We all face a host of inner troublemakers that include:

The Inner Critic
The Inner Type A Personality
Self-Doubt
Low Frustration Tolerance
Fear
Worry

Psychotherapy gives us a method to get a grip on these guys when they come up and stop us from working:

Take a deep belly breath – That’s right (how simple), breathe into your belly and make it balloon out a bit. Breathe in for a count of 5, hold things naturally for a few seconds and breathe out for a count of 5. Repeat about 6 times and you will find the edge of the Troublemakers has been taken off at least a bit, if not a lot.  Start working again. Troublemakers still pounding at your door? Belly breathe again.

Rule: Don’t always believe everything that your Troublemakers tell you.

Rule: Thank them for letting you know their concerns and then tell them you are going to belly breathe them away. “See ya.”

Rule: Pick a date and time later to understand more about your Troublemakers. Stick to that commitment (i.e. discuss them with a friend, read more about them, get help, etc.) but don’t let them take over your work time.

(If you need to read more to do this, see Eric Maisel’s book, Ten Zen Seconds.)