Busy times - planning conferences

It is a busy week preparing, planning, working, and of course having fun, which makes for a very interesting and varied life. Sometimes I can also mix business with pleasure. I will be attending a three day conference with the American Association of Family Therapy in October and our American Colleagues will be coming as well. So I am looking forward to that. Learning and socializing is always fun for me. On the Specialist Pastoral Counselling side of the house there will be a day with speakers pertaining to "Assisted Dying" so that will be something new for me, according to the law changes. I read a few interesting articles from AAMFT's magazine which I will be sharing with you when I have more time. Again the revised DSM is being talked about and I have learned a few more things than I learned from attending Adler's School of Psychology on the topic. It is always difficult to cover everything, but the controversy remains. So, next week I shall continue with my notes on Abnormal Psychology and when all my notes are transferred here for you, I will write about the review of the DSM changes. Regarding my book sales, "Hey Guy Buy Me" was the selling book with no sales from my second book. I found that very interesting. I personally think my second book has more substance but all I got was a snear from one person who read outloud, "for love of country" Only men bought my books, though women stopped by saying that women probably buy the book more. I always find people interesting and it was a day of fun though there were fewer people than usual due to a big street fair, on Eglinton. I am very motivated to get back to writing my third book. At times I play with the plots in my mind while going somewhere. I am hoping for more time to get back to my passion of writing. I was asked once if I ever get writers block? No, it has never happened yet. I love to write and have so since writing stories for grade school. I still remember my English teacher in grade seven not believing that I actually wrote a short story that was requested in class. He challenged me in class telling me that I must have gotten it from a book in the library. I should have been flattered, but I was upset that he did not believe me and told him he could ask my mother, since I had written it in the kitchen while she was working and taking delight in my story. With that story I have shared, I would like you to think about a time when something similar happened to you. Who is in your life who supports you and validates you when you are faced with challenges? Do you have resilience and where do you get that from? Are you in a relationship that does not sustain you? Are you in a relationship that is emotionally, financially, sexually or physically abusive? Have all your support systems been removed so your partner has more control? Are you alone with no support system and rely on the internet for all your entertainment or friendships? Remember that you never know who you really are talking to. If anyone is abusing you and you are a minor, please report it to an adult preferably the police. Abusers will manipulate, threaten and terrorize. There is always help even if the abuse stems from within your own family. Where do you get your motivation to face challenges? What do you think?