Turn Off The Noise

Today I'm adding a bonus entry from my friend, David Spiegel. So many of my own clients complain about being overwhelmed by stress. Dave discovered a big point in his stress, and how to deal with it. He still does just as much work -- just with a bit less stress. And just in case you think you can't -- pay attention to where he mentions 50,000 text messages!  Doug



by David Spiegel

In May I began coaching with a weight loss company. Every morning texts would come in  and my job was to respond to them. In the early days, it was exciting as my client base grew from a handful to eventually a few hundred . After a short while the texts were rolling in at a pretty steady clip.It did not take long before it became an avalanche of messages.I couldn't answer them fast enough. I would open my phone and it would show 75 unanswered messages.

As I set about answering a few dozen more and more came ringing in. Each time my phone would chime telling me I had received a new text. After answering the first 25 of 75 I would look and see that I now had 87 unanswered messages! AAAARGHHHH!

Another text rang in, and another and another. I literally could not catch up. Brrring another. Brrrringanother. Brrrrrrrring another! Every time my phone would sound my stress level would grow.  I could hardly breathe!


Then one day in late October, my phone just froze. 


I could not text back to any of the messages I was receiving. I immediately got a replacement phone and transferred all of my data.


In the 5 months from May to October, from my start date to the day of the crash, I had received just over 50,000 texts. Received and responded to. Along with each incoming message was the audible reminder that yet another text awaited me.Like the constant dripping of the faucet, each text tone drove me crazy.


While setting up my new phone, Becky asked, "do you want me to put the text tone on silent?" You can do that?


Well, hell yeah!


And then there was silence!


Day after day, the texts keep coming in, without the noise. Without the clammer. No longer was I subject to the constant reminder that someone else wanted a piece of me. The demands on my time were now completely in my control. It has been delightful.


Along with the absence of noise has come a notable absence of stress. I can breathe once again. The tension in my neck has gone. The twitching in my cheek has ceased. I am relaxed. And every text still gets answered.


My point?

Sometimes you just have to shut off the noise!

-- David Spiegel

Today's resolution:

This year is just about done.....whether or not I am ready for that to happen or not.

I have a few more hours left today to address the balance of this year's items. Tomorrow, they will all make their way on to the For Next Year list!

If you or someone you know needs to lose weight -- let Dave know!  david@live2xlcoaching.com