With change underway in a big way over here I have come up against one many or two mental road blocks along the way. Many times I was really thankful for the blockers because they allowed me to stay stuck.
When we stay stuck we don't have to progress forward. We get to hang on to our old beliefs and stay 'comfortable'. Change can be a really irritating, uncomfortable, world altering time.
Pema Chodron, is an American, Tibetan Buddhist and an ordained nun. For those of you who are not familiar with her she is one of the most down to earth, has 'been there and done that' women on the planet. Yes she is a Buddhist nun but she has also been married twice, has children and grandchildren and so in her own way understands what the populous goes through on a daily basis.
She recorded this 4 minute video (found below) about change and by how we speak, act and think we create our own possibilities (good, bad or ugly). How to make friends with the discomfort of change, so change can happen. Video quality isn't great due to a power outage they had at the time but the message is sound.
Many times, coaching brings about that discomfort she talks about here. It is in that space though that we take the boundaries we have surrounded ourselves in and help them to expand.
Think of a baby learning to walk. They get up and hang on, with wobbly legs, and take a step, and then two, three and so it goes. Along the way they fall and it hurts, in their uncomfortable state though, they receive love and care and encouragement to continue. Before you know it that toddler is off and running, and everyone else just needs to KEEP UP.
It seems though, the longer we exist on this planet, the more stuck we can become. We get really uncomfortable with that forward movement and our ability lean INTO it. What I would ask you is:
How would your life be different if you were okay with being uncomfortable?
Coaching helps you to explore the barriers to change you have in place. It empowers you, comforts you and motivates you to seek out the change you have been avoiding for so long. So that you too will be that running toddler everyone is trying to keep up with!
-What would your life look like if you could get to work on time?
-What would it look like if you could makes steps towards getting a business going?
-What would it look like if you could honour yourself and your need for growth, as a stay at home parent?
-What would it look like as a person with ADHD if you could work WITH your unique brain wiring, rather than fight it?
All this to explore and more. Like the quote below suggests our brain really wants to keep us safe from things which make us fearful/uncomfortable. Pause and realize that not all discomfort is something to be avoided. When we dig deep and find the courage to say, "I want more...", we arrive closer to our own truths.
Coaching isn't new per se, but it doesn't have roots like a therapy model. So when you hear the word, coaching, we infuse it with our own flavour of what that could mean.
Coaching is centred around conversation. I just heard all the introverts groan inwardly... I am one, so the thoughts of that initially may have me (and you) running for the hills! Fear not my friends. This conversation is a structured, purposeful and meaningful dialog. This is not the conversation you typically have with others.
This conversation has a start, middle and end. The entire time is spent working on what YOU, the client, decides to bring to the table that day. YOU set the agenda and can change that at any point, it's all about YOU baby! We can set long term goals and chart a path to getting there or work on whatever ever arises during that week or a combination of both. I keep the compass pointed in the place you need most.
This will be your time to problem solve, make plans, look at barriers to those plans, figure out why things may not be working for you right now, learn about yourself, and chart a new path or an old one more confidently.
Many wonder what can you be coached around? This is a hard one to answer as anything goes. If you have a hard time keeping your house organized or clutter free, we can work on that. If you are having some barriers to eating well and establishing a plan, (Psst I am also a Certified Dr. Sears Health Coach), we can work on that. Perhaps you just don't know what is happening with you right now, but you know you need change because things just don't FEEL right.
For my ADHD friends out there... I can help you to understand about YOUR flavour of ADHD and how it manifests in your life. So many times we try and fit a square peg into a round hole... Well through coaching you can understand better about who YOU are and how that brilliance can shine through without SHAME or JUDGMENT.
What this is not is therapy. We don't go back to the why of things... that is more of a mental health model and if we find that's needed in our coaching sessions I'll support you through connecting with the right person to address that as well. Many times clients will take a coaching break to work with a mental health professional and then come back and get their plans underway. Again being human is individual and complex, there is no shame in seeking that which you need most.
I hold you accountable in the way you decide and I do call you on your stuff! Many times the things we don't do are the things that require going back to the drawing board a number of times. That is okay and part of the growth you'll experience through coaching.
This is work and will be uncomfortable at times, I am here to support you with that. You are responsible for the outcome. Many times this makes people shy away from that idea as it's a bold statement. That's what it means to be 'coach-able', being ready to do the work required to meet your own change and goals as you see them.
My role is to create a safe and compassionate place. To help you navigate these new waters with a hand to hold and to help shine a light on the things we at times neglect to focus on. I am here for you and you alone.
Helping individuals struggling with ADHD to achieve the life they envision themselves. Looking at ADHD from a strengths perspective, helping people to create strategies to build success in areas of challenge!
As ADHD is impacted by environmental elements, as a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach we can also look at nutritional factors that may be impacting ADHD Symptoms.
ADD Academy Coach and Certified Dr. Sears Health Coach.
