Personal Improvement

Remembering…And Becoming…Who You Really Are

February 29, 2016 By Judy Lipson

Are you ready to live your authentic life?

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

The next time you are in the presence of an infant or young child observe the authenticity with which they approach life. If something brings pleasure, they fully radiate joy, and if something is not making them happy, they will certainly express that as well. The real beauty is that they can swiftly return to joy with incredible ease.

Many of you inadvertently lost touch with your authenticity after the socialization process. Seemingly insignificant conversations might have affected your ability to know and remember yourself. An example might be when you were told to hug your visiting aunt. When you said that you don’t like getting close to your aunt, the adults in your world insisted that you ignore your feelings and go hug her anyway. Each time you saw yourself discounted for the ‘greater good’ there was the potential to lose a bit of your authentic self.

Another common situation was when, as a child, you were intuitive or knew things that your adult caregivers didn’t remember, didn’t believe, or feared. Could you see auras? Did you know things about people? Could you predict the future? The child is reliant on physical and emotional safety from others, so you may have discounted your abilities and suppressed them in order to be or feel safe. [Read more…]

FORGIVENESS

November 29, 2015 By Judy Lipson

“Isn’t there someone here, living, right now in your life that you need to reach out to, and connect with, or even forgive?” John Holland, medium

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Physician, Dr. Ira Byock says, “Many people confuse forgiveness with exoneration. Forgiveness does not excuse someone from doing something wrong. Instead, forgiveness accepts the past as it was, embraces the present, and faces the future. Forgiveness is a strategy for you to become free of emotional baggage.”

Forgiveness is acceptance. A realization that what you wish was different in your past will never be. When you free yourself from the wishes of what wasn’t (and therefore can’t be), you open yourself to a peace-filled present, and to all the possibilities of your future. Forgiveness is empowerment. It means that you stop seeing yourself as the victim and take your power back.

John Holland continues. “Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean releasing the person from responsibility of their past actions. It’s a matter of releasing the anguish that your soul is carrying around with it. Whether they deserve to be forgiven or not, just remember that you’re doing it for yourself.”

If you have been harmed by another [Read more…]

Emotion: Anger is Not a Primary One

September 30, 2015 By Judy Lipson

While chances are good that you or someone you know has ‘anger issues’, there is much more to anger than you probably realize.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

In our society, most people are not in touch with the majority of their emotions. You are likely familiar with joy and happy, and sometimes even bliss. You can recognize sadness, and will likely assume that you or someone else is experiencing grief after a significant loss. You probably know about numerous other emotions, but primarily as a definition. Most people do not know what they are really feeling, especially when it comes to what our society refers to as the negative emotions.

Anger is certainly recognized by society as a negative, yet it also seems to be the most accepted, or expected, of emotions. This is especially true of men who are discouraged from expressing sadness, worry, and many other feelings. Historically, it has been frowned upon for women to express anger, yet increasingly women do so as well.

An interesting fact is, though incredibly prevalent, anger is not a primary emotion. Actually, it is the expression of other emotions. It is only when you identify that underlying experience and its corresponding response, that you can stop your explosions.

The next time you begin to feel the buildup of anger, I urge you to look deeper to find the origin. Here are a number of emotional possibilities that can guide you to the root of your anger: [Read more…]

Introverts and Extroverts

June 30, 2015 By Judy Lipson

Which are you? The answer might surprise you.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Society understood introverts and extroverts simply. Those who were outgoing and comfortable in social situations were called extroverts. Those who were shy and reserved were deemed introverted. Interestingly, Carl Jung, who first talked about introverts and extroverts in the early 1900s, did not intend that people would be one or the other. He recognized it as a continuum.

During my childhood and early adulthood years, I identified myself as an introvert. It was not a description that I recognized approvingly because others led me to believe that this was not the best way to be. In my mid-adult years, I noticed that I was far more comfortable with people – 1:1 or in groups. I wasn’t certain why this changed, but I recognized that I was not the same person I had been. I began to consider myself more an extrovert and was pleased with the change since societal belief, along with my own discomfort, had led me to believe that extroverts were the proper way to be. How sad that this judgment of introverts/extroverts seems to have habitually continued to this day.

Is any part of my story like yours?

A new recognition of myself has emerged in recent years. I wonder, do you note this familiarity? I still find myself loving the company of others, but I often feel a great need to be alone. It all made sense a few years ago [Read more…]

ADHD in Adulthood

April 28, 2015 By Judy Lipson

You may have received a diagnosis of ADHD from a professional, sat in a meeting regarding your child’s diagnosis and realized that you have the same qualities, or you read about ADHD and knew that this is your story.

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

I’ve never liked the term ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder focuses only on the negative aspects of this group of traits. But, since the term provides a meaningful shortcut in discussions about educational settings, employment, and other conversations, I use it.

When working with clients, or presenting to parents and professionals, I focus on the qualities of ADHD. These can include difficulty with:

Time management
Organization
Attention to details
Following directions

Driving – directions, impulsivity or inattentiveness
Self-esteem and motivation
Writing – organization of thoughts, fine motor challenges
Reading – light sensitivity, avoidance
Anxiety

Consider also the gifts that come with ADHD. You are often intelligent inventors, entrepreneurs, and [Read more…]

Lightbody, Lightworker and Ascension

November 22, 2014 By Judy Lipson

Whether you are new to these concepts or are quite familiar, they are all part of

Remembering and Becoming Who You Really Are

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Lightbody, Lightworker, Ascension: My goal is to explain these trending concepts for individuals who have never heard these terms, as well as to provide more extensive information for those who already have familiarity.

Remembering….

LIGHTBODY describes the awakening to Awareness that so many are experiencing at this time. It is the process of bringing more Light, in the form of Divine Intelligence, into your physical form, thoughts, energy field and your life experiences. Light is Goodness, Divine Knowledge, and Harmony. This Light floods our whole being and begins the effects or sensations that may be experienced as a result of the physical body trying to Shift into Lightbody. You will read more about this later.

It is no coincidence that many are following a more spiritual path with a focus on community, love, peace, harmony and compassion. You may find your source of Spirituality from Divine Intelligence or within, in prayer, meditation or in nature. Nothing is outside of nature. Nature is the Divine; Divine is Nature; it’s all part of the natural workings of the universe.

I offer harmony as a potentially new concept for your consideration. Many strive for peace. Yet peace often refers to the absence of conflict and is a term used in a world where we perceive Separation. Even the synonyms of peace include: reconciliation and ceasefire. In contrast, here are the similes for harmony: accord, synchronization, congruence and coherence. Harmony means even when you are not in agreement with others you are willing to work together to make it so. Peace often includes tolerance. Harmony is acceptance.

Did you resonate with the synonyms of harmony? You are likely on the path toward Lightbody. Here are other signs of Lightbody: Your students, children, grandchildren and you [Read more…]

Our Need for Heroes – It’s Time to Look Within

October 31, 2014 By Judy Lipson

In a society starved for genuine Heroes, we should do what we can to help them become the real thing in their own life. ~ Caroline Myss

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Have you been seeking a hero in your life to emulate? Psychology teaches that people often see in others what they desire for themselves. Your eager, outward search may really be to find your inner self. If so, it may be time to discover the hero within you. Peace activist and spiritual teacher Mahatma Gandhi taught us to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Deepak Chopra has added that “transformation ‘in here’ leads to results in the outer world as well.”

Jean Houston’s book The Wizard of Us follows Dorothy’s experiences in and out of Oz. This is done within the framework of mythologist Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey”, also known as his monomyth. Houston adds exercises for the reader to explore his or her own journey. If this concept interests you, Campbell and Houston are both worth reading.

The following is a summation of Campbell’s stages of the Hero’s Journey that can help you to identify and appreciate your own Hero’s Journey:

The Call to Adventure – to leave old concepts and move toward new ways of being. [Read more…]

Scarcity or Abundance

March 2, 2014 By Judy Lipson

cooking structure Which best describes the way you approach your life, and why does it matter?

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

In author Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, he describes the mindsets of scarcity and abundance. Abundance is the recognition that there are enough resources and successes for everyone. He contrasted this with the scarcity mindset, which focuses on not having or being enough.

When scarcity is your mindset, you believe there is not enough to go around. Scarcity is founded on the idea that if someone else wins or is successful in a situation, another loses. There is little consideration for the possibility of all parties winning. Scarcity, therefore, often results in destructive and unnecessary competition.

Compare this mindset to those who see life as abundant. Individuals with an abundance mentality are able to celebrate the success of others rather than feel threatened by it. Abundance is the realization that there is always enough and that we need not worry about quantity and opportunity – for ourselves or for others.

You may believe that you live in a mindset of abundance, but it may surprise you [Read more…]

Finding Your Purpose

January 7, 2014 By Judy Lipson

“Who am I? What am I doing here? How can I make a difference?”

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

Do you have a deep yearning to know? You probably first asked this of yourself while in college. During or after the child-rearing years, you may again face this sense of urgency. As you approach retirement, you will once again assess your life experiences and determine if you have really lived your purpose. This can be a life-long search because the journey, and therefore the answer, shifts.

This pursuit seems to take on a more vibrant call for the individuals that I call Sensitives – those who are keenly attuned to the six senses. Even during childhood, Sensitives feel urgency.

Sensitive or not, you probably feel it more prominently now. There is a need to shift our planet toward peace and love. If your direction and purpose still seem mysterious, you can begin to find your way.

SEEK PASSION OVER COMPULSION

[Read more…]

Setting Boundaries

November 1, 2013 By Judy Lipson

“No” is a complete sentence

By Judith E. Lipson, M.A., LPC

As I talk to clients and others I realize how many children and adults, but especially females, have trouble saying no. While being compassionate and kind are important, respecting yourself is at least as essential. You must know where your boundaries are, where they need to be and how to honor yourself by communicating these boundaries to others.

You have a right and a responsibility to care for yourself, which is why flight attendants instruct you to put on your own mask before assisting your children or those around you. Yet too frequently, you have assisted or done for others until you felt used and exhausted. If you did finally say no or asked for assistance, it’s probable that you also felt guilty doing so. This takes a toll on your physical and emotional health.

Most children are not explicitly taught how to assert their needs in a respectful and self-assured manner. Girls, especially, have been taught to be “nice” and to not make waves so it is problematic for most women to learn how to express their own needs in a healthy manner. Males are not immune from this difficulty. [Read more…]

Remembering…And Becoming…Who You Really Are

FORGIVENESS

Emotion: Anger is Not a Primary One

Introverts and Extroverts

ADHD in Adulthood

Lightbody, Lightworker and Ascension

Remembering….

Our Need for Heroes – It’s Time to Look Within

Scarcity or Abundance

Finding Your Purpose

Setting Boundaries

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