Long ago and far away, I came up with a personal development presentation, aided by a lot of reading. On June 10, 1988, I led a workshop called “Mastery of the Moment” at the Annual Symposium of the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association. Some members of the audience smiled and nodded but, as I remember, no one said anything positive afterward. So I let it go, never bringing forth the ideas again. I was sad.
Now it’s 27 years later, and I wonder … Why didn’t people hear me? Why didn’t my thoughts impact their lives? Why didn’t I have the strength to carry forward the structure of happiness that I was proposing? An opportunity lost, but not forever. I could tell you folks about the “attitude choices”. They might make a difference with you. My material wasn’t original but maybe bringing everything together as I did, was.
What’s my life about in 2015? Well, I want to pass on something of me to whomever will listen. Jody’s book is one example. Maybe “Mastery” is another.
I don’t have the oomph to get into the choices tonight but I’ll start tomorrow. For now, being thoroughly into reminiscing mode, here’s what the symposium brochure had to say:
Mastery Of The Moment: Attitude Choices For Dealing With
Any Interpersonal Problem Situation
This presentation suggests that attitude choice, when recreation therapists are faced with a problem, is far more important than problem-solving and stress management techniques. Participants will be given ten pairs of attitudes (e.g. “sufficiency-deficiency”) and will be shown one possibility for working with them in particular recreation therapy situations.
Bruce Kerr
Bruce Kerr received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Toronto in 1970 and a Bachelor of Education in Social Studies from the University of Lethbridge in 1977. His past experience includes three years as a Life Skills Program Instructor at Lethbridge Community College and two years as a personal development seminar leader with a Lethbridge psychologist. He is currently the Volunteer Coordinator at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital, Auxiliary Wing.
Who, me? See you tomorrow