"Coaching seems like magic." This is what I said to my coach last week. Though I said it, what I really know to be true is that it is a process and a relationship that takes work, courage and trust. And what I also know to be true is that it is magical.
I am celebrating the second anniversary of my coaching journey which began in November 2015 when I entered my first CTI class called Fundamentals. Looking back, I now see that I was jumping into the deep end of the pool.
In November of 2016, after 5 classes, 100 hours of coaching and 6 months of intensive work with a wonderful group of international peer coach trainees and mentors, I earned my certification from CTI. Shortly thereafter I earned my ICF ACC credential. It’s now November 2017 and 300+ hours of coaching later, having worked with my own coach for almost 1 ½ years, I am witness to the heartwarming magical transformation that comes from this work.
As we enter a season filled with magical celebrations, a moment for acknowledgement and celebration seems quite apropos.
I’m celebrating me… against a backdrop of some pretty dark moments both personally and in our nation and the world I’m celebrating: establishing visionaire 11:11, LLC; designing my own branding and launching a website; starting and maintaining this blog; risking and exploring in my own coaching relationship – doing the work; walking a half marathon (and seriously thinking about doing it again); establishing work at home Fridays; committing to a regular yoga practice; learning to meditate and doing it every day; practicing gratitude; an active commitment to personal and professional development and more.
I’m celebrating my clients…willingness to embark on the journey with me; doing the work and having the courage look inside, explore their fears and try new things on; landing new (big) jobs; launching careers in the arts; fulfilling long held dreams and developing and chasing new ones; processing on and improving relationships and exiting ones that aren’t working; throwing away the guilt, the judgement and the can’t. Each and every call is a treasure, I celebrate my clients becoming all they want to be.
The photo in this post is of a small sculpture on the mantel in my bedroom. Where the dots are there is a small slit where I can insert a card and there are about 100 cards for me to choose from. Be…quiet, inspirational, proud, willing, strong, special, capable, responsible, resilient, patient, caring… Every few days I randomly pick one to display. Sometimes it eerily resonates with where I’m at, sometimes it’s quite aspirational (seriously, you want me to be patient? I’m so not feeling it…). It’s always an opening to explore what’s possible.
Who, where and what do you want to BE…?
photo by Lynne Bernstein ©2017