Life is a solo journey, which brings you many ups and downs at each and every turn. We all need guidance for ending up at a place about which we all dream of our whole lives. Having a guide gives us a sense of assurance, stability and relief. Many times it is easy to follow tried and tested paths, but young people, like me, prefer to take risks and follow their own paths.
Experimenting brings risk, risk brings uncertainty which in turn brings the need for guidance, and for this guidance we may consult a life coach who is like a supportive friend, a trusted adviser except who can guide us professionally.
Even though life coaching is a relatively younger field, it has gained popularity in the last few years. It formally emerged during the 1980s, growing throughout the 1990's and 2000s. Initially, life coaching mostly focused on life planning, but later they started exploring other life areas such as finance, career, and overall well-being. As a result, its rate of success increased which ultimately increased its popularity.
According to a survey, life coaching and training is a far more effective combination than training alone. According to studies, productivity increased
from 22.4% to 88% when training is combined with weekly life coaching.
In simple words, a life coach is someone who is professionally trained to help people to make progress in their lives in order to attain greater satisfaction. If you are looking for guidance while navigating a significant life change or for building a happier, more meaningful life, a life coach is the first person you need to team up with. Many high-profile people join hands with a life coach to attain success in their professional as well as personal life.
Teaming up with a life coach could be useful for you if you are;
1. Under a high level of stress and/or anxiety
2. Unable to break bad habits
3. Laking satisfaction
4. Lacking motivation
5. Confused about life goals, relationships, or any other aspects of life.
How Life Coaching is different from Therapy
Therapists are certified for treating mental health conditions, but life coaches are not.
For example, let's say I am unable to sleep. In this case, if I approach a therapist, they may prescribe me a sleeping medication according to my needs and health conditions.
However, if I approach a life coach instead, they will give me advice based on their experiences and make me follow that advice by motivating me in what they think is the correct direction, instead of prescribing medication since they are not eligible for the same.
When it comes to qualifications, there is one more thing we need to consider, that is, anyone can become a life coach even without proper education based on their willpower, life experiences, and other life skills while a therapist has a degree and is licensed in a related field.
Life coaches are not required to follow health privacy laws, on the other hand, therapists who adhere to ethical codes are fully accountable for your privacy.
Owing to all these reasons, in any case, life coaches should never be considered as alternatives for mental health professionals.
Now that we are familiar with the limitations of life coaches, let us see,
Things in which a life coach can help you
1. Improving your relationship, career, and day to day lives
2. Clarifying goals and identifying obstacles that are holding you back
3. Providing support and motivation that you need to survive long-lasting changes
4. Maximizing your full potential
5. Minimizing negativity around you
6. They will encourage and motivate you
A life coach is someone who will help you in coming out of your daily issues and take you to the life you would like to lead.
Life coaching sessions are more frequent so that they can ensure that you are implementing their advice which is important for experiencing significant changes. With the help of life coaches, you can achieve your goals more quickly and efficiently as compared to working on your own because he knows when you are stuck or needs to recalibrate.
Joining forces with a life coach will ultimately result in:
1. Improved communication skills
2. Greater financial security
3. Satisfactory life
4. Enhanced creativity
5. Better work-life balance
6. Elimination of long term fears and anxieties
7. Stronger relationships with friends and family
8. Ideal and successful career path
9. Self-efficiency and empowerment
10. Reduced procrastination
In life coaching, you can decide on which aspect of your life you want to work on, it may be one or many. Although there isn't any standard method of dealing with a specific aspect, every life coach works In different ways depending on their personality, experience, and skills. This makes it more difficult to find a life coach whose style and philosophy resonates with you.
Despite all these positive sides, there are some facts you need to consider about life coaching;
1. Do not take the help of life coaches for serious mental health issues (as discussed previously).
2. Process of getting results is time-consuming, do not expect instant results.
3. It is hard to find life coaches according to your needs.
4. Life coaches can only help when you can change your life with your own efforts too. Do not rely only on them.
Listen to your inner voice. If you want to change your life in a positive way do not hesitate to ask for help.
The doors of life coaches are always open but you have to bring the change with them as your driving force.
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By Kale Vaishnavi Yashvant
Kale Vaishnavi Yashvant is an advocate for neurodiversity with Project Inclusion'20.
This is her first blog, make sure to like and share!
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