I'm writing a memoir on my experience in Freudian psychoanalysis and my writer friend John, in New Zealand, told me about Patti Miller, an Australian author. Patti's book, The Memoir Book, describes a cartoon: A man goes to the doctor and says that he has a book in him. The doctor says that happens and he will help him find a publisher. The patient says, "NO, I want surgery. I want this book gone from me!"
Some days I can relate to the patient. But I do not want an incision, I'll just work on revision.
Do you have a book in you? My beautician said that she wants to write a book for her colleagues and tell them how it really is to own a salon. What do you want to tell people? What will your book be about? I'd love to know!
CLUE: Eat your meal cold or room temperature. Use your hands as utensils. Pretend you are camping.
Image: The entrance to the most beautiful walk I have ever experienced in New Zealand.
I'm still peeking into The Aware Athlete for inspiration. The latest phrase that caught my attention: REMOVING OBSTACLES.
This seems like the secret to accomplishing any goal.
Right now my goal is to get as many chapters in my memoir about my experience in Freudian psychoanalysis revised before the end of July.
The obstacle this morning was the need to spend time composing a blog post. So I'm going to go around this block (pun intended) and make a short post. In doing this I have effectively removed an obstacle. What obstacles do you need to remove? Please let me know!
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
CLUE: Eat raspberries - they are still good! Or if you prefer - strawberries! I know one of my readers doesn't like raspberries!
Image: I don't know if the empty phenomena referred to in the image is an obstacle. What do you think?
For a while, walking was difficult and painful. Now when I walk, mostly without problems, I try to concentrate on keeping my head from jutting forward.
According to Scott Forrester, the way we move reflects our whole self. We display our emotional, physical, and mental habits when we are moving.
If my head is habitually jutted forward, a habit I'm working to change, I wonder is it an outward sign of my tendency to push and rush in order to get things settled and decided? Probably.
Much of our daily life is spent in the forward position which is not good for our posture. Please join me as I ramp my head back, stand up straight and feel tall. We can also sit up straight and avoid slumping.
Scott might tell you your head weighs between ten and eleven pounds, more than his book The Aware Athlete. What can people tell you when they see you move? What do you notice about how others move? Watch and see what people do with their heads. Please let me know in comment section or an email.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
CLUE: Really watch how others move. Do most people look at ease? What can you learn about yourself by seeing how others move?
Image: I love shadow pictures especially when my head looks like a bowling ball!
"It is in learning to focus on what can truly be instead of the insecurities that take our attention away that builds us up."
Another gem from Scott Forrester's book, The Aware Athlete.
My paraphrase: When I pay attention to reality (look at facts not feelings, how things really are, not how I wish they were), I will become more confident. I will be able to trust myself.
The hard part is stripping away mistaken notions so we can see reality. In the comment section Scott wrote about the difficulty of seeing the elusive obvious. It occurs to me that the elusive obvious is reality.
I woke up early yesterday eager to go for my walk. My feet felt tired. I didn't wear the right shoes for Tai Chi Balance class on Tuesday. This is the reality, the facts of what happened. My mistaken notion is that I should always push myself. The elusive obvious: I need to give my feet a break today and not go for my forest bath like I planned.
When do you avoid reality? Do you trust yourself? Does it make sense to you that the elusive obvious is reality? I'm very curious about your reality! Please email me. If you don't hear back from me, assume that your message didn't go through and try again! Blogger is not as reliable as I wish it were but that is the reality!
CLUE: We are over half way through 2019. Did you have ideas of what you wanted to accomplish this year? Are you on schedule? Are there projects for the next six months that need attention? I really want to have the chapter revisions for my memoir completed by December 31.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
Image: A favorite photo of mine that I received (as opposed to taking) six years ago. How can it be a half dozen years since I was given this gift?
