Alana
CLIENT STORIES
Watch the full interview + read transcript below.
MEET ALANA!
Liz: Hi.
Alana: Hey.
Liz: This is Alana.
Alana: Hi.
Liz: Tell everyone your name and what you do.
Alana: My name's Alana. I work in sales for Calvin Klein, women's footwear.
Liz: We've been working together for a long time.
Alana: Yeah. Maybe close to five or six months.
Liz: Yeah.
Alana: Yeah.
Liz: Tell everyone why you first came to work with me.
Alana: Okay. I saw Liz speak at, I was part of the networking group, Women in Power, through the Lean in Circle. I saw Liz come and speak. The topics that she was saying she did and help coach or she has helped previous clients coach with career and love being two of the ones for me. It just really spoke to because, while I had done therapy in the past, when I did more research and we did our chemistry phone call, it felt like a different approach and more target. Also, just a lot more interactive. I feel like the difference therapy, there's a lot most listening, where like, Liz is like, "What the fuck's a matter with you?" I needed that type of dynamic.
Liz: It's a bit more straightforward. It's a bit more getting to the heart of the matter and very action focused.
Alana: Yeah. I think that the fourth thing would be accountability.
Liz: A lot of accountability.
Alana: Yeah. I mean, because you're like, "Why didn't you write me this week as an update?" Or, I want to come in here, but I also want to give those updates that I'm actually moving forward, as opposed to standing still.
Liz: What was life like before we were working together and what's it like now?
Alana: I would say before I wasn't as action orientated. I was saying that I wanted these things, but I wasn't actually doing anything to get them done. While I'm still working through that, I was putting a list together of things because I hadn't seen Liz in two weeks, and I was putting a list of things that I've worked on since our last session. I was never really one, celebrating that in the past that I am actually making steps towards really wanting these big changes. It's not little changes for me, it's big changes. I want a new job and I would like to meet someone. I would say that prior, I wasn't tracking that, so it wasn't the good things weren't being celebrated, but the bad things or the things I wasn't doing were also not being called out.
Liz: Yep.
Alana: And now that I'm working with you, it's like you know, our last session something really resonated with me because I was having a bit of a lull. I remember you looking at me and being like, "I really don't know what's going to change it for you." And that kind of felt like ... it's like you say you want these things, but you're not doing it. I really respect what you have to say and to have someone that I respect to look at me and say that because my mom's telling me I'm doing great. My best friends don't worry about it.
Liz: Little enablers.
Alana: Yeah. You riled me a little bit and I was like, what the hell am I doing then? Why am I working with you if I'm not actually putting in the work to get it done?
Liz: Yeah. In a way, people come here to change. They really come here to change. I want to bring up a big change for you. You went from zero to dating.
Alana: Yeah.
Liz: Tell everyone how that feels.
Alana: Yeah. I mean, it feels really good. I don't know, I actually I hadn't been on a date since I started working with you, even though I was putting things into motion, but I wasn't really closing the loop, sort of speak. Now I'm lining up a lot of dates. I went on my first date this past week of my dry spell. I guess it feels really good. I'm excited today to come in and talk about what I've reflected back from the date. A big thing for me is coming into that feminine power. That's something that you introduced me to. That was a big awakening and something that I didn't see in myself, but now that I'm aware, I definitely see.
Liz: It's not just the feminine power. You've been doing work. You've been focusing on relationships, other relationships in your life.
Alana: Yeah.
Liz: You've been focusing on patterns in your life. You've been cleaning up these little areas where you had felt like you were out of integrity.
Alana: Yeah.
Liz: To me, it sounds like those things built you up to be able to say, "I'm ready to rock and roll."
Alana: Yeah. I mean, the confidence. I mean, that's a big thing for myself that I'm rediscovering through this process with you is the confidence, but on so many different levels.
Liz: Talking about confidence makes me think of support. What's it like here at The Lasky Institute with the support and the follow-up, and the, I'm going to be after your butt if you don't hear from you, and what's it like here?
Alana: I mean, extremely positive. I didn't ... even though when we first started working together and it was presented X, Y, and Z, I'll be following up with emails. We can do an in-between phone calls, texting, whatever. That just seemed like, I was just like, "Okay, sure." And then you started doing that. It stayed consistent. It's not just a week here or there. Literally, every single time I reach out to you, I get a response. Yeah, that support. It's funny that you just said earlier because I don't think you've said that before, but with mom's, best friends, whatever. Yeah, there has been a lot of enablers. When I'm trying to justify myself to not do something, and I'll write Liz an email and be like, "Well, this is my train of thought is why." I'm expecting to hear back, "Yeah, that's a good idea. Do that." And then you're like, "No. I thought you were trying to ... "
Liz: Do you mean like when you wanted to quit match.com?
Alana: Yep. Yep. That time.
Liz: No.
Alana: I gave very valid reasons.
Liz: Very compelling reasons. Very very.
Alana: I did. Yeah, everyone else agreed with me.
Liz: There are people watching right now thinking, maybe, I don't know, should I do it? Should I not? What do you have to say to them?
Alana: I mean, 100%, a 1,000% do it. If there is something in your life that you are looking to change and ... a big thing that sticks in my mind is you can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results. That's the definition of insanity. I've been operating at that probably since I moved to New York two years ago. I kept saying I wanted these changes, but I wasn't doing it to get done. I was putting a roadblock in my way in order execute what I wanted. I was justifying that it costs too much or how was I going to have the time after work? But, just like anything in your life, anything you want, you make happen. When I re-shifted my priorities and I decided to do it. I mean, I get anxious thinking like, not having it. I love having this back and forth. Like, just having the support, the accountability, for me, you know, someone to put a fire under my butt.
Liz: Anytime.
Alana: I highly highly highly recommend.
Liz: I'm so proud of you.
Alana: Thanks.
Liz: Can't wait to see what happens next.
Alana: Thanks.
Liz: Thank you so much.