3 areas of my life that changed forever after life coaching
I have been asked the question, “what does a life coach do and when would someone decide to work with one”. To help answer that question I wanted to share my story and experience with coaching.
It was about 6 years ago when everything in my life was falling apart. I felt like I was failing as a mom, not performing as well as I would like at work, not taking care of myself, and my marriage was very unstable. The moment it all hit me was when my husband asked me, “what do you want?”
A simple question but at that moment which I can still remember very clearly, I realized that I truly had no idea. I was overwhelmed and lost.
The Solution
As many of us do in these situations I turned to Google to see if I could figure out the answer. After many searches, I determined a therapist was not quite the right fit but saw I had stumbled across many targeted ads for life coaches (sometimes the algorithm does help us). I had no idea what a life coach was or what they did but in my desperate googling it was the best lead I had.
Next, I turned to LinkedIn thinking I might be able to find a life coach at least in the network of people that I know so I wouldn’t be reaching out to a complete stranger. It’s always nice to have a good recommendation from a real-life person, especially if you’re a little nervous about all the vulnerability happening with a new person. I found a few connections and was happy to find that most life coaches offer a complimentary consult to learn what they do, if you are a good fit together and the cost of the services they provide. I reached out to a few coaches and set up a consult. When I spoke to the coach that I ended up working with I felt a solid connection and a new hope that she could help me clean up the current mess of my life.
The coach I worked with offered three different packages – 3, 6, and 9 months. After our conversation, I asked her what her recommendation was based on what was happening in my life and she suggested that the 9-month program would most likely be the best fit in order to make the changes I was looking for in my life. At first, I thought, great – I am even more messed up than I thought. But after going through the process, I realized that of course, it was going to take me months for a truly lasting change to take place.
The next hurdle for me was the investment. You know when the term investment is used that it isn’t going to be cheap. And, honestly, it shouldn’t be. It had been years since I invested in my well-being and I looked at my coaching as taking a college course in… myself. It was Gretchen 101. Knowing that I was paying that level of investment, it required me to really show up each week, not only physically but emotionally and mentally, ready to work. I was focused and took each session and the time in between very seriously. Man, it was work – what happens in between sessions is where the transformation happens.
So, what impact did my coaching have on my life?
I feel like it changed everything and gave me the tools to keep working on myself. But reflecting back, coaching helped me rebuild my foundation which made everything I added on top that much stronger.
Professionally: I became more confident in how I interacted with others, I developed clear boundaries with people I did not have in the past, I had different expectations for me in my role, and I had my WHY back again. I knew why I worked for that company in that role and how it fit into my values and priorities in my life. A huge change for me.
Personally: I became ultra-clear on my values and what was serving me in my life. I dropped all the “shoulds” in my life so I wasn’t wasting my energy on things that were not in alignment with my values. I created boundaries that protected the energy I wanted to have for my kids, husband, friends, and family. I developed a greater awareness of what was possible for me and where I was holding myself back in what I wanted and desired for myself or my family. This is still a continued practice of growth; expanding my awareness and evaluating my values and ensuring what I am saying “yes” and “no” to is in alignment, but now I have those tools to carry with me.
Marriage: In my marriage, by reuniting with my true self through coaching I was able to be a better partner. We also went through marriage counseling at the same time which was a great combination.
I grew up in the age where you don’t seek help from others – you keep it in tight and figure it out, usually alone. Through coaching, I saw that this value and belief was something I grew up with but it no longer fit me or my life. I needed to release that and focus on what works for me. That is the really cool aspect of coaching. It is about you, for you and only you know the right path and answers for your life.
I hope this helped answer the question of what a life coach does and why you would hire one.
If you have any other further questions, please reach out! gretchen@glohcoaching.com