Featured in OM Magazine, March 2010
Demotivated, frustrated, restless, energized, joyful or on-top-of-the-world; however I’m feeling my coaching sessions can’t come round quick enough. I never have any worries getting out of bed on these days. In fact, I spring up, often more alert than I’ve been all week, ready to get stuck in. As the clock ticks towards time, I settle down and make the greatly anticipated call, keen to gain some momentum.
I’m stunned by my coach’s intuition; her directness takes me by surprise. I’m often unaware myself of what’s at the surface of how I’m feeling, but when confronted with her questions, I’m forced to make a deeper connection and explore the reality.
It’s an added bonus that my coach just so happens to be my sister. Coaching close family members is an art in itself. Corrina had to think through carefully how this would work and we set up a very frank and flexible arrangement. I’m thankful it’s worked out so well – when you’ve got a certified coach as your sister, you don’t want her to pass you on to someone else.
We started on Christmas Day, a few years ago. As planned, we met each other in the park and it was clear from the start that our dynamic for coaching was going to be very different to our sisterly one.
Admittedly, I was afraid. I was afraid to say I didn’t like my life as it was and afraid I’d never make it free. But, all the same, I knew this was the best thing for me. I wanted to take hold of my life and make some changes. That day, I saw in Corrina qualities that I’d not noticed so clearly before: such strength, self-assurance, courage and inner peace. And I so wanted those qualities for myself.
Since then, my coach has stayed close to my side. She has been there through University, my year in Paris, a rollercoaster relationship, friendships starting, friendships ending – for the highs and the lows. She has helped me come to terms with my weaknesses, my resistances and say goodbye to my saboteurs, just as she has witnessed my joy, my accomplishments and great happiness.
From coaching, I’ve gained strength, self-belief and clear focus. In getting to know myself better and discovering what I truly want in life, I’ve felt able to offer inspiration and support to others. It was during a coaching call that I blurted out the name of my then soon-to-be blog Wake Up To Health, that I set up in March last year. I was describing to my coach what I wanted so much to see in the world. It felt the perfect time then too to start my training with the British Wheel of Yoga. I was on a roll and nothing could stop me. Towards the end of the year, I saw my ideas become a reality in having several articles published, which led on to me being contacted to run a workshop on my article’s theme: ‘Haven’t Got Time’ later this year.
I’m not sure I’ll ever want to fly solo, without my coach. I believe it can be a tool for life. It is the essence of coaching that I love and that I greatly benefit from. I look forward to actually getting somewhere, driving ahead and starting anew.
What coaching offers us is an opportunity to look at ourselves and our lives just as they are – no coating, no camouflage. In doing so, we begin to open up to how we truly feel in the various areas. A good coach will help us to reconnect with our authentic selves and guide us on our personal journeys. It is through proactive action steps that we ourselves have drawn up from our coaching sessions, that we start to move ourselves forwards and see the life of our dreams appear before our eyes.
Our bond as sisters has only been strengthened by this extra dynamic – our relationship has been deepened by the respect we both have for each other.
Corrina, my sister, my coach, I thank you.
© Rosanna Gordon 2010 / All rights reserved.