Coaching has become a rock, a foundation for me.

As I sit here reflecting on my personal journey over the past 8 years, I can see how my own journey started and evolved over time. The path was windy and rocky, almost obscure. However, looking back, it is impressive how hindsight can make things so much more apparent. About 8 years ago, I started to re-evaluate what gave me joy career-wise, and it wasn’t what I was doing then. I found that my professional life was also reflected in my personal life. I felt unfulfilled and stagnant. I was super busy and productive, but something felt missing on a deeper level that I didn’t understand at the time. I was starting to see glimpses of the truth that  I was living a life others thought I should be living. I was working really hard at meeting the expectations of others but never stopped to pause and decide what my own desires and needs were. I didn’t realize it at the time. Still, around this time, I began to admit I was absorbing my values, goals, interests, and expectations from others rather than from within myself. And then, my life hit some severe pain with the loss of a loved one, a finalized divorce, and the serious realization that I had the wrong priorities. With help from a mentor and coach, I started on my official journey to become a coach. It didn’t happen immediately; instead, it took years, along with a bit of faith and some significant support from others. It took some profoundly giant leaps out of my very comfortable zone.

On my journey to become a coach, I discovered how much I needed coaching personally. To become THE thing, you need to do THE thing….or so to say. I have had some excellent coaches over the last 8 years. I am forever grateful for their guidance and encouragement (and maybe some “ever-so-slightly” shoves when needed), especially when fear and hesitation crept in. Because of this, I personally know how helpful it was to have a coach at my side. I am so grateful to have a coach when my inner critic takes over. My imposter syndrome can be well practiced…LOL! Coaching has helped me catch myself when my personality (aka ego) wants to take over. Coaching has become a rock, a foundation for me.

As I sit here reflecting on my personal journey over the past 8 years, I can see how my own journey started and evolved over time. The path was windy and rocky, almost obscure. However, looking back, it is impressive how hindsight can make things so much more apparent. About 8 years ago, I started to re-evaluate what gave me joy career-wise, and it wasn’t what I was doing then. I found that my professional life was also reflected in my personal life. I felt unfulfilled and stagnant. I was super busy and productive, but something felt missing on a deeper level that I didn’t understand at the time. I was starting to see glimpses of the truth that  I was living a life others thought I should be living. I was working really hard at meeting the expectations of others but never stopped to pause and decide what my own desires and needs were. I didn’t realize it at the time. Still, around this time, I began to admit I was absorbing my values, goals, interests, and expectations from others rather than from within myself. And then, my life hit some severe pain with the loss of a loved one, a finalized divorce, and the serious realization that I had the wrong priorities. With help from a mentor and coach, I started on my official journey to become a coach. It didn’t happen immediately; instead, it took years, along with a bit of faith and some significant support from others. It took some profoundly giant leaps out of my very comfortable zone.

On my journey to become a coach, I discovered how much I needed coaching personally. To become THE thing, you need to do THE thing….or so to say. I have had some excellent coaches over the last 8 years. I am forever grateful for their guidance and encouragement (and maybe some “ever-so-slightly” shoves when needed), especially when fear and hesitation crept in. Because of this, I personally know how helpful it was to have a coach at my side. I am so grateful to have a coach when my inner critic takes over. My imposter syndrome can be well practiced…LOL! Coaching has helped me catch myself when my personality (aka ego) wants to take over. Having a coach has helped with my reflections and helped me to go a little deeper into those reflections. I am learning to accept the parts of me that I don’t love, try to hide, or wish would be different. I am also learning to celebrate the parts of me that I love and things that I am good at. I am practicing accepting and being all of me instead of just showing up with the pieces I feel will be “accepted.”

Opening my coaching practice was a leap of faith and scary. Yet, I have found it to be the most humbling and fulfilling thing I have ever done. What I love the most is watching the transformation others go through, especially the little baby steps, as they begin or continue with their personal development and growth. I feel honored to have the privilege of being included in such an intimate way in their lives. I love sharing in their experience, holding space for my clients to explore safely with different possibilities. I love it when a client practices creating new small spaces in their lives for healthy balance and boundaries. I am so grateful I can give back to the world by helping others in a way I was supported by others.

These are just a few reasons why I have become and continue to be a coach. The world can feel chaotic, ever-changing, challenging, and hard. We can become our own worst enemies at times. We can keep ourselves small to stay safe. Yet, we can also become our own greatest cheerleaders and heroes. “We can do hard things,” as Glennon Doyle says! We can and do impact others around us in the most profound ways. We all long for connection, love, community, autonomy, dignity, safety, and trust. Finding your balance between courage and fear, risk and safety, and inner and outer work, can be a lifelong exercise. Why do this alone? Why not do this with someone who wants nothing but for you to be the best version of yourself, whatever that is for you.

Thank you for subscribing to my blog, following my social media page(s), and/or reading my newsletter. Thank you if you were a past client, a current supporter, a loved one, and/or a friend. Thank you to those I have not yet met and will meet soon.

Thank you for being who you are in the world.  . I am learning to accept the parts of me that I don’t love, try to hide, or wish would be different. I am also learning to celebrate the parts of me that I love and things that I am good at. I am practicing accepting and being all of me instead of just showing up with the pieces I feel will be “accepted.”

Opening my coaching practice was a leap of faith and scary. Yet, I have found it to be the most humbling and fulfilling thing I have ever done. What I love the most is watching the transformation others go through, especially the little baby steps, as they begin or continue with their personal development and growth. I feel honored to have the privilege of being included in such an intimate way in their lives. I love sharing in their experience, holding space for my clients to explore safely with different possibilities. I love it when a client practices creating new small spaces in their lives for healthy balance and boundaries. I am so grateful I can give back to the world by helping others in a way I was supported by others.

These are just a few reasons why I have become and continue to be a coach. The world can feel chaotic, ever-changing, challenging, and hard. We can become our own worst enemies at times. We can keep ourselves small to stay safe. Yet, we can also become our own greatest cheerleaders and heroes. We can do hard things, as Glennon Doyle says! We can and do impact others around us in the most profound ways. We all long for connection, love, community, autonomy, dignity, safety, and trust. Finding your balance between courage and fear, risk and safety, and inner and outer work, can be a lifelong exercise. Why do this alone? Why not do this with someone who wants nothing but for you to be the best version of yourself, whatever that is for you.

Thank you for subscribing to my blog, following my social media page(s), and/or reading my newsletter. Thank you if you were a past client, a current supporter, a loved one, and/or a friend. Thank you to those I have not yet met and will meet soon.

Thank you for being who you are in the world.