Do you feel like the world is caving in on you from all angles, or that your life is mindlessly spinning out of control? You are not alone: we have all been there at some point. Disorientation, fatigue, anxiety and/or lack of a clear objective go hand in hand with major changes in everyday life, rough patches at work or home and lifetime milestones with hazy future prospects.
If you are having a hard time coping with stress, are confused as to what professional options work best for you or if you just feel stuck in a rut, a helping hand and a little kindness may prove invaluable. An understanding individual with good planning and analytic skills can present an objective take on your current situation, go over different possibilities with you and give you a little push in the right direction. That is what life coaches do best: they are qualified to provide an unbiased opinion, advice and support in a way that does not jeopardize your sense of maturity and independence, and they are also equipped with the necessary coaching skills to nudge you towards important changes that will prove rewarding and meaningful in the long run. But do you truly need a life coach? Is hiring someone to listen to you talk about your life, rant about your boss and your girlfriend ultimately simply too indulgent? Let us take a quick look at what life coaches can and cannot do for you.
An objective view: See the prize and go for it
We all overreact at times when unfavorable external factors hit wrong emotional and psychological buttons inside us. Be it a bad breakup, a tangled web of unsatisfying interpersonal relationships or a pressing dilemma about a change of career or environment, a life coach can help. An experienced coach will listen to you carefully and identify the real reason behind your insecurities, fears or unhappiness. They will also help you define goals and plan the steps you should take to achieve them. Do not expect empty compliments and applause, though: a good coach will not pamper you, they will commend only commitment and genuine effort. Another thing the coach cannot do is make decisions for you: they can provide impartial advice and support, but the rest of the work is up to you. No one will ever tell be able to tell you how to go about living your own life – that is something you must do on your own. You can however hear some rational advice, and listen to someone who can see all angles of a certain situation with a clear head, and make your own life choice based on that.
Support on an uphill struggle: A kind word goes a long way
Life coaches have the know-how to help you choose the right path and make the most out of your potentials based on your personality type, ambitions, potentials and expectations from life. Once you have defined your goal and laid out the road map to success, an experienced coach will provide guidelines and encouragement along the way to keep you motivated at all times. For most people, such support makes a major difference: instead of focusing on failures and ‘what if’s, life coaches will emphasize the positive and make you feel good about yourself even on less than stellar days, which can happen even to the best of us. And sometimes a kind and encouraging word is all you need to help you get out of a rut, knowing there is always someone in your corner, cheering you on as you climb obstacle after obstacle in this race called life.
Shortcut to success: Coaching saves you time and money
Most people cringe at the thought of long-winded trips, let alone major changes that may take a while to pay off. Having an individual to account to for progress in your professional or private life will increase your sense of responsibility and make the journey to the top faster, more tangible and attainable. Think of life coaching as a carefully planned slimming diet topped by a custom-designed workout, as opposed to a weight loss tea or a suspicious fat-burning product. A coach focuses on action and results, no excuses, no roundabouts, no guesswork – and they will help you assume such an approach to life and make it work for you, too.
Do you know where you are headed in life and are you ready for the next step? Do not despair if you are not: perhaps you just need a good life coach to help you pick out the needle from the haystack and constructively channel your potentials into goals that bear value to you. Even if you have a clear idea where you want to be, but aren’t sure how to get there, consulting a life coach might shed light on a path you never thought of exploring before.