One Year Ago, I graduated from my coach training program (The International Coach Academy) and within 7 days picked up my first official client for the business that I launched the same week. For me and my goals, fast is always best. When I discovered my true calling to coach and help people create and live their best life, the months previous had been really dark. Much like my friend in last week’s post, my norm and comfort zone used to be to sink into a depression. I have learned that this is a pattern for me. Typically in the past, a major depression would precede a major shift in my life. However, greatness and awesome things are always right around the corner after one of my dark spells.
Rewinding quickly to February of 2010, I was lost and so completely done. At that time I realized I had given my whole life, my entire existence to a goal and dream that did not fit me anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I had been here before in my life. When I graduated from Photography School I was here before. But this was different. I had realized in this dark space that my dream wasn’t right for me because it didn’t allow me to use all my talents and gifts. It didn’t allow me to engage my strong intuition. I had become a person who had changed into a persona for a career/dream. I had become completely disengaged and I was not in authentic alignment. I had discovered this in the midst of my 2 months of depression, after I had invested 8 ½ years to a dream that wasn’t right for me. I was at a fork in my journey’s road and it was time for me to do some deep soul searching and uncover not just a new career path or goal, but my true unique calling (that I believe all of us have). This was no easy task but it was so worth my energy and effort.
The process I took myself through is the process and strategies I now use with my clients. Everything is a lesson to be used later in your life. When I truly sat quietly and listened to what my soul, heart, and maybe God was telling me, it came fast and hit me hard like; “Damn I knew that! That’s what I have been doing or wanting to do all along all my entire life!!” I had realized what I wanted to do to be in complete alignment and help leave this world better than I had found it.
Once I had figured out the “what” I wanted to do, I then looked at the next step of action to take and it was to complete a training program and gain certification. That night, I had figured all of this out, and no less then 10 hours later my husband and I enrolled me into ICA. We took fast and rapid action. One reason was because we were so excited that I was no longer depressed, that we wanted to do something about it and use that excitement as forward momentum. Another reason was because we could tell, feel, and simply knew this was my calling and unique gift and we knew I had to give it everything I had (which included financially).
The next day I started my courses at ICA. Fast rapid action. So that the true tale I write doesn’t drag out: I essentially completed a 2 year coaching program in 6 months and also started putting together my business/company before I was done with Professional Coach Training and Certification.
This week is officially 1 year since I completed the program and certification. 1 year of living my vision. 1 year of acting on my true calling and helping my clients get closer to living and creating their ideal lives with passion. Quick is best for me because I can course-correct more quickly, succeed quicker (and in some cases fail faster – but in a forward direction). I didn’t wait to get started or prepared. While I was coaching paid clients this last year, there were fellow, newly graduated coaches still waiting to get started, or even worse, waiting to get ready and spinning their wheels.
Fast is better. Truly, ultimately it also means I get to my vision more rapidly too. After 8 1/2 years of floundering and feeling stuck it was just easier to act, easier to move, easier to start. After one year of fully living my unique calling, my unique gift to the world, I am so grateful for the speed that I took this journey in. I gave myself less time to doubt myself or my vision. People spend way too much time and energy in doubt.
I am looking forward to another “fast” year of momentum, energy, and great joy. I want to help you create and design your ideal life because life is too short to wait a second more on something that is not truly what you want. Fast is better.
