Life Coaching

While I'm on my writer's retreat (um now) in the mountains, I'm doing some praying about a decision. I have been a mentor to a lot of people over the years. I've enjoyed every minute of those great relationships. Some have been young people in confirmation classes. Some have been women in dangerous relationships wanting to get safe. Several have been about finding a job and learning workplace manners and interview skills. Still more have needed an ear to bounce off ideas or brainstorm.

All have been drawing me into the place I am today. A natural, inborn place.

Believe it or not, I'm going back to school. I've been researching becoming a life coach. I had no idea how many schools, career paths, and specialties existed.

So the prayer is about what to specialize in as a life coach and which of the two schools is best. (Also when to start as classes start quite often.)

What's that? You want to know just what a life coach does?

A professional life coach helps another person explore and achieve through mentoring and guidance. They are not a counselor or therapist. In fact, the one thing I hear no matter what program I am investigating is best expressed from Lisa Pisano.

Lisa said, "A life coach focuses on the here and now, moving forward, not reaching into the past and being therapeutic." Her point was that we use what we've learned already to aim at who and what we want to become and do.

I love that. I've believed for a long time that God uses broken vessels. It's that brokenness, that experience we draw on to help ourselves and others. Isn't it wonderful that we can draw on what we've done right and wrong? Nothing goes to waste.

In researching, I'm drawn toward the general specialties of relationships, mentoring, and setting goals. I love being an encouragement and watching someone blossom into their dream. I also want to find a way to continue speaking out for long term and mental illness issues and promoting brain donation. Another track is on women's retreats/seminars. I LOVE that one.

I will have clients that meet with me usually by phone for one hour a week. I'll work with them on a set time frame until we've reached a planned goal or outcome. We'll decide if phone, email or even webinar is best or if they are local, a personal appointment. I'll also be able to go on trips to be a presenter/key note speaker/faculty for conferences and retreats. I have to say this is my favorite. I love public speaking. I really want to reach hearts and minds to instill confidence, growth and joy.

It's all these eclectic things that I'm considering this weekend as I finish writing the book, Insanity Rules: Gems of wisdom in long term and mental illness.

So if you have a heart to pray, would you?

Would you pray that I choose the right curriculum to plant myself in so that I can earn the future joy of helping others blossom? Would you also pray that the Lord pours out His Spirit on me intensely this week and writes through me to finish this book. I need specific correlation between the history, lore and science of gemstones to the Biblical references and the personal stories of the people I've interviewed (big breath here) AND then making it relevant to the people's lives who will read it. It's okay if I need to polish afterwards, but I really need to get it all out on "paper." (My paper is my laptop, lol.)

I appreciate your prayers very much.

See you when I get back and wade through all the emails :-D
Angie