[fusion_text]Connecting on a personal level and finding ways to support and “make a difference for others” has always been my passion. Any other women out there just like me?
Over my 30 year corporate career I have coached and mentored many – sometimes formally, often informally. I love getting to know others and finding a way to shine a light on their many gifts … often uncovering some they didn’t realize they possessed or perhaps forgot about. I tend to attract others who are looking for someone they can count on to listen, and really hear their story or concern without judgment. I’ve worked with employees and clients as a thought partner on strategy development and execution (business, sales, marketing and organizational), leadership training and dealing with challenging issues in the work place. Sometimes those conversations strayed in to more personal issues. That didn’t matter to me – I was honoured that they trusted me. If I could help a person or a business create clarity, build confidence and remove hurdles to achieve their goals, I was in my happy place… until something changed.
About a year and a half ago, my body decided it was time to speak up and forced me to take myself “out of the game” for a while. It was time to focus on me. I was so busy being available for everyone else, I avoided and therefore neglected to nurture myself. I didn’t know what my own priorities were, much less how to achieve them. I didn’t take the time to write down my own goals and aspirations and I’d forgotten how to play. I had few boundaries (aka found it hard to say “no”) so was busy all the time and found myself feeling out of control. I no longer felt fulfilled. Can you relate?
Are you so busy looking after others that you’ve forgotten about yourself?? Perhaps you’ve dropped off your priority list.
Since then, I’ve done a number of things that were “good for me” – I slept a lot, joined yoga, enrolled in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) training – which I would highly recommend!! – spent long overdue time with friends and family, started reading/listening to positive, inspiring books, focused on my health habits and traveled. But the “game changer” for me was hiring my own Personal Coach.
I finally asked for the kind of help I so often offered others. I found someone who listens – really listens – to what I was concerned or excited about honestly and objectively. I found someone who isn’t trying to diagnose me with something, but who challenges me to shine a light on my own personal gifts, to uncover my desires and then create a plan to achieve them. I found a person willing to hold me accountable for being gentle with myself while sticking to my plan. I found someone who helped me believe I can successfully be a lot of things to a lot of people AND not lose myself in the process.
I learned the importance of self-care and what that means specifically for me.
As a person others counted on for support, advice, guidance or just an ear, I always believed I had to have all my “sh*t” together. Otherwise, I’d look weak if I asked for help. Oddly, I never thought that of any who came to me, so why did I put that pressure on myself?
I’ve learned that when we don’t ask for help, we diminish an important part of our precious ability to learn … about ourselves. Do we really know what makes us tick (our passions), why we avoid the things we do (our fears) or what we really want (our desires)? Or are we in auto-pilot, living according to society’s norm or someone else’s agenda?
With the support of my personal coach, I continue to learn all kinds of things about myself, and it’s all good (even the bad and the ugly!!) … and it’s all progress. I know my passion continues to be about connecting with others and helping them be the best version of themselves possible.
It’s time now for me to give back on a whole new level and support others to remove the chaos in their lives, make themselves a priority AND still get things done!
[/fusion_text][tagline_box backgroundcolor=”” shadow=”yes” shadowopacity=”0.7″ border=”1px” bordercolor=”#993300″ highlightposition=”top” content_alignment=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” modal=”” button_size=”” button_shape=”” button_type=”” buttoncolor=”” button=”” title=”Over to YOU!” description=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””]
If any of this speaks to you, I would love your feedback about when YOU would hire a personal coach
Leave a comment below or follow me on Facebook and send me a private message if you prefer
[/tagline_box]