Heh, such a foreign feeling to just feel good for no particular reason. I was talking to my therapist about it yesterday. I’m used to feeling guilty, ashamed, lazy, depressed, you name it. What’s with this feeling good stuff! He opened his ole textbook and started reading about discounting it when you feel good. Like “well, this will end soon” or “I don’t don’t deserve this.” I was astonished to realize that after feeling bad for so long that I do exactly that. I guess you can say I’m a textbook case :p Awareness, or mindfulness as he calls it is everything so now I know.
There’s nothing wrong with feeling good!!
Your therapist told you to get over it? (Boy, I hope I misread that!) Grab onto the good feelings and file them away to pull out on a bad day — at least the memory that it’s possible! I tell myself that feeling good is normal, and that normalcy will return.
🙂 I don’t see any smilies to send you, so this one will have to do. 🙂
Your blog banner is beautiful!
Barb
No he was pointing out that many people with severe depression tend to discount it and that we should instead embrace the heck out of it 😉
Thanks on the banner. One of my Bryce images.
Ahhh… good. I misread it then. I have to agree — embrace rather than beat yourself up over it. (The same reasoning Longfellow used?) 🙂
I can see how it could be misread. oh well, still working on my writing skills 😉
Back in the 1970’s, there was a lot of pop psychology about learning to feel worthwhile and worthy. Although pop psychology has gotten a bad reputation, in my opinion some very valuable things came out of it. Feeling worthy of the good things and feelings that come your way is one of the most important lessons that life can teach you…..and, learning to laugh at yourself.
Hang in there. 🙂
*~Nightshadow~*
http://blue-rosedesign.com/blogparty/
I agree totally. It sounds hokey sometimes but when you grow up with nothing but criticism you end up with…well, me 😉 Believing I’m worthy of most anything is my hugest struggle.
“when you grow up with nothing but criticism”
I think this is something many of us have experienced. I was lucky to meet some people (again, in the 70’s) who believed in positive reinforcement and the worthiness of the individual just because “they are”. Went to some seminars, weekend retreats, etc., read several books which were popular at the time and gleaned quite a bit from them. I came out at the other end, quite a different person.
Check into any books by Carl Rogers. They are still in print. The best one I think is “On Becoming a Person”. His books are very illuminating and speak to people. They have stood the test of time, so obviously his message is still relevant more than 30 years after the books were written. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
*~Nightshadow~*
http://blue-rosedesign.com/blogparty/
I have read Carl Rogers and “on Becoming a Person” is an awesome book. 😉 I hope I eventually come out the other end different too. It’s helpful that I’m now in an environment where I get treated with some human decency.
Your header is great. I also did a Bryce course with lvs.
Its always a joy to feel good! I’m so pleased that you are having a great day. ;o))))
Mom did you ever do a genogram? I did one in therapy the other day and it was really really interesting. Really makes you think about where you came from and how it “informs” who you are and your worldview. I don’t know if I will get a copy to take home but if I do I will show it to you!