"Coaching Moments" takes a thoughtful, and sometimes lighthearted, look at how coaching can be interwoven into our daily lives.
skin deep
by Janice Hunter
We enjoy some precious coaching moments at our kitchen table which I'd really miss if my kids were more tactful!
I
cooked one of our favourite meals the other day, a homely pasta dish
made with a rich sauce of olive oil, mountain herbs, oven roasted
peppers, baby tomatoes, garlic and onions. As we were sitting laughing
and chatting at the table, out of the blue, my nine year old son said:
"Mum, are you still using that stuff from the telly on your face? I
think it's working. Your spots have gone and you're looking younger."
I
was still smiling at this when I went shopping yesterday and slipped
the eye cream from the same skincare range into my trolley. One of my
goals for last year was to boost my confidence with a clear, glowing
skin but I hadn't shared it with anyone, not even my family.
My
weight and complexion are triggers in the minefield of my self esteem.
I have a medical condition which went undiagnosed for years, resulting
in confidence crushing symptoms like chronic fatigue, fluctuating
weight gain and skin problems. Since I began treatment, waves of
returning good health have made me feel unstoppable! A grubby, football
playing nine year old boy telling you your skin's looking younger is an
unexpected but welcome way to measure the results of a goal you're
achieving slowly but surely!
And
it's a goal with great knock on effects. Over the past few months, I've
cleared out my bathroom cabinets, bagged up and binned the Big Me
clothes from my wardrobe and started tackling scary bits in every room,
even the dark side of the garage. My creativity and coaching confidence
have blossomed and my communication is cleaner. To be honest, after
months spent buffing myself up, gutting the house and paring back our
life to the basics of simple abundance, I don't know which came first,
the clutter clearing or the coaching confidence.
With
the help of my mentor coach, I've been peeling away my coaching sins,
upgrading my defaults and letting my natural skills shine through. A
couple of weeks ago, I did a call I was thrilled with, full of silences
that resonated and questions that tapped into a deep, clear pool as I
just relaxed and enjoyed being present with the person I was coaching.
Moments like that I can score.
But
today, as I applied the eye cream that's so expensive it had better
miraculously attract George Clooney into my life, I remembered how
important it is to make sure my non-coaching goals are measurable. If
we lose track of how we define and measure success in every aspect of
our life, in the details of our day, then we run the risk of never
feeling truly happy or satisfied. What will have to happen in your day
for you go to bed tonight feeling like a happy, successful human being?
EPILOGUE:
Richard Carlson, author of the hugely popular 'Don't Sweat the Small
Stuff' and countless other books including his latest, 'Don't Get
Scrooged', died suddenly last month at the age of forty five. As a
tribute, I'd like to leave you with a quote from 'Don't Sweat the Small
Stuff'; it comforts me to know that even though we lost him early, he
left behind a family, friends and fans who loved and appreciated him.
He touched lives and made a difference.
"I
find that if I remind myself (frequently) that the purpose of life
isn't to get it all done but to enjoy each step along the way and live
a life filled with love, it's far easier for me to control my obsession
with completing my list of things to do. Remember, when you die, there will still be unfinished business to take care of. And you know what? Someone else will do it for you!" Richard Carlson Ph.D
Janice
Hunter lives with her family in Scotland and is currently working
towards IAC certification. She particularly enjoys supporting other
coaches through her writing and can be contacted at ezinenewsletters@aol.com.
