5 Reasons You Should Hire a Life Coach

Life Coaching is quickly becoming recognized among helping professionals as one of the best and fastest mediums for producing lasting positive change in people's lives, but many people are still unaware or confused about what coaching actually is and what the tangible benefits of working with a coach might be.  I would like to quickly define what coaching is and outline some of the reasons why someone might seriously consider working with a coach.
  
Coaching is a "Professional Partnership" in which the coach and client define the client's goals for positive change and work together on an active strategy that will achieve that outcome (in other words what it is the client wants and what is the quickest and best way for them to get it).  Coaches and clients can either work together in person or by phone/Skype usually for regular weekly sessions, during which short and long term goals are defined, strategies are developed and challenges or barriers to success are dissected and overcome.  Throughout the process the coach acts not as a counsellor, consultant or advice giver, but as an expert facilitator armed with various tools and techniques that are designed to empower the client, unlock strategies and solutions, uncover hidden resources and supports, engage the client's intrinsic motivation and accountability and ensure the client's progress and success is maintained over time. 

The coach uses powerful thought provoking questions and conversational techniques that allow the client to access their highest sources of inner resourcefullness, wisdom and insights, approach challenges and limitations from new perspectives, open up to creative solutions and unique approaches, control limiting beliefs and self sabotaging tendencies and break through barriers that have held them back from achieving their goals.  

Coaching is always solution and future focused in that the orientation of the session is always directed towards what the client wants to achieve and resourceful ways of approaching situations, vs. a "problem focused" methodology where time and energy is spent discussing past problems and ruminating over current dissatisfaction.  In other words, when a problem or challenge is identified, the coach's job is to re-orient the client's attention and focus towards what they would like to see happen in relation to the problem  or challenge (what they want and are moving towards vs what they don't want and are moving away from) and what is within their control to do or change that will move them forward in a positive direction.  

If you have ever wondered if working with a coach might be right for you, the following are strong indicators that coaching would be an effective avenue to pursue:  

1. You are experiencing some degree of dissatisfaction with your current life or at least one aspect of your life.  Dissatisfaction + Vision + First Steps >Resistance to Change.  Most of us are keenly aware of what we are dissatisfied with but are often at a loss to how to make a change or are on some level resistant to taking first steps towards making a change.  A coach provides the necessary support and expertise needed in developing a vision and action plan with their client and helping them to overcome the resistance holding them back.


2. You are already working on a personal or professional goal but are overwhelmed and/or are not making the progress you would like.  Coaches are highly effective at helping to break down goals into manageable steps and stages, defining priorities and developing an organizational structure for progress and completion.

3. You are prone to having great ideas about what you would like to accomplish then talking yourself out of it by engaging in negative self chatter and limiting beliefs.  Working with a coach can help to curb and eliminate self sabotaging thoughts, behaviors and actions and replace them with resourceful thinking strategies and viable action steps.

4. You often start a project with energy and enthusiasm but quickly lose interest or procrastinate indefinitely.  A coach can help clients to maintain motivation and accountability towards their goals over time and can facilitate ways to measure progress and achievement to the completed outcome. 


5. You have achieved a good deal of success in your personal and/or professional life and are now wondering "what's next for me?".  A coach can help you define and assess your core values and strengths, the contributions you ultimately want to make in life and put you in touch with your direction, goals and purposeful vision for the future.  

If coaching sounds like your next best step, be sure to look for a coach who is credentialed through a professional association such as the International  Coach Federation (ICF), and feel free to interview 2 or 3 potentially suitable coaches to find the best fit for your needs. For information on what coaching services that I personally provide, information on the process of coaching and motivational coaching articles in my blog, I invite you to visit my website www.taraenns.com

Is it Time for an Energy Tune-up?

With the coming of the new year, the ideas of fresh starts and resolutions for positive change are all around us, and while some people are easily able to dive right into the spirit of goal setting and achievement, a good portion of the population doesn't have the mental and/or emotional energy to even think about setting and achieving even the smallest of goals.  Whether it be due to post holiday exhaustion, financial strain following holiday spending, or seasonal blues with the colder weather and shorter days, many people around this time of year are plagued by isolation, inertia, and overall sluggishness, and feel marginalized from those who are able to jump into the new year easily.  If this is sounding familiar, there are a few things you can try to get some of your energy flowing again.

1. Avoid the pressure to make big sweeping (often unrealistic) "resolutions". Setting goals that are too grandiose or long term when you are already in an emotional or energetic low is just overwhelming and can heighten any feelings of discontent and negative self awareness if the goal isn't getting off to a running start.  Instead take baby steps - set small achievable realistic goals for each day so that you can feel accomplished and celebrate your achievents on a daily basis.  If you are absolutely set on a long term goal, then be sure to break it down into smaller manageable sub goals or daily steps and avoid focusing on the goal as a huge whole unless the completed vision somehow feeds into your motivation.  

2. Take a look at how you spend your emotional energy - are you using up valuable reserves by harboring old angers and resentments?  The Ontological release of anger (a state of being you choose and step into vs. psychological analysis of pros and cons) not only frees the person or people you've perhaps held anger towards but also frees up all the energy used to hold and feed the anger.  Make a list of the things from the past you are ready to let go of and see where else that energy can be used more effectively.  

3.Try something creative - having an artistic outlet can do wonders for the "soul".  Release the need to judge the outcome - it doesn't matter if it is "good" or not, just the act of expressing thoughts or feelings creatively opens up dormant energy centers and facilitates a connecting doorway between the unconscious and conscious minds that will support your alignment with your "higher self". 

4. Take an inventory of energy draining hazzards around you -  Are you surrounded by people who drain and exhaust you?  Are you taking on issues of others that don't belong to you?  Do you give your power away by letting other people invade your emotional space?  If the answer to any of these is yes then it's time to reevaluate your personal space boundaries and remind yourself that you have choice as to when, how and with whom you invest your energies.  We can't always cut energy drainers out of our lives but we can change ourselves in relation to them and control how we allow them to affect us.  

5. Listen to your body and respect its needs - if you are physically exhausted and need to sleep, give yourself permission to do that but be sure that when and how much you are sleeping is ecological to your life and well being - if you are sleeping a lot during the day as a way of avoiding or withdrawing, this may be a sign of a different issue then just low energy.  Don't get me wrong, I support and adore good afternoon naps but too much daytime sleep can be counter effective in ramping energy and can have a negative psychological effect on people.  As we've all heard many times a good nights sleep is optimal and hugely important for mental and physical health so perhaps it's about getting to bed a bit earlier and ensuring that best "sleep hygiene" practices are incorporated into the nightly routine. 

6. Clear your space - they say a cluttered home creates a cluttered mind.  I know for myself this is very true and that I function much better in a clean and well organized space.  If doing this all in one shot is too overwhelming then go back to step one and break tasks down into baby steps - even cleaning out one small drawer a day will feel like a good accomplishment and continued over time, will lead to a big impact.  

7. Get reacquainted with your "best self" - who are you when you are functioning at your very best?  What's different about you then?  What do people notice most that's positive and what are the qualities you possess that inform that? These are the qualities that are most likely core values you posses - more states of being then action words (e.g. Fun, adventurous, peaceful, strong, kind etc.) Make a list of those qualities and pick two or three that resonate for you the strongest making them part of your daily intention.  "Today I will bring my qualities of fun and adventure to every situation and interaction"

8. Remember to reach out - if these dark days of winter have you hibernating in isolation, chances are people close to you are feeling the same way too. Nothing can give you boost like a good laugh with a friend - it's really true that laughter is the best medicine.  Or, maybe it's just about the peace and validation that comes from knowing someone else feels the same way you do. 

9. Move your body - you've heard this one before but here goes, exercise is your body's natural anti depressant.  Again, if it's not the time for a lofty intense fitness goal start small - even a 15 minute walk in the cold air can be enough to invigorate and refresh. 

10. Consider working with a professionally trained Life or Personal Development Coach -  At the risk of making a shameless endorsement of my own profession, it's well documented that working with a professional coach can help a person define realistic and achievable goals for positive change, develope a viable strategy and action plan, capitalise on motivators and available resources and see the goals through to completion.   

I wish all of you a Happy and Fulfilling New Year and if yours is getting off to a slower then desired start, I encourage you to give at least one or two of the above suggestions a whirl - there's no harm in trying and the results may just surprise and energize you.