Welcome to the Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast. Our intention is to awaken, enlighten, enrich, and inspire a simple and uncomplicated life. Discover the benefits of mindful living with your host, Timber Hawkeye. When I sat down to write my memoir, "Faithfully Religionless," I started feeling sorry for myself every time I was tempted to describe my childhood as difficult, traumatic, tragic, or unfair. So, I challenged myself to still recount the events and experiences from my past,
but to do it without using any adjectives. and I actually managed to sidestep the slippery slope of victim mentality, and to prevent a free-fall into the abyss of depression. A friend recently compared her pain of grief to discovering a large hole in the ground that she kept falling into at first, but now, even though the hole is still there, she has learned to walk around it. This practice doesn't deny, ignore, or even minimize the past. It still acknowledges everything that happened,
but it doesn't sensationalize it, and, oh, what a difference that makes! You can then speak or write about experiences from your past: a breakup, an injustice, or a loss, without any anger, resentment, or even judgment. Think of it like stepping out of a movie theater, and explaining to a friend what happened on the screen. You would be able to describe each scene, but you would have no emotional reaction or attachment to it because it is over and done. You are now safe and everything is okay.
As long as the narrator in your head keeps calling and recalling what happened in your life "devastating" or "traumatic," you would continue to be devastated or traumatized. This can wreak havoc on your present and future. So, next time you share a story of a past experience with someone, try doing it without adjectives to see how the story
is still true without needing to be sensationalized. By tapping into the strength with which you made it through everything in your life so far, you access the same strength that will carry you through whatever comes next. This technique is often offered to those with PTSD, but I'm sure, we can all benefit from this exercise. Can you think of a past
experience in your life that can use some rephrasing? Perhaps change the descriptive narrative from "horrible" or "tragic," to "interesting" or "challenging," instead. We are not what has happened in our lives nor what we have done, we are who we choose to become TODAY. The past is in your head, the future is in your hands. Timber Hawkeye is the bestselling author of Faithfully Religionless and Buddhist Boot Camp.
For additional information, please visit BuddhistBootCamp.com, where you can order autographed books to support the Prison Library Project, watch Timber's inspiring TED Talk, and join our monthly mailing list. We hope you have enjoyed this episode and invite you to subscribe for more thought-provoking discussions. Thank you for being a Soldier of Peace in the Army of Love. 🙏