Hi Goddesses & Guys,

I’m going to have to be quick as I’ve just made myself an Extra-Strength Cherry NeoCitran (still not available in the States?) and at some point the delicious active ingredients that make my stuffed up nose and scratchy throat disappear will also make me very sleepy and light headed.   I don’t need to sound any more airy-fairy than usual!

Yesterday Bonnie posed a question having to do with a memorable event from our childhood that we felt significantly influenced who we were as adults.  It reminded me of a conversation I’d had with a co-worker once about Dr. Phil and his book  Self Matters ~ Creating Your Life from the Inside Out.  Please, don’t log off!  I’m not a Dr Phil fan!  Sure, I liked him at first when he was on Oprah because he really was ‘Tell-it-like-it-is Phil’.  Then he became ‘Showbiz Phil’ and I tuned out.

But back to the book.  In Self Matters Dr Phil talks about all of us having had certain experiences that changed who we were or significantly affected the direction of our life’s path.   We were one way before the event, another way afterwards.  Self help books, magazines and blogs like to talk in terms of numbers so here are Dr Phil’s concepts in his own words;

Ten Defining Moments: In every person’s life, there have been moments, both positive and negative, that have defined and redefined who you are. Those events entered your consciousness with such power that they changed the very core of who and what you thought you were. A part of you was changed by those events, and caused you to define yourself, to some degree by your experience of that event.

Seven Critical Choices: There are a surprisingly small number of choices that rise to the level of life-changing ones. Critical choices are those that have changed your life, positively or negatively, and are major factors in determining who and what you will become. They are the choices that have affected your life up to today, and have set you on a path.

Five Pivotal People: These are the people who have left indelible impressions on your concept of self, and therefore, the life you live. They may be family members, friends or co-workers, and their influences can be either positive or negative. They are people who can determine whether you live consistently with your authentic self, or instead live a counterfeit life controlled by a fictional self that has crowded out who you really are.

I had some time to kill so I got out a pad of white paper (I love fresh stationery) and jotted down some of my responses.  What a fascinating exercise!  Every time I thought of a new ‘defining moment’ I had to decide if it was worthy of being one of the top ten (yesterday I described an event that happened when I was 6 that I would consider to be one of my 10 defining moments).  Only five pivotal people?  Having a limit really makes you think about your choices.  Sometimes your own answers can surprise you.

“What’s the point of doing this?”  you may be asking yourself about now.  Well, the way I look at it, if you understand when or why something made you feel complete or authentic, you can look for ways to get that feeling back.   If you understand the event, decision or person that made you miserable or scared or angry, you can take steps to correct that, too.    How can you know how to get somewhere if you don’t know how you got to where you are right now?  Try it.   It’s like a reverse vision board….

Okay,  I think the NeoCitran is beginning to take effect.  I have that soothing buzz thing happening that only comes from taking a good cold remedy.   Enjoy the rest of your day, stay out of drafts and take your vitamins.  Be well!