Getting Discouraged By Failures

Getting Discouraged by Jane Thurnell-Read

As practitioners it's easy to get discouraged, because none of us are successful all of the time. I know that in the early days I used to lie awake in bed worrying about the people I wasn't getting well. Over time I realised that this wasn't constructive, because it led me to lose confidence, so that I became even less successful.

One of the strategies I put into place to help me was a "praise folder". Whenever anyone said anything nice about me as a practitioner, I would write it down and put it in this folder. If a client sent me a thank you card or a letter telling me of the progress they were making, I'd put that in the file too. Gradually I built up a file of information that positively supported me as a practitioner (and subsequently as a teacher). When I had one of those black periods when I felt that I wasn't getting anyone better, I would get out this file and read through it. It never failed to give me a warm glow and a sense of proportion.

Of course, it is important to spend time thinking about your clients who aren't getting well. This may help you to see what you need to learn. But to think about your "failures" to the inclusion of everyone else does no one a service.

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