How Long Are You Willing to Wait?

"I'm sick and tired of feeling this way," she told me. "I've decided I can't keep going like this." Her life wasn't the way she wanted to be. It hadn't been for years. She'd tried a bunch of things, but they hadn't worked, or if they had, they hadn't worked for long.

"I know this will probably take a long time. . ." she said.

"Not really," I replied. "Not if you're ready to get rid of the junk that's standing in your way. These days there are a lot of ways to make changes pretty quickly."

I used to believe the same thing: that change had to be slow and measured by weeks, months and years. But then I got impatient.

Please understand me. I like the people I work with, but there really is no need for us all to grow old together. In fact, the older I've become, the more aware I am of the passing of time and that the time for living will be limited.

I've become focused on SOLUTIONS. Because, what if we didn't have to wait years to create the life we want? What if we didn't have to spend years trying to clean up the things that have caused us problems? What if we could get rid of our baggage and move on?

When I was a therapist, I studied many of the latest and most promising techniques. Ways that could help people move on from trauma, from illness, from circumstances that had scarred them.  I began looking for solutions in the mid '80s. Good heavens, that was 30 years ago!

I've been honing those skills ever since. Creating new methods to help people change their lives by working with them differently. In traditional therapy, clients meet with their therapist or counselor for about an hour. What that means is that just about the time they've begun to uncover something important, it's time to quit. That starting and stopping and starting and stopping from session to session, in my opinion, pretty much ensures that your progress will be slower than it has to be. Because face it, few of us remember exactly where we were a week later. You have to find your place and begin again. I'm not saying you can't make progress that way. I'm saying it's slow going.

Some people like to move slowly. They like to savor the process and understand the nuances of their lives and the events that have happened to them. Sorry. Not me. I'm the impatient sort. I want to dive in and work intensely and then have you move on with your life. Fix what's broken. Find what's not working, take care of it, and go on. 

I'm not a therapist anymore (I retired my psychologist license in December, 2012), so I don't have to use that model that says we meet once a week for an hour. As a personal and business coach, I've created a new model that is faster, more focused and more intensive. If you aren't willing to wait for years to clear out your mental junk, you might find this model fits you better.

The Intensive Personal Breakthrough Session (sometimes called Personal Makeover Sessions) takes you through a process over the course of 4-5 days, working multiple hours together each day. We do intensive preparation before we ever meet, so that we're very clear about what issue or issues we're working on. We do intensive work in person while you're here in East Tennessee. There's often homework. We both work hard, AND you resolve the issues you came to solve. Then I do follow-up with you, meeting once a month by phone for 75 minutes each time and checking in regularly by email to make sure you're maintaining your progress. 

I love this model because I get to watch people transform before my very eyes (which is the coolest thing ever). My clients love it because it gets rid of their old baggage pretty quickly, and much easier than they ever would have anticipated.

I know you may have invested years of your life carrying your baggage around with you. It's been cumbersome, and probably kept you from doing things you'd like to do or achieving goals you wanted to achieve. But just because you've had a problem/issue/challenge for years, doesn't mean you can't get rid of it.

How long are you willing to wait before you let it go? It's really up to you. The first and most important step in the process is deciding you're ready to let it go and to move on with your life. 

When you decide you don't want to keep living like you have been, call me at 865-983-7544 or email me at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com. We can talk about what will work best for you.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a personal/business coach and trainer who specializes in helping people get over the obstacles that stand in the way of their happiness and success. She specializes in helping her clients get unstuck and get over mindset issues that sabotage their ability to reach their goals. 

What Does Your Inner Voice Say?

"The loudest and most influential voice you hear is

your own inner voice, your self critic. 

It can work for you or against  you, 

depending on the messages you allow."

~Keith Harrell

We all have an internal critic inside commenting on our thoughts, behavior and emotions.  Sometimes we call it our "conscience" as when it warns us against doing something wrong.  Sometimes it is the voice of a dissatisfied parent or someone else significant from our past.  Sometimes it is our own voice, judging us.  If you are a perfectionist, that inner voice will NEVER be satisfied.  If you instruct your inner voice to give you credit for doing something that is difficult for you, or for making the effort, you will encourage yourself to try harder and do better with your next effort.  If your inner voice is always critical, you'll find yourself resisting doing things you might succeed at.  When all you get is critical, you'll find yourself giving up.  You might even begin to believe that you "aren't good enough" or that you "don't know enough."  Tame that inner voice so that it works with you instead of against you.

This week:   Pay attention to your "inner voice."  With each message, evaluate "Is this true?"  You may discover that if you are truthful you will recognize that you are too hard of yourself.  Would you talk this way to a child?  Would you talk this way to your spouse?  Would you talk with way to an employee?  If not, why are you being so critical of yourself?  Ask yourself "What is the best way to get the best performance?"  At least ONCE during the week, modify that inner voice to be supportive rather than critical.  Pay attention to the difference--which way brings better results?

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert at helping people overcome limitations to their success and happiness.  She finds that many people carry around a lot of "mental clutter"--those negative emotions and limiting beliefs that block their success.  If your inner voice is too critical, find out how a Personal Breakthrough Intensive Session can change that.  For more information, go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com .