My Path to Becoming A Life Coach
In 2011, I became a social entrepreneur and founded my own company where I worked with women's communities in Asia and Africa and helped them create sustainable livelihoods by building a platform for their creative work in the West. The women I partnered with used their skills and creative talents to hand create home-ware using sustainable materials. Last year, I wanted to further my journey in this field so I started mentoring women entrepreneurs in emerging markets through the Cherie Blair Foundation. As my journey with women entrepreneurs continues through the Foundation, I also volunteer my time with Aspire Women Foundation to mentor women through their Make a Difference Program. These past 7 years showed me that I love working with people, encouraging them to find their life purpose, creativity, values and higher purpose personally and at work. While I had strong mentoring skills, I wanted to deepen my learning by adding professional coaching skills. I spent a large part of 2016 looking for the right coaching program that resonates with me. In early 2016, after much due diligence and taster sessions I joined the rigorous program at the Coaches Training Institute to become a Co-Active life coach.
Why Co-active? CTI’s Co-Active Coach Training Program integrates three foundational principles that help enhance both the quality and results people want to experience in life and work. CTI’s Co-Active Coach Training Program is preparing me to coach anyone, on any topic. One of the cornerstones of the Co-Active® model is that we focus on the whole person, not just one particular part of their life. People aren’t compartmentalised. They are multi-faceted and dynamic, and the model allows me to work with whatever topic the person chooses. And if he or she wants to get coached on their health and wellness, or their board meeting challenges, or their relationships, I am equipped to do so.
During one of my experiential training sessions, at a Fulfilment module, I worked on my life purpose statement. After much work, this is what came to me - I am Wonder Woman and I will change the world. This statement resonates deeply with me - my journey to help each individual make resonant choices and change their lives through my coaching and mentoring programs. I believe this is what I'm meant to do - my life purpose. I have gone through so many changes in my life, had experiences good and bad and learnt so much along the way. I am confident that I can help people make shifts and see changes by working with their inner resources. We all have a superhero and an inner leader within us and its time to bring him/her out.
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to start building my website and sat on my kitchen table thinking of what kind of a coaching practice I want. I asked myself what was the most important thing that changed for me during my various sessions and journey to becoming a coach. One thing stood out so vividly - the importance of authenticity and living in this world as my true self. This is what I believe in and will work hard to ensure that each and every person I work with will also have a true chance of finding themselves and living authentically. We often wear masks and taking them away and wearing our true selves is a tough but brave and beautiful experience. I am here to change the world and help people find their true selves.
This has been my journey so far. I can't wait to continue down this path and show the world how brilliant it is to start living authentically. It's in our hands to change our future.
