Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher
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Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 21, 2009 03:07PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 41 Status:  |
The first book club selection is available for reading free online at wishcraft.com.
Synopsis
Cindy Fox was a waitress. Now she’s a pilot. Peter Johnson was a truck driver. Now he’s a dairy farmer. Tina Forbes was a struggling artist. Now she’s a successful one. Alan Rizzo was an editor. Now he’s a bookstore owner.
What they have in common—and what you can share—are Barbara Sher’s effective strategies for making real changes in your life. This human, practical program puts your vague yearnings and dreams to work for you—with concrete results. You’ll learn how to:
- Discover your strengths and skills
- Turn your fears and negative feelings into positive tools
- Diagram the path to your goal—and map out target dates for meeting it
- Chart your progress—day by day
- Create a support network of contacts and sources
- Use a buddy system to keep you on track
Happy reading!
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 22, 2009 12:47AM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status:  |
Hi everyone. I know what you're thinking. A "self-help book"? Are you kidding?
I know, I know. But I picked this one myself as the first official selection of the Book Club for several reasons. 1. It happens to be what I'm reading now (easy enough answer). 2. It's available FREE online, so there's no need to go out and buy a new book or make a trip to the library. 3. It's short. 4. It's actually a very good little book.
I first read Wishcraft *startscoughing* ... years ago, when I was still a secretary making minimum wage. I say secretary. I was actually a glorified office assistant working in a mold-covered basement (yes, there was mold growing on the wall behind my desk. we handled that a bit differently than they do now. by covering the black stuff with giant Van Gogh and Monet posters) With the help of this book, I was able to quit that job, move 200 miles away to a town where I didn't know anyone and go back to college as an English Creative Writing major. I even opened and ran a small gift shop across the street from the college. I doubt I would have ever had the courage to do either without having read Wishcraft.
Everyone has a wish. A dream. Something they love. Nearly every wish has an Obstacle. Something that keeps them from pursuing their dreams. Wishcraft won't promise you a million dollars, but what it will do is help you figure out what your Dream is and help you to bring it into your life, if even only a small part of it. There's something to be said about making your Dream part of your everyday life. It makes all those other responsibilities of living so much easier. The best part of this book is the idea that you can not only dream, Dream BIG.
The Introduction
I love how she states right from the start she isn't out to make people "get-out-there-and-stomp-'em" kind of winners. That's not me. I'm possibly the least competitive person around. I AM, however, a Dreamer and Wishcraft is nothing if not made for Dreamers - whether we actually ACT on the goals from it (coming up in section 3 of the book) or not.
I have a friend, Mary, whose mantra is "I can, I will, I want to." I think she says it almost every day. And she's notorious for making others - that would be ME - say it too. Her enthusiasm and "get out there and go get 'em" attitude is..... well, ok, it's sickening. It's also contagious. If she hears anyone at all complaining about something, her first reaction is, "Yes, AND?" If they don't know Mary, they keep complaining. If they do, they'll concede and say "You're right. I should do something about that." It's very hard to keep complaining about your own life and woes around someone as positive as Mary, who, by the way, happens to be in a wheelchair.
Chapter One
I like the name of the first section - The Care and Feeding of Human Genius. It's fitting, especially for Chapter One. Me? Like Einstein? Who's she kidding, right? Hmmmm, but that Cookie example... cookie... cookie.... COOKIE! I AM like Einstein! EXACTLY like Einstein! I love looking at the world in different ways, seeing things no one else has seen. That's what Einstein did, after all. Physics, relativity, quantum mechanics all existed before. It just took people like Einstein to find them and point them out to us. I am like Van Gogh and Monet. What they dreamed DIDN'T exist before and yet they brought them to life for us with their art.
I had a person (several people) in my life that did exactly what Barbara says in chapter one. Asked me in that belittling tone of voice, and if I remember correctly, used those exact words: Just who do you think you are?
Nothing kills a dream faster.
Exercise 1: Who do you think you are?
(I won't ask everyone to post their answers to the exercises here and I'm sure I won't be posting all of them myself, but this gets to the heart of why I chose this particular book at this particular time. I also happen to know where she's going with the exercise having read the book, but I'm following along just for that reason as well.)
Why Wishcraft? Why now? Here's who I am and where I am now. I am about to be out of work... again. It will be for the 4th time in the last year. While I realize I have wonderful people around me to support me and keep me from becoming homeless, it's one of those things in life that leaves a person feeling useless and worthless. Well, people like me anyway. I do know people who would love to be in my situation and others who wouldn't mind it. But for me, what I DO has always defined WHO I am.
Some people may define themselves in this exercise by who their family members are, or as the book examples show, a physical description, political affiliation, etc. Or the woman who answered the question by stating what her husband did for a living and all the details about her children but said nothing about herself. My answer is this:
I'm a web developer/graphic artist/programmer
I'm a very good cook
I'm a writer
I'm a 6th generation Texan living in a historic neighborhood founded by my ancestors
I'm a Scorpio
Okay, as I said, I cheated a little because I knew where the exercise was going already.
Exercise #2: My Original Self
What did I love as a child? I loved reading and I loved writing. I loved acting out the books that I read. I loved drawing at a very young age. I loved reading about plants, birds, biographies, history. I loved collecting rocks and fossils. I loved learning new things, exploring and researching.
Here's what I plan to do while reading this book. I'm going after that cookie. I'm not going to worry about whether I deserve it or not or if I'm procrastinating because the answer will most likely be, I don't and I am. In fact, I'm going for the whole jar of cookies. And the beauty is, it doesn't matter if I get them all or if I come crashing down with the jar around me because even then, I'll still have at least one cookie in my hand.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2009 12:55AM by Mattie.
I know, I know. But I picked this one myself as the first official selection of the Book Club for several reasons. 1. It happens to be what I'm reading now (easy enough answer). 2. It's available FREE online, so there's no need to go out and buy a new book or make a trip to the library. 3. It's short. 4. It's actually a very good little book.
I first read Wishcraft *startscoughing* ... years ago, when I was still a secretary making minimum wage. I say secretary. I was actually a glorified office assistant working in a mold-covered basement (yes, there was mold growing on the wall behind my desk. we handled that a bit differently than they do now. by covering the black stuff with giant Van Gogh and Monet posters) With the help of this book, I was able to quit that job, move 200 miles away to a town where I didn't know anyone and go back to college as an English Creative Writing major. I even opened and ran a small gift shop across the street from the college. I doubt I would have ever had the courage to do either without having read Wishcraft.
Everyone has a wish. A dream. Something they love. Nearly every wish has an Obstacle. Something that keeps them from pursuing their dreams. Wishcraft won't promise you a million dollars, but what it will do is help you figure out what your Dream is and help you to bring it into your life, if even only a small part of it. There's something to be said about making your Dream part of your everyday life. It makes all those other responsibilities of living so much easier. The best part of this book is the idea that you can not only dream, Dream BIG.
The Introduction
I love how she states right from the start she isn't out to make people "get-out-there-and-stomp-'em" kind of winners. That's not me. I'm possibly the least competitive person around. I AM, however, a Dreamer and Wishcraft is nothing if not made for Dreamers - whether we actually ACT on the goals from it (coming up in section 3 of the book) or not.
I have a friend, Mary, whose mantra is "I can, I will, I want to." I think she says it almost every day. And she's notorious for making others - that would be ME - say it too. Her enthusiasm and "get out there and go get 'em" attitude is..... well, ok, it's sickening. It's also contagious. If she hears anyone at all complaining about something, her first reaction is, "Yes, AND?" If they don't know Mary, they keep complaining. If they do, they'll concede and say "You're right. I should do something about that." It's very hard to keep complaining about your own life and woes around someone as positive as Mary, who, by the way, happens to be in a wheelchair.
Quote
Wishcraft
What you want is what you need. Your dearest wish comes straight from your core, loaded with vital information about who you are and who you can become. You’ve got to cherish it. You’ve got to respect it. Above all, you’ve got to have it.
Chapter One
I like the name of the first section - The Care and Feeding of Human Genius. It's fitting, especially for Chapter One. Me? Like Einstein? Who's she kidding, right? Hmmmm, but that Cookie example... cookie... cookie.... COOKIE! I AM like Einstein! EXACTLY like Einstein! I love looking at the world in different ways, seeing things no one else has seen. That's what Einstein did, after all. Physics, relativity, quantum mechanics all existed before. It just took people like Einstein to find them and point them out to us. I am like Van Gogh and Monet. What they dreamed DIDN'T exist before and yet they brought them to life for us with their art.
I had a person (several people) in my life that did exactly what Barbara says in chapter one. Asked me in that belittling tone of voice, and if I remember correctly, used those exact words: Just who do you think you are?
Nothing kills a dream faster.
Exercise 1: Who do you think you are?
(I won't ask everyone to post their answers to the exercises here and I'm sure I won't be posting all of them myself, but this gets to the heart of why I chose this particular book at this particular time. I also happen to know where she's going with the exercise having read the book, but I'm following along just for that reason as well.)
Why Wishcraft? Why now? Here's who I am and where I am now. I am about to be out of work... again. It will be for the 4th time in the last year. While I realize I have wonderful people around me to support me and keep me from becoming homeless, it's one of those things in life that leaves a person feeling useless and worthless. Well, people like me anyway. I do know people who would love to be in my situation and others who wouldn't mind it. But for me, what I DO has always defined WHO I am.
Some people may define themselves in this exercise by who their family members are, or as the book examples show, a physical description, political affiliation, etc. Or the woman who answered the question by stating what her husband did for a living and all the details about her children but said nothing about herself. My answer is this:
I'm a web developer/graphic artist/programmer
I'm a very good cook
I'm a writer
I'm a 6th generation Texan living in a historic neighborhood founded by my ancestors
I'm a Scorpio
Okay, as I said, I cheated a little because I knew where the exercise was going already.
Exercise #2: My Original Self
What did I love as a child? I loved reading and I loved writing. I loved acting out the books that I read. I loved drawing at a very young age. I loved reading about plants, birds, biographies, history. I loved collecting rocks and fossils. I loved learning new things, exploring and researching.
Quote
Wishcraft
If you saw a cookie on the table, you didn’t think “Can I get it? Do I deserve it? Will I make a fool of myself? Am I procrastinating again?” You thought, Cookie.
Here's what I plan to do while reading this book. I'm going after that cookie. I'm not going to worry about whether I deserve it or not or if I'm procrastinating because the answer will most likely be, I don't and I am. In fact, I'm going for the whole jar of cookies. And the beauty is, it doesn't matter if I get them all or if I come crashing down with the jar around me because even then, I'll still have at least one cookie in my hand.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2009 12:55AM by Mattie.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 24, 2009 06:42AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status: 
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 24, 2009 01:19PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
Blue
I read the intro and first chapter. I have to say I used to be self help book fanatic...but with not much success. You know I don't remember alot about what I was like as a child...not sure I ever was one...I've always been the "little adult" who did as she was told and expected to do and didn't resent it at all. But given that, my job has never defined me and I like to do different ones. I've jokingly told people that I'm my own reason for being. That's arrogance,I suppose, but I've always had a good sense of self. I may fall prey to the bad things people try to say to or about me but there is always a grain of "No, I'm not hidden there somewhere. (How boring)
Who am I?
I'm a comedian...I love making people laugh.
I'm a woman. I like being one and all that goes with it.
I'm a problem solver and have a capacity to love all people.
I'm Southerner and proud to be so...I like the gentelity of it, the soft spoken ways, the comtemplativity of it, the sense of chivalry.
I love singing and music and anything new.
And most of all I love to learn......
Hmmm..(no mention of motherhood or teaching? That is a shocker. I just tried to think of what I am alone unrelated to anyone else. (Girls, if you read this, you know I love you Right? *smiles*)
Thanks for the input. I knew a self-help book was a weird start for a book club but I know this one has helped me in the past. I love the exercises in the first half of the book because they give you a real opportunity to play. I've owned a few other self-help books too but this is the only one I've read start to finish. I've loaned my copy out several times and I never seem to get it back, so I ended up getting 2 copies the last time I found it in the store.
I think most people aren't generally defined by their job. That's just me. Over the years my job became my identity. Even more so as I began to do the things I loved. I've held many different jobs over the years from secretary to bridal consultant to carny to office assistant... none of those jobs "defined" me. But now it does, if that makes sense.
The main thing about the "original self" exercise wasn't to find what you were good at as a child. It was looking back at your childhood and seeing the things you loved again. What fascinated you. You have a love of learning now, did you have one then too? I did.
Quote
Blue
I just tried to think of what I am alone unrelated to anyone else.
Yes, I admit I edited that part out of my post too. It isn't any less important to who you are, it's just that the exercise is to help people re-connect to their "inner" selves, such as helping me see who I am outside of the cubicle walls where I work.Edit to add: I almost forgot to mention this too. Barbara has another book for people who like doing lots of different things. I haven't read it yet but might be worth having a look: Refuse to Choose: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything That You Love
I think one thing I love about her books is her way of asking adults "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2009 01:23PM by Mattie.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 24, 2009 05:14PM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
It's funny you should mention that....I always tell people that I refuse to grow up and I have no clue what I want to be when I grow up. 
What did I love to do when I was young....
I did love to learn...anything...still do...
I loved to be different people...playacting...I suppose
I always wanted everyone to get along...ALWAYS
I'll have to read that next book after this one....as I look back those are the things I was and am...I guess...I'm just the sort of person who doesn't necessarily have to do....I just enjoy "being" and "thinking"...Is that nuts?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2009 05:18PM by Blue.
What did I love to do when I was young....
I did love to learn...anything...still do...
I loved to be different people...playacting...I suppose
I always wanted everyone to get along...ALWAYS
I'll have to read that next book after this one....as I look back those are the things I was and am...I guess...I'm just the sort of person who doesn't necessarily have to do....I just enjoy "being" and "thinking"...Is that nuts?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2009 05:18PM by Blue.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 25, 2009 02:24AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
Wow, Matt, chapter 2 is hard....I thought I had a really good environment....and I did...I knew I was loved. But there were some things expected of me. I would never do anything that would besmirk the family name...(That meant no drinking, carousing, making bad grades, dating people who did any of those things or any other little thing that would make my "upbringing seem less than perfect.) That meant a career choice that would reflect well. In my case, I was to be a nurse. I was smart. Money in the medical field was good...It was a "helping" career....I went to nursing school 1 year and quit. Went into speech therapy.
If I had had the environment described....I'd be an actor/director expert on ancient history and ancient weaponry. I can't believe I just said that....Isn't that bizarre? Mattie, you're making me think....that can be dangerous...
Does any of this make you feel a little disloyal? I do because I know my parents came from really bad circumstances themselves and were doing the best they could for me. They were very successful especially considering their environment..how did that link get broken? I am often too afraid to do anything at all because I might fail.....
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2009 04:57PM by Blue.
If I had had the environment described....I'd be an actor/director expert on ancient history and ancient weaponry. I can't believe I just said that....Isn't that bizarre? Mattie, you're making me think....that can be dangerous...
Does any of this make you feel a little disloyal? I do because I know my parents came from really bad circumstances themselves and were doing the best they could for me. They were very successful especially considering their environment..how did that link get broken? I am often too afraid to do anything at all because I might fail.....
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2009 04:57PM by Blue.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher March 21, 2009 11:50PM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,955 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
Alrighty excercise numero uno...yea i know took me long enough right? well lets see, heres what i came up with...
I am a senior in high school
Straight A student
Soccer player
Loving and protective
a great listener
helpful
someone who loves being outside
love music and sketching
ok so not nessicarily what theyre looking for, but its all i got for now...funny everyone seems to want me to know who i am at the moment, the more people ask, the more i decide i have no idea
...and sorry rant over
I am a senior in high school
Straight A student
Soccer player
Loving and protective
a great listener
helpful
someone who loves being outside
love music and sketching
ok so not nessicarily what theyre looking for, but its all i got for now...funny everyone seems to want me to know who i am at the moment, the more people ask, the more i decide i have no idea
...and sorry rant overIt's not supposed to go like that, its not intended to end that way, life is a journey, constantly turnin' down an unknown path, but its not supposed to go like that
WishCraft: Intro to Chapter 2 April 02, 2009 03:32AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 68 Status: 
"I'm almost as awesome as the Winchesters. Almost." |
I really enjoyed the introduction. I have to admit I started reading it with the image of Rhonda Sher in my head due to the similarity in the names. If you don't remember Up All Night! with Rhonda Sher on USA just imagine the penultimate "bubbly, blonde, bimbo" and go to bed, you probably have school tomorrow. *shakes finger* Okay, so, I failed to get that image out of my head for the remainder of the introduction, but still managed to maintain interest, I've heard/read the assurances of being different from the others a lot, but rarely do you see the difference like I did here. I also loved the little personal input, like quitting smoking twice.
Exercise 1:
I'm a libra and a nutter... wait, that doesn't sound right, does it? (that's as far as I got when our wicked webmistress interrupted my homework.)
Exercise 2:
I was attracted to all kinds of things, but I remember walking around singing constantly, my cousins and I would write plays and act them out together and I've always had a special spot in my heart for marine animals.
I think I experience all of my senses pretty equally, when I'm in a new situation I tend to try and take in as much information as I can.
My secret fantasies and games always came from books and movies. I've wanted to be a marine biologist since the first time I saw Jaws 3, I wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot like Goose from Top Gun, I even wanted to be an FBI Agent for a while, but only if I got to investigate the cool cases like Scully and Mulder... I could go on forever with a list like this. While most of these fantasies have been weeded out by the impossible or impractical, I do still love most of these things. Can't I have a job where I get to try everything at least once?
I have a bit of ability when it comes to writing, but no real talent, I can sing, as long as I can hear my part, and I got a D in Biology, just because the teacher liked me. At my most imaginative I can see a few jobs that might satisfy my lust for life, go ahead and laugh, here they are.
1. Acting. Think of it from the angle that every movie is like living another life, and you can do the impossible. Let's take Tom Cruise for example, he's been everything from a fairy to a CIA operative, bartender to Navy pilot. And he's two inches shorter than the Navy pilot height requirements, I know, I am the same height.
2. Writing. Same as acting, only you have to do it on paper.
3. Photography. If you do it well it can take you anywhere and you can shoot anyone or anything... And it's legal... (Weak,
yes, but it had to be done.)
4. Star in my own reality show and make millions by literally trying as many jobs as I can. (What? She said silly, didn't she..?)
5. Forget jobs, careers and society, find a desert island and learn to live again. :D
Chapter 2:
I'm right there with you on this chapter being a tough one, Blue. Did anyone else find themselves answering yes to most of the questions until a certain age? I remember being small and being told over and over that I could do anything I wanted, that I would be great at it, yadda, yadda, yadda, then I turned 6 and my parents separated and my reality became "that's a job for the rich kids, the pretty girls or the extremely talented."
Exercise 3:
I'm pretty sure that if limits were removed I would have tried many of the jobs I think of as cool by now and would continue to try them until I found my favorite... if that's possible. ...More realistically, I'd probably still be a lot like Crawl from Son-in-Law talking about majoring in one for a couple semesters and something entirely different for my second Freshman year.
Okay, so far, so good. I have to admit I'm actually looking forward to reading more... Of course, this book is also tuning my already high geared wanderlust into an even higher gear, and that's not really a good thing.
I want to road trip so bad!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2009 03:34AM by GauntletsAngel.
Exercise 1:
I'm a libra and a nutter... wait, that doesn't sound right, does it? (that's as far as I got when our wicked webmistress interrupted my homework.)
Exercise 2:
I was attracted to all kinds of things, but I remember walking around singing constantly, my cousins and I would write plays and act them out together and I've always had a special spot in my heart for marine animals.
I think I experience all of my senses pretty equally, when I'm in a new situation I tend to try and take in as much information as I can.
My secret fantasies and games always came from books and movies. I've wanted to be a marine biologist since the first time I saw Jaws 3, I wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot like Goose from Top Gun, I even wanted to be an FBI Agent for a while, but only if I got to investigate the cool cases like Scully and Mulder... I could go on forever with a list like this. While most of these fantasies have been weeded out by the impossible or impractical, I do still love most of these things. Can't I have a job where I get to try everything at least once?
I have a bit of ability when it comes to writing, but no real talent, I can sing, as long as I can hear my part, and I got a D in Biology, just because the teacher liked me. At my most imaginative I can see a few jobs that might satisfy my lust for life, go ahead and laugh, here they are.
1. Acting. Think of it from the angle that every movie is like living another life, and you can do the impossible. Let's take Tom Cruise for example, he's been everything from a fairy to a CIA operative, bartender to Navy pilot. And he's two inches shorter than the Navy pilot height requirements, I know, I am the same height.
2. Writing. Same as acting, only you have to do it on paper.
3. Photography. If you do it well it can take you anywhere and you can shoot anyone or anything... And it's legal... (Weak,
yes, but it had to be done.)
4. Star in my own reality show and make millions by literally trying as many jobs as I can. (What? She said silly, didn't she..?)
5. Forget jobs, careers and society, find a desert island and learn to live again. :D
Chapter 2:
I'm right there with you on this chapter being a tough one, Blue. Did anyone else find themselves answering yes to most of the questions until a certain age? I remember being small and being told over and over that I could do anything I wanted, that I would be great at it, yadda, yadda, yadda, then I turned 6 and my parents separated and my reality became "that's a job for the rich kids, the pretty girls or the extremely talented."
Exercise 3:
I'm pretty sure that if limits were removed I would have tried many of the jobs I think of as cool by now and would continue to try them until I found my favorite... if that's possible. ...More realistically, I'd probably still be a lot like Crawl from Son-in-Law talking about majoring in one for a couple semesters and something entirely different for my second Freshman year.
Okay, so far, so good. I have to admit I'm actually looking forward to reading more... Of course, this book is also tuning my already high geared wanderlust into an even higher gear, and that's not really a good thing.
I want to road trip so bad!What if all we see or seem is but a dream within a dream? ~RMD 5H2~
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2009 03:34AM by GauntletsAngel.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher April 05, 2009 07:35AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
Nan, I so get what you mean about everyone wanting to you to know who you are,,,I think that's why they invented bull sh**.Quote
numbr01banana
Alrighty excercise numero uno...yea i know took me long enough right? well lets see, heres what i came up with...
I am a senior in high school
Straight A student
Soccer player
Loving and protective
a great listener
helpful
someone who loves being outside
love music and sketching
ok so not nessicarily what theyre looking for, but its all i got for now...funny everyone seems to want me to know who i am at the moment, the more people ask, the more i decide i have no idea
I am not the same person from day to day much less from now until eternity. Experiences change us, lots of things change us. And it seems so incredibility stupid for someone to ask us to "pick one and stick with it for 30 years or so. I think maybe that is what Matt is trying to get across to us to some degree. Look how much we have already changed.....
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2009 07:37AM by Blue.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 01, 2009 01:12PM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
I was reading back...I'm really sorry we haven't gone on with this....It looks like we all have a bit in common in what we wanted to do........I'm fortunate in that I am doing something I love with the preschoolers and I am still College...(Master's) Did I mention professional student in my wish list? Matt, I know how busy you are and all this is just a review for you since you've read it, but it is interesting to read what every body has posted. And I love your direction on things...
....I'm fortunate in that I am doing something I love with the preschoolers and I am still College...(Master's) Did I mention professional student in my wish list? Matt, I know how busy you are and all this is just a review for you since you've read it, but it is interesting to read what every body has posted. And I love your direction on things...There is nothing more gentle than strength, nor anything as strong as true gentleness.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 09, 2009 11:50AM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
Blue
Wow, Matt, chapter 2 is hard....I thought I had a really good environment....and I did...I knew I was loved. But there were some things expected of me. I would never do anything that would besmirk the family name...(That meant no drinking, carousing, making bad grades, dating people who did any of those things or any other little thing that would make my "upbringing seem less than perfect.) That meant a career choice that would reflect well. In my case, I was to be a nurse. I was smart. Money in the medical field was good...It was a "helping" career....I went to nursing school 1 year and quit. Went into speech therapy.
If I had had the environment described....I'd be an actor/director expert on ancient history and ancient weaponry. I can't believe I just said that....Isn't that bizarre? Mattie, you're making me think....that can be dangerous...
Does any of this make you feel a little disloyal? I do because I know my parents came from really bad circumstances themselves and were doing the best they could for me. They were very successful especially considering their environment..how did that link get broken? I am often too afraid to do anything at all because I might fail.....
Well, Blue, my upbringing was a bit different than probably 90% of the people here. I admit that my parents are helping us out with the bills right now (and thank heavens they are or we'd be in deep ****), but I don't feel at all disloyal by pointing out there were ... problems. The biggest one was that I not only wasn't expected to go to college, I wasn't ALLOWED to go. I was caught in a regular Catch 22 out of high school. Dad earned enough to pay for my full college, which meant I didn't qualify for financial aid (I earned a couple of academic scholarships, but had to give them up because they didn't pay the full amount. Not much incentive to try for college when you know you'll get kicked out of the house if you go). My parents only agreed to help me by letting me live at home if I worked full time to pay for college myself. No financial aid from any school; no finacial help paying for school from parents; and working full time - I lasted about 1 1/2 semesters at the local university before I crashed and burned and dropped out. I'm the only daughter who didn't get married right out of high school, which disappointed my mom. She wanted me to marry my high school b/f even after he left me for dead (she made me apologize to him when I made it home).
I tried again at 28, got into Texas A&M, but just as I was about to make it to Senior year, my sis ran the business my dad bought her (yes, he GAVE her a business) into the ground, got the family into trouble with not only creditors and the IRS, so I was forced to come back home to help them out. I worked for the family without pay for about 3 years before dad finally closed it. (I'm not as bitter as it sounds, those are just the reasons I don't feel like a true bloodsucker taking their money now.)
What would I be if I hadn't had those obstacles? If I'd been encouraged and allowed to go to school and pursue MY dreams? I would be a female Indiana Jones, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
Seriously, I would probably be right where I am now, with a few exceptions. I would HAVE that frellin' college degree; I would have joined MENSA (wasn't allowed to do that either, though I was offered membership); I would have gone to Gemological Institute of America in California; and the biggest difference is I would have been doing what I'm doing now (or at least on the path to it) 20 years ago. I don't mind at all the little deviations in my path that *I* chose. The ones chosen for me that got me off course are my biggest regret.
And of course, I wouldn't have financial problems because with an actual degree plus one from GIA and 20 years experience, I would own that little million dollar rock house nearby and be happily running my business from there. I might even have bought out the gallery owner who disappeared with half my inventory when she closed up shop. Oh, and I almost forgot this one: I would have joined the Kim Dawson Agency as either a model or a hand model. Several of my friends were with them and I had the opportunity to join too.
I heard the most interesting quote the other night on Food Network.
Quote
numbr01banana
Alrighty excercise numero uno...yea i know took me long enough right? well lets see, heres what i came up with...
I am a senior in high school
Straight A student
Soccer player
Loving and protective
a great listener
helpful
someone who loves being outside
love music and sketching
ok so not nessicarily what theyre looking for, but its all i got for now...funny everyone seems to want me to know who i am at the moment, the more people ask, the more i decide i have no idea
Hey, Nan, Blue's right. The point of following along with this one isn't to decide what you want to do 30 years from now (god, *I* don't even know what I want to do 3 months from now!
) Your rant was right on target. From Chapter 1:Quote
Wishcraft
All variants of “This is what I do for a living, here's where I live, I'm married, not married, I make money, I don’t, I'm so-and-so’s mother, I’m Episcopalian, I’m in school”—the kinds of things we usually tell each other when we meet. When we’ve exchanged these vital statistics, geographical and occupational details, we feel we’ve declared our identities and begun to get to know each other.
Well, we’re wrong.
...
Right now I’d like you to do something symbolic. Take that piece of paper on which you answered the question, “Who do you think you are?” Glance through it one more time. Now crumple it up and throw it in the wastebasket.
Quote
GauntletsAngel
I really enjoyed the introduction. I have to admit I started reading it with the image of Rhonda Sher in my head due to the similarity in the names. If you don't remember Up All Night! with Rhonda Sher on USA just imagine the penultimate "bubbly, blonde, bimbo" and go to bed, you probably have school tomorrow. *shakes finger* Okay, so, I failed to get that image out of my head for the remainder of the introduction, but still managed to maintain interest, I've heard/read the assurances of being different from the others a lot, but rarely do you see the difference like I did here. I also loved the little personal input, like quitting smoking twice.
Exercise 1:
I'm a libra and a nutter... wait, that doesn't sound right, does it? (that's as far as I got when our wicked webmistress interrupted my homework.)
Exercise 2:
I was attracted to all kinds of things, but I remember walking around singing constantly, my cousins and I would write plays and act them out together and I've always had a special spot in my heart for marine animals.
I think I experience all of my senses pretty equally, when I'm in a new situation I tend to try and take in as much information as I can.
My secret fantasies and games always came from books and movies. I've wanted to be a marine biologist since the first time I saw Jaws 3, I wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot like Goose from Top Gun, I even wanted to be an FBI Agent for a while, but only if I got to investigate the cool cases like Scully and Mulder... I could go on forever with a list like this. While most of these fantasies have been weeded out by the impossible or impractical, I do still love most of these things. Can't I have a job where I get to try everything at least once?
I have a bit of ability when it comes to writing, but no real talent, I can sing, as long as I can hear my part, and I got a D in Biology, just because the teacher liked me. At my most imaginative I can see a few jobs that might satisfy my lust for life, go ahead and laugh, here they are.
1. Acting. Think of it from the angle that every movie is like living another life, and you can do the impossible. Let's take Tom Cruise for example, he's been everything from a fairy to a CIA operative, bartender to Navy pilot. And he's two inches shorter than the Navy pilot height requirements, I know, I am the same height.
2. Writing. Same as acting, only you have to do it on paper.
3. Photography. If you do it well it can take you anywhere and you can shoot anyone or anything... And it's legal... (Weak,
yes, but it had to be done.)
4. Star in my own reality show and make millions by literally trying as many jobs as I can. (What? She said silly, didn't she..?)
5. Forget jobs, careers and society, find a desert island and learn to live again. :D
Chapter 2:
I'm right there with you on this chapter being a tough one, Blue. Did anyone else find themselves answering yes to most of the questions until a certain age? I remember being small and being told over and over that I could do anything I wanted, that I would be great at it, yadda, yadda, yadda, then I turned 6 and my parents separated and my reality became "that's a job for the rich kids, the pretty girls or the extremely talented."
Exercise 3:
I'm pretty sure that if limits were removed I would have tried many of the jobs I think of as cool by now and would continue to try them until I found my favorite... if that's possible. ...More realistically, I'd probably still be a lot like Crawl from Son-in-Law talking about majoring in one for a couple semesters and something entirely different for my second Freshman year.
Okay, so far, so good. I have to admit I'm actually looking forward to reading more... Of course, this book is also tuning my already high geared wanderlust into an even higher gear, and that's not really a good thing.
Hey G, thanks for your input! Exercise #1 - I have no idea what you're talking about. Interrupted? Me?
Exercise # 2 Most of those aren't as far-fetched as you might think. You've already started with the Photography. That's a good place to start. As for #4, have a look here: [en.wikipedia.org])
It CAN be done! You're still young enough to try that Road Trip too, and now you have time to plan it out instead of being forced into it.
A few options RE the Road Trip. Have your camera and a camcorder along with you. Post webisodes online (NOT on youtube, but on your own site, where you can take PayPal donations). You can even start now, posting photos and writing about what you plan to do (DEAN! Have you got the Road Trip stuff ready for G yet??) Once you've got some real webisodes up (hint!), you can also get an IMDB Pro account, getting you closer to #1 too.
........Aaaand, I've gone into the brainstorming part of the exercises. I know we're not there yet, but that's where this is all heading.
Chapter 2
If you read my little rant above, nope, no Yes to any question except one. 6a. By the way, I adore Crawl.
Quote
Blue
I was reading back...I'm really sorry we haven't gone on with this....It looks like we all have a bit in common in what we wanted to do....
Thanks Blue, for picking this up again. I know I've been away and let it slide more than I intended. I'll be back with more very soon, I promise.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 09, 2009 01:00PM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,955 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
Quote
Blue
Nan, I so get what you mean about everyone wanting to you to know who you are,,,I think that's why they invented bull sh**.
Quote
Mattie
Hey, Nan, Blue's right. The point of following along with this one isn't to decide what you want to do 30 years from now (god, *I* don't even know what I want to do 3 months from now!Quote
Wishcraft
All variants of “This is what I do for a living, here's where I live, I'm married, not married, I make money, I don’t, I'm so-and-so’s mother, I’m Episcopalian, I’m in school”—the kinds of things we usually tell each other when we meet. When we’ve exchanged these vital statistics, geographical and occupational details, we feel we’ve declared our identities and begun to get to know each other.
Well, we’re wrong.
...
Right now I’d like you to do something symbolic. Take that piece of paper on which you answered the question, “Who do you think you are?” Glance through it one more time. Now crumple it up and throw it in the wastebasket.
Right...well im moving on with this...as soon as i get a free moment. (though i really have no idea what is keeping me so busy)
Ok so lets say i dont want to know what i'll be doing exactly in 30 years..i am still having huge issues trying to think about exactly what i want to study
however i guess i'll figure that out come July...ha Blue i do think i'll be with you on the professional student though!It's not supposed to go like that, its not intended to end that way, life is a journey, constantly turnin' down an unknown path, but its not supposed to go like that
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 09, 2009 06:09PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,714 Status:  |
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 23, 2009 12:49PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
xDeanWinchesterx
Quote
Mattie
...(DEAN! Have you got the Road Trip stuff ready for G yet??)...
I've backed it up.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 23, 2009 01:47PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Wishing Chapter 3, Stylesearch
Blue I think we sort of already started this conversation in the bar. How does our style define us? How does it determine who we are or even what we do? The answers to some of these questions may be surprising.
This is actually my favorite chapter in the entire book. It starts helping to create that ideal environment that I so clearly lacked growing up, and it helps me to focus on not allowing myself to duplicate that situation in my own life. My favorite part is the last exercise in the chapter, Your Ideal Day. When I first read Wishcraft *gets a coughing fit* (oops, sorry, hairball) years ago, I was still a secretary, hadn't been to college yet and probably would have laughed at the idea if someone had told me I would now have an art studio and be doing graphic design. (I don't think I ever even attempted to draw the turtle or the pirate.) I wrote out my ideal day, IN FULL DETAIL, from the moment I woke up - with my window facing east - to what I had for dinner and I can still see it so clearly it's less like a daydream (I would love to...) and more like something that actually happened (This is what happened TODAY...). That's how well her technique works, so read that part carefully.
Exercises in this chapter (these are FUN!):
EXERCISE 4: Pick a Color
EXERCISE 5: The Private-Eye Game
EXERCISE 6: Seeing Yourself as Others See You
EXERCISE 7: Twenty Things You Like to Do
EXERCISE 8: Your Ideal Environment
EXERCISE 9: Your Ideal Day
Here's my answers to 4 and 7. I'm saving 8 and 9 for another post since those will be longer.
EXERCISE 4: Pick a Color
I am Brown
I am the earth. I provide all the life on the planet with the nutrients it needs to grow. I hold all of history in my arms and I hide deep secrets. Because others look all around me for the bright colors of the flowers and the deep richness of the grass, I am able to observe without being seen, and provide enrichment to the flowers and the grass. Without my fertile brown soil, they would wither and die. They give back oxygen and keep me from becoming barren wasteland. I work quietly in the background, and am free to be myself. I am, perhaps, the most contented color of all.
I. CHOICE AND IDENTITY - She couldn't have been more wrong here. Even the first time I did the exercise, I remember picking a color quickly (actually, I think I had so much fun with it then, I picked several colors just because I enjoyed it). But I can very definitely state that "there is no such thing as the wrong color."
EXERCISE 7: 20 things I like to do
1 - work on jewelry
2 - code/program
3 - write
4 - work with my hands
5 - cook
6 - help others
7 - swim
8 - attend festivals
9 - photography
10 - graphic design (include web sites here)
11 - web programming (different from coding or graphics)
12 - organize/plan
13 - paint
14 - crafts (all kinds except sewing. category is a bit large, I know)
15 - travel
16 - go to gem shows (local ones and Tucson)
17 - eat out
18 - read Internet articles
19 - create
20 - daydream
More later!
Blue I think we sort of already started this conversation in the bar. How does our style define us? How does it determine who we are or even what we do? The answers to some of these questions may be surprising.
This is actually my favorite chapter in the entire book. It starts helping to create that ideal environment that I so clearly lacked growing up, and it helps me to focus on not allowing myself to duplicate that situation in my own life. My favorite part is the last exercise in the chapter, Your Ideal Day. When I first read Wishcraft *gets a coughing fit* (oops, sorry, hairball) years ago, I was still a secretary, hadn't been to college yet and probably would have laughed at the idea if someone had told me I would now have an art studio and be doing graphic design. (I don't think I ever even attempted to draw the turtle or the pirate.) I wrote out my ideal day, IN FULL DETAIL, from the moment I woke up - with my window facing east - to what I had for dinner and I can still see it so clearly it's less like a daydream (I would love to...) and more like something that actually happened (This is what happened TODAY...). That's how well her technique works, so read that part carefully.
Exercises in this chapter (these are FUN!):
EXERCISE 4: Pick a Color
EXERCISE 5: The Private-Eye Game
EXERCISE 6: Seeing Yourself as Others See You
EXERCISE 7: Twenty Things You Like to Do
EXERCISE 8: Your Ideal Environment
EXERCISE 9: Your Ideal Day
Here's my answers to 4 and 7. I'm saving 8 and 9 for another post since those will be longer.
EXERCISE 4: Pick a Color
I am Brown
I am the earth. I provide all the life on the planet with the nutrients it needs to grow. I hold all of history in my arms and I hide deep secrets. Because others look all around me for the bright colors of the flowers and the deep richness of the grass, I am able to observe without being seen, and provide enrichment to the flowers and the grass. Without my fertile brown soil, they would wither and die. They give back oxygen and keep me from becoming barren wasteland. I work quietly in the background, and am free to be myself. I am, perhaps, the most contented color of all.
I. CHOICE AND IDENTITY - She couldn't have been more wrong here. Even the first time I did the exercise, I remember picking a color quickly (actually, I think I had so much fun with it then, I picked several colors just because I enjoyed it). But I can very definitely state that "there is no such thing as the wrong color."
EXERCISE 7: 20 things I like to do
1 - work on jewelry
2 - code/program
3 - write
4 - work with my hands
5 - cook
6 - help others
7 - swim
8 - attend festivals
9 - photography
10 - graphic design (include web sites here)
11 - web programming (different from coding or graphics)
12 - organize/plan
13 - paint
14 - crafts (all kinds except sewing. category is a bit large, I know)
15 - travel
16 - go to gem shows (local ones and Tucson)
17 - eat out
18 - read Internet articles
19 - create
20 - daydream
More later!
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 23, 2009 08:48PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,714 Status: |
Quote
Mattie
WHAT???
And after Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says W.T.F. ~
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 25, 2009 10:10AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
I am purple, from palest lavender , soft and delicate, to regal royal, elegant, wise and sacrificing to plain crayola purple familiar, practical, comforting. Purple is fun. It always brings a smile to your lips, just because it is. It always compliments but never quite fits in with the flow….Purple is always distinct.
1.read
2.talk (there's a shock)Especially your RSJ "Harpies"
3. sew, embroider, crewell
4. play
5.swim
6.boat
7play games on the computer
8. Dance, Dance,Dance
9.spend time with my kids
10.ride horses
11.Watch Movies
12 Walk in the rain
13 work with my munchkins
14 go out to eat and party with my friends
15. Learn
16 help
17play with my dog and cats
18 refinish furniture or paint (walls not pictures)
19 hold hands with my husband
20 LAUGH
Matt, that part about looking at yourself from others eyes...or from your Imaginary families?I can't do it...How's that for insecure...? I'll keep trying...
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2009 11:35AM by Blue.
1.read
2.talk (there's a shock)Especially your RSJ "Harpies"
3. sew, embroider, crewell
4. play
5.swim
6.boat
7play games on the computer
8. Dance, Dance,Dance
9.spend time with my kids
10.ride horses
11.Watch Movies
12 Walk in the rain
13 work with my munchkins
14 go out to eat and party with my friends
15. Learn
16 help
17play with my dog and cats
18 refinish furniture or paint (walls not pictures)
19 hold hands with my husband
20 LAUGH
Matt, that part about looking at yourself from others eyes...or from your Imaginary families?I can't do it...How's that for insecure...? I'll keep trying...
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2009 11:35AM by Blue.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 27, 2009 01:38AM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,070 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
Matt, I finally got the courage the courage to describe me....I was described as quiet (?),self critical,strong in faith,stubborn, fiercely protective, a mediator, accepting until I'm disappointed and then too harsh. unassuming. accommodating. smart, funny and maternal. I can be cold, easily angered. but not for long hate to make mistakes...forgetful..Is that what we needed to do?
A lot of it doesn't match with what I see as me.
Oh, I forgot protected and naive You see, you've fought for what you got....and you went with what you had to to survive..I defied my parents wishes when It seemed really important...(they wanted me to be a nurse...me?) I guess know they'd eventually come around. I had a strict upbringing but it was not a hard one. I almost feel guilty about that. My "independence" didn't come until it had to when my first marriage went South and I learned how naive I was. And I was forced to take care of me. Because I told nobody there were problems until 3 years had passed and I was on my way back to KY.
I didn't get to finish my Masters ( You have to have that to be a speech path in KY) because my dad's health declined...So I worked as a social worker and now am finishing that MS. I guess it's never too late in my mind....
PS...Tucson is one of my favorite places in the world....
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2009 01:49AM by Blue.
A lot of it doesn't match with what I see as me.
Oh, I forgot protected and naive
You see, you've fought for what you got....and you went with what you had to to survive..I defied my parents wishes when It seemed really important...(they wanted me to be a nurse...me?) I guess know they'd eventually come around. I had a strict upbringing but it was not a hard one. I almost feel guilty about that. My "independence" didn't come until it had to when my first marriage went South and I learned how naive I was. And I was forced to take care of me. Because I told nobody there were problems until 3 years had passed and I was on my way back to KY.I didn't get to finish my Masters ( You have to have that to be a speech path in KY) because my dad's health declined...So I worked as a social worker and now am finishing that MS. I guess it's never too late in my mind....
PS...Tucson is one of my favorite places in the world....
There is nothing more gentle than strength, nor anything as strong as true gentleness.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2009 01:49AM by Blue.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher June 30, 2009 06:54PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
Blue
Matt, I finally got the courage the courage to describe me....I was described as quiet (?),self critical,strong in faith,stubborn, fiercely protective, a mediator, accepting until I'm disappointed and then too harsh. unassuming. accommodating. smart, funny and maternal. I can be cold, easily angered. but not for long hate to make mistakes...forgetful..Is that what we needed to do?
A lot of it doesn't match with what I see as me.
Oh, I forgot protected and naive
I didn't get to finish my Masters ( You have to have that to be a speech path in KY) because my dad's health declined...So I worked as a social worker and now am finishing that MS. I guess it's never too late in my mind....
PS...Tucson is one of my favorite places in the world....
You may have noticed which exercises I skipped too?
Yup, love Tucson. They host the largest gem show in the world - [www.colored-stone.com]
I used to go every year, but I haven't been to it in a couple of years. The first time you go it's...
Just ONE of the dozens of shows going on is the size of 3 football fields. (*ahem* that's American football to anyone from other countries )|
Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher July 01, 2009 08:35AM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,714 Status: |
Quote
Mattie
...Just ONE of the dozens of shows going on is the size of 3 football fields. (*ahem* that's American football to anyone from other countries
*chuckles* So I've finally taught you to explain American stuff?
And after Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says W.T.F. ~
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher August 14, 2009 01:52PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
xDeanWinchesterx
Quote
Mattie
...Just ONE of the dozens of shows going on is the size of 3 football fields. (*ahem* that's American football to anyone from other countries
*chuckles* So I've finally taught you to explain American stuff?
Ummmmm, nope.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher August 14, 2009 01:55PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Jumping ahead (we'll get back to the rest later). For EVERYONE on this board who likes to complain, skip ahead to Chapter 5. Now. 
[wishcraft.com]
Edit to Add:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpSfThUv_pc
That is all. Will continue later...
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2009 02:10PM by Mattie.
[wishcraft.com]
Edit to Add:
That is all. Will continue later...
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2009 02:10PM by Mattie.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher August 14, 2009 08:20PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,714 Status: |
Quote
Mattie
Ummmmm, nope.
No? That's too bad.
That kid's just so persistent in his complaining. And... Alright... Why am I even laughing? That's downright scary how scheming that little
demon is.And after Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says W.T.F. ~
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher October 11, 2009 06:55PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
xDeanWinchesterx
That kid's just so persistent in his complaining. And... Alright... Why am I even laughing? That's downright scary how scheming that little
*grins* I liked it. Yes, he is …. very …. persistent.
We’re still on chapter 3, Stylesearch http://www.wishcraft.com/wishcraft_ch3.pdf
Exercises 8 and 9, to me, are two of the most important in the book. How do you know where you’re going if you don’t know where it is you want to go? If you can’t SEE yourself already there? That’s what these exercises are all about.
From Wishcraft:
Quote
Wishcraft
There’s only one rule for the kind of imaging you’ll be doing in these next two exercise, and that is no reality considerations! In the world of play, like the world of dreams, there is no law of gravity, no death or taxes—and no irreconcilable conflicts. … In these fantasies you don’t have to do what you were told to do at age 5: “Make up your mind.” You get everything.
My Ideal Environment
Then: When I first read Wishcraft, the where of my ideal environment was more important than the who. At the time, I had neither, so the who was just too difficult to imagine, much less consider.
I love the beach. I always have. My where was “an artistic community on the Texas Gulf Coast.” The “who” were the other artists of the community and employees – for in my ideal world, I owned my own business – who shared in my vision and dreams.
Now: My Ideal Environment now is not entirely different than it was then, although living in my own house on the beach isn’t on the priority list (will explain this in the Ideal Day exercise). Another difference – who is there matters more now.
In my Ideal Environment, I am surrounded by people who want to support me. They give me time I need to do my work and yet when I need some help or an opinion or someone to talk things out with, they’re right there. And, of course, my partner is right there working beside me and I’m doing the same in return – giving support and help when it’s needed.
Because everything would be as we need it (no restraints of the laws of physics here, remember?) in my ideal environment there’s time to get all the work done that I need/want to do for the day, still have time to come home and cook a full meal (without needing to worry about washing dishes) and still have lots of energy for other activities – whenever I want.
Part 2: What positive qualities in me would emerge?
- Creative
- Supportive
- Helping Others
- Productive
- Playful
- Loving
- Energetic
Next: My Ideal Day – Then & Now
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher October 21, 2009 03:21PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher December 23, 2009 02:53PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
I only just realized that I forgot to update here in the book club with my next post. Rather than re-post it, I'll just link to it here: Wishcraft: Priorities and Perspective.
I know I'm getting a little off track with some things (not really following the order of the book at this point), but after the New Year, I've got several projects that will get my Wishcraft exercises back on track and moving in the right direction. I know I promised some information to DeeDee, so here's the Lifestyle Journal pages for anyone to print out and use. My upcoming blog post will explain more about how to use them.
Lifestyle Journal Meals Page
Lifestyle Journal Activities Page
I know I'm getting a little off track with some things (not really following the order of the book at this point), but after the New Year, I've got several projects that will get my Wishcraft exercises back on track and moving in the right direction. I know I promised some information to DeeDee, so here's the Lifestyle Journal pages for anyone to print out and use. My upcoming blog post will explain more about how to use them.
Lifestyle Journal Meals Page
Lifestyle Journal Activities Page
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher December 23, 2009 06:06PM | Registered: 14 years ago Posts: 280 Status: 
"Oops. That leprechaun punched me real hard." |
How did I miss this? 
Thanks for suggesting this book.
What you've written here has given me lots to think about. So many times we (or at least I) get so used to the status quo that we lose the spark that drives us on to something new. We need to take the time to re-evaluate once in awhile. Which is what I've been doing lately.
Thanks bunches!
Thanks for suggesting this book.
What you've written here has given me lots to think about. So many times we (or at least I) get so used to the status quo that we lose the spark that drives us on to something new. We need to take the time to re-evaluate once in awhile. Which is what I've been doing lately.Thanks bunches!
Whoa! De'ja moo - I've heard this bull before!
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 09, 2010 08:04PM | Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 1,955 Status:
"I punched that damn leprechaun back." |
You did say discuss the negative thinking here right? I hope so. . .anywhooo just read it. . .mainly because I've been dying to use your complaint thread for the past couple weeks. . .and now i dont need to. . .funny that is. although when i started reading it i really didnt need to. . .but it still interested me. Sooo I'm liking the fact that she mentioned the laughing at your complaints and such. Ha hopefully I'm not the only one who will be in the middle of an argument or rant and just crack up. . .I've gotta tell ya i get more confused looks doing that than actually "complaining" although that could be because I currently laugh at everything? go figure. Anywho Absolutely loved this chapter of the book. . .and it definitely gives you a lot to think about, good to know that my "negativity" isnt all bad and its always put to good use. . It is nice to know that this isnt just another abnormal flaw that i have though Hopefully I'll get time to read the rest of this book one day.
Hopefully I'll get time to read the rest of this book one day.It's not supposed to go like that, its not intended to end that way, life is a journey, constantly turnin' down an unknown path, but its not supposed to go like that
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 12, 2010 06:08PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
Quote
numbr01banana
You did say discuss the negative thinking here right? I hope so. . .anywhooo just read it. . .mainly because I've been dying to use your complaint thread for the past couple weeks. . .and now i dont need to. . .funny that is. although when i started reading it i really didnt need to. . .but it still interested me. Sooo I'm liking the fact that she mentioned the laughing at your complaints and such. Ha hopefully I'm not the only one who will be in the middle of an argument or rant and just crack up. . .I've gotta tell ya i get more confused looks doing that than actually "complaining" although that could be because I currently laugh at everything? go figure. Anywho Absolutely loved this chapter of the book. . .and it definitely gives you a lot to think about, good to know that my "negativity" isnt all bad and its always put to good use. . It is nice to know that this isnt just another abnormal flaw that i have though
Well, like Dean said, I mentioned to put it in the other thread, but at least this lets me know you read it so you're good. Plus this helps bring up this thread again too, which is a good thing.
I don't think I would say negativity is "always" put to good use, but what I love about the chapter is that it teaches people how to put it to use as much as it does how to let it go. It's really a little sad that people are so used to everyone being negative and complaining that no one would give you a strange look for that, but they will for laughing about it. I think it says a lot about society.
I hope you can read the next chapters too because they really move the Power of Negative Thinking chapter forward into action.
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Re: Book Club Selection – Wishcraft by Barbara Sher February 12, 2010 06:12PM | Admin Registered: 15 years ago Posts: 506 Status: |
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Realhuntress
How did I miss this?
Thanks for suggesting this book.
Thanks bunches!
Thanks for replying DeeDee! If you have a chance to read some of the book, I'd love to get your input (you don't have to include your answers to exercises, I just did that to get the conversation going). I still haven't forgotten about the blog post explaining the Lifestyle pages too! Just lately I've looked a bit like this >>
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