Recently I met someone who said that although she was going through a very difficult transition, she did not need a coach because she has a few good friends that can be counted on for support. This is indeed a great blessing especially at a time when friendship is too often given a backseat in the fast lane of modern life and its numerous priorities. Supportive friends help us to celebrate our joys, surmount our challenges as they engage with us in wondrous brain-stimulating conversations.
Occasionally, friends can also provide a good nudge to help us motivate ourselves into needed actions. But sometimes, people closest to us lack, by definition, the distance and detachment necessary to see the whole of who we are and could be. You may remember the movie Miss Potter, in which the father of Beatrix – best-selling children’s books author – said to his wife “your daughter (Beatrix) is famous and you are the only one that does not know it.” This was a blatant example of the fact that caring relatives or even close friends can sometimes be blind-sighted to our greatest abilities and talents.
The greater perspective that a good coach embraces is necessary for that ultimate accompaniment on the inner path of one’s resplendent higher self. This is the source of ultimate resourcefulness that is being summoned in a skillful process when the coach is well attuned to that keeper of inner knowing and wisdom in the client. This is the path through which a person can better tap into their very own passions, purpose and grasp the magnitude of their destiny.
Undoubtedly, the bonds we share with others provide invaluable nurturing and fulfill our need for a sense of belonging and connectedness. Yet, on the other side of this benefit, if the bonds have become too tightly entangled we may be at risk of allowing ourselves to be overly influenced by others. This need to belong is a human gravitational force which tends to generate in us a strong loyalty towards these emotional bonds. But acting on this kind of loyalty may, in some cases, be done at the cost of going against our own propensities, thereby forfeiting the larger and more engaging life we truly yearn for. For example, in my coaching practice, I have encountered people who made career choices based on the wishes of their parents only to sadly regret it two or three decades later.
As we keep striving to thrive and craft our uniquely designed best future, let us be aware of the important differences between a skillful coaching process and supportive conversations with good friends. May you cherish the friends and relatives that hold a special place in your heart. If one of them is professionally trained as a coach, you may be able to benefit from this service through him/her. Otherwise, if you find yourself challenged by a major work/life transition, reach out to a great coach, hopefully one with credentials, to help you lead yourself on the bridge of higher possibilities and to bring your greatest gifts in service to the world.
As an experienced and well-recommended coach, (see testimonials on the coaching page) I provide complementary consultations to help others determine if a coaching program will provide the greatest support and return on investment, at this time on their journey.
Isabelle
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