Throughout my life, I have experienced feelings of inadequacy, of believing that somehow I was just not good enough. I thought if I tried hard to be the best at whatever I tackled and won the approval of others, I could be happy. But that external approval, the pat on the head, never seemed to last. There was always one more thing to prove—THEN I would be happy. The older I got, the harder it was to remember what I wanted, what gave me joy. And I realized that lots of other people suffer from a lack of self-worth and are unable to remember their own heart-song.
| I’ve had the good fortune to work with several wonderful teachers—life coaches, therapists, yoga instructors, a Buddhist nun, several horses, and an old cedar tree—and they’ve all taught me the same thing: Be present. And over the years I learned to recognize the obstacles to being present: guilt about the past and worry about the future. I learned that only in the present moment can I connect with the source of my well-being. I learned that I am the one with the ruby slippers, and I can click my heels together in any moment to return home. I am the source of my well-being. And I have a passionate desire to help others discover this for themselves. So my personal journey of self-discovery, exploration and practice propelled me into an equine-assisted coach training program where I learned how to help others shift from feeling lost and somehow flawed to feeling centered, confident, and open to possibilities. And this happens best when we learn to be present. |  |
Being present might seem hard sometimes, but it’s the best way to move from feeling stuck to becoming unstuck. It’s the best place from which to make decisions about moving forward towards whatever goal you are trying to reach. Being present helps you see when to take action and when to stay still, to discern which emotions are really yours and which ones might be someone else’s.
So maybe reconnecting to your own source of well-being sounds mysterious, unattainable, or even irrelevant. How can coaching help?
So maybe reconnecting to your own source of well-being sounds mysterious, unattainable, or even irrelevant. How can coaching help?
What Do I Do?
Everyone possesses their own ability to find their way towards whatever goal they seek. That’s the fundamental belief in coaching: you come to a coaching session as a creative, resourceful, and whole human being. YOU are the expert on your own experience, your own skills, your own voice, your own goals--not the coach.
But often we can’t hear our own voice because it gets drowned out by the critics, both external and internal. In order to hear your own creative and resourceful voice, you need a safe environment. A safe space where you can discover, explore, and experiment without fretting about someone else’s agenda or judgment. Where you can hear the song your heart has been singing all along.
Everyone possesses their own ability to find their way towards whatever goal they seek. That’s the fundamental belief in coaching: you come to a coaching session as a creative, resourceful, and whole human being. YOU are the expert on your own experience, your own skills, your own voice, your own goals--not the coach.
But often we can’t hear our own voice because it gets drowned out by the critics, both external and internal. In order to hear your own creative and resourceful voice, you need a safe environment. A safe space where you can discover, explore, and experiment without fretting about someone else’s agenda or judgment. Where you can hear the song your heart has been singing all along.
That’s what coaching is. An effective coach won’t tell you what to do, won’t solve your problems, and won’t try to “fix” you.
When you hire me as your life coach, we will co-create a safe “container” together where YOU decide what’s important, what you want to achieve, and how you will get there. I will listen beneath your stories for your gifts, your talents, your desires, for the things you used to be interested in before you were told you were no good at them. I will remember the things that you say are important when you forget them. I will remind you to breathe if things get difficult. I will ask you, “Is that true…” and “What if….” and “How will you…” and you can explore the scary edges of those possibilities. You can be curious and experiment without the fear of being judged.
When you hire me as your life coach, we will co-create a safe “container” together where YOU decide what’s important, what you want to achieve, and how you will get there. I will listen beneath your stories for your gifts, your talents, your desires, for the things you used to be interested in before you were told you were no good at them. I will remember the things that you say are important when you forget them. I will remind you to breathe if things get difficult. I will ask you, “Is that true…” and “What if….” and “How will you…” and you can explore the scary edges of those possibilities. You can be curious and experiment without the fear of being judged.
So What Is a Coaching Session Like?
I will coach you in person, on the phone, or via Skype or FaceTime, so it doesn’t matter where you are physically located. It will take a session or two for us to co-create a sense of connectedness and trust and to fully establish what you want to explore. Then together we will create an agreement for our coaching relationship.
I will coach you in person, on the phone, or via Skype or FaceTime, so it doesn’t matter where you are physically located. It will take a session or two for us to co-create a sense of connectedness and trust and to fully establish what you want to explore. Then together we will create an agreement for our coaching relationship.
I have my own style of connecting the dots of horse wisdom, spirituality, humor, neuroscience, and the natural world to help you see the wonder of it all and to feel creative and resourceful about your goals. I emphasize breathing and paying attention to any messages that may be coming to you from your body—not just your mind, but also from your heart and gut. And I will ask questions to see if there’s a different story in play, some unseen belief running in the background that’s preventing you from finding a new path forward. There’s no right or wrong to it, no judgment about it—just the possibility that things are not quite what you think they are. I listen and create a safe space for you, inviting you to be curious about it all--even the stuff that’s uncomfortable.
Whether we work together for a day or a year, you will have a companion on your journey back to what really matters to you, to the “you” who so often gets lost beneath the critical internal voices, the judgments of others, and just the overwhelming busy-ness of modern life.
If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, give me a call. We can set up a complementary session to explore your path back to the source of your well-being: YOU
Donna
If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, give me a call. We can set up a complementary session to explore your path back to the source of your well-being: YOU
Donna
"Allow for the possibility that things are not what they seem."
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