Help Anyone tried this "Self Authoring" thing from Resource Thread?

[Cathy Ames]

If so, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. Yes, I know who Jordan Peterson is and don't necessarily have a great impression. Mainly I'm interested in informed opinions about the "Self Authoring" thing, not opinions about him.

Thanks in advance. [Also cringing, LOL.]

Editing to add the link and additional background about why I would ask....[Here's the link: https://www.selfauthoring.com ]

So, anyhow, as I have changed over the years, it gets more and more difficult to fill out those personality inventories or questionnaires. Which do you prefer? [Neither.] Which motivates you more? [How to answer: the way the old me used to feel or the person I am now?] Grading things on a scale of 1-5 (like/dislike) and etc., I end up as unclassifiable. It all feels like a waste. So I am wondering if this will be more of the same, like Gretchen Rubin's "Four Tendencies" quiz. [You can google it.]

So, anyhow, as I have changed over the years, it gets more and more difficult to fill out those personality inventories or questionnaires. Which do you prefer? [Neither.] Which motivates you more? [How to answer: the way the old me used to feel or the person I am now?] Grading things on a scale of 1-5 (like/dislike) and etc., I end up as unclassifiable. It all feels like a waste. So I am wondering if this will be more of the same, like Gretchen Rubin's "Four Tendencies" quiz. [You can google it.]

LOL. What are your strong suits? Procrastination and denial. What are you good at? Procrastination, denial, avoidance, isolation, alienating others. What are your values? Um. Do you mean in the hypothetical, or the ones that I actually follow? If so, then none.

 

[timf]

In the absence of other posts, i thought i would pass along some thoughts even though I am not conversant with "self-authoring".

I assume that "self-authoring" would be an exhortation to see yourself as a character that would be described in writing. Some might imagine that their own characteristics would more clearly come into focus. However, instead of adding clarity it might reveal (or even accentuate) a feeling of emptiness. If this is the case, it might be helpful to consider a writer attempting to create a new character from scratch.

If one is to harness the imaginative process for therapeutic purposes, it might be best to start small. If you were to consider a rather minor attribute such as putting dirty clothes in a hamper, you might "write" this characteristic for yourself and see if it could help you nibble at the edge of procrastination.

In a way it sounds like it might be a creative way to apply goal setting.

 

[jandek]

I tried the Self Authoring program a couple years ago because it sounded intriguing, but I didn't get very far... To begin with, I don't have many life experiences that I would consider deeply meaningful to me, or life experiences in general. Maybe my sense of self is overly internalized? I don't know... Also, my self-perception is so overwhelmingly negative that working on it only made me feel worse. If I recall correctly, Peterson suggests that very depressed people shouldn't use the Self Authoring program.

 

[Cathy Ames]

I tried the Self Authoring program a couple years ago because it sounded intriguing, but I didn't get very far... To begin with, I don't have many life experiences that I would consider deeply meaningful to me, or life experiences in general. Maybe my sense of self is overly internalized? I don't know... Also, my self-perception is so overwhelmingly negative that working on it only made me feel worse. If I recall correctly, Peterson suggests that very depressed people shouldn't use the Self Authoring program.

Thanks. I was concerned about the potential for it making me feel worse.

 

[cooldude420]

The self authoring program was several components: Present, Past, and Future authoring. I have gained quite a bit from it. There are disclaimers on some aspects of the past and present authoring. They work best if you are not currently depressed. You do not HAVE to do them. I would recommend the future authoring program for people who are depressed and potentially suicidal. You can always redo the programs. It is a tool that you can always use. It is not a one and done event; it is not a personality test either.

You probably have a lot more question about it. I have used the program with great success for myself. Just let me know what else you want to know

 

[wanttogetonthebus]

The self authoring program was several components: Present, Past, and Future authoring. I have gained quite a bit from it. There are disclaimers on some aspects of the past and present authoring. They work best if you are not currently depressed. You do not HAVE to do them. I would recommend the future authoring program for people who are depressed and potentially suicidal. You can always redo the programs. It is a tool that you can always use. It is not a one and done event; it is not a personality test either.

You probably have a lot more question about it. I have used the program with great success for myself. Just let me know what else you want to know

Hello, I had never heard of self-authoring before until I came across this thread. So it sounds like each of those 3 modules can be used independently from one another? In your experience, what did you like least about self-authoring?

 

[Cathy Ames]

The self authoring program was several components: Present, Past, and Future authoring. I have gained quite a bit from it. There are disclaimers on some aspects of the past and present authoring. They work best if you are not currently depressed. You do not HAVE to do them. I would recommend the future authoring program for people who are depressed and potentially suicidal. You can always redo the programs. It is a tool that you can always use. It is not a one and done event; it is not a personality test either.

You probably have a lot more question about it. I have used the program with great success for myself. Just let me know what else you want to know

Re. the personality test, when I was trying to figure out whether I should do the self authoring I read somewhere (maybe Reddit?) that people were supposed to take the "big five" test in order to get the best/most meaningful results from doing it. https://www.truity.com/test/big-five-personality-test

 

[cooldude420]

So it sounds like each of those 3 modules can be used independently from one another?

They are completely independent on each other. I would say the best use of it for anyone on these forums would be to do the future authoring program.

the personality test

There is no need to do the a big five personality test to do the self authoring program. Dr. Peterson does have a personality test at understandmyself.com. But you do not need to do it at all for the self authoring programming. My results were extremely accurate (with one area that was wrong but there were other reasons for that) on that test and it was illuminating. Obviously, more insight about yourself will always help. So, you will get better results since you will do a lot of writing about yourself. But, it is not needed to get a huge amount of impact from the writing exercises.

what did you like least about self-authoring?

It will take time. It is a lot of writing. But, that is something that is a part of it and there isn't a way to change that. I think many people on this forum would benefit from it.