Whole Soul Empowered Coaching

Can you remember a time when you knew that someone really heard you? How did that feel? Did that moment change you?

I believe there is tremendous power in being heard! It shapes us for the better and often, like a mirror, shows us what we didn’t know about ourselves.  It is often after being heard, not merely listened to, that we start to tune in to our own inner voice that had been silenced.

I can’t explain why, but the thought that comes to mind when I think of being heard deeply is a person being pulled free from quicksand. There is very little that the person sinking in quicksand can do to save themselves other than crying, “HELP”. Take a moment to imagine yourself as Buttercup from The Princes Bride, sinking in quicksand, quickly losing sight of the outside world. What could you do to free yourself as sand covers your head? Then miraculously, someone brave enough to risk everything jumps in after you, dragging you to the surface! Lying on the ground, recovering your breath the two of you laugh in relief at the near-death moment now over.

If someone asked me to look back in my life and point to the moment that everything changed for the better, I would share two contrasting pictures. The first was when my life came crashing down around me because of a lifetime of built-up destructive philosophies. The second would be when I reached out for the help I needed to understand those philosophies and their effects. Being heard was what changed everything for me!

As a coach, I help people to slow down in order to notice things that they quickly say without seeing the deeper meaning in the words spoken. I have seen how coaching powerfully unlocks years of hidden “I wish” thoughts. “I wish I was happier.” “I wish I was brave.” “I wish I knew how to get what I want.” “I wish I wasn’t afraid.” “I wish I could succeed.” “I wish I could speak up for what I want.”

So, what is the magic of coaching? Slowing down with intentionality is one ingredient. The other key is having someone on the outside of you who sees what you haven’t been able to see. They stand with you, cheer you on, sometimes kick you in the pants when you want to quit AND they listen deeper than most, with a goal of taking action that moves you forward!