We sometimes need time out. Occasionally we need to take stock. Often we have stacked up the problems so much that we are overwhelmed, we can’t think straight and we are unable to work our way out of our stuckness. We try to force our way through and become more bogged down, more helpless, more powerless.

 

We feel like we are broken and in a hopeless situation. We watch everyone else (allegedly) coping, which compounds our sense of worthlessness. We implode. We want it all to stop and want it to be how it used to be, without actually knowing what it is we want to stop and what “how it used to be” was!

 

I have just tried to paraphrase the sentiments of many clients who come to me needing work coaching. Distancing yourself from crushing situations can be very necessary. It gives you the space and distance needed to heal. Often, however, people think that the act of giving yourself space is the solution in itself, whereas in fact, you have merely created the possibility for growth. 

 

Learning is an active process. It is about unpacking what really has been going on for you. It’s about recognising and addressing unresourceful behaviours and states. It is a magical, liberating and incredibly empowering process.

 

If you’ve been away from work for some time, it is often a scary prospect when thinking of returning. There are worries that old behaviours or feelings will return, or you will sink back into a state of anxiety or depression. You may worry that old and unhealthy behaviours, such as excessive drinking or eating, will return. You may think that you will fall back into the corrosive group patterns that led you to feeling poorly in the first place.

 

These are all real and can lead you to feel stuck and disempowered.

 

I can help you to make sense of these issues. We will work systematically through your difficulties and think about more positive, constructive ways of addressing them. We will start by identifying the end result asking 'What do you specifically want your outcome to be?'  We will look at where you are now in relation to the outcome and plot a way in which you can reach your preferred destination. NLP is incredibly useful in providing strategies to help you with any perceived difficulties. We can deal with your limiting beliefs or self-sabotaging behaviour and instil new ways of managing this. NLP is elegant, precise and accurate. We look for the barriers to your progress, give you a concept of how your preferred future could be and place energy in ensuring that your desired outcome is met.

 

Returning to work does not need to be a daunting prospect. You can go back with a revitalised mindset, comfortable in knowing that your time out was spent usefully exploring and making sense of the things that used to distress you.