Relationship with self
Stuff happens. Your stories about it determine whether it’s manageable or not.
Dr. Steven Brownlowtwitter.comPoet Mary Oliver on allowing yourself to be happy and full: "If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. ...whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb."
You may leave this life at any moment: have this possibility in your mind in all that you do or say or think. —Meditations 2.11
Writer James Baldwin on hate as a defense mechanism: "I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain."
My therapist told me this, and it changed my life:
"You're not healing to be able to handle trauma, pain, anxiety, depression. You're used to those.
You're healing to be able to handle joy and to accept happiness back into your life."
Quiet Wisdomsubstack.com
As I said, to put our faith in tangible goals would seem to be, at best, unwise. So we do not strive to be firemen, we do not strive to be bankers, nor policemen, nor doctors. WE STRIVE TO BE OURSELVES.
But don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean that we can’t BE firemen, bankers, or doctors— but that we must make the goal conform to the individual,
... See moreFarnam Street • Hunter S. Thompson’s Letter on Finding Your Purpose and Living a Meaningful Life
