That’s when my client revealed something to me (and provided permission to reveal it on here too). Their partner had told them that they were stuck in apathy. 

This was initially just accepted by the client and with true apathy, it almost drifted off into the recesses of her mind as yet another thing she didn’t care about. But something stuck just long enough for her to talk about it to me. Following our session I forwarded on the Wikipedia entry for apathy to see if that helped at all. Although the descriptions seemed to tie in with what she was (or rather wasn’t) feeling. It was the image that finally hit home and made her feel something, even though it was sadness, it was a feeling and something she knew was a sign that things were going to change.

The client realise that not only was she stuck in a state of apathy, but that she was cornered by both boredom and worry. Neither of those two emotions were particularly attractive either. It was then that she decided, that to move from one zone to another didn’t mean she had to spend much time, if any, in those other areas.

She began to write down ideas that would put her in the positive areas. Things she could do. Places she could go. People she could see.

Once she had three or four things in each positive section she sat back and looked at her work. She smiled, a great big warm and relaxed smile. The client had just realised she was already somewhere between Relaxation and Arousal. She selected two of the things that seemed most comfortable to her, and scheduled time in her diary to do them.

Over the next week she completed both the things she set out to do. But what interested her the most is that she found it easier to recognise the ebb and flow of her emotions. Instead of suppressing them, she enjoyed them. By recognising that being stuck in one emotionless state was a place she no longer wanted to be. Even if that meant occasionally feeling worried, bored or anxious. At least she felt alive!

Paul and Sam explore the possibilities of asking “How to…?” do something – whether it is drawing, cooking or starting a podcast! From opening a Pandora’s box on Google, to discussing the merits of having a clear goal (or picture) vs simply knowing where to start; different styles can even affect our self-criticism!

Join us for this teddy-bears’ picnic! (And do share your drawing on our Facebook page if you take up the How-to-draw-a-Bear Challenge!)

Paul's How-to-draw-a-bear!

Sam's How-to-draw-a-bear!

And here’s a sneaky video of Paul’s drawing in action!

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Knowing what to do to calm your mind could be a handy tool to have in your belt – but how do you even know when you get to that point where things are becoming a bit ‘too much’?

Discover your personal triggers/signals, and the ways that work best for you to calm your mind before it takes over(!) or the dreaded insomnia kicks in.