Coaching is about seeing the possibilities

Looking through the open door of a shop filled with flowers.

“If money was irrelevant, what would you do?” She replied without missing a beat: “Open a flower shop.”

What do you see when you hear the word coaching?

I’m guessing.. nothing. (Or someone in shorts.)

It can be hard to explain the impact of partnering with the right coach but one of my clients put it beautifully last week: it’s suddenly seeing possibilities that weren’t there before.

She’s one of the tens of thousands of people globally who have suddenly lost their jobs as a result of the withdrawal of US federal funding. From an apparently secure, hugely responsible job as part of teams, networks and a global community to “no longer part of the conversation.”

The first days of shock, fear and “weirdness” were followed by a growing sense of loss: of identity, of colleagues and of confidence in the future. She felt exhausted, oscillating between extremes - from the work and reputation she was proud of to her growing question, “Do I just look good from the outside?”

We started working together three weeks after she got the news.

In week three I asked: “If I gave you a million dollars, what would you do?” She replied without missing a beat: “Open a flower shop.” Suddenly she was smiling.

It had been a lifelong dream, but she never even thought to include it in our conversations. She knew why she would be brilliant at it, and exactly how and why it would be so much more than a flower shop, bringing lightness and healing, creating change and community. Full of “things that I really love.”

I don’t think she will be opening a flower shop just now, but by acknowledging her dream she gave herself permission to “aspire to work towards the feelings of the possibility the flower shop gave me.”

She had brought possibility back.

If you’d like to find out more about coaching and how it could help you, then book a free call and let’s have a chat.