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Narrative Actualization

bridget_pilloud — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:46:15 +0000

With Narrative Actualization, you take the reins in your life.

We teach a 3-step process:

1) Writing your story as it is now.

A story relies on narrative elements (setting, point of view, character, dialog, plot) to create a realistic, truthful atmosphere. Focusing on five smaller elements is far less intimidating than trying to capture the whole story.

By mindfully crafting the five elements of narrative, a complete story emerges.

We help you reflect on each element of your story, looking at your setting, how you view yourself in your story, the characters that populate your life, the conversations you have, and the various aspects that make up your plot.

2) Rewriting your story the way you want it to be.

Then you re-vision your story. Re-visioning is looking at the story with new eyes and removing details that aren’t part of the story you’d like to tell. It’s replacing those details with healthy, vibrant parts that capture the life you want to live.

Re-visioning is intimidating, but taking it element-by-element, detail-by-detail eases the experience and makes a compelling, true story. When you re-vision in a safe environment with understanding people, you create lasting change in your life.

3) Moving into your new story.

We like to use the analogy of the river. Your story is a river. You can’t control everything that goes into your river, but you can be your river’s steward.

This is true with your story. You can’t control who your parents were. You can’t control your DNA. Everything else is fair game.

Once you’ve identified your new story, it’s time to start moving into it. Some of this movement is tangible. Some of it is intangible.

Narrative actualization uses tools to help you move into your story. These include Feeling your Way, Inspired Thought, Tracking Progress and Reassessing.

Narrative actualization is a simple, powerful approach to changing your life. You have the ability already, the Center for Narrative Actualization teaches you how to make lasting change in a comfortable, creative way.

Remember, you don’t get to the final edit until you leave this Earth. So make the most of your story today!

Your Life is Your Story

bridget_pilloud — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:43:04 +0000

I love those movies that follow a long life, like Chaplin or Like Water for Chocolate. I love to see the little details that twist and turn a story!

You may not think of your life that way, but it’s true. Your life turns on tiny details, tiny details that bring each moment into focus.

You might not feel like you have much control over your life, but you do. By thinking of your life as a story, you can rewrite it to make it what you want it to be. Some changes can be daunting and big, but it doesn’t mean you can’t rewrite your story to make it how you want it to be.

Look at your life! How would you tell your story? Are you the hero or heroine of it? Is it interesting to you?

Your story may not seem like a blockbuster, and yet, I bet it is. Remember those details? They matter.

The process of narrative actualization is the process of changing your life by rewriting your way into a new story, changing it detail by detail until it’s what you want.

Think about the story of your life. Think about how you’d change the plot, the setting, the characters, the tone. Much of it is in your control.

Re-Vision Your Story

melissalion — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:05:20 +0000

Like a river, the quality of our story depends upon the elements flowing in. Until now, most of us have let anything into our stories, choosing fate and happenstance rather than a mindful stewardship or our tale.

By identifying the elements of narrative – setting, point of view, dialog, character, plot – and revising those elements, we can be active participants in crafting our narrative. We can tell the story as it is now, and revise it into the story we want to tell. We can reroute our story, avoiding pollution, and change details to reflect the story we’re happy with.

Revision is a new look at the story. Re-Vision.

But revision can seem overwhelming.

And a pain.

And those are my babies! My words, my thoughts!

But the current vision somehow still doesn’t feel right. And it’s so BIG!

The very thought of revision will send even the most experienced writers into a momentary paralysis — aka writer’s block.

But the story must be revised.

Revision is accomplished step-by-step, word-by-word, element-by-element.

Begin with your setting. What’s in your setting right now? What doesn’t belong? What could take its place? Be very specific. Be aware of details. Spend a few moments in your setting without distractions. Re-Vision it — see it through the eyes of a visitor. What things would someone else notice? Someone you admire? Should those details be there or not? Are they contributing to a story with a healthy ecosystem or are those details adding to the pollution?

Cut and add, add and cut. Re-Vision for a healthy, vital story.

Change your Story, Change your Life

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:26:23 +0000

We’ve decided, in this uncertain economy, to change our approach to the retreat. We’re making it less expensive. We’re making it shorter in length. We’re giving our students a taste of the narrative actualization experience at a price that anyone can afford.

We also realized that we need to make this simpler. So we’re starting with simpler stories. Instead of rewriting all aspects of our story, we’re going to start with smaller aspects of our stories.

We hope you’ll join us. In our empowering environment, through interesting exercises and meditations, we’ll explore our current stories, rewrite them into new stories and then start the process of moving into the new story. You’ll learn how to move into a story that engages your spirit, and brings you joy.

Expect change. Expect a new understanding. Expect enthusiasm. Take the reins in your life.

Space is limited to ten participants.

Fee: $20-45 per person. We’re using a sliding scale fee to make sure that anyone can attend.

Date: February 21st, 2010 1 pm -4 pm

Please Join Us

To join us, simply email bridget@narrativeactualization.com or melissa@narrativeactualization.com. Let us know what you’d like to pay and we’ll invoice you.