My coaching journey began when I said YES to the vision of changing the world one conversation at a time. I realized that although I had six decades of experience under my belt and some meaningful life lessons learnt, there was more that I could be contributing to the world, especially at this intensifying time of global uncertainty and polarization. My mission in this lifetime has always been to serve humanity and now I am being called to new ways of doing so. Whether the world will ever know peace is above my “pay grade” but truly, what do I or any of us have to lose by focusing our efforts into this ultimate cause?
With a background in early learning, the arts, spirituality and energy healing you’d think these would be the avenues I would want to apply my coaching skills to when I have completed the training. Perhaps this may come to pass, I don’t know. Now that I am immersed in the learning, I believe that anything is possible, my skills are transferable, and I will move in the direction that I am called to, and trust that this is exactly where I am needed to continue growing and contributing to the evolution of humanity.
And how will I do this, you might ask?
When I discovered the Erickson Coaching model, my heart sang…. finally, a grouping of people who are passionate about mastering the art of effective thinking. people who are honing skills to evoke change. This is who I want to become. This is how I want to inspire others. I want to help others think for themselves, and contribute their natural gifts to the cause of living their lives to the fullest, to experience living from the core of authenticity. The world needs inspired people. To me at this time in my life, and this time in the world, it’s all about wanting to work together with others for the sake of systemic change and global harmony.
Creating a safe space, listening at a 2nd or 3rd level and developing a relational attunement has been the all- important way to initiate change for me up until now. I’ve been here for others providing the secure attachment they have so needed to make changes in their lives. I have longed to be able to know how to more fully ask the right questions to help catalyze change and FINALLY! I am learning how to do this. It’s not hard at all really, it’s just something that has been a challenge for me all of my life. I am realizing in my coach learning that both creating rapport and asking the right questions at the right time are both vital in expediting change. Be in coach position, follow the coaching arrow, the coaching wheel, scaling, the design of the logical levels and… there’s more to learn. I can hardly wait.
Why would I follow this procedure? I’m so beyond following doctrines, but going with the flow, with the natural way our brains are designed to work, how exciting is this! The Erickson model of learning is what should be taught in schools from an early age. So many of us have been brainwashed from birth to think within the belief systems we’ve been bred into. When a toddler says No! It is a developmental stage of individuation. How many of us have told our children or were told as a child that isn’t appropriate…. How might we guide that individuating energy into an increased awareness of what is appropriate in the moment? I know that’s a loaded question and somewhat off topic, but perhaps a topic for another time.
The Core Values of coaching honor the fact that each person who genuinely seeks coaching has the inner resources to create positive change. I love that the Scaling starts at 1 and not at 0. I love that the core vision is at the top of the Logic Levels pyramid.
And where and when do the core values of coaching begin? Right here inside of me, not tomorrow, but in real time, now as I write. What matters most is that I not only learn the Erickson coaching model, but that I am learning to embody the foundational core values in my day to day living.
I recently voiced in our first coaching triad, that I needed to learn how to come out of coaching position after a session, but I am reframing this idea now. It is really about allowing my nervous system to adapt so that my body and brain can embrace the increase of energy that occurs when thawing out latent abilities. I am in a learning curve and it’s not always so comfortable but so worth the effort I believe.
Let’s face it, everything is intensifying at a rapid rate these days, and how we can embrace change and be influential in change for the greater good is to be in coaching position as part of how we live. It’s not about how many coaching clients I might end up having, but about how I embrace change and am resilient as a human being.
I am grateful beyond words, to have been one of the five people chosen for the Erickson scholarship program in honor of Erickson’s 20 years with the ICF. This is a journey that is opening new doors in my life and I am excited about the possibilities of making a difference in the lives of others, one conversation at a time.