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New Program Day 21: Paving Your Own Path

Alan Gordon LCSW

Alan Gordon LCSW

TMS Therapist
Day 21: Paving Your Own Path

Two psychologists out of Columbia University conducted a unique experiment on the topic of choice. They set up a display table at a grocery store with 6 different types of jam. Over a hundred people stopped by for a sample. 31% of them decided to buy a jar.

The next day, the same display table was set up, but this time with 24 types of jam. Even more people stopped by for a sample than the day before…but guess how many of them ended up making a purchase? 4%

More isn’t always better. Sometimes when we’re offered too many choices it can increase our anxiety.

Over the past three weeks, we’ve covered a lot of different topics: pain, fear, safety, empowerment, cognitive soothing, somatic tracking, gradual exposure, conditioned responses, overcoming repression, and embracing joy.

As comprehensive as the program is, it may leave you with the following question:

“Where do I start?”

Now that you’re familiar with the layout of the program, it can be helpful to skim through it a second time.

As you review the different topics, see what speaks to you: Do you prefer communicating messages of safety, or taking a strong stance of empowerment? Are you more interested in leaning in to emotions, or tackling conditioned responses?

You don’t need to do everything. This is an overview of different paths to recovery, and you can choose the parts that resonate with you.

Above all, have patience. It can take time to develop neural pathways, but trust in your capacity for change. Like Winnie the Pooh said, “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

Best,
Alan

[​IMG]​
 
Alan,

Thanks so much for this program. Right now, I am focusing on somatic tracking, cognitive soothing and embracing JOY. I gave myself a big smile in the mirror of the elevator at the dentist. I laughed. Lovely.
 
goodbye..?
oh no, please. Can't
we go back to page one
and do it all over
again

~ Winnie The Pooh

Heartfelt thanks to Alan and his team for putting together such an amazing program and for being here, in the emotional trenches, to help us along the way. I've really enjoyed it and feel honoured to have been a small piglet-like part of it. I look forward to the shiny new updated version...only PLEASE leave our beloved Winnie the Pooh a part of it.

Thanks too to our wonderful @Forest for everything he does behind the scenes to make things happen. You're a star.
 
A massive thank you to Alan, Forest, Christie and all the wonderful people who have shared their thoughts, ideas and pains.

These last three weeks have been all the easier knowing that there's always a new thought-of-the-day to look forward to. I will miss that.

Bless you all.

Namaste
 
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Yes, a very big Thank You to Alan Gordon and Forest for these three weeks on TMS enlightenment. We all can get overwhelmed at times from the various healing techniques offered everywhere. I find that deep breathing and living in the present to be two of the most successful for me. And laughing everything off. I'm amazed at how fast I can bring up my spirits by laughing. And like many others who post here, it is very comforting to know that we are not alone; that we are part of a large and very caring TMS healing community.
 
Alan,
Thank you so much for putting together this program. I found all of the information valuable and helpful. Every morning I looked forward to finding out what I'd learn that day. I took notes, sometimes through tears, from Day 1 through Day 11. Sometimes I would feel pain relief simply from the reading. After Day 11 I must have reached information overload, because I stopped taking notes. Regardless, I continued to read each entry, listen to the audio clips, and practice any tips. Especially in light of today's entry, it's possible some of the information was lost on me once I had sort of "maxed out." I definitely look forward to reviewing the material after your pare down and reorganization. I'm sure I'll learn something new with each review.
Thank you again,
Katia
 
Plum, this song hits me, now I am emotional, thanks.

Alan Gordon LCSW said:
“Where do I start?”

Now that you’re familiar with the layout of the program, it can be helpful to skim through it a second time.
Click to expand...

That I am going to do for sure.
I will read it time after time, because it made me stronger, my backpain is much less,
and I don't get it all, because of the language.

Thank you, so far, I hope you still go on.
 
RozieHolland said:
Plum, this song hits me, now I am emotional, thanks.



That I am going to do for sure.
I will read it time after time, because it made me stronger, my backpain is much less,
and I don't get it all, because of the language.

Thank you, so far, I hope you still go on.
Click to expand...

Good to see you here Rozie. Stay beautiful x
 
Alan,

Thanks for this program as well as your other Recovery Program. I have been working with my therapist to get in touch with my emotions and use tools from your programs every day. Thank you so much for your support and guidance - I know the best thing is to keep working at recovery so I am going to continue to review different guidance every day. I am confident that I will continue to make progress and hope that everyone else does as well. Looking forward to more input in the future.
 
Thanks Alan, I really enjoyed reading it all and have had a big reduction in symptoms recently, but many things have changed at the same time. I can see we light ;)

I look forward to the edited program. Maybe leave out the animated GIFs as it's really hard to read when something is moving constantly close by

Thanks again
 
Heya, folks,

As usual, I'm in a rush, ;) but for those who aren't on the notification list, but read the threads....
I thought I'd share today's notification email:

Hi everyone,

What a thrilling program! It has been tremendously gratifying to see the outpouring of excitement in the comments on the site.

As you may remember, today is the last scheduled day of the program. Far more important, though is that it is also the beginning of how you learn to apply the program in your own life.

Let's maintain the tremendous momentum that we have built up. Let's work together and learn from each other as we apply what we have learned to our own lives.

First, let's all work on the exercise from this last post over the next few days (i.e. going through the other day's threads). We can ask questions of each other in the threads when we are unsure of something. Let's keep the discussions going!

Second, for those who have signed up for the forum, let's use the thread for the last day to keep in touch. You can use the "Watch this thread" link in the upper left to be notified the first time someone posts a thread since your last login.

Finally, I think that self-awareness is the foundation any plan of self-care. Sometime next week, I'll send out an email with a link to a thread with a self-assessment exercise I'll make that will help us figure out where we are in the process.

If you need help joining the forum or want to be removed from this list, just reply to this email and let me know.

With that out of the way....
1f600


On the last day of the program, Alan discusses how to use this program in the most efficient way, and how to avoid getting overwhelmed by too much information.

Click here to read Day 22, Moving Forward

Best,
Forest​

I hope you will join me and the rest of the group as we learn together how to apply everything we've learned!
 
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