It's quite a loaded question isn't it? When there are so many coaches out there looking at time management, personal growth, empowerment etc how does this relate to everyday life?
We hear of executive coaching, spiritual coaching, employment coaching and then there's the mix up between sports coach, gym coach, fitness coach. Trust me when I say I've had people tell me that I couldn't possibly be a coach because I don't go to the gym or participate in sports. It all gets very confusing.
Simply put, life coaching looks at life.
Sometimes we don't realise that life could be better. We can get stuck. Maybe we want a better life with less stress but think that if we can't find a solution ourselves there isn't one.
Sometimes we think this isn't what my life was supposed to be like. Sometimes we wonder what exactly is our purpose in life.
Sometimes we look at people living their best lives and wonder why that can't be us. Sometimes we feel like there has to be more to life than this.
We often think that some things in life seem so trivial that it isn't worth looking for help. It makes no sense to ask someone for help with something we should be able to do. Believe it or not, here are some of the things I hear my clients say in their initial session:
I feel like I never get a break
I seem to be running around like a headless chicken
There aren't enough hours in the day
I wish I was more organised
It's a nightmare getting the kids out in the morning
I really should be doing more ...
Many of the first sessions I've had with clients look to practical issues. Things like:
getting out of bed in the morning
finding the time to study and complete assignments
finding time for some self-care
remembering to take tablets
Seems simple right??
The thing is, if all of these things were so easy, wouldn't we be doing them already instead of getting caught up in a vicious circle? And the best of it is, the impact of struggling to do these apparently simple things can have quite an impact on daily living, creating pressure and anxiety in a world where there simply isn't enough time. I've seen it so often with my clients.
Once a client starts managing the practical tasks and things start moving they can then look to other things in life that they wish to work on. Things that all of a sudden seem achievable.
These things may not be so practical.
Things like learning how to set boundaries. This is something I see quite often. I remember hearing a friend once say that she used to be a "serial people pleaser". I remember finding this term amusing but what she was really saying is that she had learned how to say no, she had learned how to deal with people whose expectations and requests were more than she was willing to give. Things that left her feeling resentful and impacted on her mood and how she responded to people on a daily basis.
In life, one thing can impact on another; home, work, relationships. Life coaching looks at aspects of present life and how you feel about them.
It provides a space for you to discuss things in life that you would like to change and the impact those changes can have for you. Whether it's a practicality such as getting out of bed in the morning (believe it or not that comes under the term 'time management') or something more personal be it feeling more confident or finding out that there is a different way for you to respond to the things in life that you find challenging (this comes under the term 'personal growth'). It also looks to finding things in life that you enjoy and how you can go about doing them to help create that 'balance in life' that so many inspirational speakers and coaches talk about.
In life coaching, the focus is on finding realistic solutions that work for you. It is a way of problem solving. Some people want to focus on solutions that are currently creating a great deal of stress. The changes we make in the present can impact the future. The side effect of this can mean that it also helps to create more happiness, more joy, more satisfaction. (and yes I do hear the dulcet tones of Mick Jagger singing when I type the word satisfaction).
If you read all of this find yourself thinking (or singing) "I can't get no satisfaction" maybe it's time to ask yourself do I need life coaching? If there's a tiny voice in your head that's saying yes, even just a maybe, get in touch. A 30 minute discovery session costs nothing and can be arranged at a time to suit you.
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