The first time I heard Jim Wilder state that we need to “keep relationships bigger than the problem,” I thought, “That man hasn’t seen my problems! How on earth am I going to do that?”
The idea was so appealing, however, that I plunged in to my experience of the Life Model Works concepts by going to Thrive Track I and then participating in a local Connexus class.
In these classes, I learned about capacity – the ability to deal with life in a healthy way. Over time, I found that my capacity can be gradually increased.
I learned about the joy that comes from others being glad to be with me, and I found that this joy increased my capacity to handle the stresses that came my way. The simple, fun exercises we practiced at Thrive, in class, and at home were so valuable in making steady progress in my growth.
Returning from Negative Emotions
At Thrive Track II, I learned about returning to joy from negative emotions. Coming from a family that did not process negative emotions well, this was an eye opening experience. As I learned to stay connected with safe people when I was experiencing negative emotions, I was amazed to make a discovery: my relationships were bigger than my problems! It had happened while I wasn’t looking! Suddenly, life felt full of hope, and the future looked much brighter.
