Why I Became a Coach
I remember the moment that coaching blew me away…
I was on a group coaching call and it was my turn to be coached. I was new to the coaching world, and was just starting to learn what it was like, so I cautiously put my hat in the ring.
“Erin, tell us something that’s not going as well as you’d like”
For a few minutes I described an issue that I’d been stuck on for about 2 months. I was skeptical though, because I had thought about it from so many different angles and still wasn’t making any movement for some reason.
The coach listened well and reflected back some of what I had said.
As I listened to her, I realized a lot of my hesitancy rooted from a fear that I couldn’t predict what might happen if I took certain actions. “That’s the sticking point,” I thought to myself. “That’s such a big issue, “ my mental dialogue continued. “She’s going to be stumped for sure”
Then she said…
“What would you do if fear weren't a factor?”
Like a wrecking ball, this simple question shocked me out of my current perspective. It unlocked a part of me that I almost didn't recognize, because it had been hidden, or perhaps, afraid to come out. I was dislodged from my “stuck” place and I suddenly felt like I was in motion again. Resigning myself to the process, I answered as authentically as I could. I laid out a few of my inner most dreams…the things I’d love to actually see happen, if it weren’t for all of the “ifs” and “buts” that fill my mind. It felt so liberating to say them out loud.
“Perfect. So what's one thing you can do this week that would bring you one step closer to that?”
An answer came to me almost immediately and I said it out loud. I was in a state of disbelief that this all felt so easy.
“Sounds good. And when can you make time to work on that?”
And just like that, 2 months of deliberating over the same issue was dissolved in 5 minutes of coaching.
I don’t want to paint an unrealistic picture. To be clear, what followed that 5 minute conversion was a lot of hard work to stay on that newly uncovered path that felt so clear in the moment. But I couldn’t shake the feeling of potential that was so incredibly energizing. I was hooked on coaching.
The session was practical, yet deep. It was forward focused, while the effect was immediate. It created a safe container for me to pour out something that was troubling me and gently explore the things that were keeping me from achieving what I wanted. It was motivation, clarity and accountability in one beautiful package.
I’ve lived abroad since 2006 and I’ve seen many friends and colleagues suffer from intense exhaustion, dissatisfaction and burnout. I’m convinced that with the right support, that doesn't have to be the case, but for many years I wasn’t sure what effective support for expats looked like. With so many layers and complexity, it can be hard to know what will really make a difference. But when I experienced the power of coaching to hold a safe space as a container to sort through overwhelm and land on a practical path forward, I knew I had found it.
Since the beginning of 2020, I’ve had the privilege of coaching the beautiful souls at Shababeek Intercultural Development Center: courageous expats embarking on the ambitious feat to learn Arabic, one of the most difficult languages in the world. Being able to provide a safe space for them to process and debrief what they’re going through, partner with them to dream and scheme about their wildest ambitions, and walk alongside them as they put those dreams into action is like a dream come true for me. Being a conduit of the power of coaching, and helping expats get just one step closer to their optimal life abroad brings me to tears even as I write these words.
If you’ve ever wondered “could life be more fulfilling?” The answer is a resounding, “yes!” Find a coach who believes you already possess everything you need inside of you, and get to work. Does that make you nervous at all? I get it. I’ve been there. Before you dismiss the idea, take a moment and ask yourself, “What would you do if fear weren’t a factor?”
