Grow Up Your Ego

Were Sigmund Freud to peek in on us today, we can only wonder how he would react to the ego's reputation, the ego being the component he originally placed a the very center of personality structure. Little did he know that from a lay perspective, the term narcissim and ego would come to mean the same thing--how a grandiose and demanding person is said to have an oversized ego. Nonetheless the ego not only theoretically survived--it is now recognized by scientitsts as the personality component that both keeps us alive and gives us a sense of self. "Too big" of an ego is not the problem--the problem is an ego that hasn't had the opportunity to mature. Individuals with mature egos have a healthy sense of self; they deal constructively with reality; they direct hostile energy into creative and positive outlets; and they relate to others in a consistent manner with mutual satisfaction and helpfulness. This involves a developmental issue that goes back to the very beginning of life. when parents who give their infants consistent loving care and engage in appropriate emotional responses provide the trusting base necessary for the ego to healthily grow. Parents who display emotional inconsistency along with neglect and abusiveness, produce offspring who lack self-esteem and cannont appropriately connect with others. Such individuals may act out in varying--and sometimes violent ways.

Fortunately there is a remedy for this situation--Grow Up Your Ego: Ten Scientifically Validated Stages to Emotional and Spiritual Maturity. This book is complete with case examples and end-of-chapter exercises that help readers pinpoint their position within the ten stages; presents practical steps for reaching the next stage; illustrates methods of healing early-life wounds; shows how to harmonize the relationship between defense mechanisms and ego growth; details the crucial role of emotions in the mind-body connection; illustrates the brain's life-long capacity to create new neural connections; demonstrates how to hone self-nurtuing skills; and outlines techniques for surmounting inevitable obstacles to growth. And of note is how research results show that no matter one's age is it never too late to grow up one's ego

In addition research findings show how the maturing ego is accompanied by the unfolding of our innate spirituality. Regardless of whether individuals are "religious" or not, those who reach the final stages have integrative experienes of unity; demonstrate altruistic behaviors; hold a sense of awe; effectively resolve emotional dilemmas; experience peace and calm; expand humor and playfulness; accept realtiy as it is; uncover fresh veins of creativity; and open the door to the sacred within.