Friday, August 7, 2015

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING - DEFINE YOUR 'TERRITORY'!

Many animal species define their 'home range' with what are called 'sign posts' - messages that other animals can read in order to avoid creating conflict and aggression.  read more

In order to take care of ourselves and create a sense of security in our lives, we humans need to be aware that personal boundaries are very important to us.  The more conscious we become of our need to create and reinforce our boundaries the safer and more respected we feel. 

Obviously, humans don't create these markers by spraying like some other animal species.  Our markers are more verbal.  They are also indicated by body language and facial expression.

As much as it seems a paradox, the more tuned in to creating healthy personal space we are, the more comfortable we become with intimacy and sharing!



 DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS           
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas…

Part of our sense of physical security is created by the 'boundaries' we set up between ourselves and others.  Even in very intimate relationships we need healthy boundaries.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you think about boundaries:
1)  Auditory 
          How much noise or silence do you need to feel comfortable? 
          In your own home?
          At a meal?
          In the gym or other public place?

2)  Visual
          How much visual 'load' creates a sense of comfort for you?

3)  Physical proximity
          In some cultures people stand right next to each other.        
In others we step back.  How close or far from others - friends?  strangers? - creates the most comfort for you?

What can you do to ensure the degree of boundaries you need?



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Thursday, August 6, 2015

NURSE RATCHED* OR THE GENTLE ART OF PUSHBACK

I was in the ER waiting for some testing to be done when this harridan came right into my personal space and shoved her hand with a pill and glass of water into my face.

"Uh, what's that?" I asked.
"Take it!" she demanded.  "It's for fever."
"Understood," I replied, "but what is it?"
"I already told you!  Now take it!"

I got that was late at night and she was super stressed, so I decided to do a gentle end run.

"Thank you," I say smiling benevolently.  "Give it to me and I will take it."

"Oh no!  No way!" she spat.  "I want to see you actually swallow that pill!"

OOOKaay…
I did try gentle.  I believe in gentle…
But hey, Guru, when gentle doesn't work…

"Lady," I said loud enough for everyone around us to hear.
 "THAT IS ENOUGH!"

"This is not an Insane Asylum where you have to make sure the crazies don't 'cheek' their meds!"

OK, I was sounding a wee bit crazy, but cheesh…

And you want to know the really interesting thing?
Not only did she back off, but when I ran into her later she was sooo nice…

What do ya say?
Can you let yourself give it the old heave ho when you really need to?

*Nurse Ratched (aka Big Nurse) is a wonderful character in Ken Kesey's 1962 book 'One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest.  If you've never read it, check it out.


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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

THE COMMUNICATION CONUNDRUM

'Well', we say to ourselves, 'we do speak the same language, so there should not be any problem understanding each other, right?'

VERY BAD ASSUMPTION!
And the pathway to pain and suffering!

Our language is colored by everything that we have experienced to date.

          What does that tone of voice mean?
          How about that particular word?
          And that facial expression?

'Oh yeah,' we assure ourselves 'I know what that means' as we tumble down the Rabbit Hole of confusion and misunderstandings.




DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS           
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

THE WAY OUT OF COMMUNICATION CONFUSION IS SIMPLE…
CHECK IT OUT!

Use these simple formulas:

"I just want to double check, 'did you mean________?"
"I think you want me to __________.  Did I get that right?

"But," you say, "doesn't that make me sound…well… stupid?"
No, actually!  It makes you sound really smart!

Here's an important advanced step:  
If you think someone is angry with you or if you assume that they did or said something that makes you angry:
CHECK IT OUT!

'Hey did you tell John that I said _________'
'You sound really angry with me.  What's up?'





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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

SAY WHAT?

She was stuffing food into her mouth chipmunk style… fast and furious, cheeks jammed!



Whoa!
I asked her what she was doing…

"I have to take some medicine," she explained, "and it said to take on a full stomach."

Interesting.
Full vrs. empty or full meaning, jammed?

What do ya say?

Ever stop to wonder how we ever manage to communicate with each other?

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Friday, July 31, 2015

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING - CATCH THE MORPH

The stories of shape shifters permeate most cultures. 

They range from our werewolves and Dracula through the Native American cultures that portray shape shifters as both malevolent beings and guardian spirits with healing powers.

A clue to how much we actually love this concept is its pervasive presence in our ever present video games!   

Why so prevalent?

Perhaps one way to look at this phenomenon is that we all have a tendency to morph!  Slip sliding into different aspects of who we are. 

If you can acknowledge this in yourself and others, if you can catch it happening, you create another tool for understanding your world and your reactions to it!




DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS           
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

MORPH TRAINING 101

Did you ever stare at a kaleidoscope and make out shapes?
How about staring at clouds and watching them morph?  You know, bunnies and kitties turning into fire breathing dragons?

Take a moment and watch the people around you and allow yourself to begin recognizing the morph…

Some people can actually see it happen!  WOW!
For others of us, we can identify the shift only after it's complete. 

The more you practice this one, the easier it gets and the more useful a tool it becomes! 

Here's a true story that one of our readers shared:

"Once I realized that one of the people I'd most like to shake, spent most of his time morphed into Golden Retriever energy the desire to shake him was gone and instead I was super clear on what to expect:  galumphy Golden energy!  They are really cute, but get over yourself if you expect them to get quantum physics!"


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Thursday, July 30, 2015

SHAPESHIFTING

Ever been in a totally sequential, logical, understandable conversation with someone and all of a sudden find yourself left in the dirt wondering what happened?

Where did they go and where did that conversation take such a radical turn…

I was talking to my logical, compassionate, very mature friend and suddenly… Whoa!  I was clueless!

What happened?  She was ranting and raving, arms flailing… And then it hit me!  SHE MORPHED!

This was her 3 year old self throwing a total hissy fit!  OMG

I could see the image.  And it changed everything.  Instead of feeling confused and stressed and perhaps like I did something wrong, I started to laugh... 

Quietly, of course.

And then there was another recent time: 

A friend came to help me with a minor problem and as he was leaving - too far down the hall for me to respond - he turned around and got a totally squinty-eyed, evil look on his face and made a very nasty comment…


This time I got it right away!  SHAPE SHIFTER!  LIZARD MAN!

And again, instead of getting caught in the melodrama I smiled in delight…


Hey, I don't like scaly things with those long yucky tongues, but at least I don't blame myself for the way they act!

What do ya say?

Can you see how recognizing the morph can help you create a healthy separation between what's yours and what isn't?


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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

SERIOUSLY SPEAKING - DEFUSING DARK CLOUDS

To neutralize a toxic substance you are exposed to it helps to know its ingredients. 

It is an interesting phenomenon that humans usually look for their own 'fault' in whatever happens.  'How did that happen?' our parents ask us during our childhoods.  'What did you do?'

With Dark Cloud People it is important to realize that most of the time you are irrelevant to the mix… 

Dark Cloud People carry an enveloping cloud of anger with them that can contaminate everything that it comes in contact with.  

This anger comes from all their perceived hurts, insults, lack of acknowledgement, and sustained emotional injuries throughout their lifetimes. 

Heavy. 

When they dump that cloud on someone else they feel a sense of relief!



DANCE WITH IT!   EXPERIENTIAL APPS           
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas...

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THE CLOUD BURST

Sometimes we are in a position to totally avoid these bad news folks…but sometimes they walk into our lives in the guise of family, office mates, neighbors…

Hubris (you know that arrogance of ours that makes us think that we are truly unique and can handle anything) often allows us to see how the Dark Cloud Person is raining their toxic mix down on others, but leads us to believe that we will be spared. 

False!  Sooner or later this barrage of poison will be directed at you…

To protect yourself:
1)  See it coming. 
2)  Recognize that you are not immune - it's just a matter of time!
3)  Don't look for your fault!
4)  Duck! 




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