I thought it would be a good idea to outline exactly what life coaching can do for you by telling you about my own personal experience. In 2006 I was asked if I would like to be coached by a newly qualified Life Coach. I didn’t quite know what coaching meant but it seemed interesting so I agreed to 6 sessions. One of the first things my coach took me through was “The Wheel of Life” where I had to list the main elements of my life e.g. family, friends, career etc and then mark them out of 10 as to how satisfied I was in each area. I soon realised that there was an imbalance in my life in 3 main areas and these are what we worked on in the sessions that followed.
My coach helped me to gain clarity about what it was that I wanted and also gave me guidance and confidence to overcome obstacles that were holding me back. I realised that I was living my life with a lot of “what ifs” preventing me from moving forward and I was also afraid of change. My coach really helped me put things into perspective and as we had a week or so between each session I was guided through the steps I needed to take to make the changes I wanted. Being clear about what it is I wanted made it so much easier for me to get it.
At the end of the coaching sessions I felt empowered. I gained even more self-confidence and I started living a happier and more productive life. I also learned to accept some things in my life as they were as it was unlikely that I could change them and being able to do this has made a big difference to how I react to certain situations.
So what changed? Within a few months of the 6 coaching session I left the company I’d be working in for 7 years and got a new job, I bought a new sports car and I got out of an unhappy relationship. I started focusing more on me. I became more involved in fitness and travelled to see friends all around the world.
I continue to see a life coach a few times each year. Coaching helps me to see things differently and also helps me to make things happen that need to happen for me to achieve my goals.