Do we all need therapy?

One thing is for sure, if you aren’t actively looking after your mental wellbeing, you are probably not feeling great in today’s world...

Which very probably means you are not showing up for your loved ones, your work and your world, right when they need you most

Believe me, I know this may be the last thing you want to hear right now, but I am afraid to say, it is most probably true. There is so much very real uncertainty and anxiety in the world, it is almost impossible to live well, making positive contributions to our world and society, being inspiring, strong and supportive for our family and friends, bringing lightness where there is dark – if we are not actually doing something each day to support our own mental wellness

Wellness – according to Merriam Webster is, 'the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind especially as the result of a deliberate effort'

So what should that deliberate effort actually be?

The good news is we have options. As we race from one task to the next, the ideal is to make a deliberate effort to press pause, take some time to reflect and focus on ourselves so we are refreshed, rebooted and re-energised to move through our day with more ease and less stress, better able to contribute, get things done, and be present for those who need us most

When we think about taking time to reflect and focus on ourselves, talking to a therapist is one of the first routes we may explore and thankfully, today therapy is becoming more popular and less stigmatised. Having a dedicated time and space to sit and reflect on our thoughts and unpack our feelings in the presence of an independent and un-shockable individual can be incredibly powerful and soothing when we feel overwhelmed and not heard 

Yet it is important to know that there are other options which can work well alongside therapy or even instead of therapy for those who cannot find the right person, the right time, or the right investment which good therapy often requires

But what about the popular route of self-help, does self-help really help? This is often how it goes – we are troubled by an issue – anxiety, procrastination, imposter syndrome – so we look for a book, a Ted talk, or a podcast to fix it – in the same way we look for a screwdriver to fix a wobbly door handle. The thing is, our minds are not wobbly door handles and often the thing we think is the problem, isn’t actually the problem. So we can spend lots of money and time buying self-help books which we never finish reading because in our hearts we know they aren’t really going to solve our problems unless we actually do something different as a result. Honestly, how many of us genuinely do something different after reading half a book or listening to a podcast?

So really, what we need is a way to take time for ourselves, a way to press pause, and a way to ask ourselves the right questions, so we are uncovering the right solutions, and ultimately making progress in our lives

I am pleased to tell you that help is on hand - we founded Progressfull for just this reason, and we have a solution - we call it interior design for your interior world

What Progressfull does is deal with the wonkiness, flaws and imperfections - which unless we have had an excellent executive coach or a brilliant therapist - we won’t know how to turn around to make progress – we won’t know how to get unstuck. Progressfull™ integrates 25 years of global facilitation and c-suite level coaching, with best in class research from the worlds of neuroscience, psychology, physics, mathematics, spiritual practices and philosophy. We weave these into sparky deep insights, simple practical frameworks, and handy transforming tools for you to easily learn and apply in your everyday life

This is what we mean by - interior design for your interior world - so you feel energised, motivated, and on track – no matter where you are, no matter what life throws at you - without the need for swirling in self-help books, without the need for another upbeat podcast, and without the need for therapy 

Ok, so how do I do that then?

It takes two steps. The first step is to experience our transforming 5 Progressfull™ Principle Upskills (our name for a course/masterclass). The 5 Progressfull™ Principles define our “true north” our personal compass and give us a real sense of “where we are heading”

We reference the 5 Progressfull™ Principles as pp like on a letter - derived from the Latin 'procurare' meaning ‘to take care of'. The 5 Progressfull™ Principles are designed to help you take care of yourself

Each Progressfull™ Principle has associated practices. These practices are the basis for all regular, purposeful self-refection. We call these Progressfull™ practices as you can apply them moment by moment, step by step, day by day. They enable you to become more and more progressfull

Understanding where we are heading, understanding how we can support ourselves to progress, and understanding how we can hold ourselves back from progress - are the keys that unlock a life full of progress, a life full of purpose, and a life of wellness

You can experience the 5 Progressfull™ Principles practical step by step guides as pre-recorded videos and private podcasts. We share insights, principles and practices to enlighten, inform and inspire you

The second step is building your bench-strength in our transformational framework, the ARTT of progress™. The ARTT of progress™ is a purposeful self-reflection process and practice which turns your learning into commitments and actions

What’s more - this purposeful self-reflection only takes 10 minutes, so we literally take 10  minutes to reset, sort ourselves out, and set ourselves up 

Take 10 for the ARTT of progress

The ARTT of progress™ is the methodology or the approach that helps you to identify your insights (Assess), Relate them to your circumstances, personal motivation and personal benefits, then turn them into concrete commitments and practical actions you will 'put into practice' (Take action). The extra T in ARTT is Take stock. This is part of the ARTT of progress™ and key in the Progressfull™ approach

Taking 10 minutes on a regular basis creates a pattern or a rhythm... 

Take 10 for the ARTT of Progress™ supports you after the Upskill by enabling you to easily incorporate an on-going practice of purposeful self-reflection into your life. This regular practice of Take 10 to reflect on your ARTT of Progress™, means you only need to find 10 minutes to benefit, discover new insights, master your actions, and track your achievements…

“What’s my knowledge, what insights am I gaining, what have I learned about myself, where do I want to focus my efforts and energy? What do I want to do differently? What step can I take today? Thinking of my day ahead, what insights would be helpful for me to apply, what steps can I take?"...

So we are moving away from what can sometimes feel like the over-indulgence of journaling and self-reflection to utilising journaling and self-reflection as a means to an end – the end is the step, is the progress, is the Take action and the Take stock. This is why it’s only 10 minutes – not 11, not 15, simply 10 – it helps focus our mind on the important priorities for the day ahead, helps us pause, ask ourselves the right questions, uncover solutions, and show up for ourselves, our loved ones, work and world 

You can look after your mental wellness, learn and grow by applying the 5 Progressfull™ Principles and then taking 10 minutes each day to take a pause, take time to reflect, take time to ‘sort yourself out’, and ‘set yourself up’ – feeling energised, motivated and on track – no matter what life throws at you!

You can unlock your progress and potential and what's more, despite the uncertainty and anxiety in today’s world - you can enjoy contributing, you can enjoy getting stuff done, and you can enjoy being present for those who need you most!

Now that’s worth investing your time and energy in!

Discover more about our transforming 5 Progressfull™ Principles here