Why Every Mother Needs A Life Coach
I’ve received a lot of helpful advice and counsel in my lifetime. I’ve watched thousands of episodes of Oprah, I’ve purchased and read dozens of self-help books, I’ve had many remarkable mentors and advisors and even a therapist (or two).
But none of these things have had more influence on my life and my happiness than my life coach.
Yes, a life coach.
Now, before you start scrolling your finger over to the X button to close down this blog post, just hear me out.
Life coaching isn’t what everybody thinks. Having benefited from the practice, I’d like to clear up some common misconceptions I often hear. In doing so, I hope to convince you to give it a try.
#1 Having a Life Coach Feels Awfully Fancy
When I tell people I’ve used a life coach in the past, their reaction is immediate: head cocked back, half frown/half grimace, head shaking left and right as if to say, “Well, well, well, aren’t you fancy?”
No. When I found my life coach, I wasn’t looking for fancy. I was looking for help. A lot of it.
I wanted to feel less exhausted and more energized.
I wanted to feel less torn in a million different directions and more whole.
I wanted to feel less hollow and more worthy.
Three years ago I hired my life coach Devin Green to do what she does best — to help people who are stuck get unstuck and move forward. (http://www.fogdogcoaching.com/lifecoaching/)
See. Not so fancy.
#2 Life Coaching Is Crazy Expensive
Is it free? Of course not. Is it inexpensive? No. But what life-altering, mind-blowing, game-changing advice is (or should be) cheap? If it’s too cheap, it probably isn’t that good.
I started with two coaching sessions with Devin and it cost me $300. Yes, that’s good money. Very good money. But here are some things that have cost me more than $300.
- An ugly bridesmaid’s dress.
- One trip to Costco.
- Hosting a child’s birthday party at Monkey Joe’s.
- One night in a hotel. Without breakfast.
- Two Katy Perry concert tickets.
And while I’ve paid more than $300 for everything listed above, none of those things changed my life. Forever.
As mothers, we don’t think twice about spending $300 when it benefits other people, but spending $300 to change the course of our life and our happiness somehow seems “fancy.”
Those first two life coaching sessions changed my life. They helped me determine what I wanted out of life and how to take the necessary steps to get there. Yes, I went back for more sessions. And every single time I felt like it was the best money I’d ever spent.
#3 Life Coaching Is About Getting Ahead at Work
Nope. It’s not work coaching. It’s life coaching. It’s not just about getting ahead; it’s about getting clear. Clear about what’s working in your life and what’s not, and clear about what success looks like in your life (not simply in your job – where most of us typically start).
As a busy mom pulled in a thousand different directions, clarity is the best gift you can give yourself. After working with a life coach, I know precisely what makes me happy and what doesn’t, and precisely how to structure my day, my week and my life to ensure that happiness — at work and at home.
Think about the best athletic coaches and personal trainers. They understand your strengths and weakness, they push you to be better, and they support and believe in you. Now imagine that type of person coaching your life, where winning looks less like a game and more like living a happy and deeply fulfilling life.
Does the life coaching I receive help me perform better in my job? Absolutely. Regularly. But primarily because it forces me to look at my job in the context of my entire life, not just in the context of getting ahead. This is a new concept for me.
#4 Life Coaching Is a Big Commitment
It’s not. You’re not signing up for a yearlong gym membership. You can do it when you feel like it. And by “it,” I mean a one-hour phone call in the comfort of your own home. In your pajamas if you want.
You take one hour and talk about yourself, not your children. A coach will help you learn about yourself and what makes you light up on the inside (the part of you that nobody can see or feel but you). And together you’ll find ways to make changes in your life that will make you happier.
So, there you have it. The truth about having a life coach.
I wish having a life coach didn’t have a fancy or overpriced reputation because in my experience it’s neither of those things.
I wish everyone had a life coach. But in particular, I wish every mother had a life coach.
Since you’re still reading this blog post, you’re either my own mother (Hi, Mom) or you’re intrigued by the idea of having a life coach. Maybe you’re still wondering if a life coach is for you, and if so, here’s a quick test. If any of the following statements feel like you and you want to make a change, it’s time to contact a life coach:
- You’re doing too much. For too many people.
- You’re living the life you’re “supposed” to be living but you’re not feeling the way you’re supposed to be feeling (happy, fulfilled, etc.).
- You’re working overtime to make sure the people around you like you.
- You wake up feeling uninspired.
- You know something needs to change but you don’t know where to start.
Devin Green [Devin@Fogdogcoaching.com] is my life coach and she actually offers a free, 30-minute introductory session to see if coaching is right for you. When I think of Devin, I think of the Oasis song, “You’re going to be the one who saves me.”
She helps me find the calm in the chaos. After our sessions I feel incredibly grounded and can make decisions with great ease and great clarity.
- Do I want to take off work today to go to the pumpkin patch? Yep.
- Do I want to cook dinner for my husband every night? Nope.
- Do I want the company I’m running to be really big one day? Never.
Crystal clear.
Since I started working with a life coach, I worry less, stress less and yell at my kids a whole lot less. I eat better, sleep better and my skin even looks better.
But the biggest benefit is that I’ve been able to quiet the voices around me (telling me what I could and should be doing) and strengthen the voice within me.
And I don’t think there’s anything fancy or overpriced about that.
18 Comments
Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.
Thank you! I am a life coach. Your article was great’
You’re welcome Heather. It’s such important work that you all do! Keep it up. We need it.
I have been looking for some advice about business decisions for a start up. Does a life coach help with start-ups or is it for life in general. Either way, this sounds like it could really help especially as a mother. http://bennettstellar.org/stellar/certification-programs/life-coach-training/life-coach-training-programs
I’m not sure about all life coaches, but mine (Devin) definitely helps with start-ups. It’s one of her core strengths. You should reach out! She does free 30 min consultations. Best of luck!
Really interesting stuff, thanks alot for sharing.
servicingstop
You’re so welcome Mike. Glad you enjoyed it.
I’m glad that you were able to find success with a life coach. I have been considering either that or therapy. I wanted to know exactly what the difference was between a life coach and a therapist. Thanks for the post. http://coachtrainingworld.com
Hi Yvon. I sure everyone’s experience differs, but I’ve had both a therapist and a life coach and both have been beneficial at different inflection points in my life. For me, a therapist was perfect for getting the “stuff out” and a life coach was ideal for getting “past the stuff”. Therapy was more talking/dissecting/discovering and life coaching was more action/progress/moving forward. Again, I’m sure everyone has a different experience, but that was mine. Life coaching, and Devin in particular, was a life changer for me. Hope this helps!
Thank you for this article. I’m currently working as a therapist in a private practice but in transition to work with working moms in particular as a life coach. 🙂 I’m a working mom myself.
Hi Joy – That’s fantastic! Working mothers certainly need a lot of support. I’m pleased to hear you’re specializing on that. I hope more and more moms will be open to the idea of hiring a life coach. It certainly improved my life! Best wishes.
I appreciate this information about why every mother needs a life coach. It is good to know that life coaching can help one get ahead at work. It would be best to find a coach who is local and who can get the job done for a price within your budget.
Thanks for reading, Jade. A life coach can offer more than just work advice, mine helped me make significant changes in my at work and at home. Best of luck to you!
Katherine,
Happy New Year! I just wanted to thank you for the greatness you are putting out into the world. Three years later, I remembered reading your blog on life coaches. The last few years have been a little nutty and I wasn’t quite ready to do the deep dive. But as I set my intentions for 2018, there is amazing clarity that a life coach is going to be one of my key resources to getting back to me and moving forward with purpose, joy, and adventure. How exciting to have a glimmer of help and knowing that I won’t be on this journey quite so alone.
Proud of you, your words, and your work! Super impactful.
With gratitude,
Christi
Christi –
Thank you so much for your sweet note. I’ve followed your journey so closely and you have so much to be proud of!!! And I simply love that you can see a life coach in your future. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s the best money I’ve ever spent!! Soak up all this new knowledge about yourself and apply it to everything going forward. You got this!
Love the article. Too often people blog about what interests them, not about what readers are looking for. Great insight.
Thank you for saying that. It is so important to me to speak on what mothers are actually going through. I want to bring attention to the struggles of motherhood and how it is truly okay — normal, even — to struggle. When we stop believing that other mothers are somehow winning while we are losing, we can stop beating ourselves up and start living a life full of more love for ourselves than we ever imagined. Cheers!
Every human being needs a life coach. Because in order to be successful in life, guidelines are needed and those guidelines are available through life coaches.
I could not agree more! Thank you for your thoughts, I would love to hear more about your own journey with a life coach! Feel free to reach out on Instagram! Cheers!