3 years ago I found myself at an event. I attended alone, and knew absolutely no one there. During the opening reception, a gorgeous and charismatic woman immediately came up to me and started asking about my life. She had such a magnetic energy about her and the magical ability to focus on you and make you feel like you were the most important person in the world. Little did I know that she was the keynote speaker for the evening and the inspiring co-founder of the women’s high fashion clothing company, Shabby Apple. Not once did she mention anything about herself, as she was too focused on her sincere curiosity about who * I was *. She soon asked me to tell her what I do. I answered,
“I am a life coach!”
It was like someone else was speaking for me, and as soon as the words came out I felt an electrifying shock! You see, I wasn’t a spiritual life coach at all! I was a photographer and online educator! My response had not come from a place of insecurity as a little white lie creeping out to make someone think I was more important. Instead, it came from a place of absolute security, the safe space that she had created for me in being able to think forward to the possibilities of what my life *could be*.
“That’s amazing” she said. “I can just feel that you are meant for that!” she said encouragingly.
Suddenly, she was swept away by the event coordinators and I was left standing bewildered, holding my punch and chocolate dipped strawberries. I was simply astounded at what had just happened. Why did I say that? Instead of feeling embarrassed or ashamed, I felt empowered. I felt that truth had happened. That I had spoken my destiny. A smile creeped in and I whispered the words aloud again. “I am a life coach!” It felt very very right.
The next day I received an email in my inbox with the subject line “Looking for a Coach”. This was too wild. The individual said that she had heard I was a life coach and wanted to know about my process for coaching. Immediately, an entire “4 step process” flowed into my mind of how I would work with people. Everything poured forth naturally as if I had always been on this path. I pushed send and marveled at how things were unfolding.
Later that week I shared my experiences at a dinner party with my closest friends. We all laughed at my new ‘career’ shift, and speculated about my future.
“What are you going to do if she books you?” One friend asked.
“Take her through my 4 step process!” I said confidently. We all laughed again.
This is where the momentum to this story seems to slow significantly: I never got a response. Three years have now passed.
But truly, God knew that I still had a lot of learning and experiences to go through to be ready for coaching, yet a new path was already being created. Soon after, I hatched the idea of Every Branch and began to move forward in shifting my career focus from photography, to personal development. I started putting together presentations on various spiritual growth topics and local churches began booking me to speak on a regular basis. I continued my long time habit of intense reading in self help and spirituality, and started by learning how to coach myself through my own struggles. I started creating classes for Every Branch that were the results of my study. To this day, I have about 5 courses in development, that have been my ‘personal projects’ in discovering how to break through my own barriers. Over and over the past three years, I have felt the prompting to begin coaching one on one and not just a group setting or class. But I never felt as confident as I did that first moment the words escaped my lips that changed the trajectory of my path. I had fear. Hesitation. Why would someone study with me? I didn’t have any experience coaching one on one! I didn’t have a degree or certification! Yet, I found myself naturally coaching friends, coaching groups in my presentations, and constantly coaching myself through trials and limitations I would discover in my own life.
Three years have passed since that moment. I’ve taken several steps closer to those words, but up till now have resisted the call to work one on one because I was afraid.
But yesterday, I banished the fear! I used one of my own tools that I regularly go to for overcoming fear, as the prompting has grown stronger and stronger that I need to start immediately and not wait any longer! So I’m doing myself, what I hope to do with others: Breaking barriers and moving forward with ultimate clarity on what the next step is. Are you ready for a private life coach?
Are you ready for a private life coach? I’m looking for two pilot clients to work with for free for the next four weeks.
If you have read this far, and feel a connection to what a personal life coach could do for you, then I invite you to respond and we can talk about details. I really believe that this will be a win win for me and for you. You can message me at brooke(at)brookesnow(dot)com. Here’s to breaking free of fear and following your true path. I am a life coach. #nowitsforreal 😉
****UPDATE 2016****This offer has now closed. Thank you for all the support and participation!
****UPDATE 2019****If you are interested in working with me, please check out my “Mastering The Art of Showing Up” Mentoring program!
One Response
Brooke I listen to your podcast & greatly benefit from it, thank you! Do you have any experience or advice about healing a narcissist? All my study says it is not possible. I believe through Christ all things are possible. I am just ending a 40 year marriage but my heart still wants to help my husband understand empathy & himself. I think he would benefit from coaching. I believe he is a covert narcissist. Do you coach this kind of problem?