1 Way High Achievers breakthrough stagnation

You are a driven person. For your entire life, you have been highly motivated to manifest everything and anything you could dream of. As long as you can remember, all your effort, sacrifices, and determination have paid off. It rarely mattered how convincing were the naysayers nor how much people could not connect with your vision. You knew precisely what you wanted and intrinsically understood exactly the steps needed in order to create the success you dreamt of.

However, lately, it has felt to be a bit more of a challenge. It has been almost as if something was missing from your formula to success. Almost as if there was an invisible obstacle keeping you from connecting with the end result you can see so clearly in your mind. You may have even experienced a level of this mental block in the past, yet somehow you were able to get past it. Though, no matter how focused and motivated you are...there is still something missing.

I would like to invite you to engage with a powerful exercise that has the ability to unlock your inner wisdom & clarity while poking holes in or completely dismantling that invisible force keeping your efforts stagnate. This easy exercise may hold the key to unlocking the potential that has been lying just out of your reach.

These simple drawing exercises will give you an opportunity to use your imagination, discover more about yourself, and then integrate your discoveries. They can reveal the unconscious thoughts that govern your behavior and help you to find answers for handling stressful situations, puzzling issues, and day-to-day uncertainties. Studies have shown that expressive exercises can lower stress hormones, decrease pain, and improve chronic health problems by helping you to experience, express, and release thoughts and feelings.

The more easily you express yourself, the more aware you become of what’s happening inside you. This moment-to-moment awareness makes it easier for you to use your imagination, your intuition, and your mind to answer questions about your health, your well-being, and the direction of your life.

Some thoughts before you embark on this creative journey:

• Don’t worry about the artistic quality of the drawings.

• Don’t worry about what other people would think of them — they’ll never

• see them.

• “First thought, best thought.” Draw the first images that come to mind.

• Use any drawing implements you like.

• Don’t take longer than the suggested time for each exercise.

• This exercise is useful for identifying and exploring any issue in your life.

• Try it often — you will be surprised how much the drawings change day today.

Drawing Yourself

Take out your drawing tools and three pieces of paper, making sure you have at least three or four colors. Write your name and date on the pages so you can track your changes. Number pages 1, 2, and 3.

Now, take a few intentionally deep breaths, let go of any performance concerns (I know this part may be especially challenging), and understand that you’re not being graded or judged (these drawings are for you to know yourself).

Drawing 1:

Draw yourself as you are now. Take four to six minutes for this exercise. Use whatever style makes you feel the most comfortable. Put this sheet away after you’ve completed it.

Questions for Drawing 1: Yourself Now

What does this drawing say about how you are now?

What do you see on the page?

How are you represented?

Are you big or small relative to the space on the page?

What colors have you used? What do the colors mean to you?

Are other people or objects there with you?

What is the most important thing you notice about your drawing?

Drawing 2:

Draw yourself with your biggest problem. Take four to six minutes for this exercise. Put this sheet away after you’ve completed it.

Questions for Drawing 2: Yourself with Your Biggest Problem

What does this drawing say about your biggest problem?

How do you feel as you look at your drawing?

Have you drawn a way out of your problem?

Drawing 3:

Draw yourself with your biggest problem solved. Take four to six minutes for this exercise.

Questions for Drawing 3: Yourself without Your Biggest Problem

What does drawing 3 say about solving your biggest problem?

What else does this drawing tell you?

Does it provide any answers that are surprising to you?

And finally...

Questions to Review with All Three Drawings in Front of You:

What do you see when all the drawings are in front of you at once? Do you look different in the three drawings? If so, how? Is there a story here in these three drawings? What is it?

So… What did you learn? What new insights or epiphanies arose from this simple exercise? While it may have been a rough go over the last few months (with this crazy-making pandemic thing) or years (life happens), I promise that you retain every ounce of the character you always were. If, for any reason, you would like a little more guidance on this practice or for a clearer understanding as you process what just happened, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I would love to help you make sense of the blockages you just uncovered!

We are launching a Self-Care challenge!

We know that you are always searching for high-quality tips about emotional well-being and how to stay healthy and take care of yourself. Because an important aspect of staying healthy mentally starts with your own self-care, we are kicking off a 5-Day Self-Care Challenge. When you sign up for the challenge, you will learn how self-care impacts your emotional health and how to implement a daily self-care routine. Start your journey towards your emotional health today!

Click here to sign up for our 5-Day Self-Care Challenge!

How We Can Help

If you are interested in therapy at Catalyss Counseling and would like to talk to someone more about how we can help you, follow these simple steps:

1. Contact us today for a free 20-minute phone consultation

2. Or, you can book directly online with the therapist of your choice

3. Begin your journey towards a calmer, more relaxing life

Other Therapy Services Available at Catalyss Counseling:

We want to meet all of your counseling needs in the Denver area. Our supportive therapists provide depression counseling, therapy for caregiver stress, grief and loss therapy, stress management counseling and more. We also have specialists in trauma and PTSD, women's issues, pregnancy and postpartum depression or anxiety, pregnancy loss and miscarriage, and birth trauma. For therapists, we can also provide clinical supervision! We look forward to connecting with you to help support your journey today.

Author Biography:

Paul White, LMFT is a psychotherapist, poet, guest blogger, Qigong enthusiast, and owner of an online and in-person private practice in California. Paul is passionate about working with professionals, couples, adolescents, and outcasts to manage stress, anxiety, and process life's changes through a holistic Mind/Body approach. Follow Elemental Wellness & Counseling on Facebook and Instagram.