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A TASTE OF ENCHANTMENT: July 2002 Special Edition

"Achieving Positive States of Mind and Body Again and Again"

Produced by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein , Psychologist, Life Coach, and Originator of THE ENCHANTED SELF(R)

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Welcome to the mid-month publication of The Enchanted Self's e-newsletter!  Each month I will focus on (and respond to) a question about enchantment and/or a reader's ideas on enchantment.

Question of the Month:

Does THE ENCHANTED SELF have any suggestions for finding adventure in my own backyard?  I'm not always able to plan for a major vacation or 'adventure'.

Adventuring--We All Need to Do it!

by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein  

That is a very good question!

Even in times when we are being encouraged to be more careful there is a part of each of ourselves that needs adventure and daring. I certainly know I have that part of me.  It craved travel when I was young and nagged at me until I went to Europe on my own with a friend at 20--and it still nags at me. Fortunately, I have discovered through my ENCHANTED SELF work as a psychologist that we can often find adventure right in front of our noses.

What we need is a sense of adventure that permits us to recognize and go with an opportunity that appears, as if by magic.  That is what happened to me recently.

Recently, I went to New York City to do my monthly television show, THE ENCHANTED SELF.  I took the subway (or I should say, I tried to take the subway) downtown to Chambers Street to do a bit of shopping beforehand. As I waited on the platform I saw one of those truly unique characters that could only be either a true eccentric living in New York City or a character actor. Which was he, in his frock coat and derby hat? I was so busy imagining! Suddenly we were on the same train together. He asked how to get to Chambers Street and I told him. Then I suggested he cross the platform at 14th St. to hop the express, which I was about to do. He did and that was the beginning of an adventure.

First of all, the subway car started and we suddenly realized it was going uptown, not downtown. Secondly, he told me that he had to get downtown to Chambers Street to stop in at the new home of The New York Sun magazine. He had been hired by them to promote the new paper. Ah! He was a character actor. I was so excited.  I asked him whom he was portraying. He told me that he does Teddy Roosevelt, all over the country.  His name is James Foote.

Well, the next thirty minutes were as if in a dream. He kept going in and out of character. He gave me Teddy's opinions on the world as it is today--by the way there was plenty of turmoil 100 years ago! He also explained that the White House was called as such by Teddy. Prior to that it had been the executive mansion! He told me the sad story of how

Teddy lost his first wife and mother within a couple of days and how he went into the wilderness for a couple of years to restore his sense of well-being and optimism.

Interesting to me, optimism was one of Teddy's major personality traits. By the way, we were back going downtown again, on another train and I was still listening to Teddy Roosevelt--speaking to me! It may have been the hot subway, but it was music to my ears to hear, "Always do the best you can with what you have, and where you are." We certainly had to, as once again we were on the wrong train and it actually started back uptown at 14th Street . On the third try, we finally emerged at Chambers Street .

Mr. Foote reminded me (I never knew this) that the subways were first put in because there had been a snowstorm in New York City that paralyzed the city for weeks and weeks. Mr. Roosevelt was significant in getting the subways built. How ironic, that we were going back and forth, as we were on the line affected by 9/11 and as infrequent travelers, neither of us realized that most of the trains only went to 14th Street and then started back up. But then if we had realized this fact, I wouldn't have had such a great adventure!

I emerged from the underground a changed woman—imagine Teddy Roosevelt and myself in conversation? (P.S.: Do you know why Teddy Bears are called Teddy Bears? I do now.)

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Please give us the pleasure of sharing your responses.  They may be posted on the web site or in future issues of the newsletter.  You can also chat about this topic or create your own in The Enchanted Self e-group at the following URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/encself

How to Order

Here are some ways to order RECIPES FOR ENCHANTMENT, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! as well as THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy.  If you order from my website I can send you autographed copies of my two books.  I can also send your free Enchanted Self bookmarks and copies of my paper newsletter, THE ENCHANTED SELF.  You can also order the audio edition of my first book, THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy via my web site.

Tip: When shopping online use keywords "recipes for enchantment" and "enchanted self" to locate the books.

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Forwarding & Reprinting

(C) 2000-2002 Copyright The Enchanted Self - All rights reserved.

Please feel free to pass this issue on to someone who might enjoy it.  The Enchanted Self Newsletter is copyrighted but may be quoted, reprinted, or distributed in whole or part without prior permission, provided the content is not changed and attribution is given including:

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

THE ENCHANTED SELF(R)

We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as self-healing and professional psychology newsletters. However, we ask that you contact us beforehand for permission and send us a sample issue.

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To learn more about THE ENCHANTED SELF(R) - A State of Well Being, Joy, and Happiness, please contact me or visit my web site.

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