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What bothers you and why?

What bothers you and why?

If you were a new client, one of the first questions I would ask you is, “What is it that you care about that brought you here?” Your problems and symptoms are important (and often are quickly listed off), but what can be harder to get at, and is equally as important, are the values underlying your emotional discomfort.

When you dig under what bothers you and get to yourHow to Turn “Bothers” Into Values
Name the bother. Choose something that really bugs you right now. A problem, a person, a situation. Make contact with the problem, but before you get too entangled in your story about it, see if you can distill it into one sentence. “What is bothering me right now is…”Our first instinct is to run away or numb out when we hit a pain spot. This works when you are pulling your hand away from a hot flame, but not as well when it comes to the pain related to feelings like sadness about a family member getting sick or irritation that your spouse isn’t helping at homeIn the end, living a valued-rich life is not a pain-free one. Your pain points to your values, and your values will not protect you from pain. But you are always free to choose. Run from what bothers you… or use your bothers to guide you toward a richer and more meaningful life.

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