Almost 10 years ago, I came back from an epic world trip full of new learning, experiences and stories – and confusion. I had faced some fears and challenges, seen beautiful sights, met wonderful people but I had no idea what to do next.
On the advice of my wise sister, I sat with a huge piece of paper and some coloured pens, brainstorming all the things I enjoyed, my skills and my hopes. After about two hours, I had a mass of lines, scribbles and notes and one huge statement in the middle:
I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE REALISE HOW AMAZING THEY ARE.
And now, a decade later, I still want to do that. I don’t just want to help people. It just doesn’t feel quite enough. It’s only when a person sees their own amazing-ness that their life truly transforms.
Since 2008, my working life has been dedicated to Amatsu, the thing that I love most. I have studied, trained, treated, worked and read about it and I still feel like I have infinite things to learn. But without coaching, I would never have become an Amatsu practitioner at all.
In 2006, I stumbled across an article in a women’s magazine about this thing called coaching. I’d never heard of it, but I was instantly intrigued and by the end of the piece, I knew I wanted to do it. It seemed as though it was a role that had been created for me! After lots of research, I came across Coaching Development and although a significant investment was required, their honest approach and professional manner convinced me to start the course. It was the best decision I could have made.
Over the 6 months that I trained with them I was introduced to a way of working that I never knew existed. The process of coaching involved a fluid and potent mix of listening, questioning, empathy, honesty and openness. It allowed a coach and client to work together, alongside one another, not as expert and someone who needed to be ‘fixed’. When I was the client I was amazed by how, with the right kind of questioning, I came up with ideas or solutions that I ‘knew’ all along at some level. I had just never had the opportunity to explore, reflect, brainstorm and question myself in quite this way. My coaching sessions and practice helped me to see what I might have missed before – assumptions, negative thoughts, hidden fears – that were muddying the waters and preventing me from getting where I wanted to be. I was also able to see opportunities, choices and paths that may have been hidden by confusion. Where before, I was always looking to others – experts, authors, teachers – to show me the way or give me the answers, I was starting the most incredible process of learning to look within for the answers. With the support and guidance of a coach, I was amazed to find that this was possible. I realised that a coach cannot make your life better – but they can help you to make your own life better. And isn’t that better? It was so powerful and rewarding. I was totally hooked.
So although Amatsu is my biggest love, I have always given a few coaching sessions a month as I know how valuable this skill is and over the past year I have been drawn again and again to put more energy in this direction. I know that some of my clients appreciate my coaching skills of listening and questioning (even though they may not recognise these skills as such) and I am reminded many times about the power of those simple but effective skills.
So, I am coaching again.
If you would like to know more or book a free initial conversation with me please get in touch. We may have an exciting journey ahead of us.
Contact: 07841 918899 or lorna@lornaclansey.com
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