From: Louise Gibbon Sent: Sunday, 6 July 2014 3:55 PM To: Sue Lester Subject: How ‘Face Within’ helped me
Your D.I.Y. head trash clearing book, designed with the over-stretched stressed woman in mind, so easy to read and apply.
Hi Sue, I’ve been thinking…
When you asked me how your book ‘The Face Within’ helped me I couldn’t immediately pin point which part had been most beneficial. And I’ve been wondering why?
Mulling over the ‘why’, I went back to my journals at the time of reading your book and it became clear that:
(a) the writing process you encouraged was the most crucial factor in allowing issues/reactions to ‘click’. I wrote and wrote and wrote last year. And i prioritized my writing which provided me with much needed ‘recharge’ time.
I was also reading 2 other books at the same time ~ Michael Gelbs ‘How to think like Leonardo Da Vinci’ and Paul McGee’s ‘Self Confidence’. Your book just seemed to resonate through many of the points they were making but as a woman you hit the nail on the head in how you explained / related to the information.
Especially, mind mapping has been the most FABULOUSLY enlightening process and with YOUR encouragement to write EVERYTHING (negatives as well as positives) that came to mind, I suprised myself when i wrote freely. Themes started to appear and I found myself being more honest about ‘shadow’ thoughts.
(b) Your list of beliefs about pregnancy, birth and children were particularly helpful. Feeling my gut reaction as i read through your sentences (pg172) really highlighted which were issues for me. I could physically feel the discomfort when i read ‘I’ll lose my identity and just be a mum’ ~ especially as i was writing a collection of stories at the time which were stressing that mindful mothering is one of the most important contributions we can make to our community!
Without playing the blame game I have come to see where so many of my underlying beliefs have come from and how they are no longer serving me well. Whilst not marrying early and having children later in life has benefitted me in encouraging world travel, living overseas and establishing a teaching career, now as a mother of 3 it is out of balance with my present values.
I am still working on many thoughts Sue but I have a much greater awareness thanks to your book. It has clarified some significant issues for me.
(c) I believe the honesty of your book and the way I could relate to your past (tension headaches, illness ~ in my case lichen sclerosis which i was told i would have for life but which has gradually disappeared over the past 5 years whilst discovering more about me and the way i think / factoring in guilt free alone time) allowed me to process thoughts which I have avoided until working through the exercises in your book.
The exercises in ‘The Face Within’, although not comfortable or easy, have allowed for a shift in awareness. I still have many of the same thoughts (and certainly will benefit from revisiting the exercises in the future) but I am quicker to recognise and challenge them when they arise.
Sue, I thank YOU for this wonderful legacy to the world.
With my warmest wishes and gratitude,
Louise Gibbon
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