“I believe we are most beautiful when we are shedding our old selves and moving into new light” – Suki Waterhouse.
One of the most rewarding parts of being a coach is supporting my clients through personal transformation – ‘shedding a skin’.
Shedding skin is a metaphor for the new, for change, for rejuvenation. It signifies that you are letting go of something that no longer serves you and moving forward into something new.
This can be particularly helpful as you approach and navigate significant life transitions, such as starting a new business, becoming a leader, shifting careers, embarking on a new qualification, becoming a parent and carer, or retiring.
Life transitions can be challenging and feel overwhelming. Coaching can help you gain clarity and perspective on what is most important to you and how you make that a reality in the future by:
➡️DEFINING A VISION
Defining a vision by exploring what you want deep down, what values drive you and where you draw meaning and purpose. This can be using visualisation, imagery, words – whatever works for you.
➡️CREATING HABITS
Exploring what behaviours support your vision – how you show up, what you are doing (and not doing), what your ideal week looks like – and creating these habits. As James Clear (Author, Atomic Habits) reminds us, you choose the identity you want to reinforce today with the habits you choose today – your habits are a ‘vote’ for the identity you want (see link in comments for my blog on habits).
➡️SUPPORT & ACCOUNTABILITY
Change can feel uncomfortable and messy – the coaching process and relationship help you stay the course by providing a safe, reflective, and encouraging space and by holding a mirror up to increase your self-awareness and personal accountability.
Coaching for change works. It harnesses the power of neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to change. The power of your ideal self and sense of vision and meaning create Positive Emotional Attractors, a state of positive emotion that enhances motivation, effort, optimism, flexibility, creative thinking, resilience, and adaptive behaviour. New neural pathways are created by practice and focus.
I’m currently supporting a client through a personal rebrand in their professional life. They are a founder/owner and as their business grows, they need to step away from operational work to focus on strategy and leadership, managing their relationships and boundaries more effectively. Coaching helps them step towards their future vision, creating positive habits, and building self-awareness of how they show up, their behaviours, and their impact on colleagues, clients, and the culture of the organisation.
If you are keen to explore how shedding a skin could serve you in 2024, I’d love to discuss how I can support you.
How has personal transformation supported you to navigate change?
