Summary

The article provides a method of self-care through introspection and healing old wounds by answering a set of questions about one's past.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the importance of tailor-made self-care for individuals and introduces a set of questions from Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, to help unearth and heal old wounds. The questions are designed to evoke feelings and memories, and the article encourages readers to approach the exercise with curiosity and courage. The article also provides a note section for readers to record their answers and a final section to reflect on the healing process.

Opinions

The article suggests that self-care should be tailor-made to the individual and not a one-size-fits-all approach.
The author warns that answering the questions may evoke negative emotions but encourages readers to approach the exercise with curiosity and courage.
The author suggests that healing old wounds can lead to personal growth and encourages readers to take action to heal at least one old injury.
The author emphasizes that it is never too late to heal old wounds and encourages readers to take action towards healing.
The author suggests that the healing process can be rewarding, gratifying, and fruitful.

How To Do Meaningful Self-Care

Perform an archeological dig on your past. Who knows what wounds you might heal.

For self-care to be exponentially effective it needs to be tailor-made to the individual. The individual you that you are. A warm steam bath with hot stones may be just what the doctor ordered — or maybe not. There really is no one-size-fits-all foot rub that is perfect for everyone.

Now foot rubs and steam baths are a great distraction. But are they going to move you into the space where you really want to go?

I ran into this set of questions in my now favorite book, The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. She outlines a method of inquiry that really stirred some memories and gave me an opportunity to heal some old wounds. If we are not aware of the lesion, it won’t have a chance to heal. I pass this nugget on to you.

Warning

Some of these thoughts may invoke negative emotions but don’t let that deter you. Skip any questions that are particularly painful.

However, if you are feeling uneasy you are entering this gate in the wrong way. Approach this exercise as you would if you were a detective, searching for clues. Or perhaps think of yourself as an archeologist. Yes, those people with a magnifying glass, a small garden shovel, and a whisk broom. The things you will unearth can not hurt you. Their life has gone out of them years ago. There is nothing as dead as an old dinosaur bone.

If you feel fear, just go ahead anyway. Make Susan Jeffers proud of you. She wrote an entire book on how to, “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”.

Here is a quote I like since we are talking about fear. It might encourage you to go to the place that scares you the most.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

— Joseph Campbell

Let Your Feelings “In”

And just one more quote on this topic. Let the following questions in. Feel the feelings that are invoked, but remember they are just that, feelings. It is within these dark areas where our learning will take place. This quote may help you to understand what I am trying to convey …

“Our emotions need to be as educated as our intellect. It is important to know how to feel, how to respond, and how to let life in so that it can touch you.”

— Jim Rohn (emphasis added)

If you feel discomfort, have the courage to unearth what you find. That is where your opportunity for growth will be found.

Let The Archeology Expedition Begin!

Fill in the blanks of the following prompts. If you could complete these answers in a notebook or journal that would allow you to look back on your answers later and fill in a few of the missing pieces. Move briskly through the exercise. Again, skip anything that has no meaning to your or is just too painful right now.

Also, if you unearth something interesting, stop, and take a closer look. I spent about thirty minutes answering just one of the questions below when I found a pearl of great price.

Here are the prompts…

As a kid, I missed the chance to _________________________.
As a kid, I lacked _____________________________.
As a kid, I could have used _________________________.
As a kid, I dreamed of being ______________________.
As a kid, I wanted a ________________________.
In my house we never had enough of ______________________.
As a kid, I needed more ________________________.
I am sorry I will never again see ____________________.
For years, I have missed and wondered about ____________________.

**Note: All of the above questions written by Julia Cameron as found in her epic book, The Artist’s Way.

Place A Warm Compress On At Least One Old Injury

Now, take a look at your list of responses. What did you come up with?

Is there at least one thing you could do today, or at least this week, to place some healing balm on an old wound? And don’t think your opportunity for rejuvenation has passed.

Julia Cameron states, “It is not too late, no matter what your ego tells you.”

Physician, Heal Thyself

So go ahead, and do some tailor-made self-care. Perform some delicate surgery on a festering cold sore of the past. Remove some lingering foot fungus perhaps? Maybe you might even consider setting a compound fracture that had occurred years ago. It’s up to you.

But make your laser-focused efforts count.

And have some fun in the process! Digging up dinosaur bones like these can actually be a very rewarding, gratifying, and fruitful process.

If you really unearthed something ridiculous, disgusting, or gruesomely interesting, drop me a PUBLIC note so we can all learn from your personal archeological dig.

Good Luck and All the Best, Max