(To my bloggEEs: The following is a recent journal entry of mine. It is a technique I use to figure something out that is bothering me. I always start with “Once upon a time there was a woman who…” and then I write about the thing that is upsetting me, or about the question I have. I let the story unfold and keep writing until an answer appears or I have a shift in my irritability. Here is my example. Give it a try and let us know how it went or what questions you have. I will be storing this post also on my Personal Musings page.)
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Once upon a time there was a woman who was lost and confused. She had a good life. Fulfilling job. A sweet, safe home. Reliable, loving friends. A popular blog. Left-wing relatives. Healthy body. Stable income. Published books. Effervescent hair. Intelligence. Creativity. A good heart.

But something was out of whack.
She worried. Who the heck was she really? In spite of her quite good life, it seemed she did not really know who she was. Just so you know she did realize this was a “first world” problem. And she was truly grateful for all she had. But, as part of her drive to grow and contribute, she knew addressing her out-of-whackitude was essential.
So, one day, she made a list.
Who was she?
- Psychotherapist to smart people?
- Tango dancing blogger?
- Shy homebody?
- Jewish girl from Delaware?
- Belly dancer wannabe?
- Former amateur actress-singer-dancer?
- Oldest blogger ever?
- Therapy junkie?
- Spiritual seeker and highly sensitive person?
- International consultant to gifted humans?
- Kind, open-hearted soul?
- Mediocre sister?
- Quirky auntie?
- Rainy day appreciator?
- Dysfunctional family survivor?
- Journal writer? Author?
- Obsessed introspector?
- Secret fangirl of Broadway musicals?
- Reluctant cook?
- Book and music lover?
- Anxiety-prone, melancholic, emotional, post-menopausal witch?
- Singer of songs from other dimensions?
- Writer of self-help books for brainiacs?
- Emerging Instagram video queen?
- Overeater on lonely nights?
- Undercover and driven change-the-world activist?
- Introverted persnickety boundary setter?
- Seeker of her soul’s mate?
- Accidental human?
- Impostor earthling?
- Rainforest minder?
- Deep, divergent overthinker?
- Underachieving priestess?
The length of the list surprised her. It was encouraging. It turned out she was not at a loss for identity at all. She had many. Like Walt Whitman said. Multitudes. And, of course, she knew she did not have to pick just one. She could be all of those things. And more.
Well.
This was a relief. This knowledge put her back in whack. It suddenly became clear that she did not know herself because she was trying to be, well, normal.
But trying to be normal, she realized, was just wacky.
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To my bloggEEs: What do you think of the journaling technique? Did you try it? You might also make a list of your own multitudes. It could help on the days you feel out of whack. Or just plain wacky. Thank you, as always, for being here. Love to you all.
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