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Welcome to this month's issue of the Inner Brat newsletter. What is
the inner brat? It's the seemingly irresistible, impulsive force inside
every one of us, that makes us say and do things we later regret. Bad
habits, problem tempers and other self-defeating behaviors and thoughts
are products of the inner brat.
A voice inside you screams, "I want it!" or "I can't stand it!" or "Why
me?!" Sound familiar? That's your inner brat. You can't get rid of
it completely, but you can learn to tame it.
This free monthly newsletter, written by a clinical psychologist with
over 28 years of experience, explains how the inner brat works, and
presents tips for putting you in charge of your inner brat.
To read past issues of this newsletter, visit
http://drwallin.com/newsletter/
NOTE: The inner brat is NOT a psychiatric diagnosis. If you are having
difficulty just getting through the day, this is more than just your
inner brat. In this case you are advised to consult a mental health
professional.
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Written and Published by:
Pauline Wallin, Ph.D.
Author, "Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide to Transforming Self-defeating
Behavior"
http://www.innerbrat.com
Copyright 2003 Pauline Wallin. All rights reserved.
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Welcome to the December, 2003 issue of the Inner Brat Newsletter.
Welcome, new readers. If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward it
to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. All they need to do is
to send a blank email message to innerbrat-subscribe@topica.com.
If you have comments or questions, feel free to email me at
.
IN THIS ISSUE
> Scrooge, the Grinch and your inner brat
> Inner brats in the news
> How have you tamed your own inner brat?
> Inner brat tip of the month: Curb your inner grinch
> Distribution information
This newsletter is hosted by Topica.com. Topica may include
advertisements for unrelated products. I have no control over these
ads, but they do help pay for the expenses of distribution, which keeps
the newsletter free of cost to you.
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Scrooge, the Grinch and your inner brat
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**Question: What do Scrooge, the Grinch, Oscar the Grouch and . . .
your inner brat . . . have in common?
**Answer: They are all self-centered; tightfisted with their feelings
as well as with their property; and they are all characters that
represent the darker side of ourselves - the side that we don't like to
acknowledge.
Character depictions of human traits are quite common. In fact, any
story that has wide appeal involves characters that most people can
relate to on some level.
At Christmas time, depictions of Scrooge and the Grinch are especially
popular, because they represent the opposite of this season's theme of
generosity and good will. We all have these opposing qualities. In
general, it’s much easier to recognize our positive traits, such as
compassion or honesty, than to face our negative ones, such as greed or
selfishness.
That's where stories and characters can be helpful. When you read
about
Scrooge, you are actually confronting a part of your own personality.
But for the moment it is outside yourself, in the form of a story
character. You can examine this person, see his flaws objectively, and
join him on his journey to redemption.
Whether or not you realize it, you absorb life's lessons from this
story. Note how much more effective is this lesson than if someone
merely told you, "Look, buddy, you are a miserable piece of s*%t but
you
can find happiness if you lighten up and treat people better."
Stories are a highly powerful way of teaching lessons. Remember
Aesop's
fables -- The Tortoise and the Hare, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Fox
and
the Sour Grapes? I bet you haven't heard those tales for years. Yet
you can easily recall them, as well as the messages they convey.
Imagine if you had never heard such stories, but were merely given
instructions about persistence, honesty and rationalization. Would you
remember them as vividly today?
The inner brat is not part of any popularized story, but you can shape
this character and make your own story with it. First, give your inner
brat a name. Imagine what it looks like, how it walks, how it moves
its
limbs. Is it human? It doesn't need to be. What does your inner brat
do to make you miserable? Build a little scenario around that, and
decide how you're going to take charge.
When you have a clear image of the inner brat in your head, you will be
amazed at how much easier it will be to tame it.
############################################
My book, "Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide to Transforming
Self-defeating Behavior," makes a perfect gift. You don't have to worry about the
color or size. And the topic applies to everyone.
Amazon currently has a free shipping deal for orders over $25. Order
just 3 copies of Taming Your Inner Brat today, and you could have them
shipped free in time for Christmas.
~click here to go to Amazon.com: http://shorterlink.com/?I5P5U1
#############################################
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Inner Brats in the News
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In an attempt to block his ex-wife's access to their marital home, a
man in Romania installed special security locks and swallowed the only
keys. He now must undergo surgery to save his life (and to retrieve the
keys.)
=========================================================
A woman who was driving a stolen car and crashed, killing two policemen
who were chasing her, is now suing her passenger for causing the crash.
She claims that the passenger forced her to smoke crack cocaine and
took control of the steering wheel. She seeks $11 million. Her lawyer said
that the passenger should "step up to the plate and accept
responsibility."
=========================================================
When the doors to a Wal-mart store opened on the day after
Thanksgiving, a woman was trampled by other shoppers stampeding
for bargains. She was found unconscious on top of a DVD player.
=========================================================
For more stories about brats in the news visit my website
http://www.drwallin.com/news.shtml
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How have you tamed your own inner brat?
**************************************
Read stories of people who are working on taming their inner brats.
Contribute your own story. You can remain anonymous. Go to:
http://www.drwallin.com/innerbrat_contrib.shtml
******************************************************
Inner brat tip of the month: Curb your "inner grinch"
******************************************************
The Christmas season is a delightful time of year, even for a
non-Christian like me. I love the fact that so many people view it as
extra special, and are willing to invest time, energy and money into
making that happen. They also tend to postpone difficult undertakings,
such as surgery, divorce or looking for a new job until after the
holidays. It’s as if to say, "I don’t want this to interfere with the
Christmas experience."
Yet these same people will complain about traffic jams, crowded malls,
social obligations and the grating drone of "The Little Drummer Boy" on
the radio. On January 2, they heave a sigh of relief: "I’m so glad the
holidays are over!"
Don’t let your inner grinch-brat ruin your experience of this joyous
season. Here are some tips:
1. Think of the rush of activities as an adventure rather than an
ordeal. If it's raining or snowing when you must go shopping, all the
better for your challenge. Attitude really does make a difference.
2. Make it a point to do one random act of kindness each day. This
will disarm your inner brat’s grumbling and put you in a better mood for
hours.
3. When you attend social gatherings, don't dwell on yourself or on
what people are thinking of you. Focus on others and find something
interesting about them, even if it's only a novel tie that they're
wearing. You will be less self-conscious, and your inner brat will fade
into the background.
4. If you're watching your weight in the face of seasonal treats and
beverages, remember you can probably have a few of these treats without
doing major damage to your diet. In fact, it's better not to deprive
yourself. A strictly deprived inner brat is more likely to resort to
serious tactics to make you give in.
5. Keep your perspective on what this season is really about. The
gifts and the food are not nearly as important as the opportunities for
strengthening connections with friends and family.
Until next month,
Pauline Wallin, Ph.D.
http://www.innerbrat.com
DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION: This newsletter may be quoted, reprinted, or
forwarded to others as long as the content is not changed and the
subscription, copyright, and contact information is included. If you would
like to post this newsletter on a website, please contact me for
permission at
NOTE: The content in this newsletter is for informational purposes
only. It is not intended as a substitute for personal consultation with a
professional, or as any type of psychological service.
Copyright 2003 Pauline Wallin. All rights reserved.
