The Shelf Worksheet^©

“Just shelf it” is what happens to projects given up. Or, we put up shelves around our living spaces to have our things in easy reach when they are needed for their purposes. Thinking of this drawing as a metaphor for life problems, pleasures, memories, and trauma, try to label these boxes. Perhaps, think about this assignment in this way: Rather than taking on personal life issues at a present time, they get shelved in our hearts and minds for another time—perhaps for a time in the future when they can be more easily handled for some reason or when there is more time for introspection or for a time when maturity teaches the folly of avoidance. Or, maybe we are holding close to us the tools we need for daily life so that our emotional survival is assured because we have what we need to help us with our problems or to share in our life celebrations.

Label these boxes according to how you use shelves in your personal emotional experience. Ask yourself, “What am I avoiding? What have I stored and shelved in these boxes in my heart and mind? If I opened any box what would I find?” “Who or what do I want to keep close at hand, just in case I need it?” “How do I make use of a key or combination lock?”