To Be Happy
We all say we want to be happy, but what does that really mean?
Although traditional therapy in the hands of a skilled and intuitive therapist can be very insightful, especially when true disfunction is present, my past training soon evolved to reveal far greater potency in seeing my clients not as broken in need of fixing, but rather magnificent, only having forgotten their worth. To honor my own authentic style and to to foster their ability to reclaim their empowerment, I more consciously and intuitively turned in the direction, almost by accident, to a coaching/mentoring model. This transformation in my style of being with people happened even before there was officially such a profession of life coaching. I knew my role was to help clients look to the past not for reasons to validate their pain, but for clues on how to shift their perspective and expand their ability to chose steps that would transform and insure a more joyful future. Rather than steer them to wade through their past pain I would nudge them to lean in the direction of joy by seeing the past differently and nudge them toward realizing the proactive blessings hidden in even the most challenging circumstances.
When my 1500 internship hours were complete 18 months after
I received my doctoral degree I filed my application to sit for the licensing exam only to find that the licensing board had lost my file!Even though I had my own files and evidence, they insisted that I povide them with signed affidavits from all of my previous instructors to verify that I had completed the necessary coursework. My graduate school had also undergone a change of administration and because it was apparently a hostile political take-over, the new administration was far less than helpful! I found it to be almost impossible without their help to find my professors, some who had moved on. Without the verification, the board was requiring that I retake the classes, as well as 8 additional required classes that had been added to the list of requirements since my graduation.
It was challenging for me to understand how a profession that was supposed to help people find internal peace and expand consciousness could be so dysfunctional and lack compassion or flexibility. This process felt almost as crazy as growing up in a family influenced by alcohol, not to mention that I was going through a divorce at the time and needed to find a way sooner than later to support my daughters.
After hours and hours of study, internship hours, and a huge financial investment, I made the very difficult decision to discontinue my efforts to provide what was necessary to allow me to take the exam. I had to trust that I would find another way to support my
kids using my gifts and skills in the service of helping individuals find greater joy. Since I never really felt like the ‘theraputic model’ was a true ‘fit’ for me, this circumstance nudged me chose to continue to see clients as a ‘spiritual counselor’ so I could be considered ‘legal’ and continue my work. This gave me the freedom to maintain a practice that was much more in alignment with who I was. Although a frightening step, it freed me to apply a much more proactive approach in support of the people I served to take a stand for their own happiness.
Although this was not an easy detour, I have found it true as modeled by my clients over the years that the worst of times can lead us to the best of times if we allow it to do so. Happiness is n
So when you feel tempted to complain about something that did not go exactly as you planned or are upset about some kind of injustice that comes your way, I encourage you lean toward your truth and trust that there is a blessing and an opportunity disguised inside.
Greater joy comes when you look on the brighter side of life despite life’s twists and turns.
Joy-fully,
If you feel this newsletter would make the road of life a bit easier for another, please pass along. Invite all your family and friends to sign up for my newsletter by visiting http://www.centerofhappines
com.
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