Today I have a schedule full of fun and engaging clients of all ages. I am working through my day, helping each client achieve their individualized goals. Some are school-based therapy interventions focused on cutting, writing, tying shoes and others are wellness interventions focused on managing chronic pain, weight loss, and sleep hygiene......
What do all these clients have in common, you may ask? Well.....each person is focused on improving their life. Making their life feel a little better, easier, or more manageable.
But today (I'm not sure why)....there is another string tying all my clients together. They are all willing to engage in their "just right challenge." This is a term that is well-researched. If a task is too easy for a person, they don't care enough to complete it. If a task is too hard for a person, they won't even try because their intrinsic motivation is too low to believe they can engage in the difficult challenge......
But the "just right challenge" is where we see growth. The task must be hard enough to feel motivated to try and easy enough to achieve an accomplishment. Setting realistic goals, finding small achievements related to the process of a task, and maintaining intrinsic motivation is how we, as human beings, grow.
I'm not sure what inspired my clients to engage in their "just right challenge" today, however it makes me proud to engage in the work that we do together...and they inspire me daily!!!
With so much gratitude for engaging in the "just right challenge," I say THANK YOU to my clients today and their circle of support!!!