Notes from group therapy: Having it all, Autonomy and Maturity

Kentucky Rain

Back in the day, I went to group therapy every week for eighteen months. It changed the way I looked at life, and I’ve credited it for “saving my life” in many respects. Being the perfectionist only child that I am, I took notes about the things I was learning, and later I typed them up.

I thought I’d share the notes with you in hopes that you too may discover something new.

Having it “all”

Everything is a trap. Making a choice means you don’t get it all.
We don’t appreciate or celebrate what we gain. There is both gain and loss in every situation. Nothing is “either” “or”—it’s both!

Autonomy

The more you are autonomous, the closer you get to other people.
We fear losing our identity.
We are born alone; we die alone. If we are lucky we find another “alone” person to share our “aloneness” with.

Maturity

Maturity is the ability to be “odd man out” in a triangle—to be comfortable with yourself.
If you are mature, you can distinguish between how you think and how you feel.
Adulthood = the ability to live with your own aloneness.