Free Session?
In the world of therapy and coaching, it is standard practice to offer some form of complimentary session. This work is personal, so it makes sense to get to know one another and see how it feels before making a financial commitment. In my opinion, this session should be more of a conversation than a sales pitch. To authentically connect, both people must feel safe enough to be themselves, hence, no strings attached.
Searching for a Quick Fix?
Have you determined where you are? Are you looking for a quick fix? Are you hoping to find the precise words to make you feel better for the moment, or are you in the market for real change? Significant change often requires us to look at parts of ourselves we’d rather not see. There are growing pains when moving past self-judgment and into self-acceptance. I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago about determining where you are. Identifying where you are is a vital step toward self-acceptance.
Helpers Often Make Poor Helpees
Are you willing to receive support or do you just want the discomfort to stop? Many people have resistance to receiving help. Receiving support involves allowing someone else in, to see into the darkness and maybe offer a flashlight, i.e., an insight into why the pain persists. Wanting the discomfort to stop, right now, can take the form of, having a drink after work, talking to a friend who will listen and not judge, or adopting a pet. Caring about how you feel is a game-changer, it’s so much more than a temporary distraction. If you are interested in shifting your life toward self-acceptance and love, you are probably going to need someone who can accurately and compassionately point out your blind spots and support you through the process of developing self-compassion.
If you’re up at 3 a.m. doing a Google search and you stumble onto someone’s website which seems like they may have an answer for you, how do you proceed? Naturally, you want to choose someone with whom you feel an affinity, but how do you know? Here is where the free session comes in. I will admit I have a 70/30 ratio concerning free calls. I have signed up for free sessions regarding my business, but I have more often avoided making the call because I didn’t want to “be sold to” or depending on my mood at the time, I just didn’t want to deal with the sense of confrontation if I didn’t resonate with the person.
Being committed to your well-being requires mindfulness and caring about how you feel. Choosing to allow life to support you is a big positive step. Choose to do things more from inspiration than from obligation. Say no, or say yes, based on how you authentically feel at the moment, allow yourself to enjoy without thinking you have to control the outcome. Developing your curiosity, interests, and passion requires some courage but more, it requires trust, trust in yourself.
You Are the Authority on You
No one outside of you is an authority on your life. You have a built-in guidance system that is deeply satisfying and extremely useful once you get the hang of listening. There are also resources, people who have a keen sense of perception that can be very helpful in finding blind spots, hidden fears, and pointing you back toward your guidance. I am one of those people, and I do offer a free introductory call which I refer to as a Discovery Session. It’s about 20-25 minutes in length. The purpose of the call is to help you pinpoint where you are now, so you have more clarity, hope, and direction. I would love the opportunity to connect with you – no pressure.