The Daily Groove - Scott Noelle.

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove


:: WordWatch: My ::
Possessiveness is rooted in scarcity thinking, which
undermines the natural tendency to expand joy through
sharing.
We inadvertently teach our children scarcity thinking
by overusing possessive words like my/mine, yours,
Daddy's, sister's, etc. There's nothing inherently
wrong with these words, but questioning their use can
help us shift into abundance thinking.
For example, imagine asking your child, "Do you want a
bite of my apple?" Is the word "my" really needed? Why
not simply call it "this" apple?
When ownership is emphasized, it sends a subtle
message: "I have control over this." It alters the
child's perception of the owned object, making it seem
like a source of power. "Your" apple is more likely to
become the object of a power struggle.
Today, try to notice whenever you use possessive
words, and ask yourself if they make you feel lacking
or abundant -- like a competitor ("that's MY chair")
or a partner ("put your hand in mine").
http://dailygroove.net/my