Welcome to spring 2020. Pollen, bluebirds and…. change is in air. We are muddling through unprecedented, scary, times together. We would rather be enjoying the extra daylight and warmer temperatures, but instead, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID19 outbreak a world health pandemic. Thus, our anxiety heightened to intolerable levels. Collectively, we began to imagine worst-case- scenarios as our retirement funds plummeted, schools closed, and jobs were lost. Our worst fears started to unfold before our eyes and we seemed powerless to stop the destructive path carved out by a tiny virus. Creating a healthy mindset in the midst of chaos is pivotal.
Discernment is defined as the ability to judge well. This is a beautiful and simple definition of an elegant term. It is clear and precise. It is impossible to be confused about what it means to use discernment with a definition like this. However, when your marriage or partnership is on the rocks, you will feel anything but clear and precise about the unspoken decisions you need to make. Divorce is emotionally, spiritually, and financially pain and you want to avoid this all costs.
“Do I need a life coach or psychotherapist” is question that I hear often. As a licensed psychotherapist and certified life coach, people always ask me the difference between my two roles. People are always curious about what I do and they also want to know how to discern what they need. Basically, they want to know if their problem is coachable or therapeutic? Let’s dive into how we work through this dilemma.
FAQs for coaches and therapists
I want to address frequently asked questions about the differences between psychotherapy and life coaching. It’s not uncommon for people to confuse these two professions and to be sure, similarities do exist. However, these professions are not interchangeable. These waters can become even murkier as many counselors, like me, are practicing as both licensed counselors and life coaches. However, when you hire a coach with a Masters in Counseling, like me, you can rest assured that the foundation of our work together is rooted in my innate understanding of the human psyche.
I have been wanting to write about Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT Tapping for a long time now. The 12th annual Tapping World Summit[1] inspired me to get started. For 10 days, thought leaders in the world of psychology, medicine, science, and holistic healing came together to share insights and strategies for reducing stress using Emotional Freedom Technique.
Before I go any further, I want to say that I am not paid or rewarded for plugging this tapping event, I just love it and my clients love it too! The summit is free, completely online, packed full of amazing in-vivo EFT tapping experiences, and it will be attended by over 600,000 people annually. You can find out more at www.thetappingsolution.com You also watch my quick YouTube tutorial on the EFT basics.
Using the seasons as a guide when you are in the midst of a major life transition
Carrie Mead, MS Transitions Coach Carroll County, MD, USA
the seasons of life
At times, life is tough and at times, it is absolutely perfect. Have you ever noticed the ebb and flow of the seasons of your own life? There are times the stars align and everything you desire comes into fruition- a pay increase, a new romance, the perfect puppy… all at once. You sit back and wonder how you got so lucky. You bask in the sunlight and abundance that life has afforded you. You keep working hard and enjoying the ride. You have a great work ethic and your friends know that they can count on you. Life is good. But we all know that’s not the whole story. Stress and anxiety are part of life too. But for now, let’s bask in the glory of the summer sun.
the Happiness of summer
As a Seasons of Change coach, we refer to this time as the season of summer. Summer may last for months, or it may be a fleeting moment, but when we are experiencing the joy of summer there is no doubt that we are loved, supported, and capable of great things. However, no season lasts forever. Life is fluid and everchanging. You may be blissfully unaware that change is coming while you are enjoying the summer sun. However, if you are a person prone to anxiety, you may miss the joy of summer as you worry about the foreboding change that you just know is lurking around the corner (even though you have no evidence of such change). You may even miss the harvest you created due to these anxious, intrusive thoughts. Either way, whether you are enjoying your summer or worrying about when it will end, change is coming. It always does.
If you are currently in a troubled marriage, you may have typed the term “divorce” into your internet browser recently. If so, you are not alone. According to media outlets like the New York Times[1] and the London Evening Standard [2], search terms such as “how do I get divorced” peak and trend at various points throughout the year. It is no surprise that early January, or the first Monday back to work in January to be exact, is one of the most popular days to search for answers about the legalities and formalities of getting divorced. This term also peaks in March. Most experts surmise that by March, people have gathered their information and made their decisions on whether or not to begin a divorce proceeding. So, will you be part of Divorce Day 2020?
Self-care is a buzzword that we have all heard but I wonder how many people really know what it means to care for one’s self. I would wager to say that people talk much more about this topic than actually practice a regular and consistent self-care routine. Statistics often speak louder than words and on Instagram alone, thehashtag #selfcare has been used more than 21 million times and the combined uses of all the self-care hashtags reach well over 30 million posts! So, it is evident that people are talking a lot about self-care but there’s no evidence that people are putting their words into action.
When the days draw-in and sunlight begins to wane (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), you may notice a drop in your energy levels, motivation, and mood. This most often rears its ugly head in the workplace. Maybe it is a missed deadline, a skipped meeting, or a lack of follow-through on a commitment. Maybe it is increased anxiety about job security due to your poor performance. However it is showing up for you, stress is a problem and you may not be able to solve it on your own. According to the Washington Post[1] depression and anxiety cost the global economy over $1 trillion in lost productivity. In the USA alone that is upwards of 200 million lost workdays every year! With numbers like this, everyone will benefit from workplace wellness initiatives that respect and create a work-life balance.
AUTONOMY = energy
As an employee with autonomy and self-agency, there are simple ways you can increase your energy, commitment and focus in the workplace and beyond. Having worked through this topic with so many clients, I would like to offer some tips on this subject.
Have you ever had a difficult time making a decision? Perhaps you have rushed into a decision and then regretted it either instantly or months later. Maybe you are so indecisive that decisions simply never get made and you are left feeling stuck in your situation. Maybe you have made decisions that were in direct conflict with your long-term goals or vision for your life. With the countless decisions you have made in your life, have you ever stopped and wondered how these past decisions have impacted the trajectory of your life?
