Is September getting You down?
I’m not sure how you’re feeling about September, but I’m feeling like a deer in the headlights. What happened to Summer? My sister says that Summer months line up with the days of the week
June = Friday
July = Saturday
August = Sunday
September = Monday
I think she’s right. So, yeah, I’m feeling like I’m in a big ‘ol, Monday – there’s the exciting rush of back-to-school energy, and a desire to avoid all the “to do’s” in front of me.
Want to Shake that September Feeling?
Let's Try a Ninja Mind-Trick
How would you like an all-expense-paid vacation instead? For a minute, pretend that right now you’ve been granted an immediate, all-expense-paid, skip-September-yuck, two-week vacation to the destination of your choice. It’s boss-approved, there are no conflicts, kids are taken care of, and someone is going to do all your work while you’re away.
Take a deep breath and imagine it. How does that feel? Whew. Can you feel your body relax as the pressure comes off?
This little mind-trick shows us how powerful our minds really are (Sorry, I don’t have the kind of power to get you that vacation just yet.). Nothing changed, except our minds. The mere thought of a vacation had the power to lower the stress in our bodies.
I Used to Think Situations Caused Feelings
Through Coaching, I've Learned That
Thoughts Cause Feelings. Not Situations.
Could this mean, for example, that September isn't icky and situations like public speaking aren't actually scary? We just think they are?
Could our thoughts be making us afraid of public speaking, not the actual public speaking? Could our scary thoughts about standing up for ourselves or going after that dream job be holding us back? Could September actually be one of the great months?
I’ve been practicing thought-work for awhile, and it’s a little magical. While I haven’t started taming lions or anything, my fears and anxieties aren’t constantly in the driver’s seat anymore. The more I question my thoughts, the more free I feel.
“They’re going to hate me.” (Is that true?)
“Others know better than me, so I won’t speak up.” (Is that true?)
“No one wants me. I should be happy with the job I have.” (Is that true?)
The Trick is Finding Your Thoughts.
(They're sneaky.)
The problem is that our thoughts are like an iceberg – most of them are lurking below the surface, so much a part of us that we don’t even know we’re thinking them. They keep us stuck and we don’t even know they’re doing it.
In our coaching, we use tools like Byron Katie’s “The Work” and Acceptance Commitment Training (ACT) to help our clients (and ourselves) find those sneaky, hidden thoughts that create stress.
Once we find our thoughts and play with them a bit, we come to realize that a lot of our thoughts are, well, a little silly. These tools help us rewire our brains. That’s the real ninja mind-trick.
Those Hidden Thoughts Can Keep You Stuck
Without You Knowing It
Sometimes we really want something, but we do nothing to get it. We conclude that we’re lazy, or big procrastinators, or unambitious, or that we don’t know how. We think there’s something wrong with us.
The solution to that mystery lies in those hidden thoughts. Your mind wants to keep you safe, but it’s idea of keeping you safe is that you don’t move. Ever. It thinks you should do nothing. So you get stuck.
The good news is that you have the power to get unstuck. Change your thoughts … change your feelings … change your actions … change your outcomes. Like U2 says, Free yourself to be yourself.
Your Mind is Powerful and So Are You
If there’s something you want but you’re not getting it, I have a hunch that it might be your deeply held thoughts that are holding you back.
To unravel the mystery, go to thework.com to download a free worksheet. The worksheet can help you unravel your thinking so can feel better.
To find out how Acceptance Commitment Training (ACT) can help you be free of your thoughts, get Russ Harris’s book The Happiness Trap.
Or book a Free Yourself to Be Yourself introductory coaching session with me. Get unstuck and use your new and improved ninja mind-tricks to get you moving again.
