This is the last post as part of a 21-Day challenge I’ve been participating in recently. Fail – Forward – Fast! Celebrating a 21-Day accomplishment…even if nobody is noticing or listening which has been my impression of my “publishing results.”
More than anything else, this 21-day journey prompted me to confront some serious questions. The biggest one, with which I’m still wrestling is “What do I want?” That simple question has many, many layers of answers as it slices across many (most? ALL?) areas of my life with its simplicity and stealth.
On this 21-day journey I’ve been able to (forced to?) visit and participate in creating and doing some things (like making Tap-Along videos) that I told myself that I wanted to do as part of my business.
I’ve had the opportunity to reach out to a bunch of quality people who are now new connections on LinkedIn. I’ve been reaching out to connect with a message that included content something like, “I’m a former engineer turned mental health counselor. I focus on helping Veterans & Responders reduce the impact of trauma they’ve encountered so that they, & their families, can live a better, happier life.”
That “focus” is an aspirational one. I’ve worked with a couple of Veterans and was able to help one in particular with the specific No-Reveal Trauma Technique™ that I’ve developed. That was pre-COVID. I’m looking forward to working with Responders.
At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself. My drive, determination, and energy has waned over the last couple months as I’ve been pushing (too) hard to stay focused and make progress. I’m looking forward to taking a break. I think that’ll probably start with some changes that I anticipate are coming in a few days on the 26th. Life has definitely been out of balance, and definitely not in a sustainable or healthy way.
I need to step back and dig into that “What do I want?” question more deeply.
Life has shifted on several fronts recently. The last roommate I had has moved out of my “other house” so now I can “reclaim all of my space” and start consciously building my life and arranging my space without any consideration given to “the others” since there is now only my cat, Little One. She has been the only “friend” I’ve had access to on a daily basis for the last few years.
Pretty much everyone else has fallen away. Some of then have followed their political views off into the weeds and I’ve actively chosen not to follow them, but to rather let the connection fall away on its own.
This creates space for me to figure out who I am, what I want, what I want to “do” if I want to “do” anything.
On one hand, some would say “I have a moral obligation” to use the gifts I’ve been given to help others. I certainly used to feel that way. I’m not so sure anymore. I think part of me has lost faith in humanity after the damage done by the divisiveness of the political situation here in the US over much of the last presidential political cycle. Bad behavior used to be unacceptable. It was the norm for a while. It seems like we are moving away from it again, which is a good thing. Being nice to people is a value I respect. I’m hoping more people will be embracing that again soon.
What I’ve been telling myself for the last 5-ish years is that I’d like to do a formal scientific study of the efficacy of both of the Tapping interventions I’ve created – 10xTapping™ and The No-Reveal Trauma Technique™. AFTER taking some time off, I think I will probably start moving in that direction. The other part of that overall plan is to write up the theoretical orientation framework upon which both of those interventions are based. I’m tentatively calling it Emotional Charge Focused Therapy™, or ECFT™ I think that framework may end up published as a book as well.
There is a part of me that thinks (wonders?) if ECFT could be a disruptive force in the mental health world because that theoretical orientation framework explains the mechanism and underpinnings of how and why traumatic experiences drive behaviors. It could be very disruptive in the world of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy because it will show the fundamental error upon which that entire field of therapy is built, and why it gets such poor result, in particular with trauma, especially when compared with Tapping interventions for trauma.
I’m tired. It’s late. I’m discouraged. The good news is that I don’t have to make any decisions tonight beyond when this post is “finished” so I can publish it as the 21st post for the 21-day challenge…which is now complete!