Kate Tilston explains why life coaching might be right for you.
Why use a life coach? As a coach, this is a question I am frequently asked. I suppose the same people might ask why someone would use a personal trainer. To be honest it’s like everything, down to personal choice.
If you want to get fit and healthy but struggle to commit to the gym or an exercise class, if you lack motivation and just need support and encouragement you’d probably consider a personal trainer. You’d seek someone who is going to encourage you and hold you accountable to your goals.
If you feel like your life is running away with you, if you lack support from family and friends or they can’t offer you the right support, if you need an objective non-judgmental approach and someone to make you accountable for the goals you have set yourself, then I’d suggest you consider a Life Coach!
There doesn’t have to be something wrong with you to have coaching. It’s about how you manage your life to the best of your ability and make it the best possible life for you.
I don’t feel it’s about “creating the life you love” as so many coaches promise, but about finding balance in the life you have, making small but significant changes that make life feel better, make you feel better about yourself.
If you find the right coach, they will help and support you to make positive changes in your life and it might only be teeny weeny changes that have a HUGE impact on your day-to-day living.
Cost is always something that comes up but how much have you wasted on a gym membership that you rarely use? You’d probably benefit more from personal training to get you started and THEN join a gym. With coaching, you are usually offered a free consultation to see if it would work for you and then the coach will give you an idea of how many sessions are needed so you can budget accordingly. It’s money well spent if it gets you back on track. Don’t forget, this is all about finding someone who will help and support you, listen to what you can afford and help you plan your coaching around that.
A good coach will tell you if they feel they are not the person to help you.
I’ve seen redundant people get back into work, I’ve witnessed dads getting home earlier as they’ve organised their days better, mums who are juggling many tasks find some me-time, people making big changes to their lives by relocating or changing careers, and numerous other positive changes through coaching.
Whatever the change that someone wants to make, a Life Coach can be that objective, impartial person who will support you and cheer you on to the finishing line. They won’t judge but they will hold you accountable and gently nudge you forward, step by step.
So back to the original question, I think a client of mine sums it up best:
“I guess I always thought that seeing a life coach was a bit unnecessary and that people just needed a bit more ‘get up and go’. As I don’t lack motivation, I couldn’t see what a life coach could do for me.
Your coach is the friend who understands your talents and personality but is not afraid of asking you challenging questions. They see things objectively like no friend or family can. They keep you on track with your goals and help you achieve them without you ever feeling nagged at or criticised. They keep you motivated when you feel like you want to give up. One of the best decisions I’ve made.”
Don’t be afraid to research several different coaches, ask them questions, see how you feel talking to them. It is difficult to feel an instant connection with someone over the phone or Zoom and you might feel a little bit anxious or nervous, but coaches are used to that. Your gut instinct will tell you which is the right coach. Go with that and if it doesn’t work tell them – we’re used to that too. They might suggest a different way of doing things or you might decide to try another coach.
This is all about you and getting the right support.
For regular updates and inspiration from Kate Tilston, follow her on Instagram at @katetlifecoach or have a look at her website here.
