Who can forget the hundreds, if not thousands of Self Help books available back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s? There were books on every subject, said to be THE only book you would ever need in order to accomplish your goals, desires, needs, requirements and so on and so forth. You could cook yourself into oblivion, garden yourself to your heart’s content, and even how to be the perfect hostess and bring the perfect meal out of the oven for your just announced dinner party!
But what about you? What about helping you to live a better life? Well, all of these books did just that. Just not altogether. Instead, they did it piece meal. You could take any one facet of your life that you felt you were lacking in and bring it above the bar. There was no limit to what you could or might achieve if you followed their exact formula. Many people in those days followed a suitable author who came up with an equally suitable formula and never strayed until a good friend found more success and then the switch would be made. In fact, people were fickle in their loyalty. There was one criterion, and one only. To find success. These days, we only need to be coached along the thread of life.
So, let’s define the term: Life Coaching. According to the Merrium Webster Online Dictionary – it is an advisor who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal with problems.
“Life coach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20coach. Accessed 28 Jun. 2023.
Or, according to The Coaching Academy:
Life coaching is the process of helping someone find the path between where they are now and where they want to be.
It is about setting and achieving goals in many areas of life including business, health and wellbeing, career, relationships and work-life balance. It can be as broad as wanting to find what will make you happier or as specific as wanting to start a new job. A life coach uses insightful questioning to help their clients identify the goals they want to achieve, recognise their current circumstances, consider all the options open to them and choose which actions they will take within a defined timeframe. Life coaching centres around the belief that everyone can achieve their goals through acknowledging and using their own resources, rather than being told what to do.
More people are seeking the mentoring of various facets of life coaching these days. Recently I was discussing the matter with a friend in the industry who was writing her memoir as a medium. She told me she could not have completed it in the time she chose without having a writing coach. She was very happy with her choice of coaches. As I have been writing my own memoir, I thought perhaps I could do better for myself doing the same. I have put the idea on the back burner, BUT I am thinking more seriously about it after having seen her book in print.
Coaching is more than just a method of getting you from point A to point B. It requires you to commit to the coach. After all, a good football coach will get a win for his/her team more often than not. A good coach requires commitment. He requires a good listening ear, stamina, and goals for you to put into place. I once had a coach provide me with a complimentary hour session. He asked me many questions and where I felt I needed the coaching. At the time I was anxious to get my first novel off the ground, so I told him about my writing. It was only an introduction, but even then, I could see how more sessions would benefit me. I often reflect back and wish I had done just that. I did not, so I continue to write ad hoc and dream about the day my novel is published.
Self-management can work. IF there is a strong commitment to yourself. I am a work in progress. I am working on myself constantly. But it takes time. I give advice and counsel others for a living. Yet the first person who needs my helpful advice is me and I do not listen. HA! It is a matter of physician, heal thyself. So, I could possibly use the services of a life coach myself.
So, this month we have but one guest contributor who has kindly submitted an article on this very topic.
