Art, Joanne Nam found at MONA (original in colour).
If we better understand those who have narcissistic personalities maybe we can be less affected by their cruelty – and more accepting that there is little (or nothing) we can do to make them change or have empathy and compassion for another’s feelings and experiences.
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Dear Me . (Written November, 2011)
There is a book that poses the question … if you could write a letter to your 16 year old self, what would you say? Having experienced bullying, abuse and traumatic life experiences that left me feeling life was too unbearable to continue on, that letter might read something like this …..
You’ll get through this. You’ll survive way beyond things you believed you couldn’t. And there will be many more times when you can’t bear the thought of living another day. Another moment.
But know that it is but a moment. A moment in which you have only this desperate thought and sense of hopelessness. Moments come – and moments pass. Tomorrow may not feel a whole lot better but it can be a starting point – not the end. ‘You Can Do Anything’ video. ‘Tread Carefully In Mind’.
You’ll need to take some seemingly impossible steps. Every day. Day in. Day out. And you’ll need to keep working towards change and creating a place, a life, you feel more comfortable and less despairing in. Find something that provides a sense of purpose and meaning. And you don’t necessarily have to know exactly where or what that will be. You just need to maintain the drive and determination to find it. Trusting – despite being hurt by trusting before.
And you’ll have some massive spills along the way that will lay you flat for varying lengths of time – but you’ll get up. Eventually. Every time. You’ll get up. You must. And you’ll go another round so you can at the very least, prove to yourself you can. Your weakest point will be to rely on someone else to do this work for you…
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Fat – A Dirty Word?
There are people you meet who have a profound impact on your life —Michael Levine is one of them. Recognized as an ‘eating disorders prevention expert’ he is much more. He is a ‘voice’, a window into the souls of women and girls through his sensitive articulation of the many issues that construct who we are. He is a conscience for men and boys, making this article an essential read for everyone.
Not only do his views have the potential for creating a better world but so too the experience of feeling his warmth; his depth of compassion and empathy; and most of all, his humility. The following article was written by Michael Levine for the Bronte Foundation newsletter ’Our Journey’ and Michael has kindly made it available to share on ‘Black Dog’. The article is presented in its entirety.
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