When you hear the word “nostalgia” in the context of your
own name, what comes up in your mind?
How do you define it, how far back does it take you, and
what emotions does this word trigger within?
As humans, we do not take the time to reflect and measure
our own growth on a daily basis. In
fact, for most humans, it is ‘go, go, status quo.’
Unless you are forced to stop in your tracks to “remember
when” … or something you see, hear, smell or taste takes you back to when you
were five, or ten or ten years ago, you do not reflect on a memory unless you
have a trigger. This is especially true
when you get nostalgic reflecting upon your name.
Maybe you had a nickname growing up… or your parents called
you a shortened version of your name or by your middle name or in another
context because you are a Jr. or a III name in your family. Maybe you were named after a relative or
family friend and how you identify to your own name varies, depending on the
setting of where you are called different things – i.e. a family reunion or at
work or even by your friends and the people who know you best.
But what if I were to trigger you … right here, right now,
today, in your shoes, socks or bare feet to ‘remember’ something differently as
to how you relate to your own name?
Are you ready? This
game is something I created called “What’s in a name?”
- · Do you remember the first time you wrote your name?
- · How old were you when you wrote it for the first time?
- · Was it with a pencil, a pen or crayon?
- · Was it in the sand or snow?
- · Do you remember writing it in cursive?
- · Did you practice it? If so, how often?
- · Do you remember the first time you typed it with your fingers? Did that feel or look weird to you?
- · Do you remember the first time you ERASED IT… with a pencil eraser, or backspaced on a keyboard to erase it?
Okay… so wasn’t that fun?
Why did I have you get nostalgic about your own name?
I wanted you to identify your own past feelings and
connection to it so you could think about it in your present as you write your
name TODAY.
We adults write our names a myriad of ways when we connect
to life contracts of some sort – a payment, an agreement, a document, an
application, a form for anything --- and we “blow it off” like breathing.
We do not take the time to value our own names and our
connection to our names. Instead, we
literally write ourselves off like a grocery list and treat ourselves in this
same manner.
Isn’t that sad?
I wanted to write this blog and bring this to your attention
because this is WHERE putting ourselves last actually starts. There is no longer any ‘honoring’ this piece
of ourselves in daily life – instead we look at this as a “task” and we lose
connection to this one nostalgic flashback.
When we do this, we dismiss all of the times we wrote our
names and it “meant something.” From
signing a letter, or applying for a job or school, or other big monumental
moments that are part of life’s events.
When we sign our names, we are actually doing something that
changes the course of our lives.
No matter how big or how small, or even insignificant you
think that is, the action itself is actually moving you along your lifeline and
life’s pathway/journey. You are creating
moments every time you write your own name.
Sometimes doing so takes bravery, like when you sign a petition to stand
for something or when you vouch for someone you believe in – even when it is
your own self doing something that is significant in your life.
So the next time you sign your name, I want you to flash
back to this moment and remember reading this.
Maybe you’ll take your time with writing your name… maybe you’ll smile
and be proud of yourself… maybe you’ll giggle and say “Yes, this is me and I am
making a moment.”
Just remember that you are you – and there is no one else
like you. Like your own name, the way you write it and the way you attach
yourself to doing this very one simple thing makes all the difference in how
you proudly invest yourself in who you are.
You’ve come a long way… it is time you put your name to that and
celebrate.
Namaste.
Stacey
Kumagai :D
