Q: Barbara, tell us what THE ENCHANTED SELF® is and how it ties into women, most particularly to women in the business world. (The full interview of which this is one part, can be read on www.fodreams.com
A: Well, Deb, that’s certainly an all encompassing question! Let me start by breaking my answer up into several easy to process parts:
THE ENCHANTED SELF is the name that we’ve given to express the special part of ourselves that recognizes pleasure, knows when things feel right, and knows when we are on the right course in life. For generations this aspect of ourselves has remained without a name. We have of course talked about being happy, feeling refreshed, feeling full of purpose, or feeling whole, and we’ve also used different expressions to talk about this part of ourselves. However, there has never before been an umbrella expression that immediately cues women in to that special, wondrous part of ourselves which we have notoriously overlooked, disregarded or dismissed. And this is aspect is an important part of our makeup.
Don’t forget that as women we are basically caretakers, no matter what other professional roles we take on in life. So often whether raising children, helping elderly parents, taking care of domestic chores, or whatever, we give of ourselves, and give and give. Even when we are tired, depleted, or blue, we still continue to give. We deserve to recognize the "Enchanted" part of ourselves that is unique and wonderful, and to be able to call upon it to make ourselves feel better, either on an ongoing basis, or in times of need.
As THE ENCHANTED SELF began to increase in usage and make its way around the world, women have thanked me: "How wonderful it is to have a label for this special part of me!" — or "Being able to identify my Enchanted Self causes me to have fewer times when I forsake it." Or, especially, "Being able to access my Enchanted Self gives me the strength and ability to go on with my life, to please myself as well as others!"
As a psychologist, I’m thrilled that as women we have a better shot at honoring ourselves and ensuring that we stay replenished, capable of experiencing joy and building pleasure into our lives. We deserve these experiences not only because they feel good, but because they fuel our energy tank, causing us to remain replenished and less prone to blue moments
