When I heard that line from the poet David Whyte it really struck a chord.
Why?
Because it gets to the very heart of what I want my coaching to be about.
Yes, I can help you develop good habits, change your career and even find more meaning
and purpose in your life.
But underneath it all the most important thing I can do is help you feel less alone
with your stress and anxious thoughts.
Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into the conversation.
My favourite word in that line is ‘ease’.
Coaching at its best doesn’t feel rushed or forced. It feels like breathing space in a
busy life.
It’s the opposite of what sometimes happens when you ask even the most well-meaning
partner, friend or colleague for help. They’ll listen and do their best, but
you’ll usually have the sense you’re on a deadline. There’s only so much you
can say before they get bored or change the subject or shut down the conversation
with a quick piece of advice. Well, why don’t you just do such and such.
Often, being the polite people we are, we nod and say thanks – that’s useful. But we
know it isn’t really. There’s zero chance we’ll put that advice into action. It
wasn’t what we needed.
What we crave is the feeling we’re being really listened to. We want the time to
explore thoughts and discover perspectives we’ve never considered before.
Coaching can give you all this and more.
At its best, it’s the most interesting conversation you’ll ever have about yourself.
Overtime, it can help you define your contribution to the bigger conversation.
In our frantic, distracted lives, I think coaching, a kind of unique human and
creative collaboration, is needed more than ever.
If you’d like to experience one of these honest, powerful conversations, email me at
andrew@andrewsewell.com