt unpleasant as I lived them, held within them so many of special gifts. I began to hold and treasure these times as I wrote them down, feeling deeply moved on occasion, to the point of tears ...
Ultimately what the women taught me and the personal journey I then went on, has led to my writing to you. I hope this e-mail newsletter stimulates you to recognize the best in yourself, in your history, and in your potential. For you too, have a treasury inside.
Exercise: Journaling
This exercise involves making positive deposits in your memory banks. Over the next few days, stay alert to when you are in a good mood. Try to use all you senses to experience the present more fully, especially when you become aware of a potential 'deposit'. When the moment is right, ask yourself the following questions:
Take the time to describe them by writing them down or dictating them into a tape recorder. Now gradually refocus your mind on the present.
Try to be aware of the details, taking time to savor them as you deposit them into your memory bank. If writing or dictating a narrative does not come easily to you, try drawing a picture, writing a poem, or composing a tune. Just do something to capture the moment in a way that is meaningful to you. Your abilities as an artist, writer, or composer are less important than your desire to relish life.
About The Author
Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein , originator of THE ENCHANTED SELF?, a method of bringing delight and meaning into everyday living, invites you to view her new line of ENCHANTED WOMAN products, downloadable e-books, and free gifts at http://www.enchantedself.com. Chat with others in Dr. Holstein's e-group, http://www.enchantedself.com, and sign up for her free e-group at http://www.enchantedself.com. Order her book, THE ENCHANTED SELF: A Positive Therapy, or the CD-rom or tape version and her book RECIPES FOR ENCHANTMENT: The Secret Ingredient is YOU!, or the ED-rom version, at her website. http://www.enchantedself.com
on demand house cleaning Winnetka ..Getting motivated is sometimes easy enough to do, at least... Read More
We hear a lot these days about accepting responsibility for... Read More
Yuk!One thing, I really have a problem with is criticism.... Read More
From Making the Big Move: how to transform relocation into... Read More
If you suffer with or have in the past suffered... Read More
Apart form the Emotions and the attitude, Anger is a... Read More
ARE YOU IN... OR OUT?Are you in or out of... Read More
Once we understand the difference our attitude makes in our... Read More
"Thinking is responsible for man's primacy on earth today. Existence... Read More
Have you ever felt the whole world was against you?... Read More
Do you really believe that there is anything in this... Read More
By definition,an affirmation is a statement repeated time and again... Read More
I was playing tennis today with one of my tennis... Read More
There is a wonderful story about the famous escape artist,... Read More
We all know there are ways to become a better... Read More
Music penetrates our mental barriers and influences the deepest areas... Read More
If your life is difficult--if it's challenging, exasperating, and vexatious--... Read More
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.... Read More
One of my class fellows was really tensed, when asked... Read More
The universe is vast, it's dimensions inconceivable, it's potentialities unimaginable,... Read More
Everyone faces challenges during their life, from suffering the death... Read More
Have you ever noticed how many unhappy people there are... Read More
Not Amen, just so we're clear on that.AND.The little connector... Read More
Did you know that our thoughts may be influencing our... Read More
With the probable exception of some basic instincts ? or... Read More
house cleaning near Wilmette ..Unhappy moods can be like comfortable sweaters, those old ones:... Read More
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.... Read More
Do you realize how good you have it? Yes, everyone... Read More
Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody's mind.... Read More
Do you feel that your negative thoughts are holding you... Read More
Positive thinking in this day and age is a tool... Read More
Last time we talked about how to begin building the... Read More
Discover how easy it is to improve your relationships. The... Read More
? Make a list of all your accomplishments in life... Read More
When someone thinks of a person with self-esteem most people... Read More
I started life writing in the fifth grade. My mother... Read More
Almost everyone experiences some form of worry one time or... Read More
As a trainer of coaches I often teach my students... Read More
Ever had one of those mothers, or grandmothers, who would... Read More
There is no such thing as failure ? only feedback... Read More
What is an affirmation? One possible definition is a specific... Read More
So how do we find meaning? The first step is... Read More
Maureen worked in an office with twenty other people, processing... Read More
A joke is a way of getting people to laugh.... Read More
It really doesn't matter what your objectives are in this... Read More
I'm a working mother with a preschooler, worrying about Mom... Read More
The Alchemists of old worked over many years, centuries, in... Read More
Problems, disappointments and trouble; the three skunks that sometimes think... Read More
"There is an infinitely worthier subject for philosophers (to study)... Read More
So...you might just believe I hide behind computers creating and... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |