Do you ever feel inferior? How would your life be different if your didn’t? There are parts of you that are not inferior and have never felt that way. They do not compare themselves to others. If you learn to become them, you will naturally outgrow your feelings of inferiority, like this little mouse is teaching this lady to do!
What are three fundamental life issues that you are dealing with now in your life?
1 Feelings of inferiority
2 Not taking things personally
3 Not comparing myself to others
Which of these brings up the strongest feelings for you?
Feelings of inferiority.
What feelings come up for you?
Fear.
If those feelings had a color (or colors), what would it be?
Grey
Imagine that color filling the space in front of you so that it has depth, height, width, and aliveness.
Now watch that color swirl, congeal, and condense into a shape. Don’t make it take a shape, just watch it and say the first thing that you see or that comes to your mind: An animal? Object? Plant? What?
A little mouse sitting in front of me on the floor, looking away, with his paws over his eyes.
Now remember how as a child you liked to pretend you were a teacher or a doctor? It’s easy and fun for you to imagine that you are the shape that took form from your color and answer some questions I ask, saying the first thing that comes to your mind. If you wait too long to answer, that’s not the character answering – that’s YOU trying to figure out the right thing to say!
Mouse, would you please tell me about yourself and what you are doing?
I’m small and I’m scared. I feel very vulnerable and exposed here on the floor in the open.
What do you like most about yourself? What are your strengths?
I like myself. I like that I can take care of myself. I can feed myself and stay alive.
What do you dislike most about yourself? Do you have weaknesses? What are they?
I am scared of people. They are so much bigger than I am!
(Character), you are in this person’s life experience, correct? They created you, right?_____ (Character), what aspect of this person do you represent or most closely personify?
I am her feelings of inferiority.
(Character,) if you could be anywhere you wanted to be and take any form you desired, would you change? If so, how?
I would stay me, but I wouldn’t be alone. I would have other mice around that I got along with. I wouldn’t compare myself to humans and I wouldn’t be afraid.
(Continue, answering as the transformed object, if it chose to change.)
(Character), how would you score yourself 0-10, in each of the following six qualities: confidence, compassion, wisdom, acceptance, inner peace, and witnessing? Why?
Confidence: 9
Compassion: 9
Wisdom: 9
Acceptance: 9
Inner Peace: 9
Witnessing: 9
(Character,) if you scored tens in all six of these qualities, would you be different? If so, how?
I wouldn’t be much different. I feel great!
How would ______’s life be different if she naturally scored high in all six of these qualities all the time?
She would be at peace. She wouldn’t feel anxious. She wouldn’t feel scared or inferior! Work would be much easier for her because she wouldn’t compare herself to others!
If you could live ______’s life for her, how would you live it differently?
I would live my own life and forget about comparing myself to others. I would be happy to be me!
If you could live this person’s waking life for her today, would you handle her three life issues differently? If so, how?
1. I would remember that I am a survivor and that while there is always someone bigger, stronger, wiser, or more beautiful than I am, that I am here and I am me. I don’t have to feel inferior!
2. I would ask myself, “Whose problem is it?” when I caught myself taking things personally!
3. Same as number one!
What three life issues would you focus on if you were in charge of his/her life?
1. I would focus on living my life and being those six qualities.
2. I would surround myself with those who appreciate and understand me.
3. I would do things that are personally fulfilling.
In what life situations would it be most beneficial for ____ to imagine that she is you and act as you would?
When she finds herself comparing herself to others, especially at work. When she finds herself thinking about her childhood. Becoming me will help her to know that she is no longer that person.
Why do you think that you are in this person’s life?
To help her feel good about herself.
How is this person most likely to ignore what you are saying to them?
Continue to buy into a Cosmopolitan magazine world view.
What would you recommend that they do about that?
Think about where that has gotten her and where it gets the women she knows that are stuck in it.
______, what have you heard yourself say?
I am OK and I need to stop abusing myself by comparing myself to unrealistic stereotypes like the women in Cosmo. When I do I only end up feeling inferior.
If this experience were a wake-up call from your soul, what do you think it would be saying to you?
Be thankful for who you are! You’re NOT inferior!
