self-actualize

To begin with…

I want to maximize the life that I’ve been given and the time that I have left to be the absolute best version of myself that I can be, and be the best that I can be physically, emotionally, parentally, socially, intellectually, financially. I want honesty, rationality, justice, passion, performance, integrity, recognition, and the love of my children and friends.

I’ve had a huge task before me, and didn’t quite get everything done, but it all worked out. I had to reinvent the wheel for this goal several times. I tried to listen to external encouragement, but it really didn’t help me. I tried to have faith in my religious beliefs to sustain me throughout the process. It still wasn’t helping me much. I tried almost everything I knew to do, and the only thing that really began to work was my optimism. I didn’t know how things would work out, but that was the only thing that initially gave me comfort. From there, I knew I really needed motivation, and sent out a few e-mails to my closest friends and family to pray for me. I began to pray myself more deeply for success and have frequent meditation/devotional time to focus on God’s strength rather than my own. I then began to use every resource I had to create a harmonious organized atmosphere to keep up with everything that needed to be done. I took breaks as needed to maintain focus. I also allowed myself exceptions to things I normally deny myself. It turns out that they helped on some occasions, while others they didn’t. For the last week and a half, I worked with fierce determination to get things done and truly put as much of myself as I was able to into my work. My mantra throughout this was “Work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord.” I took that seriously, and it was the final motivation I needed. I hope that should I come up against great stress again will be able to come up with more and more ways of dealing with it, but this goal was constantly in mind throughout last week.

I went to a Cranial Sacral Therapy class and learned not just a new therapeutic technique but also more about myself.

I believe in Chi/Prana/Energy.

From Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Murphy_%28author%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Price
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanistic_psychology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpersonal_psychology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_therapy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_potential_movement
The Human Potential Movement came out of the social and intellectual milieu of the 1960s and was formed to promote the cultivation of extraordinary potential believed to be largely untapped in most people. The movement is premised on the belief that through the development of human potential, humans can experience an exceptional quality of life filled with happiness, creativity, and fulfillment. A corollary belief is often that those who begin to unleash this potential will find their actions within society to be directed towards helping others release their potential. The belief is that the net effect of individuals cultivating their potential will bring about positive social change at large.

Esalen

The Esalen Institute was formed by Michael Murphy and Dick Price primarily as a center for the study and development of human potential, and is considered to be the geographical center of the movement today. Aldous Huxley gave lectures on the “Human Potential” at Esalen in the early 1960s and his ideas are also considered fundamental to the movement.

An important early influence on Esalen was George Leonard, a magazine writer and editor who was conducting research for an article on human potential. Leonard claims that he came up with the phrase “Human Potential Movement” during a brainstorming session with Murphy. He and Murphy then popularized the idea in bestselling books. Leonard has worked closely with Esalen ever since and in 2005 was its president.

Originally I thought that since I had so much other stuff to deal with, that I’d just put this at the bottom of my list. It is too important to be there (bottom), but at the same time, it is also something that I think will take too long for me to get to right now for me to feel like it should be anywhere other than there. To that end, I’m marking this as having been given up on. I hope to be able to add it back in one of these days.

???????????

After doing some thinking, I came to the conclusion that it is not me that needs improvement. My New-Years resolution is someting like “Give up the idea of bettering yourself”. Out of sher disgust I suspect. So, all I can say is Im totally perfect the way I am. My real problem is Im lazy… So Im going to set my goals a little diferent from now on- face smaller problems, and realise myself bit by bit, but no overall melodrama. And Im going to stop beliving its all in me. Or I already have…

I remember my teacher making it very clear that self-actualizing is never finished. We can always grow and learn more and more, and we are never completely self-actualized. And only 1% of the population actually do self-actualize. I’m going to take the tools that I have learned in class and from meeting people here and try my hardest. I’ve already been looking at thngs in my life, trying to get the most of everything, and there’s alreasy a difference. I’m more happy? Anyway, that’s all for now.

I must first deal with some of the lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs before I can really make much more progress on this. That much said, I’m not going to give up on this goal. I’m just going to make it my last priority.