Reflecting & Projecting
What 1 Year, 3 Coaching Groups, & COVID-19 Have Taught Me
As I prepare for my 4th individual coaching program, I can’t help but reflect on what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown, who I’ve met, and how wanting things to be perfect could have stood in my way.
For so many of us, we’re striving for perfection, yet it’s often perfection that holds us back. The truth is, you’re never 100% ready for a new adventure, and you have to pivot and innovate along the way. When I launched my business in February of 2019, I realise now that I expected to know all of the content and absorb it completely before I started that very first lesson. My 18+ years of corporate experience in a structured environment meant that I went into this with the same expectations of structure and clarity on how to do my job, and at times imposter syndrome kicked in and the fear of not having years of personal development experience behind me gave me pause. But, the reality is, I’m a student of the content that I teach and as I learn and grow from the content, so does my awareness and knowledge. I was incredibly nervous about marketing myself and often shied away from talking about my experience and what had brought me fulfilment and success in my career. I really had no clue about social media and I had to learn to be comfortable with being open and giving the world an opportunity to see the real me. Vulnerability was something I had to get comfortable with, and reading Brene Brown’s book “Daring Greatly” showed me the power of being myself.
I also learned greatly from my clients this year. I realise that I’m a very expressive and optimistic person by nature (and even more so when I believe in this content), and I was reminded that not everyone is that same way, learns the way I do, and that this format allows for so much growth and development behind the scenes that I may not even see - another sharp contrast from the corporate world. I also see how incredibly unique a networking opportunity this program offers as well, being part of a group of highly successful executives and business owners from around the globe, there were times I found myself expecting them to interact in the various platforms I’ve set up for them. However, I was reminded that my clients are self-sufficient, already very busy and successful individuals in their respective fields, and that everyone learns, interacts, and gleams what they want out of this course in their own way. There’s a huge benefit in this program too in that it’s a structured 12-step proven program derived from the famous book by Napoleon Hill, “Think & Grow Rich”, so when I provide the wealth of reading, podcasts, and other resources, they take it upon themselves to learn from it how they learn best, regardless of how active I may think they are!
Like the rest of the world, I never imagined my business to be put through the test of a global pandemic. What COVID-19 has shown me is that, now more than ever, people are desperately looking for solutions that will get them through uncertain and uncharted territory. The need for corporate webinars taught me how to pivot, and I was able to create a webinar that could be offered to corporate employees during their lunch hour.
Having so many different types of people on my calls from various geographies around the world has given me a new perspective on the challenges that each of us face in our adult lives. Everyone is coming into my program so knowledgeable in their fields, yet the common theme is that we don’t have a full understanding of our mind and the control it has on our personal and professional lives. We carry around baggage from our past that causes us to have limited beliefs of ourselves, and ultimately affects the image we have of ourselves thereby limiting our true potential. While the content that I teach has had an incredible impact on my life, it’s so inspiring and rewarding to see it have such an impact with my clients. From people stepping outside of their comfort zones and getting opportunities they never thought possible, to marriage proposals, to strategic business partnerships, it gives me the most happiness and fulfilment to see my clients succeed.
My course work during these unprecedented times shows us the power we have as human beings to choose the thoughts we become emotionally invested in and to ignore fear and situations that don't serve us well. It takes practice and an understanding of how our thoughts control our feelings, our feelings control our behaviours, which in turn control our actions. Covid has taught me and my clients the importance of gratitude and finding happiness in the things that we took for granted for so long. By focusing on what we can control and finding happiness in the simple things, we elevate our vibration and are able to think more clearly.
For me, the pandemic has taught me that the world is actually a patient place and that it's okay if there are technology glitches with zoom or if my kids (or cat) suddenly jump into an otherwise perfectly curated background. I tended to overthink the details and worry about the “what ifs” like technology letting me down. Organization is essential, but to worry about details that are out of our control is an unnecessary place to focus emotional energy.g and what to expect from my program or visit my website for more!
Looking back, the last year has taught me that things will change in life and in business, but the most important thing is to have a strong vision and goal that will carry you through. My goal last year was simple, to launch my own business and run two coaching programs. I think the path to get us to those goals may not necessarily go the way we plan, but I believe having that goal post is what will get us through the days and months.