Creating meaning as we live more fully and authentically.

1. Sula Goldenberg, LMFT
"Living a more Joyful and
Authentic Life:
Finding the Courage
to Create Change"

2. Living a more Joyful and Authentic Life:
Finding the Courage to Create Change
 Life long quest
 Aim is not necessarily “finding happiness” What is happiness, after
all? …a very subjective construct…
Turning the focus inward
Searching for personal meaning, for our true self
 Increasing internal peace

3. Living a more Joyful and Authentic Life:
Finding the Courage to Create Change

4. Living a more Joyful and Authentic Life:
Finding the Courage to Create Change
 Signs and symptoms that change is in order:
1. Psychological and emotional
2. Physiological
 Stepping up and showing up for our lives:
1. Awareness
2. Change
3. Transformation

5. Awareness
Signs of an ailing soul
What is the language of the soul?

6. Awareness
Psychological Symptoms
Sadness
“Life is just too hard…
I cannot find joy”
•Difficulty Sleeping or Sleeping Too Much
•Difficulty Concentrating
•Feeling of Hopelessness or Helplessness
•Overwhelming and Uncontrollable Negative Thoughts
•Loss of Appetite or Significant Increase in Appetite
•Increase in Irritability, Aggression or Anger
•Thoughts That Your Life is not Worth Living

7. Awareness
Psychological Symptoms
Anxiety
•Surge of overwhelming panic.
•Feeling of losing control or going crazy.
•Heart palpitations or chest pain.
•Feeling like you're going to pass out.
•Trouble breathing.
•Hyperventilation.
•Hot flashes or chills.
•Trembling or shaking “Something bad may happen…
I need to be prepared”

8. Psychological Symptoms
Insomnia
•Inability to go to sleep
•Inability to stay asleep
•Waking up too early
•Waking up not feeling rested

9. Psychological Symptoms
Anger
Feeling as if blood is boiling
Unable to think before you do or say
something
 Feeling as if people are against you
 Blaming others
“Why do they do this to me!
This is not fair!”

10. Psychological symptoms

11. Emotional symptoms
“I have everything to be
happy yet…
Something is
missing in my life”

12. Emotional Symptoms
“Others have it better
than me…
it is not fair”

13. Emotional symptoms
“I feel inexplicable
mood states”

14. Emotional Symptoms

15. Emotional Symptoms
“Why does everything
bad happens to me?”

16. Physical Symptoms
Psychological status may influence
physiology of the body
…and diseases may influence
psychological status

17. Physical Symptoms
During chronic stress adrenal glands release
hormones called cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine.
Adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster and raises blood pressure
Cortisol causes the inner lining of blood vessels to function
irregularly; also connected to appetite fluctuation and weight gain
Brain communicates stress to the enteric nervous system (nerves
found in the lining of the gut)

18. Physical Symptoms
 Respiratory problems
 Skin problems
 Digestive problems
 Chronic diseases
 Autoimmune system problems
 Aches and pains
Disclaimer: This information is for this presentation purposes only
See a physician anytime you have health care concerns

19. Physical Symptoms
Respiratory problems
 Constant and recurrent colds
 Asthma
 Allergies

20. Physical Symptoms
Skin problems
 Cold sores
 Psoriasis
 Eczema
 Skin rashes

21. Physical Symptoms
Digestive problems
 Ulcer
 Reflux
 Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
 Constipation, diarrhea

22. Physical Symptoms
Chronic Diseases
 Diabetes
 Asthma
 Arthritis
 Obesity

23. Physical Symptoms
Autoimmune system problems
 Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
 Diabetes Mellitus (DM)
 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
 Lupus

24. Physical Symptoms
Aches and pains
 Neck
 Back pain
 Shoulders
 Jaws
etc.

25. Change and Transformation
We all have an Ally
She is the one that knows
She is loyal to the
She is fluent in the languages of dreams
She contains our instincts
She carries the bundles for healing

26. Change and Transformation
 Where do I start?
Right where I am

27. Change and Transformation
When do I start?

28. Change and Transformation
Do not need to see
all the way out

29. Change and Transformation
But…what do
I do?
At first:
NOTHING …Just notice

30. Change and Transformation
Wake up from
being unconscious

31. Change and Transformation
 Ask questions…
 No need to have
the answers
 Suspend judgment
Practice compassion

32. Change and Transformation
STOP AND REFLECT
What is happening?
How do I make life come
alive again?

33. Awareness
What do I see? What do I hear? What do I feel?
Re-attaching our souls

34. Awareness
Who am I?
 We all receive maps from parents,
religious sources, history etc.
 Sometimes these maps are helpful and
rewarding, sometimes they are not.
 Am I living someone else’s map?

35. Awareness
Authenticity: getting back to the
guiding “source”, to the light, to our
Psyche (Greek word meaning soul)

36. Awareness
 Pay attention
 Listen to your inner voice
 What does your deeper self desire?
 What is my work here?

37. Awareness
What are my
dreams about?
Write them down
Ask: what about it
resonates
with my life now

38. Awareness
Let’s practice…
Your Inner Guide
 Get centered – deep breath
 Finding the wise inside

39. Awareness
Once we have awareness… change is a possibility

40. Change
Conscious decision to:
Show up for our life
Give ourselves permission…
Take responsibility for our
happiness

41. Change
For change to take place…
Awareness Action

42. Change
Does not need to be monumental,
it starts with a single step

43. Change

44. Change
Obstacles: Fear

45. Change

46. Change
 Will that stop us?
 What are the options?
 Flight from this task will only
perpetuate our symptoms

47. Change
Crossing the threshold of fear
“Change happens when
the pain
of staying the same
is greater than
the pain to change”
Tony Robins

48. Change
How long will it take?
Ongoing work…

49. Change
Who is in charge?
YOU

50. Change
Who else can help?
Professional help:
 Psychotherapist
 Psychiatrist
 Curandero, sobador etc…

51. Change
Who else can help?
Close connections
Who do you trust?
Your friend?
Your family?
Your partner?
Your-self?

52. Change
Going back to the source:

53. Change
Our soul seeks
expression

54. Transformation
 Change + daily practice = Transformation
...But, what does it mean?
Every day is an opportunity to
tend to our garden

55. Transformation

56. TRANSFORMATION

57. Transformation

58. Transformation
Redeeming the purpose of our souls’ journey
Homecoming

59. Transformation

60. Giving Credit
Inspiration and some thoughts adapted from: