LOOKING INWARD

Most of us are familiar with the self-help section of book stores and the vast number of books and theories that are out there. 

Each of these, or probably most of these, had suggestions, ideas and/or theories about a way to turn your life around. None seem to work permanently. Most of us eventually hear of another theory, and go on to that one, particularly if it is ending up on talk shows or the best seller lists.

Ultimately however, the person who turns us around and motivates and inspires us is not the book writer, or the advice giver in our lives; it is ourselves when we are ready to change.

No one knows any of us better than we know ourselves. We constantly present ourselves to the world in order to function and especially to earn a living. We have a large amount of latitude in how we decide to do this.

However, the self we see, when we are alone, in our beds or at, what I think of, as three in the morning, is the person we know we actually are.

To change, the person you need to ‘have a talk with’ is yourself. There are a couple of psychologists suggesting we do this out loud.* 

Regardless of the base environment or belief system we come from, all of us need to try and find a way to live happily with and within ourselves.

Self knowledge helps. We get this first from experimenting with our new found freedom when we are first on our own and later from the experience(s) we have accumulated, sifted through and adapted and incorporated into our lives.

We adapt to the external circumstances which our jobs and business relationships demand of us, but internally, on our own time and within our own lives, a bit of introspection from time to time will help us to declutter our personal house and mindset.

It’s a good way to stay young, energetic and enthusiastic. It is actually the way we can tailor our lives to make them fit us better.

It is a positive use of the introspective process and gets us ready to Look Outward again, renewed and refreshed after a good decluttering of things we don’t use in our lives any more. 



*What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter. He (and incidentally one other psychologist) feel that we can reprogramme ourselves and change our perspective permanently. He suggests a step by step approach and having two way conversations out loud with ourselves. Other psychiatrists and psychologists don't seem to use this approach.