As a lifelong athlete, I have had many coaches in my lifetime. What I appreciate about my athletics coaches is that they help me gain a different perspective about my own performance. They watch me move, react, and perform in a way that I am not able to watch myself and provide valuable insights that help me improve. The truth is, that is exactly what life coaches can do for your life! Unlike your friends and family who might have their own biases and opinions, life coaches can look at things from a neutral, outside perspective and ask questions to help you gain new insights. When I’m coaching, I think of myself as a mirror that can show you an honest representation of your current reality and blind spots, and help you design how you want to move forward.
Many people ask me ‘If I need a life coach, does it mean my life is a mess?’ And my answer is absolutely not! While coaching can be great if you have things you want to change – a job you hate or an unsatisfying relationship – it can be just as powerful if you are in a good place and ready to explore how to make life even better. Just as you might hire a coach to help you train for your first Ironman (and your second, if you survive the first!), a life coach can help you set goals for starting your own business, planning for a big move, or accomplishing any other new ideas you are ready for but aren’t sure how to start. Not only have I worked with athletic coaches, I’ve also hired numerous life coaches to help me find greater clarity and courage.
It’s All About YOU
While there are tons of great books, webinars and other resources out there to help you accomplish your goals, they all lack one thing that coaching has: it’s all about you! What I love about my coaching practice (and having my own coach!) is that I can really focus on the individual, meet you exactly where you are, and give you tangible, specific insights about what is happening in your life right now. We can work through questions as they arise and tackle the issues that are most pressing – decisions about jobs, relationships, future plans, or whatever else has you stuck.
The other thing I love about coaching is accountability. While some might say I have an unhealthy level of enthusiasm for
to do lists, I know that having concrete action items, and someone to help make sure you take them, can be a real game changer. I expect my client to show up fully to our coaching sessions. And I show up fully too. There is always something to work on in between sessions, and something to be learned whether the homework gets done or not. Even though there is homework, there are no exams or grades – I promise! However, I love helping clients identify small, concrete next steps that feel totally doable, but get them moving in the direction they want.
Change your mindset, change your life
One of the things that is so rewarding about coaching, that I have seen time and time again, is that even small tweaks in thoughts and behaviors can have a huge impact. Out of the hundreds of coaching clients I have had over the past decade, the most common change they have made is to their mindset. Imagine that! While you might think your life needs big changes, before you quit your job or move to Australia, you might just need to change your frame of thinking.
One of my clients figured out in coaching that what was standing in the way of her success as an entrepreneur had nothing to do with her business model or marketing skills – it was the limiting beliefs she held in her mind after a bad ending to her previous job. After understanding that and working towards forgiveness and acceptance, she was ready to move fully into her new business to help it thrive. And that’s what I love – helping you figure out what’s standing between the reality you are living and the reality that you want, and figuring out how to overcome it (and knowing that it might just be easier than you think!).
Want to try it?
Most coaching is done by phone, so don’t let geography hold you back! Reach out at coach@darcyluoma.com to schedule a free exploratory session with one of the coaches on my team.
Whether you are stuck and unmotivated or working towards some exciting new goals in your life, here’s to taking bold and courageous actions in service of your best future!
