hope

Temptation or Intuition? Guiding Clients to Discern the Difference

 in quote  tagged coach / coaches / coaching / fear / hope / inner wisdom / intuition / quote / temptation / thomas fuller
A close-up shot of a shiny, red apple, perhaps partially obscured by a leaf. The apple is positioned against a dark, mysterious background to create a sense of intrigue with dramatic lighting. The text reads "All temptations are founded either in Hope or Fear." (Thomas Fuller)

The quote of the day is:

“All Temptations Are Founded Either in Hope or Fear” (Thomas Fuller)

Thomas Fuller (1608–1661) was an English historian and clergyman known for his wit and wisdom. His writings often reflect deep insights into human nature, making this quote particularly relevant for coaching conversations.

Temptation is a compelling force, often urging action before we’ve had time to reflect. Thomas Fuller’s observation highlights how hope and fear shape our decisions. As coaches, we frequently encounter clients caught between these forces—unsure whether their next move is a genuine step forward or a reaction driven by fear. How can we help them distinguish between an intuitive nudge and a fear-fuelled temptation?

Recognizing the Voice of Intuition

Intuition often feels like a calm, quiet sense of knowing. It doesn’t demand action, but gently encourages it. In contrast, fear-driven temptation tends to feel urgent and overwhelming, pushing clients toward decisions misaligned with their deeper values. Coaches can help clients pause and explore their inner dialogue.

Key Questions to Ask:

  • How does this decision feel in your body? Calm or tense?
  • If fear wasn’t a factor, would you still choose this path?
  • What would happen if you waited a little longer before acting?

These questions help clients differentiate between impulsive reactions and thoughtful, intuitive responses.

The Role of Hope

Hope is a powerful motivator but can sometimes be mistaken for wishful thinking. When driven by hope, clients often feel expansive and motivated. Yet hope can also lead to temptations that aim to escape discomfort rather than pursue meaningful growth.

Exploring Hope with Clients:

  • What future are you envisioning? Does it align with who you’re becoming?
  • Are you pursuing this path because it excites you or feels like the only option?
  • How does this hope connect to what you would love?

When grounded in purpose, hope can inspire courageous action. When fuelled by avoiding pain, it may divert clients from what truly matters.

The Fear Trap

Fear often disguises itself as practicality or necessity, insisting that clients “must” act now to avoid loss. Recognising this pattern is crucial for breaking free from fear-driven decisions.

Strategies to Uncover Fear:

  • Encourage clients to name their fears. What’s the worst that could happen?
  • Consider the long-term impact. Will this choice still matter in a year?
  • Explore alternative perspectives. Could fear be clouding judgment?

When clients acknowledge their fearful thinking, they often find clarity and courage on the other side.

Intuition as a Guide

A common outcome I see in coaching is clients learning to recognise and trust their inner wisdom. Intuition is a gift available to all of us. By distinguishing between hope, fear, and intuition, clients make choices with greater confidence and authenticity.

Final Reflection

Temptation often disguises itself as urgency, practicality, or even hope, making it difficult to discern from genuine intuition. Helping clients navigate this distinction can be transformative. By guiding them to pause, reflect, and listen to their inner wisdom, we empower them to make choices rooted in clarity and authenticity.

How do you guide clients to distinguish between intuitive nudges and fear-driven temptations? Is this distinction relevant in your coaching practice? I believe this question can spark rich conversations, helping clients tune into their deeper knowing, you guide them beyond the pull of hope or fear and toward their true path.

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is a transformative coach dedicated to empowering individuals to get out of their own way and make a meaningful impact in the world.

If this post has intrigued you or sparked questions about distinguishing between fear, hope, and intuition in your decisions, Jen offers a supportive space to explore these insights further. Connect with her to discover how transformative coaching can guide you toward clarity, confidence, and empowered choices

Discover how Jen can support you to get out of your own way here.

Embracing Uncertainty: Coaching and Nurturing Hope

 in quote  tagged coach / coaches / coaching / Henri-Frédéric Amiel / hope / quote / uncertainty
A warm background in a watercolour style. The sun is either setting, or rising, behind the horizon of green hills. A warm yellow and orande glow blends upwards to pinks, reds and into purple. A path, with a slight curve to the right runs centrally from the forground towards the green hills. On either side of the path the warmth of the pinks and reds in the sky is reflected in the countryside. The text reads "Uncertainty is the refuge of hope." (Henri-Frédéric Amiel)

Today’s quote is:

“Uncertainty is the refuge of hope” (Henri-Frédéric Amiel)

This quote prompted me to delve into the profound connection between uncertainty and hope. As coaches, we often find ourselves guiding clients through the ebb and flow of life, where the known and unknown coexist. Navigating this dynamic journey can feel challenging, and the interplay between certainty and uncertainty may evoke anxious feelings in both ourselves and our clients.

It’s not uncommon to encounter individuals who fear uncertainty—a sentiment many of us have experienced personally. Yet, as Amiel suggests, it is precisely within the realm of uncertainty that hope finds its refuge. The unknown, rather than being a threat, becomes a canvas upon which we can paint new dreams, spark fresh thoughts, and strive for more.

For some, hope might be a territory they hesitate to explore, fearing potential disappointment if circumstances don’t unfold as envisioned. However, hope has the remarkable power to shift perspectives, allowing individuals to see beyond limiting beliefs and thinking to discover new possibilities.

For me, I know that a feeling of hopelessness is a signal that I’ve lost touch with my own inner wisdom and creativity. As a coach, I invite a different perspective on a relationship with uncertainty. Instead of viewing it as an obstacle, we can guide them to perceive uncertainty as a fertile ground for hope and opportunity. In doing so, we unlock potential possibilities that might remain hidden when seen through the lens of fearful thinking.

Uncertain times, far from being a sign of weakness, present an invaluable chance for growth and development. By encouraging clients to embrace uncertainty, we empower them to embrace change, adapt to new situations, and foster a resilient mindset. After all, without uncertainty, life would lack the excitement and richness that make it truly extraordinary.

So, as we head into the weekend, let’s remember that uncertainty is not something to be feared but celebrated. It’s an invitation to dream, innovate, and explore new avenues. By nurturing hope in ourselves and our clients, we open the door to a world of possibilities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Coaching Through the Bad Times

 in Guest Post  tagged authentic / bad times / coaching / hope / Marie Yates / optimism / positive thinking / survivors coach

In this weeks guest post coach Marie Yates shares some of her experience and expertise.

Coaching Through the Bad Times

by Marie Yates

"Coaching Through the Bad Times" by Marie Yates

I’ve been asked quite often about how coaching can really help when a person is having a really challenging time. There’s seems to be a perception that coaching requires positive thinking, positive energy and anything else that’s positive thrown into the mix too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for some positive thinking and looking on the bright side; I’ve just also learnt that there’s more than one way to achieve this.

I work with survivors of rape and sexual abuse of all ages. Rather than focusing on positivity, I choose to begin by looking at optimism and hope. I have learnt that the notion of positivity can lead to barriers being put up. It not only seems somewhat unachievable but can also feel false. At the very heart of my coaching approach lies the need for authenticity. If we’re not being true to ourselves, life can be quite exhausting.

If coaching can look at goals from a realistic standpoint, there is a much higher chance that the client engages with the process and begins to take action. For the clients I work with, taking those first steps can lead to the most incredible breakthroughs. I know for a fact that’s not exclusive to survivors.

Offering a message of hope and optimism has become a much more important part of the work I do. It is also the core message in my first book which was published last month. The story of Dani, a teenage survivor, shows that regardless of what we’re experiencing there is always hope. The book was written for teenagers but I’ve been amazed (and really pleased!) that adults are enjoying it too. The message of hope and story of resilience transcends age in a way that has proven to me that this message needs to be shared far and wide.

Coaching is an incredible means of working through the difficult times. It doesn’t have to be an unrealistic pursuit; it is a tangible and effective means of training yourself to live in a way that works for you. I have worked with people who wanted riches, bigger houses and cars, increased income and tropical holidays. They are all well on their way to achieving their dreams and some have reached them and are now striving for more. Some clients want to share their skills with the world by writing books, creating artwork or working directly with people in a way that resonates with them. For some, that has meant a decrease in their income generation and a significant increase in their happiness and wellbeing. Each and every person shares optimism and hope that they will achieve the thing that matters most to them. That is an incredibly powerful common value and is the means that keeps them motivated.

So, next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or unhappy about your current circumstances. Don’t feel that you have to create a falsely positive outlook, instead, allow yourself to feel optimistic that there is a much brighter future waiting for you and take a step towards it.

About Marie Yates

Marie Yates works with survivors of rape & sexual abuse to use their resilience and strength to really live their dream.

the first book in the Dani Moore TrilogyLodestone Books has just published “Reggie and Me” the first book in the Dani Moore trilogy by Marie. The story of Dani, told through her diary as she starts a new school in the wake of her rape and subsequent court case, is a unique take on the notion of being a survivor.

There is absolutely no sensationalism about the rape and the story begins after the event. Having moved to a new area with her Mum, Dani starts year eleven at a new school. She faces various challenges throughout the year and these bring a renewed energy to face whatever is thrown at her and carry on regardless. It is more than a story of survival as the reader is taken on a journey of personal development.

Interweaved throughout the diary are the tools that girls and young women need to create the positive future they deserve. Whatever challenges the reader is facing, the story will guide them. Dani is facing challenges that every teenage girl faces and she realises that ‘normality’ is something that she can define herself, with the help of her dog Reggie and the people around her.

Find out the latest about Marie and the Dani Moore triolgy of books on Twitter @DaniM_Trilogy

 

Hope is for Everyone 1

 in Guest Post  tagged Christian coach / hope / spiritual formation coach / Toni Knights

In today’s guest post spiritual formation coach Toni Knights shares a little about Hope coaching from the perspective of a Christian coach.

Hope is for Everyone

By Toni Knights

"Hope is for Everyone" by Toni Knights

There are various coaching niches and one niche gaining popularity is Hope Coaching.  The principles utilised in this niche were previously mainly associated with Christian coaches.  However, most clients today are going through difficult times and with the prevailing sense of hopelessness in current world affairs, it appears that we all need hope.  A look at any newspapers today reveals the wave of hopelessness spreading through society.

So, what is hope coaching?  It is not overly-optimistic pep-talk, but an honest empathetic provision of Biblical hope for others facing crises of belief.  First, we need to understand there is a difference between false hope and Biblical hope.  The former hopes in money, prestige and power etc.; while the latter hopes in God (for Christians) or the Universe (as per Spiritual seekers).  As in all coaching scenarios, the coach listens to the story and looks at the client’s current situation; in addition to this, the Hope coach helps clients to move forward with a sense of expectancy.

What can hope do for us? Hope:

  • Motivates us to look beyond what is to something better.
  • Adds a zest to ordinary living.
  • Helps us to cope with the inevitable unfortunate circumstances of life.

The five key principles of hope coaching which can be used across the niches are:

  • Learning to hope – helping the client to observe what caused the unfortunate circumstance with an eye for improvement (not just positive mantras but recognition and hard work).
  • Identifying sources of hope – God (or whatever your belief), forming healthy relationships, giving back to society through organisations (or privately) or encouraging others etc.
  • Cultivating patterns of hope – seeing good in every situation of life not only the glamorous.
  • Developing activities of hope – journaling, listening music, playing an instrument, dancing etc., and most importantly finding someone who defied the odds and observing them.
  • Creating places or reminders of hope – look for places that remind you of life like gardens, ponds etc., [seeing beauty in nature (God’s creation)].   One client took some pictures of his backyard during winter and again during spring and we were able to acknowledge that life went on despite how bare the trees looked (analogy of the bare seasons of our lives when it appears that nothing is happening).

Whether you coach business clients or abused women, we could all benefit from hope.  Hope coaching is for everyone.

About Toni Knights

Toni Knights is a Christian Life Coach who runs the coaching practice “Life In Process.” She also facilitates workshops that focus upon self improvement.

You can read her weekly blog at http://justthinking-knightstoni.blogspot.com.

You can also find Toni on Facebook at www.facebook.com/knightstoni