Why Am I A Life Coach?
Life coaches have been around since the early 80s and the industry seems to be growing rapidly. I remember watching an episode of Oprah after school on our square, 16 inch kitchen tv back in the 90s (likely while eating a Kudos bar and drinking a Snapple) and Oprah interviewed a life coach. I had never heard of a life coach before, so I was intrigued. I envisioned this was someone you hire to tell you what hair style would fit your face shape best (insert eye roll) and what color of curtains to buy for your living room. It seemed frivolous and like a way to pay someone to make decisions for you (this actually is not a terrible idea).
Fast forward to a couple decades later, I’m in my 20s and I was still thinking about that interview on occasion and about all of the established, famous folks who regularly met with a life coach (Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey herself, and Serena Williams to name a few).
At the time, I was using various techniques to dig myself out of some nasty health issues. Techniques like meditation, mindfulness, journaling, free writing, eating more natural foods, removing processed foods, chatting with friends, and mind work in general. I was seeing so much success and feeling (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) so much better that I developed a desire to share this all-around success with others. Especially when I talked with friends who were dealing with so many health issues or struggling with anxiety or emotional issues. I wanted to help!
I kept wondering how I could help to improve their lives in each of these different areas. Sometimes I thought of studying nutrition to help with food intake. Sometimes it seemed essential oils were doing the trick and aromatherapy could get me there. Other times a meditation coach seemed like a great idea. I was wanting to teach and communicate a holistic approach to achieve balance and an overall better experience, and it didn’t seem like specializing in just one of these areas would get me there.
I was consuming loads of books, podcasts, and TED talks and through them, I found authors and speakers who lit me up. I started to understand how important it was to use thoughts and ideas from another individual to learn more about myself. The more I learned, the more I trusted my own intuition and my own instincts.
I began coaching folks and was seeing exciting results. I was so happy to find an audience who was hungry for the same type of knowledge and techniques that had helped me. I was also happy to see that the pain and suffering I experienced for years during said health issues was not in vain—that I could pass on the tools to hopefully shorten and lessen other’s discomfort.
I’ll never forget the day 5 years ago when I went to a new practitioner in Florida. Getting tests done, trying new meds, going to doctor’s appointments and calling insurance companies was my full-time job to find relief and answers about my health. I tried to describe to this practitioner my hypothesized diagnosis based off of google searches and explanations from my doctors. She looked me straight in the eye and so kindly and matter-of-factly said, “Whitney, it doesn’t matter what’s wrong with you. You’re out of balance. We need to get you back into balance and then your body will heal itself.” This. Comment. Changed. Me. Forever. I felt relief and I felt hope.
I believe that statement to my core. We are self-healing organisms. I know that every one of my clients can achieve this balance and I’m honored to be their tour guide and watch them blossom.
This is why I’m a life coach.
-Whitney
