This article delves into the concept of the Enchanted Self, a state of being that emphasizes the importance of harnessing your memories, talents, and capacity for joy and happiness. It's easy to overlook the fact that one of our most valuable tools for experiencing joy is our ability to use our memories in a positive way.
We all have a tendency to recall negative experiences more readily than positive ones. It's easy to summon the feelings of disappointment or recall unpleasant times. However, it's far more beneficial, and leads to greater happiness, if we can reminisce about the good times and sift through our memories to identify our talents, strengths, and potential.
The Enchanted Self teaches you to appreciate your own history, with all its highs and lows. Recognizing your past, even with its occasional disappointments, as a unique opportunity to experience life is a significant step towards validating your individuality and your specific purpose in life. Your life is your story, a unique adventure that could not and will not happen to anyone else.
The Enchanted Self encourages you to scan your history to identify and emphasize your abilities rather than your disabilities, your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Adopting a positive self-view puts you in a prime position to reinvent yourself.
For instance, consider a successful businessman who was frequently taken to the factory or office by a parent or grandparent, making him feel special. Or a mother who later in life started a successful catering business, fueled by a lifelong love of cooking and nutrition. Successful people often draw from earlier talents and adapt themselves as necessary.
There is pleasure and potential for new joy in reviewing your life from the perspective of seeking out happy memories. For example, you might recall enjoying archery as a child at day camp, not for the sport itself, but for the opportunity to socialize and joke with your friends. Your best friend may also have loved archery, but for entirely different reasons, perhaps driven by a desire to win the end-of-season blue ribbon. Her intentions and experiences of pleasure were very different from yours.
Now, when brainstorming ways to bring more joy into your life, you might choose to spend time at a park, walk along the boardwalk, or plan more time with friends. Meanwhile, your friend might decide to take tennis lessons and become a competitive player. These are certainly different paths to pleasure and joy.
As a starting point for rediscovering your Enchanted Self, try listing three things you enjoyed doing as a child. How could you find ways to do them again, or what similar activities could you try as an adult? I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into the magic of the Enchanted Self.
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