What EXACTLY Is Coaching?
Are you someone wanting to make some changes in your life, but not sure what they should be or how to do it?
Are you someone who thinks life is pretty good - but it could be even better?
Maybe you know exactly what needs to change and you’ve tried “all the things” and nothing has worked, but you know you need someone to help?
Do you ever just feel “stuck” and want a way to get “unstuck?”
Have you recently gone through a major life change or stressful life event (like, I don’t know, a pandemic?!) and are not sure how to move forward?
Are you someone who gets stuck due to procrastination, perfectionism, or fear of failure?
Do you crave greater fulfillment in your day to day life?
All of these are excellent reasons to check out Coaching!
What Is A Coach?
A Life Coach is a type of wellness professional who helps people make progress in their lives in order to create more fulfillment. Coaches can help you clarify what you really want out of life and identify the things standing in your way. Then, together you create strategies that use your skills, gifts, and strengths to move you toward your goals. If done well, you will develop habits and practices that lead to long-lasting change and a life you love.
We work with Coaches when we want to get better at athletics - why not when we want to improve our life skills? Same thing, really. We figure out what we’re excelling at, what we need to improve, and work toward a goal to live our very best life, being the best version of ourselves. There may be laughter, a few tears, some frustration, and many sighs of relief - but I promise no torn muscles or punishing workouts!
The Initial Conversation
Once you decide you’re curious enough to schedule a chat with a Coach, most Coaches offer a free or discounted session to check them out. In this initial session you get to talk through what you would like to work on, what your challenges are, and get some feedback from the Coach about how they can help you. The Coach will determine if you are a fit for their kind of coaching; you will determine if the Coach is a comfortable fit for you; and if the Coach feels like you may be more successful with a different kind of Coach or a Therapist, they will let you know. If you both feel like this could be a good fit, the Coach will offer which of their services would best help move toward your goals.
What Are Coaching Sessions Like?
If you said Yes, you start your sessions! For most Coaches, sessions are 30-60 minutes, scheduled weekly or bi-weekly for a set period of time. We often start out sharing what’s going well, then move into the topic of the day (sometimes led by the Coach, sometimes led by the client - depending what kind of structure you agreed to), and the time completes with setting action steps or intentions to be worked on until the next meeting.
The Most Important Thing.
Here’s the most important thing you need to know about Coaching: It’s not the Coach’s job to tell you what to do.
Our job is to ask the questions that help discover what you intuitively know to be true. Our job is to help you dig deeper and tune in to YOU. Our job is to help you see that you always have choices. Our job is to teach and guide you to habits that make your dreams a reality. But you make the calls. You decide the goals, the steps, and the wins. The Coach gives you the system to work with, the tools to learn, the accountability to keep you on the path, and the support to keep you going when things seem hard and cheer for you when things are going great!
A Coach listens to what you envision your best life and best self looks like - and then we hold that vision for you. Even when you want to give up. We believe in you. We hold space for you. We know you can do it even when you don’t.
By the end of your coaching program, you will have new skills, new habits, a new outlook, and a plan to keep moving toward a life you’ll love. There is always an option to re-enroll with a Coach - often once the initial goal is met, life happens and other goals appear. Sometimes you and the coach might agree to keep meeting, but on a less frequent basis, to keep up your momentum and accountability. (Coaches love continuing with their clients!)
The Benefits of Coaching:
While people love to talk about their personal stories and benefits from being coached, there have also been studies that have shown the positive benefits of working with a Life Coach:
One study showed that both individual and group coaching was helpful in reducing procrastination and improving goal attainment.
One review of studies found that health and wellness coaching showed promise for improving self-efficacy and self-empowerment.
Other research suggests that life coaching can have a range of other positive effects, including improvements in personal insight and improve self-reflection. It may also help improve overall mental health and quality of life.
Curious?
Curious if Coaching could be right for you? Check out my “Is a Coach Right For Me?” Assessment and see what you think! Then, follow along on my Facebook and Instagram pages this week for more info on Coaching AND sign-up for the weekly email to get tips and tricks sent to your inbox every Tuesday!
Coaching changes lives. My life has been changed by the amazing coaches I’ve worked with and learned from. I’ve watched my clients change their lives from “going through the motions” to better marriages, improved relationships with their kids, soaring careers, more energy and better health, entrepreneurs watching their dreams come to life, and empowered women speaking up for themselves and asking for what they want - and making it happen.
Are you ready? Schedule a free session and let’s chat!
