I Love My Work

I am so excited to be starting my Coaching Business – I am a Transformational Life Coach.

This weekend we are learning tools and techniques for helping people with questions regarding their careers and life work – building on our existing tools and Coaching competencies.

Coaching for a Working Life is a HUGE topic – HUGE!!!! 

There is the HUGE Opportunity for a Client to say and feel with complete confidence and joy that "I Love My Work" - of course that always depends on the Client's Agenda - why they want to work with a Coach and what they are hoping to achieve from our time together.

I loved that today we looked at the type of Clients that can benefit from working with a Transformational Life Coach in this area of Careers and Work – it could be a man or a woman:

- Looking for a change in Career

- Wanting to increase their work performance or reduce stress and anxiety

- Wanting to start their own business

- Who has experienced their work position being made redundant

- Who may have just left school or university

- Returning to the workforce, for example Mothers

- Unexpected change such as divorce or loss and the change in financial situation

- Experiencing limiting beliefs that are holding them back

- Wanting to have a healthier work/ life balance.

Ultimately, due to financial and life pressures, someone may have a short timeframe and may need to get into a position quickly – where they need to move into action – and working with a Life Coach can help them identify the next steps and take ACTION towards their Goal.

And other men and women may have the opportunity and time for Self-Exploration, they feel the call to adventure, they want life and work to be different – they are wanting more joy, wanting to be Inspired, wanting to do what they love, wanting to feel alive, wanting to be fulfilled every day in what they do, in how they show up in the world – wanting to be living their Soul Purpose, what they are here to do in the world – THIS CAN BE VERY EXCITING!!

There are some wonderful tools that help generate ideas, insights and conversations. I really enjoyed completing the Jung Typology, Myers-Briggs Personality Test.  Here is information from the website - http://www.humanmetrics.com/

“According to the Jung - Myers-Briggs typology all people can be classified using four criteria:

Extroversion - Introversion
Sensing - Intuition

Thinking - Feeling
Judging – Perceiving

Different combinations of the criteria determine a type. For example:

ISTJ - Introvert Sensing Thinking Judging

Upon completing a Jung Typology Test you will obtain your type formula, strengths of the preferences and type description. It may help you to identify your life style in general and with respect to specific fields of activity. You will also obtain a list of the most suitable career choices based on your personality, along with some educational institutions where you can receive a relevant degree or training.” ... “Discover most preferable activities, best ways of working with others, and manage conflicts. Improve job satisfaction and reduce stress.”

Here is the link to the Test with 72 questions -
 http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
- it is very interesting and definitely worthwhile (in my opinion).

It is so interesting and while it is surprising – it is not so surprising – perhaps the surprising part for me was the high accuracy of the description that best suits me. It was great inviting my boyfriend to complete the test, which was also accurate.

There is so much information online about the different types – so much information. While I have been at College all day and feel it is time to rest, I do love learning and Google some more information – here is another great website -
http://www.highlysensitivesouls.com/myers-briggs.htm
- actually this is great information (taken directly from their website to share information):

"Where You Get Your Energy - The first trait is focused on where you get your energy. Extroverts (E) recharge their energy by being with others, socialising, and engaging in outward directed activities. Extroverts also tend to speak out loud to determine what it is they are trying to say. Introverts (I) recharge their energy by being alone and engaging in quieter activities. Introverts would generally prefer to think through what they want to say beforehand, sometimes losing their chance to speak in group settings. Extroverts tend to feel much more uncomfortable with silences than Introverts.

Extroverted (E) __________+_________ Introverted (I)

How You Take in Information - The second trait is about how you take in information, or how you prefer to receive information. For example, Sensors (S) tend to be practical and detail-oriented, and to focus on the physical and tangible aspects of the world around them. Therefore, when they are learning about a new project, they'll want first to know all about the specifics. Intuitives (N), on the other hand, hone in on the big picture, and tend to be more imaginative and focus on implied meaning. Intuitives have trouble processing detailed information without knowing how it fits into the big picture.

Sensing (S) ___________+___________ Intuitive (N)

How You Make Decisions - Thinkers (T) tend to make decisions in an objective, logical and analytical manner, while Feelers (F) tend to be more subjective, personal and compassionate in their decision making process. Women tend to be Feelers due to the way they are socialized. In a job situation, Thinkers will make personnel decisions based on the good of the company, while Feelers might choose based on how their decision will impact the people involved.

Thinking (T) _____________+____________ Feeling (F)

How You Spend Your Time and Energy (what activities you engage in) - Judgers (J), or Schedulers, prefer to organise and order how their time and energy is spent. They like to know what to expect, and prefer deadlines, order and tend to make up their minds quickly. Perceivers (P), on the other hand, prefer flexibility and like to keep their options open. Perceivers are brilliant at generating alternatives, while Judgers are great at making decisions. Perceivers are often surrounded by clutter while they work, and love variety.

Judging (J) _____________+____________ Perceiving (P)"

This is just a snapshot of one piece of a puzzle - and I do love that this is just someone's preference - that there is still the opportunity to integrate and develop other parts of oneself - and then one can be a witness to oneself and choose how they wish to show up or be at work or with a certain project. When Coaching for a Working Life there are so many opportunities for Self-Discovery and Self-Exploration.

What I really loved about today was working with another Coach and taking turns at being Coached and at Coaching. I always love this opportunity – and today, I loved experiencing the power of the Coaching relationship. Although I had completed and read my Myers-Briggs Test and completed other activities as part of the Pre-reading for this Course – the awareness and insights and inspiration that came from being in a Coaching space where I was able to respond to different questions and reflect on my work life, what I liked about previous jobs, what activities that I found intrinsically enjoyable, what skills came easily for me, what aspects I found meaningful, what were my career accomplishments, what I would love to be doing... these were all great questions.

While I can always write answers on a piece of paper or complete a test or journal, which are all wonderful and helpful activities – there is definitely a sense of magic that surfaces in a Coaching Session – new insights are revealed through the power of Coaching presence.

What I also love about the role of the Coach is the service of helping others move in the direction of their dreams – putting their dreams into ACTION – identifying next steps to move someone closer to where they are now, in the direction of where they want to be.

I am excited that my Myers-Briggs Test and my Coaching Session, reflecting on my passions and skills, all confirm that I have found my life work – although for me I am blessed that I have the knowing. I am blessed that I have found my purpose to work one-on-one with others as their Coach, to walk with them on their journey, so that they may find their passions, live and work on purpose, love their life, so that they may see the light in themselves, the light in the world, so that they may Shine.

I am also excited to work as a Group Facilitator – enabling men and women to come together and support and witness each other, as they move forward on their journey towards their Vision. Every day I get up out of bed, excited and Inspired – I know my genuine, heartfelt intention is to Spread The Yellow.

While many Coaches work on the phone, and I have also enjoyed this medium – I do love the opportunity to work face-to-face – I love seeing the excitement in the Client’s face, their eyes light up when they are talking about what brings them joy, love their feeling of YES and happiness as they talk about their Wins. The Role of the Coach is such an honour, an incredible honour.

I am very excited about working with others - 7 May 2010 is when I officially start my business as a Transformational Life Coach – Shine Coaching...