I had a conversation with one of my meditation teachers, Renata, about using a choice-based flow after the initial 60-second ThoughtCounter investigation, and how to create meaningful change. The mind likes to choose, so the idea for this is that every step offers a binary or short-list option.
Choice based flow
Question 1: Hook with a near-guaranteed yes. Eg. “Do you want to be calm, with no anxiety and no looping thoughts?”
2: Time commitment. “How much time can you give per day?” 5 mins / 10 mins / 30 mins / 2 hours a week / etc.
3: Method preference. Based on time, offer practice options. For example, at 10 mins/day:
- Would you do a sitting meditation? > if no…
- Would you do an observing practice (no need to sit)? > if no…
- Would you write about your feelings for 10 mins? > if no…
Whichever path they take, they end up with a practice tailored to what they’ll actually do. Meditation alone can be too deep, too easily misjudged – this method lets everyone find an entry point that fits their life.
4: Focus area. Within their chosen method: Do you want to work with emotions, thoughts, or worrying?
Example practice (for “worrying”)
When you feel worry, write it down. Next to it, answer:
- What’s the worst case scenario?
- Can I change the situation?
- If not, can I accept it?
Most of the time the worst case isn’t actually that bad. The act of writing alone tends to relieve the worry.
The follow-up
One practice won’t change a life, but it opens the door. End every flow with: “If you want to continue or have more questions, email us…”
When someone emails, I can:
- Send a bespoke next practice
- Or a meditation
- Or direct them toward a consultation
I now have their email and they’ve already started doing something.
Reflection
The first three steps are easy yes’s. But I fear that £75/hour for a consultation is potentially too big a jump straight after a few practices.
One way to mitigate this is an Atomic Habits–style sequence. ThoughtCounter starts at just 60 seconds – incredibly low commitment. I could build from there: 1 min/day for 2 weeks > 2 mins > 5 mins. Design a structured one-month sequence so each day has a clear next step, with a natural option at the end.
If the practice is good, 5 mins a day produces a felt result within 1–2 weeks. That feeling becomes “I want more of this.”
A solution could be to stick with one practice for 1–2 weeks, then introduce the next. Keep the practices simple and let the results do the work.
Questions to take forward
- What’s the simplest possible starter practice for each path (sitting / observing / writing)?
- What does the 30-day sequence actually look like, day by day?
- What sits in the gap between “did a few practices” and “booked a £75 consultation”? (Eg. low-cost group session, paid email course, audio-guided week?)
- How do I measure “felt result” so I know when someone is ready to step up?