Here's the truth: I found myself in my early 50s with extra time on my hands, some financial security, and, as a lifelong entre/solopreneur, essentially unemployable. (Yes, I briefly looked for gainful employment until a headhunter friend set me straight) On the other hand, I was too young and not quite financially secure enough to retire. Plus, I had 50+ years of unique life experiences to share. So…what to do?
A COVID-Induced Awakening
Like pretty much every other human, the pandemic amplified my existential yearnings for deeper meaning and purpose. I responded by embarking on two 10-day silent meditation retreats in the space of a year that furnished me with a new and profound sense of self-acceptance. Realizing this was what I had actually been seeking my entire life, I began meditating for 2 hours a day and prioritizing my practice over everything else in my schedule.
Beyond Advising
Still searching career-wise, my next professional initiative was to create a paid mastermind group advising consumer product entrepreneurs. While I enjoyed the teaching aspect, the most rewarding part was the intimacy that blossomed as I supported group members in the emotional struggle that is entrepreneurship. Before I fully understood what was happening, I had pushed past the inherent limits of advising and stepped into the experience of witnessing the group as resilient and capable of overcoming life's biggest challenges.
Coaching makes a profound impact by holding us accountable to the highest versions of ourselves in our interactions with others.
A New Purpose
Having glimpsed a direction, I enrolled in a coaches training program and immersed myself in practice coaching. As I was challenged to set aside my penchant for giving advice and become fully present to my client's experience, I began to tap into my natural talent and creativity. I surprised myself as I spontaneously asked perfect questions or reflected phrases back to clients in a way that opened them to new possibilities. Not only was this tremendously satisfying, but by taking the focus away from myself, I was benefitting from the conversations as much as my clients were.
Why This Work Matters
The quality of our life is the quality of our relationships. Coaching makes a profound impact by holding us accountable to the highest versions of ourselves in our interactions with others. As more of us learn to consciously create a world that is a reflection of our ideals, we’ll begin to see a true transformation in the way we live and work together. This is what I’m committed to and why I believe coaching is so important.