Here's how you can prioritize self-care as a Life Coach without guilt or selfishness.

Some people have a hard time prioritizing their own well-being, especially if they get fulfilled by helping others. A shift in perspective can help: in order to BEST help others, you must be operating as your BEST self. As a coach, showing up to a session tired, irritable, distracted, in pain, etc. takes away from your ability to be fully present and helpful to the client. (It's something "sitting between" you and the client!) Doing as much as you can to show up as your best self to your clients enables you to BEST help them. Self-care isn't an indulgence for a coach. It's an investment to enable you to serve your clients to the best of your abilities.

Setting boundaries is necessary in all aspects of our lives, but crucial when working as a coach. Since I started coaching, I had to set very clear boundaries with my clients to ensure I stay on top of my mental health and wellbeing while showing up for them in the best possible way. Coaching clients is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. It's important to create the structure that works for you in terms of how many days a week and how many coaching sessions you can handle per day. Your clients' needs are very important, but they need to align with your own needs for the relationship to be mutually beneficial.

I remember the first time I traveled to the Dominican Republic for vacation. The one thing I knew I most needed was to actually vacation without getting multiple text messages. Some people are good at ignoring texts. Me, not so much. I was thrilled to discover the ability to turn off certain phone features when in the Dominican. I simply had to tell my phone to only contact me for family. In setting boundaries, I have learned it FIRST starts with knowing yourself. The better you know yourself, the easier it is to KNOW your boundaries and implement strategies to honor them. Someone coming to me with puppy dog eyes may be a sure way for me to abandon my boundaries, but that may not be the case for you. Know yourself first.

I was recently reminded of why it is so important for my clients to be a part of Valencia's Vilage. Giving and receiving the support of others is not just for clients, but for coaches as well. When a few stressful life events happened, I reached out to those in my personal and professional village for comfort, guidance, and resources. The weight that seemed to heavy to carry all of a sudden felt tolerable. Seeking support is a sign of strength AND is a form of self-care. If we do not take care of ourselves, we cannot be our best when showing up for those we serve and coach.

Are you familiar with Enneagrams? Well, I am a #2, The Considerate Helper. That means my own self-care can fall by the wayside easily when given the opportunity to help someone else. As caregivers, helpers, service providers it is important to remember to take care of ourselves. However, to remember is not the same as actually doing it. Have you ever felt guilty or became judgmental because you realized you put yourself on the back burner? How did that work for you? We treat guilt and blame like it is going to push us to change. What is effective is self-compassion. Guess what, showing yourself compassion in these times is a form of self-care too. It's amazing how far a little grace will go. We are all perfectly imperfect on this journey.