Jan
26
Written by:
Doreen Amatelli
Monday, January 26, 2009
Have you ever expected an upcoming event to be wonderful only to have it turn out to be disappointing, or worse? Conversely, have you ever feared or stressed about a future event only to find out that it wasn’t as bad as you had once imagined? Think about it.
Recently I had an opportunity to visit some places I had gone to on vacation when I was a child, like Hershey Park, PA. I have childhood memories of a magical place with a huge, picturesque amusement park, street lights shaped like Hershey Kisses that stood high above the ground, and key chains and other souvenirs that smelled like chocolate heaven.
I went back with the hopes of offering a similar experience to my family, and I experienced something quite different. It was a noisy amusement park with less of a picturesque backdrop and a strong commercial atmosphere where souvenirs of every shape, size and variety of Hershey’s chocolate imaginable are found on an entire floor of Hershey’s Chocolate World. I found it interesting that despite my disappointment, my family and I had a wonderful time. Why were my experiences so different? What had changed?
The difference is in our perspectives or perceptions. What is real for children seems imagined to adults. Things that appear to be huge at one time can turn out to seem so small later on. Try this to see how you can apply this...
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What is the one thing that seems to be the biggest fear, barrier or problem facing you right now—your boss, money, your family, boredom, etc.?
- Project yourself into the future (e.g. 1 week, 3 months, or 5 years) looking back on your problem you were faced with today.
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How does this problem appear to you from the future? What feelings come up when you imagine this problem from the future perspective?
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How does this situation appear if the situation was over or the problem solved? What feelings come up when you imagine it from this perspective?
Journal your insights or talk with a trusted friend or coach about your experiences.
Copyright ©2009 Doreen Amatelli
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