Undoing MY Silence

Undoing MY Silence 

From the text, Undoing the Silence, we are offered up some advice in how to access the powerful voices that we all have inside. One issue that many of us face in accessing and sharing this voice in writing is avoidance. We hear that “most people will do just about anything but sit down and write” (Dunlap, 2007, pg. 27). I don’t know about you but I was glad to hear that. Recognizing that this is part of the process for me is important. Having to get on with it, stop procrastinating and start producing is the first step.

Once we do get started, (sorry I mean once I get started) something keeps me from putting the words on the page. Our text calls it “harmful self-criticism” and I can attest that this is REAL. As I type and delete, type and delete and type some more before I delete opposing forces are at work. I have heard that we are our own toughest critics. I believe that to be true. So step two, for me at least is to work on getting rid of or reducing the static that I hear and just let it fly! (maybe then I could get a post in on time J. 

On that note I found one of the exercises in the text especially useful. A way to release that self-criticism is to give it a power punch to the head with some affirmations. 

I dedicate my work to my own healing and that of my community.

My creativity heals myself and others.

I absolutely love those and just saying it out loud or writing it down on paper makes it seem more real in some way. It also addresses one of the concerns that blogging for me creates. It is ok to be about ME. My work and my creativity helps me work on ME and MY issues. It is all about ME ME ME ME ME ME and of course you. That is somehow very freeing. Knowing that as I concentrate on my healing and creativity it also helps others. How can I be a part of a caring practice and work without working through the issues that I have. Working on ME is not as selfish as I thought.

If you got through this post, congratulations you made it and YOU are wonderful.

 

 

 

Appreciative Inquiry

2/7/13

“Appreciate Inquiry is the cooperative search for the best in people, their organizations, and the world around them. It involves systematic discovery of what gives a system ‘life’ when it is most effective and most capable…AI involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to heighten positive potential.” (The Change Handbook, Cooperrider & Wihitney)

Appreciate Inquiry is a newer concept for me and my understanding is that it is closely related to Solution-Focused practice. This is a practice that speaks to me. It requires that we no longer focus our attention on problems to solve but on strengths that are present and can be accessed.  I think that it is natural and quit easy to identify problems, negatives, and to see what is wrong with situations that we encounter.

AI is the opposite and it takes some getting used to. Making the change takes time, energy and effort and if you stop for a minute you can begin to focus on problems and see things through the negative almost immediately. So I keep working on it. I want to make AI a part of my life and practice and way of seeing the world. I want to empower not only the people whom I work with but myself as I see life and challenges as an opportunity to use the strengths that are present to create solutions. It is a mindset, a habit of asking the questions that lead to solving problems and not pointing problems out….and it is an exciting way of being.