Deborah began to develop physical symptoms that were debilitating, including:
- chronic fatigue
- vague gastrointestinal and digestive symptoms
- elevated blood pressure
- sweaty hands
- a variety of aches and pains that could not be diagnosed
- a flare up of her allergies
Because of her physical symptoms and the failure of her doctor to diagnose a cause, she began to worry that she had a severe, underlying disease. As a result of this fear, her anxiety symptoms became worse, and the cycle of mind-body illness began for Deborah.
Deborah’s Solution
Deborah consulted with me for success coaching, but she really feared that she could no longer continue to work in her chosen profession. She believed that because of her symptoms, she was afraid that she would not be able to prospect for new clients and that she couldn’t service her present clients properly. She contemplated referring them to her associates and looking for a different profession.
Deborah learned that her symptoms were actually caused by her worrying and that she could, indeed, control such worrying, by practicing rational thinking techniques (which I will discuss in future articles).
In addition, I advised Deborah to consult with other advisors and ask them how they dealt with the same job stressors and the grind of prospecting for new clients.
Deborah was taught the following buffering/coping skills:
- To use her physical symptom flare ups to recognize that there must be a stressor which she needs to address;
- To remain optimistic, regardless of the economy, market conditions and difficulty gaining new clients (There are many books available on developing and maintaining optimistic attitudes, despite any stressful situations that arise.);
- To assert herself whenever she is tempted to take on more responsibility from her manager than she can handle at the time and do not feel guilty saying “No”; and
- To practice relaxation techniques and go to a weekly yoga class, regardless of her work load.
After a few weeks, Deborah’s health and attitude made a dramatic recovery. Her physical symptoms melted away and she began to enjoy her job. Deborah is currently a very content and productive advisor.
Your Action Plan
You are 11 times more likely to follow up on a goal if you write down information, rather than simply thinking about it, so I strongly encourage you to write down the suggestions listed below and review them regularly.
Take care of your emotional health by taking care of your physical health. Develop and maintain healthy habits, such as:
- Whenever you feel overwhelmed with worry, recognize that you can control your thinking;
- Living with some stress is actually beneficial for motivation;
- Embrace change because change is inevitable and look for ways that change will lead to positive outcomes in your life;
- List all of the stressors related to your job and next to each stressor write down something positive about how you can take control of it.
Dr. Jack Singer is a professional psychologist, speaker and a success coach for financial advisors. He is the author of “The Financial Advisor’s Ultimate Stress Mastery Guide,” which can be ordered in the FA Mag Bookstore. To learn more about his speaking and coaching services for financial advisors and his unique program for advisors’ client appreciation events, read more at http://www.funspeaker.com.