empower


Awaking the Sleeping Giant Within

In today’s guest post Coach Diane Dutchin shares her expertise and knowledge to benefit both you and your clients.

Awaking the Sleeping Giant Within

by Diane Dutchin

"Awaking the sleeping Giant within" by Diane Dutchin

“Sleeping never moves you forward, it’s the awakening process that stirs you to action”

(DianeD)

I know, the title to this topic is not the usual you come across in your mail box like “how to uncover and tap into your niche”, or “how to attract more clients”. However, stay with me, this is an appropriate fit because it’s about you the coach and your client.

My intent is to deliver a one two punch of relevant information to empower you to reflect, to reapply methods of being and doing in your journey as a coach, and hopefully lead to a revival, renewal/refreshing to both you and your clients.

Let’s start with you the coach:

Reflect: when you first started your practice what was your attitude like? Aside from the excitement of finally doing what I felt I was created to do, I was focused on uncovering what areas of life I was deeply passionate about and connected to.

Forget about what the experts are saying you should or shouldn’t do, and what the latest niche is. What fired you up and awakened your spirit? Is that fire still there or is it a dying ember? Or, are you more motivated by external realities than your internal convictions? Stay consistent to your internal convictions. Here are some steps I follow to help me awaken sleeping giants in my journey

Revisit/Reapply: your core values and your personal beliefs. Revisiting my values gives me the opportunity to assess my present state, and how much of my values/beliefs are still in line with my living, and make adjustments where needed. By doing that you sharpen:

  • Your talents – what you know you’re really good at
  • Your passions – what you deeply care about
  • Your purpose – what is it you want your life to count for
  • Your impact – what is the outcome you’re looking to achieve

By incorporating your basic style of coaching with fresh ideas, tips and tools you can strengthen your practice, and find yourself at the advantage of serving with excellence.

Revive: your truth, your internal realities, and your purpose – not someone else! It’s easy to place too much emphasis on what others are doing, and dismiss what convicts and motivates your particular style. Yes, it takes someone with courage to stay consistent, recognize opportunities, and accept the calling to be a coach of positive change. I am not saying to ignore growth, but don’t throw out the baby with the bath water by neglecting the fundamentals you established your practice on.

Renew/Refresh: your life, your vision, your focus, your practice and your delivery. By taking the time to reflect, revisit/reapply and revive areas, thoughts, actions or saying about your life and practice, you could experience a welcomed renewal that can improve your delivery add deep refreshing to you and your practice.

All about the client:

Seeing that you’re in the coaching profession, I am going to automatically assume part of your focus when working with your client, is to:

  • Guide them towards the door of awareness
  • Empower them to open the door,
  • Challenge them to step into the journey
  • Motivate them to discover their answers, solutions, etc. in specific areas.

So, why is it some coaches overcomplicate this process? As a coach you want to remain mindful of lining up your words with your actions. I would rather have someone under promise with their words and over deliver with their actions, instead of over promising and under delivering.

Clients come to you because they have a need, and are drawn to you based on a number of factors:

  • What they’ve read on your site
  • What they heard through a referral
  • What your past clients said/testimonials
  • What was felt through the initial connection

In my experience I’ve found my most effective encounters and results came when I avoided the flashy and fancy approach. People aren’t looking necessarily for how much credentials are behind your name, or how many hundreds of clients you’ve served – all they care about is “can you help me with______?”

The basic foundational questions still works and can be extremely effective to get the journey of awareness, and empowerment to change started:

  • Why, when, where, what and how? (in whatever order)

You still have opportunity to ask other questions like:

  • What are your internal/external realities?
  • How important are values and beliefs to you?
  • On a scale ____? How do you feel about____?

My experience is that this way such questions will automatically fall into place!

There should be a natural flow when serving your clients. Be cautious of “trying” a new thing you read about, or what happens to be the “new style of coaching”. If not, it could show up during the session and mat be the last one with the client.

As a coach you can awaken and elevate areas of your personal and professional life to higher levels of fulfillment, and stir your clients forward to have a more impactful, and life transforming experience.

How do you know when an area in your life needs to be awaken, and what action do you take to revive it?

You are your Greatest Investment!

About Diane Dutchin

“Diane – life coach with a passion for living her best life and motivating others to do the same. I provide quality coaching and facilitating services to clients and coaches on a personal and professional level. I work with people to improve the quality of their lives on a personal and professional level.

Check out my site at www.makethemovecoaching.com and connect for a free 1 hour strategy session.”


Empower your clients by Standing in your power

In today’s guest post Transformation & Wealth Coach Debra Larson shares some of her expertise and knowledge as she recommends:

Empower your clients by Standing in your power

by Debra Larson

It isn’t a secret that most of the people I attract are highly conscious women coaches, consultants, authors and speakers. I’ve been very blessed to have some real movers and shakers attracted to my style of coaching.

"A deeper meaning to their business which gives them a higher purpose than just making money and allows them to show up as powerful as they do each and every day."

But there is something else about this group of people that really makes them stand out, and that is that there is a deeper core, a deeper meaning to their business which gives them a higher purpose than just making money and allows them to show up as powerful as they do each and every day.

It doesn’t mean every day is a good day; it’s just means they own whatever comes their way. They know there is something bigger than themselves then what is happening at that very moment that helps them over the hump and holds them true to their vision.

Many of my clients weren’t always this way when they first came to me. Shoot, I wasn’t even this way a while back. It took some guidance, but here is the secret… YOU already have this courage within you, sometimes it just takes some coaxing. I am going to share with you the underlying mindset that I have and each of my clients learn that will help you show up each and every day, to stand in your own value, and serve your clients fully.

  • Being fully in alignment with what you love, your passions in life create unstoppable momentum within your business and for your clients, as well.
  • You must take a stand for your clients, meaning love them enough to say what needs to be said. Sometimes your clients may not be quite ready for your training, or if they are their fears are standing in the way. Which ultimately means, your love for them must be greater than your own fears!

This is one of my favorites that I am constantly reminded of, so I’ll pass it on to you!

  • Your strength has to come from a bigger place than your need to be liked. Do what is in the best interest of your client and for you. They didn’t hire you to be their best friend, (even though I have some pretty incredible relationships that blossomed from my clients), they need someone to help them get unstuck and move thru their stuff!

My current success coach & mentor Kendall Summerhawk shared this one with me, which is pretty powerful, as well!

  • Practice passionate detachment. What does Kendall mean by this? At the end of the day, you can’t be the one taking action for your client. But if your client(s) is consistently not taking action, or the same “challenge” keeps popping up, please take this as feedback and learn from it, but don’t take it on as your problem, or your responsibility. We are here to guide and support them, not DO for them.
  • Expecting instant transformation. This is a toughie; you want everyone to have a transformation, and if you are like me, you want it now. The truth is many times your client won’t have a transformation, (definition of transformation: a shift in perception), until later, after the call.

OR, sometimes they won’t get “it” until they hear whatever you’ve told them a couple more times from another source. It’s funny; they will come back and say, “I just heard this really cool _____ from ______!” And, I’ll be thinking to myself, didn’t we go over that 2 weeks ago!! It doesn’t matter when they get it, what matters is that they do!

There is a huge paradigm shift happening in the world and I have slowly but surely been grasping onto it, which I’m sure you already have.

You are hereWhat is it?

We are all meant to be part of each other’s path. Many times what your clients are going thru is a reflection upon yourself. Whether you are going through the same thing now, or did in the past, or possibly will in the future, perhaps you need to get some type of learning or awareness through their challenges to help you grow as a person.

Just know that there is a connection between you and them, but you are not responsible for them. If you continually look for approval and validation thru your customer, you will be disappointed. You will begin to attract needy and demanding clients, as well.

Another thing Kendall taught me this year that is so powerful that is always right there on top of the tool box when I need it!

“Hold someone as powerful, no matter what, even when they can’t do it for themselves.”

Decide who and how you want to show up in your business, not from where you are now but from where you want to be. If you desire to be a multi-million dollar coach that runs her business with grace and ease, then ask yourself if you are showing up as this person. If you are stuck and have a decision to make, what would the multi-million dollar coach do with grace and ease?

Ask your clients this as well, Whom do they want to show up as? Are they making decisions from this place or where they are now. Remember where you are now is already in the past so you might well be how you want to be!

Don’t let your clients run the show and be bigger than you, this is your dream, stand in your values. Always remember, people don’t take our power; we give it away.

About Debra Larson

Debra Larson is a Transformation & Wealth Coach, founder of Simply Wealthy by Debra. Debra, an award winning coach, Amazon best selling author, empowers women around the world on how to turn their own true gifts, passions and purpose into a profitable, meaningful business thru simple, doable – yet result driven concepts and systems. She prides herself in helping her clients achieve transformational results by weaving timeless truths and Universal Laws with mastery marketing counsel, teaching on everything from mindset to marketing that assists you in growing yourself while empowering you to fulfill your life’s purpose. You can find out more about Debra and get free tools, business and life building gifts, tips and steps to becoming simply wealthy in your business & in life at: www.DebraLarson.com


Acting from Fear vs Love 1

Coach Louise Gillespie-Smith shares her thoughts and experience in today’s guest post:

"Acting from Fear vs Love" A guest post by Louise Gillespie-Smith

Acting from Fear vs Love

By Louise Gillespie-Smith

Most of the time as a life coach I am really living my dream; I am inspired, I am enjoying doing the things I love and I am empowering people to live a life they love too. Then there are other times when I find myself behaving from a totally different place, from fear.

I can recognise it now, it’s like I have had a double espresso even though I don’t drink caffeine anymore. An anxious feeling starts to burn in my heart, my actions are frenzied and I am not connected to who I really am at all.

Surely a life coach doesn’t feel fear?! GASP!

Coaches are seen as such positive inspirational people that it can be hard to admit to feeling like this to others and even to myself sometimes. However we are all human and sometimes it’s natural to get a bit scared, it’s what you do with the fear that matters. What you resist does indeed persist so acknowledging the signals that you are in the fear zone is the first step to turning it in to love, which is our true nature.

At the core of our being is love, this is who we are and this is what we have to share with the world. We have chosen to walk down the path of being coaches to support and empower people to be who they truly are. So it’s important that we do the same for ourselves!

Following are a few things I have found that work for me to bring myself out of the fear zone and into acting from a place of love;

  • Go outside and connect with the earth. Fear is in our minds, when we are caught up with self-talk we are not grounded or in our bodies at all. If I notice myself tensing up, thoughts spinning round and round I’ll stop what I am doing and go outside. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes I will feel the earth beneath my feet, I’ll listen to the birds, I’ll watch the sun sparkling on the sea, where ever I am I will take a few moments to bring myself back to the present moment right here right now.
  • Remind yourself “there is only ever this moment and right now I have a choice of who I am being, which parts of my personality I wish to draw upon”.
  • Meditate, I find this one particularly works:

Sit in silence for a few minutes paying attention to the rise and fall breath

Start to think about all the things you are grateful for

Start to bring to mind your fear and then release it to God/ The Universe

Pay attention to your heart beating, feel every sensation, consciously use your intention to slow it down.

Send your intention to feel your heart beating in your hands and to feel the warmth grow in them.

Finally repeat an affirmation that works for you. For example “I am safe and totally protected by the Universe/ God, all is well”.

  • Get into your body by doing some exercise, I teach yoga and find this perfect for calming my mind down. Dance also really connects me with my body. Do something that works for you.
  • Ask what will bring me joy? Then do that. For us to be able to help others we need to be taking care of ourselves. Self-love is crucial for us to have the energy and inspiration to help others.

I’ve got to admit I find writing a blog for other coaches slightly daunting as I am sure you will already know lots of this stuff already but I also know that sometimes we just need a little reminder! Being kind and loving to yourself is what is going to help you be able to share your love and support with everyone else you come into contact with.

About the Author/Further Resources

Louise Gillespie-Smith runs a business called Create Yourself which empowers and supports people in making positive change in their life. She has a holistic toolkit of resources, life coaching/NLP/ yoga/ reiki/ image consultancy, to create individually tailored packages based on what each client needs. lo****@***************co.uk /07779 150886.

Find Louise and Create Yourself on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CREATEYOURSELF and follow Louise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LouiseatCreate

 


My Coaching Clients Aren’t Broken – Are Yours?

Coach Beth Burgess shares her experience, expertise and thoughts in today’s guest post as she asks:

My Coaching Clients Aren’t Broken – Are Yours?

By Beth Burgess

clients not broken2

One of the fundamental presuppositions of NLP and Life Coaching is that our clients are not broken. In coaching circles, I sometimes hear people talk about ‘uncoachable’ clients. And yet we might be writing off clients as ‘uncoachable’, when actually they just have more roadblocks than most.

Many of my clients are people who have to come from a long way behind in life. I coach alcoholics and drug addicts trying to recover, binge eaters, depressives and people who really feel lost in life.

To the eyes of the world, these people are viewed as broken; but not to me. My clients often tell me that they could talk to me forever, they don’t feel judged, they feel more positive, they feel supported and empowered – and they often go on to make brilliant progress in recovering from their setbacks.

This is because I don’t treat them as broken – I treat them as people who are suffering, who are trapped. Not people who are inherently flawed, but people who only need to discover the way to escape.

While some coaches may not feel qualified or comfortable coaching people with addiction disorders, eating disorders etc, this doesn’t mean these people are uncoachable. They just need a coach who understands their issues, who doesn’t see them as broken. They need a coach who believes in them, because how can you effectively coach someone if you think they can’t succeed?

I do know they can succeed, and I cheer-lead them all the way through their journeys. So how do I know they aren’t really broken? Because I am one of those people who came from a long way behind – I was an alcoholic, a self-harmer, a bulimic, an agoraphobic, a depressive.

In fact, NLP was the starting point to me finding the solutions to my own problems. The day I was cured of my agoraphobia by NLP was the day that the rest of my life started to change. Since then, I have made great strides in changing my life and fulfilling my potential. How could I achieve that if I was broken all along? And how could I achieve that if someone else hadn’t believed they could help me?

I am just one tiny example of the people that can, and do, come from behind to succeed – many addicts I have worked with have gone on to do some amazing things and create brilliant, inspirational lives.

I coach my ‘uncoachable’ clients in the same way I would do any client:

  • I am fully present with them
  • I listen deeply
  • I understand their model of the world
  • I empower them to make shifts

If addicts are not your ideal clients, and you don’t have time to invest in understanding their issues, then fair enough. Refer them on to someone who is comfortable in that arena, like a specialist Recovery Coach. But don’t call them broken. They’re not. They are little pieces of inspiration, ready to emerge. Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes slowly – but with a coach who believes in them, they all have the chance to succeed.

And whoever your clients are, from mothers to executives, from other coaches to corporate leaders, truly believe in everyone you work with, for only then will you empower them to achieve all that they truly can.

About the Author/Further Resources

media shot Beth BurgessBeth Burgess is a fully-trained Life Coach and a qualified NLP Practitioner. Beth’s background is in Social Care, supporting recovering addicts to attain their education and employment goals for a major charity. After seeing so many addicts held back by their own beliefs about themselves, she started her own Recovery Coaching business, Sort My Life Solutions (Smyls). http://www.smyls.co.uk

Specialising in Addiction Recovery, Beth has also been sought out to help people overcoming serious illnesses, mental health problems, redundancy, divorce, bereavement and eating disorders, among other issues.

Beth is the author of two forthcoming books on Addiction Recovery and has also published an e-book, What is Self Esteem? How to Build your Self-Esteem and Feel Happy Now.

Beth’s areas of expertise include Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Recovery Coaching, Stress Management and Overcoming Obstacles.

Beth lives in North London and coaches clients from all over the world. Her other projects include writing articles, running workshops and speaking.

For more about Beth, visit http://www.bethburgess.co.uk

 

 

Background on Image below title via: FreeDigitalPhotos.net