Embracing New Beginnings: My Journey into Coaching by Deepti Mehra

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I’ve never believed in New Year’s resolutions. They say resolutions are taken to be broken – I’ve saved myself the trouble, by avoiding them altogether! Until this year. I was at my parents' home to ring in the new year with them and my son, who was visiting for just 8 days from NYC to celebrate with us. We decided we should take the plunge and participate in the resolution ritual, as so many people do. I couldn't figure out what goal to set myself. My son prompted me: "How about an interesting new pursuit that will keep you productively occupied?" I readily accepted the challenge!

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I had been considering coaching for a while, and resolved to follow through. Upon my return to Hong Kong, I resumed my search for an institute with an ICF-accredited course. I spoke with newly minted ICF coaches and did one-on-one calls with a few institutes. On one such call with a mentor coach, I felt particularly encouraged that I could be a coach. With that shot of confidence, I enrolled!

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It had been 28 years since I'd pursued any sort of studying, and I was not sure how I felt. While in my undergrad and postgrad, I never enjoyed studying — at least I never accepted that I might like it! I did well, but my motivation was solely to "stand on my own feet" the importance of which my Dad would always stress. Was it the pressure from my parents, or the nature of the Indian education system, that led to my lack of enjoyment? I don't know. What I do know is that this time I chose to study because of my desire to, I chose a subject of personal interest after months of research - and I chose something that, while on Zoom (not my first choice), is interactive learning.

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The further I progress in this journey, the more I feel ingrained in it — and the better I want to become. Crucially, I am investing in my listening skills. To take an example: I have, through my reading, learned a short and highly effective exercise that, done before coaching sessions, helps me to listen more intently. Listening! As an avid talker, it was never my forte, but it is developing into a strength.

And now, here I am, writing this near the completion of my course — on the way to getting an accreditation from the gold standard authority in coaching — as enthusiastic today as I was during my first class!

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Am I being coached myself as I move along in this journey? Am I learning new things about myself? Am I realizing the potential that lay dormant within me all this while?? Yes, yes, yes.

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This is coaching!

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How alive I feel doing something new, developing new insight about myself, and looking towards the exciting world that lies ahead of me as a coach, with a chance to make a difference in the world around me!

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Author Name: Deepti Mehra