What’s it like to work with a Life Coach?

Here’s my experience working with my coach, Stephen. 

I remember when I first started working with him—I would show up to our coaching sessions with my heart guarded as a way to mask my insecurities by putting on a facade of being a tough guy who had it all figured out.

After all, I was a martial artist, a scientist with a PhD, and had been proving and defending who I was to others to prove I was enough to matter.

When deep inside I was struggling through my relationship with my father, my partner, and was battling a cannabis addiction.

Sometimes I would show up to the sessions feeling actual nausea, the same feeling I feel when I think of going skydiving. 

It felt terrifying to be seen for who I truly was. But I knew I needed the support.

I wasn’t used to being seen and being heard by someone else.

Before my sessions I felt my chest constract, my palms got sweaty, and my jaw tightened in anticipation of what was about to happen.

I remember even questioning him as a coach at one point, when in reality I was projecting my own insecurities and fears onto him as a protective mechanism

A big shift happened for me when I began to realize that the uncomfortable feelings I felt being coached were exactly what I needed to experience, and go through in order to grow.

And growth is uncomfortable—but only always. 

Being seen and being heard deeply was something I never received growing up from my parents.

We were immigrants in a foreign country, and they were too busy trying to put food on the table to give that type of attention to me and my sister.

God bless their hearts, they did their best with us, but they just were not capable of giving me what I truly needed.

And then I had an insight. I realized, I needed to give that to myself.

I realized I didn’t need to show up and pretend to be “perfect”. But rather—honest. Sincere. Authentic. 

I began to just show up to our sessions and share what was true and real. And I stayed consistent. 

Despite him telling me this explicitly, I had to realize for myself that I could show up in my messy human experience, and just be authentically myself.

And that was okay. In fact, it was more than okay. It was exactly what I needed.

And then I began to lean into it, and began asking myself: how can working with my coach go right, instead of wrong?

What can we co-create together?

What is it that I need to bring forward in order to create the life I want?

What do I need to bring into the session that can serve my Higher Self?

I learned that leaning into vulnerability, leaning into being seen, and having the courage to show up as I am has been transformative. 

It transformed my life, my relationships, and my relationship toward myself. 

Love and Power, 
Alex