On Leaving It Behind: The Top 4 Difficulties Of Clientele That We Saw In 2015

We went through our client management system to see what were the top 4 difficulties that our Plan A clientele faced in 2015. We discovered a few trends that will make you take note as we approach our last day of 2015. Here is what we learned: 

In order to save me, I must save you. 75% of our clientele hired Plan A services in order to learn how to leave unhealthy and painful relationships. At the end of the coaching sessions, we would discover that our client’s personal life outside of their relationship was a mess. And, when we are in close proximity to someone, in an intimate relationship, we sometimes create this need to “fix”, “change” and SAVE others, in order to avoid healing our self. We worked with clients to go within and outside of their romantic/familial relationships to work out the underlying root cause of their pain. Some left their relationships, while others did their personal work and sought out couples counseling. In the end, it is up to us to maintain our individual lives, to be available for our romantic partners, friendships, etc. ON, the other side of the coin, we have to understand that our desire to save others can actually be selfish. We disregard the idea that sometimes our loved ones must go through a cycle of ups and downs, as it’s the natural progression of THEIR personal journey. Not ours. It takes courage to let an unhealthy relationship go - but a grand respect for the other person’s divinity and evolution. 

I am afraid of leaving my job, in order to pursue my dreams. We expressed to our clients over and over again, that you do not have to leave your traditional 9-5, in order to pursue your dreams. “Do not be afraid to start on a smaller scale, test the waters and collect feedback,” is what we told our clients. Nonetheless, there were so many clients this year that had massive entrepreneurial aspirations, with amazing concrete plans, action steps and “some” capital saved - BUT were too afraid to leave corporate...to walk away from safety/comfort. The truth is, NOTHING is truly safe. When the market crashed in ’08, we saw hundreds of individuals moving through their savings, retirement plans and unemployment - to not have a career opportunity at the end of the money cycle. Lots of us downsized and looked for different opportunities - some of which we never thought we would take, but we learned that safety was a relative term. So, what did we advise? Each situation was completely different, but we taught our clients how to take a leap of faith, rooted in courage. We combed through their emotional, mental, spiritual, and professional sketch to discover some huge monsters of fear and incredible triumphs. We taught them how to listen to their internal compass, as in the large scale of things, this is the point of departure that creates long lasting joy and happiness. To ignore it, is to ignore our true self.

I am not good enough. We worked through this concept so much that we created a separate client intake form specifically to address this concern. Everything from not being good enough for him/her, the room that they wanted to be in, the job opportunity that was of interest, to taking time to nurture one's interior/exterior - the idea of not feeling deserving or enough was huge! We started at the beginning, to work our way through the pathologies that we accepted, but never created. With some unconventional work methods, we made it through this concept and over to the other side of creating our own space and inviting others to sit at our table. 

I do not have the finances to invest in me. Yikes. For a lot of clients, we learned that there was not a willingness (at first) to invest in their personal well-being from an emotional, spiritual, mental or physical standpoint. Some clients did not think they could afford a weekly massage, coaching, a gym membership, spiritual webinars/classes, a complete closet/style revamp, etc. We discovered that this was just an excuse for most. Having a beautiful home in the Hamptons, luxurious cars/furniture and top level bags does not matter when you’re empty inside - when there is no true substance. We worked with clients to delve beneath the surface of what they truly valued. Investing in our well being should be our number one priority, as it creates a domino effect in making our lives better in all areas of growth. Our decision making is so much better. We respond to others in a more appropriate space of being. Clarity becomes our friend. We are healthier. 

As we say farewell to the lessons of 2015, we send incredible light, love and joy your way for a wonderful 2016. Happy New Year!