Life Coach
Today in my email from Jacob Sokol at Sensophy, he asked me to take a survey. I figured, I'm going to start coaching, so I better just lay it all out on the table! Just because I will be a coach, doesn't mean I don't need my own coach! Also, I think it makes a coach more approachable when they fess up a little bit! We're all human! Here are my answers: Why would someone hire a coach? A person would hire a coach if they have the motivation to make a positive change in their lives. Intrinsic rewards as opposed to extrinsic. Mental clarity, fulfillment, sense of purpose. Something is "off" in all of us, but those who take the time to become aware of this feeling, and then acknowledge it, and finally to seek improvement, is HUGE! Divorce, addiction, weight gain, job loss, there are so many perceived negative things that can happen to us that can either drag us down or cause us to fight harder for the life we want! The coach is the person that walks up to the person in the hole, and gets down in the hole with them and brings them out of it! Everybody has a little voice inside them, and those who listen to it, those are the kind of people that hire coaches, and this is why I'd like to be a coach! To work with driven individuals who come to the field suited up and ready to perform! Coaching should be a mutual giving and taking of information, wisdom, tips, tricks, etc. We weren't meant to do everything on our own, and those that seek out coaches are going to get where they want to go, because they are aware of this! Why would someone NOT hire a coach? Someone would not hire a coach if they feel that they a) don't need to improve on any area of their life (denial), or b) think that they can do it alone. I don't even know if "hiring" is the correct term. It's always great to get paid for your services, but to "hire" a someone also implies that your'e going to Get something from them. Instead, you should see a coach not as someone with mystical powers that gives you the answer or solution you've been looking for. The coach is more of an instrument that asks the BIG question, "What is the WHY in your life?" and gets you to dig deep within yourself. A coach allows you to realize that you have the answers within yourself and helps you to come to them! When we have a coach they help us to realize our own potential and that we all have a power within! If you were working with a coach, how do you think they would help you? What areas of your life would you work on? From a health and wellness perspective, I see three spheres that should all be interconnected and there is a sweet spot in the middle that most of us don't hit. The spheres are: Eat, Move, and Rest. When they don't remain interconnected, one or two can start to drift outward, causing imbalance. I would take a look at each sphere, and what lies within them, and see which ones I am excelling in and which ones I clearly need to work on. I would probably look at Rest. I think this sphere is the most commonly overlooked in America. We think if we eat kale and quinoa and get in our daily Insanity workout, then we're set! It takes a lot more commitment and effort to recognize the need for rest, rejuvenation, peace, quiet, and to carve out a solid time to make it happen! I would like to have a coach help me to do more of this, because I have been trying on my own (started yoga), but it's still difficult to take what amazing things I've done on the mat in class and carry it with me for more than my 30 second walk to my car and back to the daily grind! What would your ideal coach be like? (Coaching Style, Personality traits, etc.) My ideal coach would be someone around my age or younger. It gets old to hear it coming from someone older and "wiser" because it can start to feel like the teacher and the student or parent and child. I want someone with a bright, optimistic outlook on life that can make me feel energized, not just talked at. My ideal coach would have to be honest, but not a jerk. I like constructive criticism and being give a challenge. Someone that wouldn't let me get away with too much, but would also be cool and flexible. I like the idea of meeting outside the office--think coffee shop, cafe, park, somewhere out of the norm, that would make it more relaxed and natural feeling! What's stopping you from getting the best results you want in life? What are your biggest challenges? One of my biggest challenges is "busy-ness." Going from task to task and not really feeling like I've gotten anything Great accomplished. Day-to-day, things seem to be pretty similar, and I need to figure out how to jump out of the cycle! In order to jump out of the cycle, I guess I need to overcome fear a little bit, and also quit reading self-improvement books and just ACT! So There It Is! A little bit about myself, and what I'd like in a coach, and what I would want to work on! For anyone who sees this out there and is interested in developing a coaching relationship with me, or needs some words of wisdom, shoot me an email! Erin Stanczyk [email protected]