[Ailist] Life Lie/Faking It

[Rob Voyle]

On 12 May 2007 at 18:27, Howard Ditkoff wrote:

So this is something that has always made me realize there are limits to where
> the positive principle applies. Sometimes the wholeness principle seems
> to require going through some things that are not pleasant or positive
> in order to get back in touch with reality. 

Hi Harold 

I think you raise an important point about social constructionism and the need to 
be reality based, even knowing that "reality" is the something we construct.
I find myself moving from what is "positive" to that which is "life giving"  Just 
being positive is not necessarily helpful.  Fredrickson's work suggests that when 
people's positive to negative emotions goes over 11:1 people cannot engage in  
creative thinking because they have gone into denial, or are no longer accurately 
mapping reality in a helpful life-giving way. We cannot change what we cannot 
see or accept.

Rob
  
Robert J. Voyle, Psy.D.
Director, Clergy Leadership Institute
For Coaching and Training in Appreciative Inquiry
Author: Core Elements of the Appreciative Way 
http://www.clergyleadership.com/
503-647-2378 or 503-647-2382