Thursday, June 13, 2013

I Tried To Be Normal But It Was Taken(Making Your Inner Nutcase Work For You)

Feeling secretly or not so secretly unhappy on any level? Be honest with yourself. Oh c'mon, nobody's listening. Stop trying so hard to pretend to be normal. We're all a little wacko on some level...and guess what, that's okay. Not only is it okay, it's part of the human condition. The trick is, to make it work for you so you don't run on the same old dark energy which likely got you stuck in one of the following states; depression, fear, control, anxiety, arrogance, anger or limitation. Of course, it always about levels. I'm not condoning behavior which has to do with hurting others or yourself. Let me be clear I am not saying you're "okeydokey as you are" if you're the Unabomber, suicidal, or dislike chocolate. All three are very scary personalities in my book! But if you have feelings which aren't causing you to do harm which fall under the categories of jealousy, insecurity, depression or extreme panic and if you want your life to improve, you need to start by being honest with yourself. Staying stuck in denial, shame, guilt or any negative self sabotage will do nothing more than keep you locked in your own mind prison. Observe your behavior without negative judgment. Guilt is not real. It is something we flawed humans created. What you are doing by being honest about your dark emotions, is simply being loving to yourself. That's it. And since our happiness effects those around us, loving yourself with honesty is a very beautiful beginning. It is the first step in unblocking the pattern. You have simply been running on preprogramming. We all do until we break the pattern. There are many ways to do just that. But Step 1 is to just be honest about your emotions and observe them. I will share Step 2 in my next post. One of the ways in which I began to discover my dark emotions was through performing solo shows about my true family story. I began writing and performing solo shows in 1995 to reveal the truth. I had been raised to keep a deep dark secret which I had been warned repeatedly, daily, that revealing it would get my family killed. Although I was terrified, performing that truth was like doing therapy in front of thousands. My first show was about my Jewish Holocaust survivor parents who raised me Catholic. They did so because after their families were murdered in Europe, they escaped by a whisker and lived in Canada as orthodox Jews. But in 1951, my father was attacked and nearly murdered in a small redneck town in Saskatchewan where he had established his first medical practice. His assailants, a German doctor and his wife, were fined the paltry sum of thirty dollars for assault. Fearing he'd lose yet another family, this time in Canada, my father anglicized our family name, converted us to Catholicism, cut off ties with all extended relatives and relocated. Although this occurred many years before I was born, my siblings and I inherited our parents post traumatic stress disorder and it impacted us deeply. The first show I performed about my family. was co-written with Lynna Goldhar-Smith. I called it The Waltonsteins. If you would like to know more about my show and family, here is an award winning radio documentary (The Gabriel Award) produced by CBC and broadcast twice on NPR. http://www.cbc.ca/andthewinneris/2010/06/28/the-waltonsteins/  And here is our family photo 
But for me this was just the beginning of making my inner nutcase work for me.

21 comments:

  1. Amazing, wonderful story ... I would love to hear / read more ... is there a book in your future?

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    1. Thanks so much for your encouraging words, Miriam. I do have a powerful family story and have had quite a ride with it...and I am grateful for every multicolored second!!! And, yes as a matter of fact my book is coming out later this year:) I will post the details closer to. To all of us dancing through the darkness!!!

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  2. you are a brave girl Frannie! Keep it up shveister!!

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    1. Thanks for your bolstering words, Ari. To Joy for us all!!!

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  3. Frannie, I love reading about your family and life thereafter..Not to mention the many funny post you put on facebook. One day soon I hope to meet you in person. Till then "what is normal" ?? lol

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  4. Inspiring stuff, Frannie! I love the idea of the "inner nutcase." Also, I love seeing this family photo. Which one is you in the photo, by the way? You and your family have such an amazing story of survival! I look forward to the next one.

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  5. Thanks so much Around Wellington - love that my inner nutcase resonated with yours:) We all have one - let's celebrate them! - RE your photo question; I am the youngest gal in the pic:)I was wearing my favorite red and white dress and felt very cute!

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  6. Truly inspiring and the channeling of 'your story' is a real way to overcome and adapt to trying circumstances. With respect...

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    1. Thank YOU for your gorgeous comment, Stress Diaries:)Yes we all have our story and the ability to process it so that it can serve us and others for the greatest good, or cripple us. To Joy!

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  7. Ah, Frannie..You are delightful and very much in tune with your history. I love reading about your background and I am sure with the book you will be a well known, well loved, FRANNIE !!!
    SullyMari

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  8. Thanks for your bolstering words, SullyMari:) To Learning from our history and to Great Success on all levels for us all!!!

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  9. Frannie, I've seen your show live, and heard your story. You're quite an inspiration, and your experiences have made you the fabulous person you are today. Much love!

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    1. Thanks so much for your heartwarming feedback Ken:) Love received and returned x 1mil!

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  10. Wow! Very deep and powerful Frannie. Words I will take to heart as I have struggled with Anxiety in the past, and yes, maybe even depression. I think this is a very valuable post and I will share it!

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    1. Thank you for your honest warm feedback, Brian. To having broken out of shame/fear/guilt/blame etc prison!!!

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  11. Thank you so much for sharing a significant part of your life with us! Your words resonate on so many levels. You truly are an amazing woman, with an awesome talent for creative expression through stage performances, written words, the way you show up in life inspiring others. WOW!

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    1. Your words are precious, Chickchat:) It is so satisfying for all of us to be truly heard. To all of our stories serving the greater good! Thank you!!!

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  12. You had me at the first two sentences. Wonderful and spot on insight. Love how you gently coax and suggest we bring our “uncool” side into the light for healing. We all need to hear this. You are amazing!

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  13. Thank YOU Michele Landers for really getting it:) To redecorating our inner insane asylums!!!

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  14. Frannie, love the family photo of the "nice Catholic family!" Such a powerful story and it's amazing the strength you had to tell the truth when everyone around you wanted you to keep the secret! Here's to many more stories from you!

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    1. Thanks so much, Linda - hurrah! I listened to my inner voice "tell your story, tell your story" at the risk of rocking the boat. To all of us sharing our "stories"!

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