"By learning more about who you are, you become the heroine of your own life, and can create positive change in the world" ~Linda Joy Myers
The power of story has the ability to transfer cultural beliefs from one generation to the next. These tales might carry sorrow, hope, joy, or strength. A story might shift our way of being in the world and reflect the path recently walked on. The power of the story reminds us that as the author, we must question how our personal story serves us and how our story will benefit those of the future?
Dr. Linda Joy Myers saw the patterns in her own family's story, having been abandoned by her mother and her mother abandoned by her grandmother. Determined to uncover and discover her family history through her own perspective and interpretation she went on to write the award winning memoir, "Don’t Call Me Mother".
She now works with others to expand their lives into story. Linda has been a therapist in Berkeley for over thirty years, and combines her background in art, clinical work, and writing in her work. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College, and offers unique memoir workshops and trainings in the Bay Area and nationally. She is former president of the California Writers Club, Marin branch, and a member of Women’s National Book Association. Myers is an award-winning fiction, poetry, and non-fiction writer, her first book "Becoming Whole: Writing Your Healing Story" was featured on the Marin Bestseller’s list.
We are thrilled that Dr. Myers has agreed to lead a workshop at the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Women's Conference. She shares with us the power of creating your own story, how her personal history inspired her passion, and why it's so important to connect with other groups of women right now.
1. What is your personal mission or passion that is helping to re-shape the future
I believe in the power of personal transformation—my belief in this message is woven into what I do as a therapist, memoir coach, and writer. Many people struggle with the hand that is dealt them, and sometimes the outcome is not certain. Perspective and hope are important in our life journey, and I believe that each person has the potential for change and healing.
2. Describe a significant moment or experience that inspired your personal mission or passion to make a difference?
The women in my family were stuck in a negative place as I grew up. My grandmother had left my mother when she was a little girl, and my mother left me behind too. I watched these two women fight until death with no resolution to their deep wounds. I decided that I had to change that pattern, that I’d do whatever it took to learn about love and forgiveness. This required years of therapy, and becoming a therapist and a writer to solidify my new learning. There were many times when I thought I would never learn the lessons, but over time, I’ve been rewarded not only professionally but through relationships with my children that are woven with forgiveness, understanding, and open communication—so different from my past.
3. What do you hope will be the biggest take-aways for the attendees who participate in your workshop?
Learning about the power of creating your story and seeing yourself as a heroine of your own life helps you to understand your past, your identity, and how you can shape the future. Knowing that each step your ancestors have taken have brought you to this moment—where you are empowered—weaves the past and present into a colorful tapestry that helps inspire the world.
4. How do you see women and girls in the local and global communities affecting the future?
We have power singly and together to create communication, healing, and connection in community. The world has grown small. Groups on the internet connect people from all over the world, informing and educating each other about their experiences—their universal and particular truths. This allows us to enlarge our vision of what we know and what’s possible.
5. Why is it so important to participate in groups and events that connect women and feature their talents, ideas and solutions right now?
We are all more than the sum of our parts, we know that energy gathered together multiplies in ways that are impossible alone. A synergy develops in groups -- it takes us like a rocket to a new level where possibilities of transformation are endless.
6. What is your message to women around the world?
Everything that you’ve experienced has been your teacher, offering you lessons in the journey of life. Deepen your knowledge of who you are by writing your story and journaling your affirmations and visions for the future. This changes your brain, rewires it to absorb even more new learning, which can change the course of your life. By learning more about who you are, you become the heroine of your own life, and can create positive change in the world. Believe in who you are!
Linda Joy Myers Passion Into Acton Workshop:
The Heroine’s Journey—Find your Path through Writing Your Story
Our journey through life is like a heroine’s journey—we leave our “regular” safe world to go out and wander through dark forests and parched deserts, all the while yearning for guidance and home. The heroine is called to a search—Cinderella searches for a way to go to the ball, but really she is searching for a way out of a life of cruelty and neglect. She’s lucky to have a fairy godmother, but perhaps your wise guide is Gandalf, or a therapist or teacher; perhaps she’s a grandmother or a good friend. While we’re on the journey, forces conspire to keep us moving forward rather than back to the familiar life we wish for, and on this journey we learn our spiritual lessons. We learn to be brave, to keep going, and we learn how to become stronger in the weak places.
Understanding our own story—how we are heroines, naming the heroes and heroines in our own lives—helps us deepen our connection with magic and with our deep spiritual potential. In this workshop, we’ll share our journeys, and you’ll begin to sketch your story.
To register for Linda Joy Myers workshop click here to register for the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Conference
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