A Good Life

When I decided to change my practice name from the very snappy “Jean Goodwin, LCSW,” I pondered the possibilities. What message did I want to convey through my practice name about my work and its guiding philosophy? The result was “A Good Life Counseling and Coaching.” “A Good Life”…it immediately felt “just right”. Why? Though simple, it is a phrase that holds richness, depth, and possibility without the stress and pressure of “getting it right” or “figuring it out.” Let me demonstrate what I mean.

Take a minute to hold the thought “I have a good life.”
Notice anything?
Now, try “I have a great life” or “I have an amazing life.”
Any difference?

Maybe it’s just me, but the second thought starts to stir the tension of “I better stop writing this blog and get busy. There’s a lot to be done!”

Don’t misunderstand. I love “greatness” and “amazing-ness”…those superlative moments in our lives that open our eyes wide and send a rush of feeling through our bodies! They light us up and in that instant we actually forget ourselves and nothing exists but the moment. Those times make life worth living and make us feel alive, right? But what about the other 23 ½ hours in a day? The other 6 ½ days in a week? The whole rest of our life? Does the rest of our life exist simply to be resisted, endured or escaped?

Or is it, perhaps, in the rest of our life where the true richness resides? I believe it is. It is engagement with those hours, days, months, and years that we grow into our good life. A life of learning to accept ourselves so we can change; to face challenges and build resilience; to risk vulnerability to experience the treasures of relationship with others and ourselves; to live authentically connected to our experience while simultaneously forgetting ourselves.

This is what my work is about. This is how I endeavor to engage in my own life. This is what “A Good Life Counseling and Coaching” is all about.

Gratitude is primary to a good life and I’d like to express my deepest for the trust of so many who have shared their fears, vulnerabilities, and strengths with me over the years as well as those who have trusted in me to refer friends, patients, and clients. Thanks to all of you for contributing to my good life!

The intention of this blog is to provide you with notes, practices, and ideas that make you go “hmmm”…to support you in living your good life.