My UFO (unbelievably fabulous observations)

[Gardener]

hm,
Thanks, and I think you got this part right as long as it's you saying

"yeah, you thought you got it before, and look what you did--you chose another loser/user!"

to your inner child and not the child chiding you for it. It's the adaptive child that probably made the lion's share of the choice (those sticky little fingers on the steering wheel again!)

In a three day seminar, Terry Real had us do an overnight homework assignment: Adult us writing a letter to adaptive child us. Basic framework: Acknowledging, praising and thanking adaptive child us for all the traits, strengths and coping mechanisms he/she developed to survive. It worked. You survived. We survived because of what you did. But those ways don't work anymore in an adult world, so I'll take over from here. You go back to being a child, maybe for the first time, ever. Your job is to keep me giddy, playful, full of wonder, and healthfully child-like. All this adult stuff? I've got it from here. I've got your back.

Very powerful, emotional stuff. Did it 5 years ago and I've still kept it.