When I tell people that I’m a women’s life coach, I generally get one of two responses: excitement from those who have worked with a coach in the past or who are personal development curious, or derision – from those who consider life coaching a “fluffy” field.
What’s interesting to me is that most of the individuals that I encounter who write off life coaching do value mentorship, self-awareness and growth within the workplace. However, they’ve learned along the way to view work and life as two completely separate experiences – and we know in 2019 that that is no longer true (if it ever was!). Our lives shouldn’t be dictated by our work, but we do need to recognize that a few aspects are permeable across categories: most notably, our happiness & personal power.
Because the workplace is where young, ambitious women are celebrated and compensated the most on a daily basis (I mean, we don’t get rewarded for grocery shopping or dog walking, do we?) we place a high value on how we’re showing up in that field. It makes sense, especially if you identify growth within your career as a major priority for you right now.
But the fact remains that if you feel powerless in your personal life, you will often echo that powerlessness in the workplace.
If you feel unhappy or dissatisfied when you’re relaxing in your apartment, it’s hard to show up professionally as your best self.
These key skill sets of self-determination, clarity creation, problem solving, emotional intelligence and personal accountability are not “soft skills-” they are the elements that allow us to create with freedom in all areas of our life. And, newsflash – they’re among the most highly valued skill sets for new managers & leaders.
In my coaching practice, I take a holistic approach to help creative, ambitious women to go from feeling powerless to living a life on purpose – one that they’re intentionally designing with their long term goals and dreams in mind.
My goal is to help each of my clients bridge the societal support gaps that are keeping them from what they want – so they can create their own tools from success instead of feeling like they’re stuck watching from the sidelines. Many of the women that come to me are eager to climb the ladder in their career – whether that means leadership development as an entrepreneur or business owner, or getting noticed & promoted in a more traditional workplace.
I’ve noticed that there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the idea of life coaching and an understanding of how that impacts your career, so I want to make this crystal clear: life coaching is incredibly valuable to the ambitious ones chasing their career. Let me break down a few ways!
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Coaching will make you better at prioritization and task management so you can be more productive and less stressed. Coaching gives you space to prioritize your growth in a fast paced world that is always calling your attention elsewhere. Clients often work with coaches on how to structure their days and weeks for more ease and less overwhelm, and you’ll learn exactly how you best accomplish tasks through weekly co-created homework.
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You will become a stronger & more convincing advocate for yourself. The first step to standing up for yourself is understanding what you want, where you excel, and where you have room to grow. Knowing these things and then learning open, strengths based communication will allow you to do more of the work you desire.
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You’ll become more creative, engaged & excited about your work. Research shows that coaching creates these traits by allowing you to look at your routine and work through a different lens. By shaking up your perspective, you generate new potential and new ideas – and also exert more control over your own experience.
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You’ll prevent and counteract the impact of burnout. Can you tell I love research? Research shows that self-reflection is a strong but simple tool that allows long time leaders to bounce back from burnout, and helps prevent new leaders from developing it. Coaching is all about conscious self-reflection and awareness, and ties all of your daily tasks and challenges back to your big picture goals.
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You’ll become a prime candidate for leadership opportunities. By pursuing personal excellence, you’re showing that you invest in yourself and take your work seriously. You’re creating your perception as a leader through your actions.
If you want to create a new reality for yourself both at home and in the workplace, I’m ready to tackle it with you! Were you jotting down notes through this whole post? Get on my calendar here so we can talk about what your unique career and personal growth could look like!