Life coaching is a form of personal development. A life coach can support you making progress with multiple focuses and goals in your life.
What does a life coach do?
A life coach is someone professionally trained in questioning and conversation techniques. Coaching can help you get to the root of a particular challenge. It can also help you create a plan to get from where you are, to where you want to be.
Coaches are trained with a ‘toolbox’ of skills to be able to interpret your thoughts and help you process these. This can help you find clarity. When we work together to craft an actionable plan, you can be confident that you will move forward at a far greater pace than you could achieve on your own.
How does it work?
Coaches work in a variety of ways, from offering free advice, to month long programmes that require substantial investment. Some offer one day retreats, whilst others only work on a one to one basis.
Unlike a therapist or councillor, who may help you work through issues from the past, life coaches are focused on the future. Like a supported friend and trusted advisor rolled into one. A good life coach will push you to identify goals, hold yourself accountable and provide you with regular encouragement throughout the journey.
Many turn to life coaches when they need guidance or support in working through significant life changes. However, many are turning to life coaches to fine tune their lives and create more balance. Especially where they feel they have no time or are losing themselves to their jobs and commitments.
Working with a coach can help clarify your goals. We can identify the obstacles holding you back, and then come up with strategies for overcoming each obstacle. When creating these strategies, we use your unique skills and gifts. We will make the most of your strengths. This will set you up for life long change and results that really stick.
Is it expensive?
The concept of coaching being expensive usually comes from a place where we have been socially conditioned to think it is excessive or selfish to invest in ourselves. Whilst costs for coaches vary wildly, there is usually a pricing model to support most budgets. Many coaches also offer pricing plans to make working with them more affordable.
Working with a coach also requires commitment in the form of energy, accountability and time, which more often than not yields positive results in terms of achieving goals. With this in mind, many feel the benefit of investing in coaching in a very short time. For those who have felt ‘stuck’ or have struggled for a long time, this immediate improvement in their quality of life justifies the investment.
Coaching takes considerable time on behalf of the coaches, both in the physical running of the coaching sessions but also in the preparation before and after coaching sessions. Good coaches also have a blend of experience whether that be from official training to working environments and personal experiences. Often when you invest in a coach you are paying for the many years of experience they have under their belt and their unique approach to getting results.
How do I find the right coach?
Many coaches will talk about their ‘niche’. This is an area that they focus specifically on and centre their coaching services around. For example, a relationship coach will help you with relationship specific challenges.
My particular niche is supporting women through big changes or transitional moments. This is a relatively broad niche but time and experience has taught me that challenges are very rarely isolated to one aspect of an individual’s life. Often by looking at the whole picture, we are able to create more impactful and longer lasting change.
The best way to identify the right coach for you is to do your research. Do you feel connected to the content they produce for free? Do you engage with their online presence and what they have to say? Many coaches will offer a free introductory call to get to know you and see if you’re a good fit for each other.
If you’re interested in learning more about working with me, head to my services page where you can read about the different ways we can work together.
I can’t wait to work with you and watch you thrive!