The Healthy Alternative to New Year's Resolutions: The K.I.S.S. Planning Model
Has writing the same resolutions every year — and every decade not been enough to affect real change and personal growth? We have a simple solution: the K.I.S.S. Planning Model! Try it out and write your most successful resolutions yet!
I want to share some notes that I came across while planning for 2020. These notes were taken when I was listening to a podcast but, unfortunately, I do not have the name of the podcast.
But I'm glad I wrote this down.
As people are planning for 2020, you will hear them coming up with a word, a theme, but this will be more. More in-depth, more in tune — and even more organized when planning ahead.
So what's the acronym? The acronym is K.I.S.S.
K ... I ... S ... S.
And I like to call it the K.I.S.S Planning Model.
And K.I.S.S stands for:
Keep
Improve
Start
Stop
Keep, Improve, Start, and Stop.
I want to put it in perspective just how helpful these points and questions are.
The first question is, “What will you keep?” K for Keep.
The second, “What will you improve?” I for Improve.
The third, “What will you start?” S for Start.
And the last one, “What will you stop?” S for Stop.
Again:
Think about these questions when planning for 2020 for both personal and professional development. And, of course, add your theme, add your word, but also see how these questions can be in alignment
with your goals
and with your actions
But, most importantly, I’m hoping that you prioritize your Wellness as you answer these questions.
If you’re an entrepreneur and you refuse to allow stress to interfere with your success, give us a call.
Or email us at info@counselingpc.com if you want to receive guidance and counseling on how you can incorporate and prioritize wellness as you start and expand your business.
With Wellness,
Leslie M. Garcia
From Stress to Success: How Therapy Helped a NYC Subway Rider Reach Their Destination
Anxiety is real and can take over your life but we don’t have to let it!
In this post, learn more about how we can work together to cope and decrease your anxiety with proven and effective anxiety reducing coping skills that will get you on the way to your life’s grandest goals.
Written by Counseling Space Clinician, Evelyn Crespo, LCSW-R
Ever had the dreaded feeling of getting on the NYC subway?
You think, "It won’t be that bad this time, I’ll just get on the train and act like I'm okay. Like the overcrowdness doesn’t bother me, the threat of someone or me getting hurt doesn’t scare me, or that I won’t have a panic attack and lose my job because the train is late again. I’ll just pretend I don’t have those emotions or thoughts and get on the subway and hope for the best." But that’s not what happens - you get anxious, maybe you get off the train and decide to wait for the next one and end up leaving the station and going home, or you get into an argument with someone, or you witness something scary.
If you don’t have coping skills to manage these emotions they won’t get better, they may even get worse causing you to avoid the subway and take overpriced cabs or just miss living the life you want.
I was working with a client who would say the subway brought out the worst in him. He always felt people were looking at him and he would get all in his head, all the negative beliefs he had would take over and he would get restless, his heartbeat would rise, he would often get off the train at this point and never reach his destination. He lost many job opportunities because of it. One day when he was on the train and started to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and self-conscious he put on some calming music, drank some water, and used one of the crisis mode skills. Next session he happily reported making it to his destination on time and feeling empowered that the anxiety did not take control over him. He reported that this transformed his life. He felt he could take the train anywhere because he had this skill, this ability to tune out the negative voices in his head and focus on his goal. He was ecstatic and it was contagious; I was so happy for him.
The number of clients I’ve worked with that report that the mindfulness or other coping skills that I’ve taught them has helped reduce their stress is at least 80%. The research shows how daily mindfulness practice increases brain functioning and improvement. See this link for more: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner.
I have my own mindfulness practice and notice the difference when I’m on my game and reaching goals. As I stated earlier, this client’s life changed, which is why I do what I do — I want to help people feel better and reach their life goals. His life is more his own now than prior to having these skills.
In the almost 14 years I have been a practicing NY psychotherapist, I have seen how this changes people’s ability to ride the NYC subway and break down the barriers preventing them from reaching their goals. For as much as we dislike the NYC subway most of us find ourselves taking it wherever we are going and if we want to get to OUR destination we need all the skills we can learn.
Anxiety is real and can take over your life but we don’t have to let it!
Click here and learn more about how we can work together to decrease your anxiety and learn to cope with proven and effective anxiety reducing coping skills that will get you on the train to wherever you choose your destination to be.
Are You Having Trouble Saying No?
How often do you find yourself whispering “YES” with your mouth when the rest of your being is screaming “NO, NO, NO!”? So many of us are prone to this. Here's how you can go from conforming to confident!
How often do you find yourself whispering “YES” with your mouth when the rest of your being is screaming “NO, NO, NO!”?
So many of us are prone to this.
Our reasons? We are:
- trying to AVOID CONFRONTATION
- attempting to KEEP THE PEACE
- struggling NOT to HURT SOMEONE’S FEELINGS
But to what end? Are we really keeping the peace? Is it even possible to spare someone’s feelings 100% of the time?
If you’ve lived into your twenties you have experienced countless situations where - no matter how good your intent, character, and attempts at compromise - someone winds up hurt, disappointed or upset.
And what we sacrifice for such a flawed process? Our INNER PEACE.
By saying “yes” when we mean “no”, we are disturbing our inner peace. Only YOU are RESPONSIBLE for your INNER PEACE, and if you don't prioritize it, you are training others to do the same!
Learning to say “NO” when you mean “NO” comes with 4 MAJOR BENEFITS:
- you SET HEALTHIER BOUNDARIES
- you TRAIN OTHERS to RESPECT those boundaries
- you FIND YOUR VOICE
- you LEARN TO LET GO
If this HABIT is one you have developed and refined like so many others, TRANSITIONING to YOUR TRUTH will be difficult. Those who have benefited in the past from your constant complying will especially challenge you, as they are unaccustomed to it.
Now, you may be asking: HOW do I GO from CONFORMING to CONFIDENT?
START with an INVENTORY of the people you have a hard time speaking and sharing your truth with. ANSWER the following questions to begin your list:
- Who DRAINS YOU?
- Who STIFLES YOUR GROWTH?
- Who are those who DO NOT LISTEN or SILENCE YOU?
Then have an HONEST CONVERSATION about how you feel with those in your inventory. Be ready for some to be unreceptive. And with those who are receptive, your new relationship will flourish!
We have created a FREE downloadable worksheet to assist you in getting closer to YOUR TRUTH! Complete the form below to receive an immediate download in your inbox!
MY TRUTH WORKSHEET
Remember, if you continue to IGNORE your INNER VOICE and needs, the STRESS WILL BUILD UP and you will be putting your MENTAL HEALTH IN JEOPARDY.
Always, always say, “YES!” to your PEACE OF MIND!
Have a great week!