Looking ahead to the new year my client had himself worried sick.
Over the break, going to bed thinking about all the things he wants to achieve this year, he could barely sleep.
Waking up during the night, while trying to get back to sleep his mind would take off faster than a one night stand.
Yesterday, his first day back at work, he woke up extra early.
Waking up in the middle of the night tossing and turning, unable to get back to sleep, he decided to just get up and get to the office early.
Brushing his teeth, thinking about all the things he needs to get done this year his mind was turning.
Backing out of the driveway and driving to work it was more of the same, so by the time he reached the office he was wound up tight like a knotted muscle.
When we spoke early today, not surprisingly, he told me he was feeling a little overwhelmed about the year ahead.
“No shit,” I said to him, “With all that thinking about all the things you want to do this year you have a lot on your mind.”
I continued, “But what is surprising to me is that you aren’t feeling absolutely ecstatic about it.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
And that’s when I busted it out on him.
I asked him, “Do you know the difference between anxiety and excitement?”
“What do you mean?” he repeated.
I said, “The only difference is one is done by a pessimist and the other by an optimist.”
They are both the same thought process: Looking forward into the future, imagining it being a certain way.
The only difference is while a pessimist might look ahead and create anxiety for the future, an optimist looks ahead and gets excited for what is to come.
From there we were done.
We had broken this pattern of thinking that had haunted him for weeks and he was feeling excited about the new year.
We were done. But I wasn’t.
I feel deeply for my clients and as we left the call I found myself wishing I could have done more for him sooner.
If only he had reached out to me I could have enabled him to much more enjoy his time off with his family, but given my DeLorean is in the shop, there is nothing I can do about that now.
All I can do is spread the word!!!