WOWZERONI! How cool is THAT?!? Thanks, Ruthie!

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Knock Knock

Who's there?

Ice cream soda

Ice cream soda who?

Ice cream soda people can hear me.

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Psych Support Group

I've started a support group for my personalities. We go around the room and share with all the other me's. I've numbered them from 1 through 10 so I can keep them straight. But 4 eloped with 7, so for now I'm down to eight.

Number 9 is suing me, she claims she's been abused, Because I never let her out, her self esteem is bruised. Number 3's a lawyer and she took 9's case for gratis. 8 and 6 agree with 9 and want class action status.

10 approached me yesterday...could she live on her own? She's found a job but needs a car...would I co-sign a loan? I've been told that number 1 revealed in therapy that she has several egos too, and one of them is me.

Number 5 just cracks me up. I love her sense of humor. 3 tells me that 5 is gay, but 8 says that's just rumor. The strangest one is number 2. I think her brain is fried. She's always playing with her guns and speaks of homicide.

I've talked about each one of them with my psychiatrist. They won't come to his office so he thinks they don't exist. He says that I'm just paranoid and schizophrenic too. But they all think that he's a quack who doesn't have a clue.

So I began my little group so they could be involved In helping one another see their issues get resolved. Although there are a bunch of me's who feel the need to share, They're easy to accommodate...we only need one chair.

-Buffalo Chips

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Benefits of soy

To improve cholesterol levels and better the heart, you can include soy in your diet. Preliminary reports suggest that soy may help dull pain.

In animal studies, moderate levels of phytoestrogens showed to reduce sensitivity to certain types of pain. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that are found in high concentrations in soy and soy-based products. Including moderate amounts of soy in your diet may be helpful in reducing pain suffered by people with chronic, painful inflammation or swelling.

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Keeping The Peace

Do you remember the famous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys? A squabble started between these families in the states of Kentucky and West Virginia during the American Civil War. After the war, the feud was kept alive by disputes over a fiddle worth $1.75 and a stray razorback hog.

According to Stan Mooneyham, "Dancing on The Strait & Narrow," by Election Day 1882 the situation deteriorated to the point that three McCoy brothers killed Ellison Hatfield because he had insulted them. "Devil Anse," head of the Hatfield clan, had the three McCoys rounded up and tied to bushes within sight of their family cabin; then he put fifty rifle bullets into them. After that it was a life for a life -- sometimes two or three -- and even the women became just part of the body count. Hostilities didn't finally abate until the second decade of the twentieth century. The cost to those two families was immense. Almost thirty deaths were recorded in the most famous example of eye-for-an-eye revenge in U.S. history.

You've seen this scene in the movies: a rugged cowboy pats his pearl-handled six-shooter in a holster hanging from his hip and drawls, "This here is my peacemaker." Peacemaker? Maybe widow-maker. Or orphan-maker. The problem is, shooting people is not a good way to peace. It's a little like the father who, while spanking his child, said, almost in cadence with each slap, "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO HIT YOUR SISTER!" Gotta love the irony.

If force and violence can't bring peace out of chaos, what can? What does it take to make peace? And to keep it?

The answer is clear. Peacemakers are not weapons -- peacemakers are people. You and I. Peacemakers are people with hearts for reconciliation and understanding. In our families; with our neighbors; around the world.

Level-headed and patient people have always been the best hope for a lasting and just peace. That is the only way it has ever worked.

Perhaps that's why peacemakers are call blessed.


~ Steve Goodier ~
[ by: Steve Goodier -- Copyright © 2011 -- from Steve Goodier (LifeSupport@yahoogroups.com) ]

   Thanks, Shari! I hope your friend is soon healed!

By Ronald Alexander

Many people cling to the myth that those who are successful inevitably feel good about themselves and are free from self-doubt and insecurities. I've worked with many clients whose résumés, personal achievements, and reputations garner the deepest respect and admiration, yet their negative self-talk is often utterly brutal. Despite their low opinion of themselves, they've managed to fashion lives that many would envy. Yet the disconnection between their inner feelings about themselves and their outer success causes them to hold back from making changes that would lead to far greater fulfillment and peace of mind. They'll remain in a stagnant situation until change is thrust upon them, and then feel overwhelmed by any crises that occur.

The Destructive Power of Negative Self-Judgments

No matter how accomplished we are, no matter how happy we may seem, we all hold on to negative self-judgments, and they hold on to us. They prevent us from discovering our power to change our lives for the better. When we switch to more positive thought patterns, crisis stops being overwhelming, and it's far easier to let go of resistance, tune in to our passions and inner resources, and move forward with confidence.

Positive thinking is indeed powerful, but don't hold yourself to unrealistic standards and expect to quickly transform what are often lifelong thinking habits. The object is to stop assigning meaning to these self-judgments, because once you start to give them weight, they begin to weigh you down. Through the practice of mindfulness, you can learn to notice when you are tearing yourself down and begin to change your habit of self-criticism.

The Stories the Mind Spins

Often, the rational mind will string together a series of distortions. Instead of simply noticing "I am shy," the mind will generate the thought, "I'm shy, which is why I'll never find a romantic partner; my shyness makes me unattractive." Another example might be someone who is out going spinning a disempowering story: "I'm an extrovert. My mother never liked that about me, and it seemed to embarrass my siblings. I probably made a fool of myself many times. I am too eager to connect to other people, who look down on me for being emotionally needy." You may not even be fully aware that you're embellishing your self-judgments in an unwholesome way.

Reframe Your Negative Self-Judgments

Through mindfulness practice and self-inquiry, you can render any negative self-judgments neutral and even see them in a far different light. To be "self-centered," focused on resolving inner conflicts, can be perceived as negative, but it's very important at times to direct your attention to yourself and your needs. If you feel that you are "callous," you might reframe that quality as "courageous" or "bold." If you see yourself as "weak," consider thinking of yourself as someone who is sensitive to others' feelings.

Here are some steps from my book, "Wise Mind, Open Mind" to help you mindfully reframe an unwholesome self-judgment that you know is of no use to you and that causes you anguish. It is beneficial to use a journal to work through each step.

1. Identity and label the judgment. Give it a simple name or theme, such as "inadequate provider," "insincere," or "people pleaser."

2. Discover the quality of the judgment. Ask yourself, "What is this self-judgment causing me to think or feel about myself in this moment?" Does it make you feel ashamed, angry, or guilty, for example? Notice whether the feeling is wholesome and supportive of your well-being, or unwholesome, making it difficult for you to enter a state of spaciousness, openness, and trust.

3. Find a remedy for the unwholesome thought or feeling. Ask yourself, "Would I like to think or feel something different? What thought or feeling could I generate to shift myself out of this unwholesome state?"

4. Formulate a new thought, image, or feeling, and begin to hold on to it firmly. Experience it in your mind's eye and in your body. Feel a wholesome sensation, such as relaxation, excitement, or expansiveness.

5. Assess whether you've shifted. Ask yourself, "Have I shifted out of the feeling, state, or thought that was unwholesome and let go of my negative self-judgment?" If you have, then enjoy the new sensations, feelings, and thoughts you've generated as a remedy. If not, go back and repeat steps 1 through 4.

About the Author:

Ronald Alexander, Ph.D. is the author of the widely acclaimed book, "Wise Mind, Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss, and Change" upon which this article is based. He is the director of the OpenMind Training® Institute, practices mindfulness-based mind-body psychotherapy and leadership coaching in Santa Monica, CA, for individuals and corporate clients. He has taught personal and clinical training groups for professionals in Integral Psychotherapy, Ericksonian mind-body healing therapies, mindfulness meditation, and positive psychology nationally and internationally since 1970.