What's Life Coaching?
Jessica Weir
A common reaction when I tell someone I'm a life coach, is the smile and nod. So I often ask, "are you familiar with life coaching?" "Not really, what is that?" You might also be wondering, what's life coaching? I generally start off by comparing it to therapy, most people are familiar with therapy, at least in concept. Therapy is all about the past and healing, let's say moving from dysfunctional to functional. Coaching is more solution focused, maybe looking at the past but focusing more on present and future action. It helps people move from functional to optimal. Life coaching is different from sports coaching in that it's not all about competition and winning. It's about finding what works best for you to move forward.
Coaching is a partnership between the coach and the client. The client is leading the agenda. It's all about what the client wants. The coach is there to listen and offer insight and new perspectives without giving advice. The client holds all the answers. Within that partnership, the coach helps the client get clear on what they want and helps them determine a plan of action to get there. A major component is to help clients become aware of their own inner blocks, because it is often more than just logistics or lack of motivation holding someone back.
My job as a coach is to offer a safe space for people to look into themselves and feel supported to work through what's going on for them. There is something very powerful about feeling safe, listened to and supported. To be heard and not judged. It makes looking at challenging personal stuff easier. Though, it doesn't make it easy. There is still work to be done to move past inner blocks and get to where you want to be. It requires honesty, openness and a willingness to do the work to change your life. As a coach, I'm there with you, helping you stay focused, holding you accountable and reminding you of your strengths and just how truly awesome you are.
I could certainly talk more about coaching and I'd be delighted to answer any questions or go into further detail about the process. Feel free to reach out to me here.