I think life coaching is one of those things lots of people have heard of, but not everyone really knows what it means which is understandable.
What does a life coach do?
The phrase “life coach” can create all sorts of different ideas – someone telling you how to live your life. Someone giving you motivational quotes, maybe someone encouraging you to quit your job, move abroad and start a completely different life.
And while I can’t speak for every coach, I can tell you that’s not what happens when you work with me.
I’m not here to tell you what to do.
Firstly, I don’t tell people what to do, which is probably a good thing because most people don’t need another person giving them instructions, we already have enough of those. We already have enough of the endless lists & things to juggle –
The work deadlines, managing family expectations. Our fife admin and the endless list of things we feel we “should” be doing.
It’s all about space to talk, to discuss & find solutions.
Coaching is different.
It gives you space to stop, talk things through and understand what is actually going on because often the thing someone comes to coaching with isn’t the whole story.
“I need to get more organised” might actually be “I have too much on my plate.”
“I need better time management” might actually be “I’m trying to fit an unrealistic amount into my week.”
“I need to make a decision” might actually be “I’ve been going round in circles because I’m trying to find the perfect answer.”
My job is to help untangle it.
So how do we do it?
We look at what’s working, what isn’t working and what practical changes would make the biggest difference. Sometimes that’s a big decision, sometimes it’s a small adjustment and sometimes it’s simply having someone outside the situation ask the right questions because when you’re in the middle of everything, it can be really hard to see clearly.
I often describe it as trying to read the label when you’re inside the jar – you’re too close to the situation.
Coaching gives you the chance to step outside it for a while.
You will have a practical plan.
And because I am The Practical Life Coach, we don’t just talk, we create realistic steps, things you can actually use in your actual life. Not the imaginary version of your life where nothing unexpected happens, nobody interrupts you and you have endless amounts of time and energy (if anyone finds that version, please let me know.)
This is coaching for REAL life.
Real life is messier than that. Which is exactly why coaching needs to work in real life.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what actually happens in a coaching session, the answer is probably less mysterious than you imagined.
We talk.
We untangle.
We make a plan.
And you leave knowing what the next step looks like.
Then, because I love a list and absolutely believe in making things practical, I send you a follow-up email with everything we discussed and your agreed next steps.
Some clients have been known to describe this as my “slightly bossy but helpful” email.
Personally, I prefer to call it accountability.
