Please Ask, Please Tell
A Blog : a web log of an individual’s thoughts, experiences, opinions and ideas etc. I am told it is a sort of journaling: A way of sharing, a way of gathering people together in front of a computer screen through which friends and would be friends can interact through cyberspace.
So in launching my blog I find myself thinking of what would be of interest to those who log on to read or see and hear what I have to say. I ask myself; and how could any of my daily, weekly or monthly musings give you reason to log on? And what am I willing to share about myself and my life?
I am willing to give you the benefit of my 35 years of working with thousands of people in my hypnotherapy practice; blog it if I can, in a nutshell. I am willing to tell you how I have mastered a challenge in the hope it will help you do the same. I am willing to share how I have grown from an experience that I thought I would have shrunk from.
However, quite frankly I find myself hesitating to share deeply personal things as I have seen other bloggers do. I am inherently a private person, some say because I have the British reserve; although I do share, when relevant to the therapeutic process, the value of my own personal experiences. And it isn’t that my life and work aren’t wonderfully interesting; in fact they are, very much so; actually some days are full of drama and intrigue and often include some awesome experiences. I have written some Reflections on a recent one on my website (www.elainekissel.com).
You see I have always thought of a diary or a journal as a book with a lock on it and kept in a safe place, hidden from all possible invasions of privacy: A deeply personal letting out of the contents of one’s psyche, a sort of cathartic as well as an opportunity to better know ourselves and how we evolve over time through openly honest written expression. I am fully aware though, that once a blog is broadcast, what would otherwise be a private dairy, an intimate chronicle, would not remain so.
“Honestly, do you really want to know that much about me and what goes on in my head or my life?” After all I am not a figure of paparazzi interest like a movie star or royalty. And, I ask myself, “Am I vain enough to think that my life and what I have to say is so interesting that you would want to know?” Yes, I have written a book, THE MIND IS WILLING, and I have helped thousands of people with MY WHOLE MIND HYPNOTHERAPY, my MIND MASTERY course and WEIGHT CONTROL seminar. But I have not yet been invited on the Oprah Winfrey show!
So now I ask you this question: “What do you expect to find when you go to my blog?” Please tell me before I expound needlessly!
However, now that I come to think about it, my sense of what would work better for all of us is for you to ask me questions: With the understanding of course that I am free to graciously decline an answer if it intrudes on my privacy in any way.
So this is an invitation to Ask Dr. Kissel, my Q & A blog. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely, Elaine
September 25, 2009 at 4:50 pm |
Why is it you have not published your short stories?
September 26, 2009 at 3:39 pm |
Donna, thanks for your interest
For one thing I haven’t had the time or even inclination to do any of the editing necessary to submit thefor publication. There are way too many of them now, and honestly, if I were inclined, I would not know where to start!!!
While I was writing fiction I was also writing articles for newspapers and magazines,and had many deadlines to meet.There is never enough hours in the days or days in the week to do all things my subconscious prompted me to do.
Even now. When I was writing fiction I also had four young children to care for. Ideas for stories still come to me often, however, they get stored in my subconscious as I have no room left in my days to write them or room in my file cabinet to store them. A novel I wrote a novel many years ago called Phantom Quietus, it almost got into print; it’s a very strange story in itself about how and why it didn’t come to pass.
I think we all must accept that we can only do so much and we have to choose which of our gifts or talents are to be given expression. Not that we should hesitate to explore what they are and find ways to express them. We need to be realistic and use our time and energies wisely. We need to establish our priorities so that we can at least explore enough of them and accomplish enough satisfaction in their expression to have the sense that we are fulfilling some of our potentials.
If we try to do too much, given the time and energies available to us, we can get scattered and lose?focus and become frustrated.
My focus is helping people change, to heal, to be?the best that they can be; to live better, be healthier lives. I get joy in empowering people. What could be more fulfilling than that?
However, I have two children’s stories I wrote years ago for own children for which I am now seeking an artist to illustrate for publication.
I haven’t had any luck finding the right one yet. Perhaps you or one of my readers knows of someone who would like that opportunity.
As for the adult fiction,well, perhaps in my next life, or in this one if life if my motivation for and satisfaction in what I am doing now changes; which I doubt because there is just too much satisfaction in helping people to change course now.
Sincerely, TTFN Elaine