Living NVC - Personal Journal
I am a peace warrior – not a worrier.
I trust that I can keep myself safe.
I dance to my own tune,
And
I am willing to take risks for love.
I am free to contribute joyfully, creatively and meaningfully to the world.
Elizabeth A Thomson, Identity Statement, July 2019.
Preface
As part of my Embodying NVC experience with Shari Elle, I signed up for 17 coaching sessions with Alex Norman. At our first session, Alex asked me to write my identity statement. As I re-read this statement, I am humbled by the hope I had for myself as, at the time, I was feeling way short of the person described in the statement.
There sits a story behind each line, which signifies critical moments of understanding and acceptance as I am journeying towards selfull-ness. As I reflect in this moment, I am able to celebrate my growth. I now care for myself in ways which are full of compassion, understanding and love. As I write these words, a big smile transforms my face as I acknowledge that I love myself as never before. I pretty much know my edges and my strengths. I love them all. This unique collection that constitutes me, and only me, is summed up by my ‘host’ father, Tom’s words,
A brook without stones has no song.
So I will sing my song through the pages of this portfolio, and as the waters of learning and understanding gush and rush over the river bed stones, you’ll hear my tune, the tune of Elizabeth.
Introduction
How it all began
Tony and I had a car accident in New York, Dec 2017. We were injured and faced a long period of recovery. This incident jolted both of us into reassessing what we were doing. While I loved my job, I was struggling emotionally with everyone and everything. It was like, I was done, with working. I didn’t have anything left in my tank. Here is a short creative piece that I wrote about a meeting at work just before I decided to resign. It sums up my anger and emptiness. I’m the character, Jenny, in the piece.
We resigned from work on the same day in August 2018. We walked the Camino de Santiago, and when we returned to Australia we stumbled across NVC while attending an appointment with a naturopath.
Without hesitation we enrolled in an NVC Foundation with Shari and then went on to do her ENVC course. It was great. I felt I was exposing myself to people and resources who could help me be different, and interact with those I love differently. This is a short story which characterises how much pain my relationship with my daughter was causing. I wanted a different relationship with her.
By the end of the training offered by Shari, I had decided to seek certification as an NVC trainer mostly motivated by a strong desire to learn. I learn so much more when the pressure is on to teach. I loved the idea of learning NVC by teaching it, sharing and being in an international community of practice.
I have been writing a journal since my NVC journey began in May 2019. My journalling is at times just quick notes to remind myself of events; lengthier snippets of conversations, parts of which I want to keep; and then longer more detailed entries that appear when I’m brimming with feelings and needs. These entries are in chronological order but without any sense of categorisation or order. I have also dabbled in creative writing, drawing on my own experience in relationships and the changes I notice in myself.
I’ve decided to organise my personal journey around key learnings which offered me opportunities to know myself more along the way. These key learnings are divided into the following sections. Click on each heading link to go to the section.
