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EVERGREEN Professional Hypnotherapy

Stockton’s Small Business of the Year 2003-2004

6820 Pacific Ave., Ste. 2-B Stockton, CA 95207 (209)472-0722

Welcome to EVERGREEN OUTREACH!

Based on life experience Frank and I (Ginny) anticipate occasional unexpected upheaval. In younger years we loved hiking and backpacking. We once sat on a log, agreeing we just couldn’t budge another inch until we rested.　 Then we heard a loud “CRAAACK” and overhead a tall pine crashed toward us.　 We sprang out of its line of descent with only seconds to spare, and later laughed at the energy we didn’t know we had until we needed it. Another time, hiking beside a river, the sandy bank collapsed beneath my feet and I slipped into the water., backpack and all. Frank laughed, and then he slipped and fell in too. (My turn to laugh). We hiked to our car, turned on the heater, and stripped out of our wet clothes. We were warmer in just our undies, but imagine the impression if a Ranger had happened upon us!

One of the lessons that comprise my Acumen Certification Training Program (which I am now discontinuing as I come out of semi-retirement to return to seeing clients) is titled “Expect the Unexpected.” I teach that clients in therapy sometimes throw curves, as is true of life in general. A therapist must be prepared for surprises in the office, and all of us are well advised to be just as prepared along our own life path. Knowing how to deal with best case/worst case scenarios can still be tricky, because wires are easily crossed by our perceptions and misperceptions; however, such is the nature of the human mind and realizing this is part of the preparation.

It’s easy to pay lip service to a platitude like, “Hope for the best and plan for the worst” without actually learning its lesson. In fact, this is true of all life lessons. Let me share with you what I call:

The Circle of Knowledge

1. You must realize you do not know. 2. You must decide you want to know. 3. You must seek a teacher who knows, and ask. 4. You must listen and evaluate what is conveyed. 5. You must study it until (6) You understand it. 7. You must accept it. 8. You must apply/practice it until (9) you internalize it. Then (10) you must share it with others who do not know, want to know, and ask -- which completes the circle.

If you have heard the adage “There is no such thing as teaching, there is only learning,” its meaning is that you cannot force a student to complete the 10 steps I‘ve identified; and if they do not, they have not truly learned. This is very frustrating to a teacher, but responsibility rests upon the one who has asked, not the one who has answered.

Consider “Hope for the best and plan for the worst” and ask yourself -- where are you positioned in the circle of learning the lesson behind the platitude, or other lessons for that matter. Frank and I pride ourselves on walking the walk, and leading by example when we share what we know with others. One advantage to being old…er… is life experience. A tree that comes close to crushing you, a slip and fall into a cold river, as well as other curves along our path of life have served us well. Life is an adventure that we’ve been blessed to explore side by side for 35 years, It’s the twists and turns, boulders and bumps, rests and spring back into action that continue to keep it interesting. Sometimes we discover energy (or strength of character) we didn’t know we had until we needed it.