Coaching Masters!

I did so many amazing things this year (2022).  So many things I didn't think I could do...or really...wouldn't give myself permission to do.  And I did them this year.  One big thing was enrolling in a coaching mastery program.  It is different than an advanced certification in coaching it is instead a group lead by a Master Certified Coach (Lindsay Doltzaf) where we focus on mastering our coaching skills.  We discover our unique process of coaching and really fine tune our coaching style.  It has been amazing, hard, and wonderful.

The work started in July the week Will and I decided to scoot over to Paris for his work.  I had my first call in a hotel lobby in Paris, France?!?  So many amazing things, right?  We have met over zoom weekly since.  We have been coached and worked on the steps of discovering, defining, and refining our process. 

This weekend was our in person event.  I love in person events and this was the first one my coach (Lindsay) had ever offered.  So, two days after getting home from London I hopped on a plane to Chicago.

My time was mixed up (stupid time again) and I got in later than I thought I would.  Additionally, traffic was a nightmare and the 13 mile drive from the airport to my hotel took an hour and a half!  I abandon my hotel and asked the uber driver to take me to the restaurant where we were having our welcome dinner instead.

Oh boy, did all of my insecurities flare up then.  The old me would have given up all together.  The old me (of a few years ago) would have made up a story and skipped the dinner while being so sad and disappointed I couldn't go.  The old me would have blamed it on "I never get to do anything I want to do" boogie men.  I stressed about my clothes and lack of makeup.  I stressed about showing up with my roller bag and giant plane bag.  I stressed about not having time to go over everyone's names and to be mentally prepared.  Still, I wanted to go and decided my wanting to go was worth the stress.  

More importantly, I decided I would go and be myself.  I would be funny and honest.  I wouldn't shrink into the background because I was embarrassed about my clothes or mess.  I decided I would show up for myself and not be mean to myself before, during or after.  

So I rolled up to dinner (almost two hours late) and joined the party where food and drinks had already been ordered.  I squished in by my new friends and chatted it up.  We laughed and got to know each other. We shared delicious food.  It was lovely.  I felt lifted and comforted by myself and by these women.  It felt good to be my messy self and not try to be something different.  Did I feel embarrassed sometimes?  Yes.  Was it worth the discomfort?  Yes.  It was an awkward start but still very good!

The next day our work began in earnest.  There are ten women in the group.  Eight live in the USA, one lives in Spain, and one in Bali.  Six of us could come in person to Chicago and five joined via zoom.  Lindsay had told us over the two days we would be working on a big project/goal.  On the first day she confidently told us most of our work would be done by the end of the day.  That did not seem possible but we went for it!

I decided to work on a social media system where I picked a topic for the month, taught a mini class (live) and created supporting content to post.  Other coaches were working on group programs, podcasts, and Facebook groups.  It was inspiring and fun...it was also hard.  Nothing like a big goal to bring up all of your stuff.  We laughed and cried, a lot.  We also worked and got coached a lot.  It was amazing.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been there.  

After the second day we had a closing dinner to celebrate our hard work.  By chance I got situated at the end of the table with Lindsay.  She coached me for almost all of dinner.  It was so helpful and kind.  We talked a lot about family drama and how to approach that differently.  I was so grateful.

I left the weekend with new best friends, a solid social media plan, and having my thoughts well ironed out on quite a few subjects.  It was amazing.  I will be forever grateful I enrolled in this program and got to go to a live event!