Home
>
Positive Attitude Tips
>
Fighting Terrorism With Enchantment

Fighting Terrorism With Enchantment

Many of you may look at my title and wonder if I have 'lost my marbles.' Let me explain. First let me quote from a wonderful article that was passed around on the web by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D. entitled: Healing From Terrorism Sickness. She states: "The main goal of terrorism is 'intentional trauma' to the living. The concept of doing ongoing psychic injury to thousands and millions 'all at the same time' is an important tactic of terrorists ... innocent persons becoming afraid of life ... (this) hurts the human spirit and heart."

Clarissa then shares many ways to fight this madness including refusing to dwell on what physically depletes us of hope; dwelling in what strengthens us; resting; refusing to think that one is less able than prior to the assault, and not stopping pleasures that are good for you.

I don't know if Clarissa realized that her suggestions fit perfectly into THE ENCHANTED SELF's Seven Portals to Enchantment, but they do! Let's go through these gateways and see how they preserve us from disenchantment and even worse -- terror.

The first gateway is the Gateway of Self-Esteem. When terror strikes it is very common to feel vulnerable, of little importance and perhaps even valueless. This is exactly the opposite of how we need to feel for good mental health. To function at my best I need to know on a daily basis that I am 'special'. I have traits, strengths and abilities that all come together, not only to help me lead a life of meaning, but help me feel proud and sure of myself. You do too! What are some of your strengths and/or coping skills? Work with me as you read this and list some. It will be beneficial as we come out of this terror! Perhaps you have stamina, compassion, and an ability to reinvent yourself. Perhaps you are a good at cheering others up or great at making fudge!

All of these and thousands more qualify as pluses in living!

The second gateway is Meeting Our Needs. Again, when terror or severe stress hits we often stop doing what is good for ourselves. We feel weak and may let go of a growth experience or learning a new skill that is good for us. Even after the acute weakness passes we may feel unsure or no longer committed to our own goals for growth and development. Again, this is exactly the opposite of what is needed for good mental health. Did you let anything go as a result of September 11th? You might

want to make a note about it and also a new start up date.

I did. I didn't do my television show in NYC that month, as we were asked not to come into the city and that was a big loss for me. I really enjoy teaching the public about positive thinking via television. My show, Recipes for Enchantment, not only meets many of my needs but it stretches me and makes me grow further. Yes, I look forward to doing the show this month on the 17th.

The third portal to Enchantment is Recognizing Pleasure and Joy. It is very normal after a shock, in this case terrorism, to feel not only emotionally flattened, but unable to experience joy. In fact, often the person doesn't feel entitled to laughter, a good time, etc. For some it is guilt, for others sorrow. Again, this is exactly the opposite of what we need for good mental health.

We are not only entitled to live lives of joy and happiness, we need too! Does this mean everything goes right? Absolutely not. What it does mean is that we permit ourselves to maintain an attitude that encourages the capacity to experience happiness and joy as often as possible. No one has a right to take that away from us! Now is the time to fight back! What is fun for you? What do you enjoy? What gives you pleasure? Write some of these things down and plan on doing at least three of them within a couple of weeks. For example, I love shopping and last week I really enjoyed buying a black skirt for fall. It was a small treat but it was getting back to business as usual and felt great!

Let's enter the fourth portal: Making Ourselves the Hero or Heroine of Our Own Lives. Ah, this is such an essential step. And yet what does stress and terror do? They can make us feel meaningless, without purpose, again emotionally flattened. What is good mental health? It encompasses, for sure, a sense that my life not only has meaning but also was worth it. I not only came through difficulties, but the adventure was well worth it! I took the roller coaster ride of a lifetime and came out the winner.

Often times after a shocking event we don't know what role to play or feel extraneous to what is going on at 'ground zero'. These are normal feelings and we must realize that each of us has a unique role and purpose in life that no one else can fill.

Think about the story of your life. How did you get this far? How did your background end up working for you? What have been some of the highlights of your life? Look for the heroic even on a very small scale. I can guarantee that you will have plenty of opportunities to still use your unique strengths and talents.

I was the little girl who kept a secret Girl Scout diary with tons of misspelled words! I wrote every night not knowing exactly why and here I am now with a chance to write to you via the Internet. All that practice was part of my story. You have yours and never forget it!

Could you guess that the fifth portal is Belonging to Tribes, or communities? Often after a terrorist attack people are afraid to go out, join others, go about their business. This is exactly what the terrorists want and it interferes completely with our human needs to belong, to share, and to be part of something. What are some of your tribes special to you? I hope you make every effort to get out and stay connected to them. For me, one of my first steps was going to a local rally and crying, singing, holding hands with strangers and donating goods with lots of others.

The sixth portal is Finding Mentors. When we are attacked, it is our hope and optimism that is often most attacked and in essence our future. What we need most is to get that back. This is where mentors help so much. We need to find positive mentors everywhere -- the heroes on television, friends and positive e-letters on the web, loved ones, good books, fine music and even animals that teach us so much about love and connection. Don't laugh, but laughter is a mentor of sorts. Laughing takes us back to our positive center by teaching us how good it feels to feel good! Who are some of your mentors?

The last portal is the Gateway of Positive Action. Often, when terror strikes we feel helpless and in paralysis. Good mental health requires that we move beyond these feelings. Inactivity is not good for us. Positive action is the best antidote to mental 'poison.'

Why? Because we not only help ourselves but others in the process. We start the chain reaction that eventually sends a message that we will not be swamped by darkness. Remember how much darkness one little candle can get rid of? We are each potentially thousands of candles. What are some positive actions you can take over the next few weeks? Jot them down. These actions can feel good to do and also be good for you as well as others. For me, one of my positive actions is that I am writing to you and I hope that fits the above definition. I enjoy writing to you! I look forward to responses from you and most importantly I hope my message has been good for you!

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 our website.

http://www.enchantedself.com

monthly home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Fighting Terrorism With Enchantment

Positive Attitude Tips