What is Life Coaching? (And what is it not?)
My husband Johnny said to me, “So what do you actually do? People ask me and I don’t know how to explain it.”
I remember getting this same question to back when I was working in IT:
Family/friend/neighbor/acquaintance: So what do you do?
Me: I’m a Network Engineer
Family/friend/neighbor/acquaintance: Ok, so what do you do?
Me: Well, I configure network equipments, making sure the switching and routing protocols are working right, the network speed is as it should be, all the right traffic are getting through to where they need to go and the entire network – from the core to the user computers – are protected from both internal and external attacks.
Family/friend/neighbor/acquaintance: *Stares blankly*
Me: I fix the internet!
Next thing I know, I was getting calls from family/friends/ neighbors/acquaintances asking me to help fix their:
- Cable TV (it got wires, but it’s not the electricity so it must be the internet)
- Garage door (it’s wireless, so it must be the internet!)
- Mobile phone (duh, internet!)
But you see, it was my fault for not telling them what I do in a way that is easy to understand.
So when Johnny asked “What do you do?”, I thought I’d do my due diligence and give it a proper answer.
First, let’s talk about what life coaching is and what it isn’t. Then, I’ll tell you where my work fits in this space and who it’s best suited for.
Please humour me as we get a bit “technical”.
You ready?
Here goes:
What is Life Coaching?
Life coaching aims to create a forward momentum in people’s lives. It provides a space for people to create meaningful changes in their lives to move them from where they are to where they want to be.
The entire process is non-critical and non-judgemental. The life coaching relationship is part motivation, part education and part accountability. The aim is to help people make lasting changes that improve not just the area that needed change but also their life as a whole.
Effective life coaching assists people uncover their deepest desires, identify their core values (I call these the non-negotiables), identify what’s missing from their lives, set meaningful goals, and create a strategic and/or intuitive action plan that supports them to actively move towards these goals.
The type of work I specifically do is around mindset, life and spiritual coaching. As a coach, I am fully committed to my clients and their goals (like a personal cheerleader), while also maintaining a warm impartiality and distance. This healthy dose of detachment allows me to clearly see the way forward for them, and call out any thought and behavioural patterns that my clients may not be able to see at the time.
What Life Coaching Isn’t
Because life coaching generally works around the realms of psychology and self-development – and in my case, spirituality as well – it is easy to confuse it with other modalities that support people in somewhat the same way.
Below is a list that I got from training with Beautiful You Coaching Academy which sums up beautifully what coaching is not:
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Life coaching is not counselling.
– Similar to life coaching, counselling takes into account where people are, but to help them deal with unhelpful thoughts and behavioural/life patterns, it often involves looking back to people’s history to understand why they are in their present situation.
– Life coaching on the other hand looks at where people at and support them in moving forward. There are times when going back to a person’s past is helpful and needed in finding the lessons that may be helpful for the client to move forward, but the objective is to not stay in the past. -
Life coaching is not consulting
– Consultants are hired to give expert advice on a certain topic, often telling people exactly what to do, when and how to do it. They are usually very helpful in business and development of specific knowledge or skill.
– Life coaching believes that people innately know within themselves the answers that they need to move forward and live the life they want. Every person is a sovereign being who knows what they need and are capable of making the best decisions for themselves. All they need is a guide to help them remember. -
Life coaching is not sports coaching
– While both involves challenging people, holding them accountable and cheering them on, life coaching is not a competitive process and has no focus on winning or losing. It is a growth process where every step and stumble is considered a win because in both situations, the person learns more about themselves and moves forward with their goals.
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Life coaching is not the same as being someone’s friend
– A good life coach will be friendly, warm and welcoming, but plays a more intentional and specific role in their client’s life than a friend does. A life coach will never be afraid to give direct and honest feedback lovingly and respectfully (it’s our job!) and ensures that these feedbacks and views are not clouded by their own issues, judgement or agenda.
So what type of coaching do I do and who is it for?
I am a Life Transformation and Spiritual Empowerment coach passionate about helping people discover what life could be like if they were a little less obedient, a little less scared, and a little less perfect.
I combine mindset work, mindfulness, and various spiritual practices in my approach to coaching and I work best with people who are ready to create a shift in their life. Those who are ready to answer the call of their soul to finally get out of their own way and live in alignment with who they truly are – not who society tells them they should be.
The success of your coaching journey with me – or with any other coach for that matter – depends greatly on your dedication and commitment. As your coach, I will be there to guide, support, motivate, challenge you, hold you accountable and cheer you on, but you have to do the work. It’s the only way that lasting sustainable growth and transformation can happen.
I hope this clarifies what life coaching is and what I do as a coach.
I’ll tell you more about who I am and what the process I call Sacred Fearless Rewilding is in my next post.
Till next time!
Big love,
