Thrive Training Year One Overview.

Thrive Training Track I : Our year in review. 

Our track one training has been so satisfying. Learning to notice our children's attachment lights (bonding center in their brain) was a great experience early on for Dawn and I. We can feel them growing more secure with us as we pay attention to their needs for both attachment and space. Another highlight has been the exercises on noticing overwhelm in others. I grew up in a family that was constantly overwhelming each other and so my habits were very bad in this area. It is taking me a lot of practice but I am learning to see very clearly and instinctively when I am overwhelming someone else. Getting myself to take a pause is such a satisfying way of building trust with them.

 As my wife and I have learned to build joy with each other and included the children in our practice, we have all become so much more connected and playful in our times together. We find ourselves singing our prayer of Thanksgiving before dinner and sharing joy with our eyes as we do so. What a blessing.

 Learning to tell return to Joy stories has been very very helpful as well, though I am still in the middle of that process and have a lot of practice needed. It does feel so good to have a pathway back to joy and a story to tell within my mind and too the person in front of me. Learning to turn to Jesus to see what it is like me to do in each emotion has been amazing and transformative. I find myself calm in the midst of situations where normally I would've completely lost it in the past. I'm I find myself simply aware of what is going on instead of lost in a panic.

 Going through a childhood inventory and getting a sense of the presence of Jesus in each trauma has also been very fruitful. I’ve seen healing in some areas from getting together to pray with my wife and sensing the presence of Jesus in those memories. Still more healing needed though, so I’m hopeful in the process.

 I would say that the most challenging part has been looking at maturity work. Seeing the gaps in my maturity, and taking the steps to do the tasks and needs has been a slow process. I'm so grateful that I have two groups of elders in my life who are available to me to help me learn in the areas where I am lacking. Learning to synchronize with a group is challenging to me, but I'm getting lots of feedback about how to notice what others are feeling and needing in the group setting.