Get Out of Your Own Way: A Simple Guide to Self Discovery, Facing Fears, and Finding Emotional Freedom

By Iris Pitaluga, L.M.H.C.

This is a practical manual to help people identify and correct subconscious self-defeating habits, behaviors, and beliefs which get in the way of achieving joy, success, and wellness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387891245

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Get Out of Your Own Way: A Simple Guide to Self Discovery, Facing Fears, and Finding Emotional Freedom

Get out of Your Own Way:  A Simple Guide to Self-Discovery, Facing Fears, and Finding Emotional Freedom

Preface

As the title implies, Get out of Your Own Way has the intention to deliver you, dear reader, a strong message that there is only one obstacle in your way to freedom and happiness, and that obstacle is you.  Rather than a book, this is more like a manual to help you create your unique brand for happiness.  This book summarizes the core of what I have learned and concluded about human nature in all the years of helping thousands of individuals, couples, and families who have come to me in search for understanding and healing.   As a mental health professional, I was trained to identify symptoms and make conclusions, or to diagnose.  To diagnose is to categorize and to label a set of symptoms.  In all honesty, I struggled with this concept since early in my profession.  For the most part, when someone is diagnosed with a disorder, there is some form of relief or excuse that goes along with it.  People seem to believe that if there is a name for what they feel and do, then, there isn’t much they can do about their symptoms and actions.  In other words, the diagnosis becomes an excuse and they learn to rely on external resources to feel better.  I believe diagnosing places a handicap on people. In addition, it was quite difficult to me to read illness or disorder where all I could see behind every crisis, every symptom, and every loss or break up, was nothing other than fear.  A large spectrum of human pain is manifested in a variety of symptoms and behaviors, but when narrowed down, they all go to the same place, pure fear.  I also saw my own fears and challenges reflected on my clients.  I must admit that working in this field has been a great blessing for me personally as I have learned and involved myself in the process of finding solutions for others. The views and techniques I share I have experimented on my own. My loved ones and I have been my guinea pigs.  When it comes to our magnificent power to change our external reality, what I have expressed here is a small percentage of what I believe.  I tried as much as possible to compact a large file of information and experience in the shortest and simplest form for your comfort and practicality. I encourage you to read this book with an open heart and mind, and with an intention of faith and commitment.  I would like to add that I did not do this on my own.  These findings would not have been possible without the help of so many people including friends, relatives, partners, clients, mentors and yes, a lot of challenges and painful experiences.  I am infinitely grateful for all those who have believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself and encouraged me and supported me in many ways to challenge my fears, take risks, and follow my inner call to take the next step.  Through this work I have witnessed a beautiful transformation in the lives of so many people and my own. I am fully intended to spread this out and make it available to each one of you who is ready and committed to take a stand and dare to design and live the life you want.  I have done my part.  The rest is all up to you…

Why are habits so difficult to break?

Most experts will tell you it takes at least 21 days to break or learn a new habit, and that willpower and consistency are key elements in doing so.  This sounds simple.   Why is it then that people spend years and thousands of dollars in therapy, diet programs, addiction treatments, exercise, etc., and then go back to old habits and feeling miserable all over again?  The advertising industry knows about this fact.  Think of those TV and magazine commercials that read, "30-day trial or money back