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The realm of life coaching can often appear perplexing, particularly for those unfamiliar with its true nature. There are numerous misconceptions surrounding this field, and many individuals label themselves as "coaches." However, they may actually be online marketers, mentors, self-proclaimed health experts, or therapists. While each of these roles is valuable in its own right, they differ significantly from pure life coaching.
Many life coaches emerge from these various backgrounds, offering not only coaching but also a range of additional services designed to assist clients. It is important to delineate the distinct characteristics of life coaching and to highlight the genuine benefits of engaging a coach.
Life coaching is fundamentally different from other helping professions. A primary distinction lies in the focus of life coaching: it centres on "your life" in the present moment and emphasises progress toward well-defined outcomes. Life coaches encourage clients to explore questions such as "how?" or "what?" regarding their current circumstances and future aspirations, rather than delving into "why?" concerning their past.
Moreover, life coaching is not synonymous with consulting. Consultants are typically hired for their expertise in specific areas, providing direct answers and advice to address particular issues. They often prescribe exact steps to achieve desired outcomes. In contrast, life coaches recognize that you are the expert in your own life and possess the capability to discover your own solutions. They operate under the belief that all individuals are inherently whole and complete.
A coach utilizes questions to guide you toward your own resolutions, tailoring the approach to what resonates best with you personally. They adopt a holistic perspective and often accompany you on your journey toward realizing your dreams and goals, whereas consultants typically conclude their involvement once you achieve your objective in a specific domain.
Additionally, life coaching differs from therapy or counselling. Therapists generally work within a medical framework, focusing on dysfunctions in a client's life and often referring to them as "patients." Their role involves diagnosing problems and mental health issues, such as depression or neurosis, while frequently exploring the "why?" behind a client's past struggles.
In contrast, life coaches view individuals as fully functional and concentrate on solutions through "how?" inquiries. They facilitate a focus on the present, guiding you from your current state to your desired future. While life coaching shares similarities with athletic coaching—both aim to help individuals reach their fullest potential—the primary distinction lies in the context. Sports coaching emphasizes competition and the binary of winning and losing, whereas life coaching is dedicated to helping you unearth your best self. If competition is relevant, a life coach will assist you in seeking a win-win outcome for all parties involved.
Finally, it is essential to recognize that life coaching is not merely a friendship. A skilled coach may feel like a close friend, perhaps even a best friend, but it is crucial to remember that they are trained professionals. You can trust your coach to prioritize what is important to you.
While your coach will provide a safe space for you to express your frustrations, they also possess the expertise to help you progress. They will not shy away from offering constructive feedback on areas for improvement, nor will they impose their own agendas or unsolicited advice on your journey.
A Life Coach is a partner who holds YOUR agenda. She listens actively and non-judgmentally and gives you powerful, honest feedback. You are collaborators working together on your goals, your interests and passions, your professional and personal development, whatever really matters in your life. So far the answer to "what is a life coach?" has been to contrast it to other 'helping' professions, but how about a concise definition of a coach?
There are a lot of coach training schools and each has a slight variation on their definition of a coach. Most of them are valuable for some clients, each in their own situation. I will give you two definitions for now. If think you want or need a coach, I am just glad you are doing your research and asking what is a life coach early in the process!
The International Coaches Federation (ICF) is the recognized, worldwide accredited organization for coaches. ICF answers "what is a life coach?" with this definition: "...an ongoing partnership that helps the client produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives." If you are looking to work with a coach, try to find one that has followed the ICF pathway and is either certified or on their way to certification, this way you know that you are actually working with a proper Coach, who will be trained by an ICF accredited school that by law has to meet ICF standards of education and practice. You can visit their website on by clicking on the image or type www.coachfederation.org in your browser.
Some of The Many Benefits To Working with A Coach.
I will help you eliminate the mind clutter and the should and should not's, so you first narrow down what you want, and then set the goals that matter. Of course, a coach will show you tools and strategies to manage those goals too. Unlike getting opinions from, partners, friends, family or co-workers a coach is more like an objective outsider who sees your blind spots and will help you to maintain perspective.
2, You can conquer your fears.
Working with a coach is not for the faint-hearted, and can push you way out of your comfort zone. I will offer you a very trusting and safe environment to work within and with your permission, we will go deep, because in the deeper layers we will learn to process, and is where the magic happens. When we face what's scary and uncomfortable we can make huge changes in our personal and business lives, and although some may seem unrelated, conquering fears in one area can have a ripple effect into other areas, so overall the fear has lifted, and poof, vanished!
3, You learn to love yourself.
I know it sounds cheesy, but 'loving yourself' is the single most important thing anyone can do for themselves. And if you don't love yourself no one is going to do it for you! The analogy my mentor coach gave me was this; 'Have you been on a plane and heard the flight attendant tell you to put on your oxygen mask first? The immediate response is, "No way, I need to take care of my kids (husband, mother, best friend, the stranger in the seat next to me...). ' The idea clashes with our instinct. What does it really mean? Simply put: If you don't put your mask on first, you won't be there for all those other people when they need you. You will be unconscious'. Why is this so important? Burnout, depression, loneliness and physical ailments are just a few results that can happen if we neglect self-care. There are many tools a coach uses to help work on different areas of your life to create a better, nurturing & self-care environment for ourselves.
4, You will have More Balance In Your Life.
Having no more time will become a thing of the past! We will work together to achieve a better work, life, balance.
5, You will have confidence like never before.
We will work on the areas where you lacked in confidence in the past and shift you into new scenarios where you are excelling and I will be there wholeheartedly to support you through the process. I am passionate about my clients and seeing them succeed, I only have your best interests at heart, and I have no other agenda but yours.
6, Your Life Will Become More Fun.
With greater choices come more options available to you, you will have more freedom to do the things you love. Walks in the park, more time with your family, writing your blockbuster or blog. Whatever it is that makes you happy, you'll have more time to do it.
A Life Coach does for the rest of your life what a personal trainer does for your fitness.
Elaine McDonald
About Danielle
Danielle is a Psychospiritual Coach, Astrologer & writer based in the UK and Cyprus.
She offers personalized Coaching and Astrology Sessions, Digital Products, and courses for Personal Transformation. Sessions are tailored to individual needs; feel free to reach out for more information or to book.
Danielle has spent more than 20 years exploring ways to live consciously and incorporate natural products into her self-care routine. She enjoys sharing her insights and discoveries with others on her Blog.
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