I find myself getting through things by imagining I am giving a friend or client advice, then following my own advice.
But that isn’t where that started.
It started when I started to really listen to what I was saying to other people. Hmmm, I thought, that’s good advice, I should do that myself.
Am struggling for examples to share with you, as it’s started to happen way more regularly.
Here is one example…
I was at the therapist, my psychologist. Twelve full sessions discussing the bullying that had effected me for years at TAFE NSW. Two traumatic events, years apart, and a huge mess in between, have left me with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. This is where avoiding answering my phone, changing my phone numbers regularly, avoiding and running from stressing situations started. Now hopefully dealt with, though PTSD apparently stays with you for life. The first one was when one of my skiing instructors threatened my life. He threatened to kill me when I called him on his disgusting and unprofessional behaviour. That started it. Then years latter the second was being bullied by my direct boss who figured out I had complained about his conduct. That was effectively the last day I worked for someone else.
So, I was on extended leave at the time. I should have been on stress leave and been offered help, but TAFE is happier to sign you off on leave without pay than actually help. My formal complaints were shelved as being too difficult to deal with. Yes go Len, you could use some time off…
I was talking to the counselor about how I was feeling and listening to myself I realised I had to resign. I said it out loud to him. “I need to resign.” So I went home, wrote the letter and posted it off.
The stress of those traumatic events lifted… my head came out of the cloud of sadness… fear… avoidance…
It was virtually instantaneous..
Amazing… I gave myself the advice I needed to hear…
The only downside, is that I resigned two months before the redundancies were offered. People don’t realise how much their words effect people… or themselves…
Anyway, back to the main idea.
Listen to yourself and learn….
Follow your own advice.
Works well for me…
Mount Wilson, from Monday’s misty day Was a peak photographic experience for us. The most amazing day of soft light. iPhone snap. Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2019