Michael Wyman created the Power of Acknowledgement workshops. He ran them from his duplex apartment on the east side in NYC. At the time the B-52’s owned the building. Occasionally you would run into them going into the upper apartments.
He taught that there is genuine, authentic power in acknowledging another human being; that there is greatness in every person – a light that shines within everyone – and when that greatness and light is acknowledged, transformation occurs. This transformation occurs for the giver and receiver both, for there is a great need in each of us to feel truly seen. by Mike Schwager, President of Worldlink Media Consultants, Inc.
Back then, as a young 20 something, authentic acknowledgement was difficult to accept. A young woman in a big city is accosted daily. I mean that. You cannot walk down the street without someone having a thing to say to you, it tears at who you are. Receiving acknowledged, not just for being young & good looking (at 20 we all are), but for who you are was really, really difficult to take.
Michael was in the midst of the new age emergence, people ran from self-help to self-help workshop seeking knowledge, wisdom, friendship, dates or a good time. I think his work got lost in all of that. Tragically he passed away suddenly and was not able to continue his work himself.
I had heard about the Validation movie from Warren Whitlock, he was plastering it all over Twitter. Back then, for what ever reason, I ignored it. Today it showed up in Facebook (sorry I lost who posted it) and I decided to watch it. I was transported back to Michael Wyman days and experienced both those early uncomfortable feelings and hope for the future. I know. Hope? Future?
But really don’t we all need to feel validated? I know I do. I’ve been struggling to reclaim a part of my life that was lost. I have been struggling to recreate a whole new life. All of this struggle makes me a cranky person. At the end of the day I need, you need, to be acknowledged for what you are doing that is OK. We all need validation that we are OK with both successes and failures. We are OK as we are. Enjoy the movie. Validate someone today.
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