A client is sitting at the edge of her chair, exclaiming, "I need this promotion!" Her voice is high pitched and strained, and she grabs onto the arms of the chair. I invite her to pause and sense what she is experiencing. At first she is blank; then she realizes that she is trying to hold herself upright, as if she might topple over. She feels a clutching in her belly, a shortness of breath, and the onset of a headache. She says that thoughts are stampeding through her head. I ask her to allow herself to relax into the support of the chair, and imagine having the promotion. In moments her whole demeanor changes; her face relaxes, a smile appears, and she sighs. She describes how much she appreciates her work - and all her accomplishments - and realizes that the thought "I need this promotion" has been preventing it from happening.  "Oh," she says, "Getting this promotion can be easy!" A week later she receives a promotion - and a raise.

My client experienced a taste of a process I recently learned from The Release^® Technique¹: How to let go of need and allow oneself to have. As my readers know, for many years I've been coaching clients on how to release "the Tyranny of Trying"² - the belief that effort can produce desired results. They've seen that 'trying' usually has the opposite effect, and can produce struggle, tension, and an on-going sense of failure. When they let go of trying, they experience more energy and clarity, and easily achieve the results they had been struggling for. 

Now I am teaching my clients a way to let go of a subtle layer that lies beneath the tyranny of trying - the layer of lack. Lester Levenson and Larry Crane, founders of The Release^® Technique, propose that wanting something implies that we don't have it. Similarly, don Miguel Ruiz states in The Four Agreements³, "Your word is very, very powerful." What we think or say creates our reality. So, if we think that we need or want something (for instance, more clients), we're actually declaring that we lack that thing - and the universe responds by giving us more lack. In other words, we actually push away what we want! The solution is to focus on having, as if it's already done. This shift can be easy. Let me show you how:

Next time you experience yourself saying "I want" or "I need", pause..... Notice what you're experiencing in your body and your mind. Do you feel any tension arising in your arms, legs, shoulders? Are your thoughts calm or racing around, trying to find a solution? Pause again, sense the support of the surface underneath you, and focus on your breathing. Now, imagine yourself having exactly what you've said you want. Picture it in your mind, smell it, taste it, and experience it as fully as you can. Notice what happens inside your body and mind. Does anything relax, shift or change in any way? Now let go of the image and give yourself some appreciation for taking time to pause and bask in the experience of having.

Practice first with something that feels 'do-able' and see what happens! If this experience piques your curiosity, don't hesitate to contact us to learn more, or check out www.releasetechnique.com.

~ Linda

This new website is dedicated to exploring how to integrate The Power of Pause into every aspect of your life. You can sample Linda's new book and CD, read about Power of Pause coaching, or sign up for a Power of Pause retreat.

• Before you get out of bed in the morning, spend one minute appreciating yourself.

• If you have to make a difficult phone call, pause, set an intention for a positive outcome, and then pick up the phone.

• Next time you drive home, take a totally new route.

• Take a walk, stopping to listen to what's around you.

Would you like to tell us how you pause in the middle of your busy day? Email us and we will share your tip in our next issue.

In this changing economy business leaders are being challenged to reduce costs. This sometimes requires cutting back on programs and staff.

Furthermore, research shows that executives who run addiction treatment facilities experience higher turnover rates than those in any other industry.⁴

Mounting pressure on any organization's team can increase the rate of:

• Stress
• Exhaustion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Decreased levels of work satisfaction
• Compassion Fatigue

And people are more likely to leave their jobs.

These half-hour stress reduction groups provide your staff with the tools and support they need to overcome these challenges, give themselves a much-needed break, and reinvigorate their passion and purpose.

If you are located in the Los Angeles area, Linda will travel to you. If you are outside the LA area, she will conduct the group as a teleconference!

For further information or to arrange an free introductory session:

1 The Release® Technique: www.releasetechnique.com
2 "The Tyranny of Trying," see The Power of Pause: simple meditations for complicated lives ©2009, by Linda Landon
3The Four Agreements® ©1997, by don Miguel Ruiz. Published by Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc.
4 Eby, L. T., McCleese, C. S., Owen, C., Baranik, L.E., & Lance, C. E. (October, 2007)