October 30, 2006

This is Big

I love this post and thought it prudent to share!

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove

::Emotional Midwifery ::

Today, if your child behaves in a way that you find particularly annoying or upsetting, try this perspective:

My child's behavior is *not* what's really upsetting me. The behavior is triggering unresolved feelings that have nothing to do with the present situation.

In other words, your child is doing you a favor! S/he's giving you an opportunity to heal -- to resolve an old hurt and release the stress it's been creating. You don't even have to figure out the cause of the unresolved feeling. Just *allow* yourself to feel it, and it will resolve naturally.
The following will help:
* Take some deep breaths and locate the feeling in your body.
* Don't judge, express, or react to the feeling; just be present with it, and let yourself experience it, even if it hurts. (Notice it hurts less if you don't resist it.)
* Be like an empowering midwife to the feeling, which is giving birth to new awareness, clarity, and freedom.
* Silently bless your child for playing a part in your healing.

2 comments:

Heidi Snavley said...

Karen, thank you for that! I am finding myself reverting back to old tools lately, as my kids are bickering so much and I start shutting down after listening to it and not really knowing what new tools to use. Taking it personally...... feeling sensory overload. The article on appreciation was wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Scott Noelle is a Sage! Thank you for giving extra attention to this message... great timing, as usual! :)