I don’t usually talk about myself in these posts, but I was thinking today about the most recent two groups I’ve been working with, and if you’ll indulge me just a little, I really wanted to share some gratitude with all of you for all of who you are, and what you’re up to in your lives.
There are three things I love most about providing Take Back Your Life! Self-Care Mastery Groups for the members of my community:
First is the opportunity to assist people in real time in their learning and growing, in handling situations and solving problems that really matter to them. This is not hypothetical stuff – they’re the nitty gritty, moment-to-moment challenges of real life. They’re so “ordinary” that many of us tend to just shrug them off and keep going. But if we do that, we miss the opportunity to improve our skills at handling our own reactions, and we end up just repeating the same unhelpful reactions we’ve had all our lives, over and over again. And we wonder why we get cynical and resigned about “how life is!”
It is SO helpful to get an outside perspective, while you’re in the middle of a situation, so you can try a new approach and hopefully get a better outcome.
In our groups, people get near-immediate feedback about situations they want to get better at handling, and – because they are often applying what they’ve learned in their next interactions with the related people in their lives during the following week – it’s not unusual for someone to come back to the next group session and report that they tried the new idea and completely resolved a sticky problem that had been frustrating them for years.
The second thing I love about hosting groups is how everyone learns from each other. Virtually every type of situation a person can find themselves in has some universal aspects to it. So whatever issue or dilemma one person is dealing with – whether it’s family dynamics, a frustrating relationship, or stress at work – when they share their experience with the group all the other members get new insights and tools for handling that sort of situation as well.
Even if they feel timid at first, they dive in with courage and bring their real lives to the group. And while they only share what they’re comfortable sharing, they know they’ll get the biggest benefit from playing full out, no-holds-barred. So the learning goes far beyond what each person is dealing with in their individual life.
The comments I get from participants, expressing gratitude, a new sense of freedom, and even joy, assure me that this learning will last a lifetime.
The third thing I love, which relates to the second, is how it seems like just the right people always show up to be in any particular group. It doesn’t matter how old they are, where they live or what their circumstances are in terms of family, work, or life stresses. A bond forms, and a sense of safety, security and camaraderie, and perhaps most of all – an abiding respect and compassion, because each person is being authentic and open in a way that we rarely get to experience in daily life. It’s a feeling that keeps people coming back, and lets me know that what I’m doing is contributing something special to all of us – the gift of connection. It’s a gift to me just as much as it is to the participants!
Some people have the impression that group programs are just for “special situations” or people in extreme distress, but actually the opposite is true. These groups are great because, whatever their current situation or level of accomplishment, the participants are so committed to having the best life possible! They’re eager to learn better ways of coping with, and ultimately resolving, the ordinary challenges that detract from their quality of life in small, bite-sized chunks.
They’re determined – they don’t want to give up even a little bit of potential peace, self-esteem and happiness in life. They want new ideas, and new tools that really work. So they come to the group as a way of continuing to grow in their emotional and social well-being, and to learn how to truly be the masters of their own destinies.
So I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of my support group participants – past, present and future. Thank You for being willing to explore and grow and learn with me, and in so doing, enriching my life and our entire community and world as well.
I’m honored to be your guide in this ongoing process.
Keep up the great work!
…and keep breathing!!!
Loren
p.s. As always, if you are considering the possibility of joining an upcoming TBYL Group, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] to set up a 30 minute complimentary consultation. We’ll explore whether being in the group might be beneficial for you in handling your particular life’s challenges, so you can make a clear decision (and begin to set your intentions for what you’ll achieve!).
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