Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
I’ve done many things during my tenure at GulfWeekly that I’d never have attempted or even considered otherwise … and attending a self-help and therapeutic workshop was one of them.
After spending a session in the calm and controlled hands of our own newspaper agony aunt Kelly Armatage, though, it’s safe to say anyone seeking to improve themselves should look no further.
The theme of this workshop was: ‘The Art of Manifesting’, with the aim of divulging various techniques to change your outlook on life. For example, if you’re wanting more money, a better job, a loving relationship, or even to become an entrepreneur, but see no means in which to do so, or have a negative frame of mind, then following Kelly’s advice could put you on the right path.
Throughout the three-hour seminar, participants visibly changed their mentality as they listened and applied Kelly’s advice to themselves.
One such example was a man whose goal was ‘wishing his son would reach his potential’. This seemed to me like a perfectly normal desire, but what happened next was fascinating. Kelly deconstructed this statement as a negative and fearful frame of mind, one which causes anxiety and frustration.
Through very clear and pointed dialogue, she turned it on its head and changed it into a positive, whereby the man was told to have faith in his son’s existing abilities, to encourage him and that intelligence on a subject is learned, not innate.
There was a murmur of amazement rippling around the room at the transformation. The incredible thing was it seemed such a simple change of attitude, but when habits are wired into your subconscious over many years, it becomes hard to think and react differently.
As is always good during a seminar, a chance to stand up and take part in physical activity is always welcome to avoid numb bums. Partnering up and clapping to spread energy around the room afforded this opportunity and broke up proceedings nicely.
By the time I left the perennially-smiling Kelly’s office, I felt like I’d learnt a lot about myself and vowed to change my negative habits into positive ones. Editor Stan says my starting point in that regard should be actually listening to my alarm in the morning … talk about diving in at the deep end!
-Kristian Harrison
