Dear friend of someone who thinks you’re pretty great

Hi there. You might've found this blog post because your friend or colleague wanted to introduce you to coaching. It can be awkward to point someone towards a resource like coaching, since it can be quite a personal and vulnerable experience. So I’ve written this post to talk about it in a way that I hope is easy to share and understand.

Whoever pointed you here thinks you’re capable and resourceful and do great things. They also know that, like everyone, you face your share of challenges and have your own dreams and goals. You might’ve shared stories with them about your day, about the aspirations and inevitable bumps that face people who want to build a good life for themselves. (Good life being an entirely subjective definition, personal to you!) And as they heard you talk about what life is presenting you, they probably thought “wow, if only they could have some time to focus on this topic in a safe and supportive place, I know they’ll be able to figure it out.”

Talking to friends is important and valuable. And yet, it’s not always the right environment to dig into a challenge or explore a deeply held belief or build a plan to achieve a goal. Your friend is there to root for you and wants to celebrate with you, but doesn’t always have the perspective or the uninterrupted time to give you the attention you deserve to dig into the heart of what you’re dealing with. It’s not because they don’t care - it’s usually because they care so much that they want to make sure you have all the resources you need to get where you want to go. Your friend wouldn’t offer to build you a new roof or help you heal your sprained ankle if they know there are others who are trained and focused on supporting you in those domains. That’s where coaching comes in!

A coach is someone who is trained to listen carefully, focus their attention on what you’re saying (and what you’re not saying), and create a structured environment to come up with insights and solutions. Partnering with a coach can provide you the space, structure and calm to address what matters to you. Coaching can help you gain new perspectives on situations that seem overwhelming. It can help you make concrete decisions and build forward momentum to make changes in your life.

Your friend sent you here because they want to point you to a resource that you might benefit from, like a great book recommendation or a referral to their amazing massage therapist. They see you, think you’re awesome, and think you can make good use out of this tool if it’s the right fit for you.

Has this concept piqued your interest? If so, I have a few more posts about what coaching is, and how it works. I’m also happy to chat if you want to learn more about what coaching could look like if you partner with me. I’d be honored to chat with you and introduce you to something that I (and the friend who sent you here) think is pretty great.

Cover photo by Fiona Murray on Unsplash.