What is Lifestyle Coaching?
Jan 5, 2018 mindpumpEver since I was younger I have been passionate about health and wellness. While most kids don’t care too much about this area, my interest in healthy living stemmed from both a desire and a need. Throughout my life I have been fortunate enough to work with many different professionals to address my health in various areas of my life, whether that be a nutritionist, a trainer, or a therapist. However, nobody was able to work with all of me: the whole picture of who I am as a physical mental, spiritual, and emotional being. As a result, I wanted to be the type of coach that I wish I had had on my health journey, which is what led to me to lifestyle coaching.
So, what is Lifestyle coaching? I define it as working with the whole person and getting to the root of one’s pain points on the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional levels. This holistic approach helps you to focus on all aspects of your life and move on the path to what I like to call Conscious Health: a synergistic relationship between mind, body, and soul. You can think of this Conscious Health triad as being like a tricycle: two wheels can be working very well but if the third wheel is flat, you’re not going to get very far. As such, you can be physically healthy and mentally strong, but if you do not feel spiritually fulfilled and as if you have a purpose, you may start to feel as if something is missing.
I’m of the mentality that in order for sustainable outer change to happen, we must first address our inner landscape. I have seen this time and time again with clients, as the majority first come to me with the desire to change their diets or get in better shape, and then it slowly becomes apparent that they are looking for something more. Once people open up and are willing to explore the deeper parts of themselves and what they find truly fulfilling, the outer change starts to occur in miraculous ways. When you get to know yourself authentically, you can identify what you truly want and make it happen. As I have witnessed firsthand with my clients, there is much personal growth and incredible transformation to be gained from working with someone else to tend to your mind, body, and soul. Here’s some reasons why everyone could benefit from working with a lifestyle coach:
1) Everyone can use an outside perspective on things.
When it comes to our thoughts, we so often have this unconscious tape just playing over and over again in our heads as background noise. We might not even realize the magnitude of it, or the effects it has on us, or, we do and simply try to suppress it. Having an outside, objective listener allows us to get out of our own heads and push past the self-limiting beliefs that may be preventing us from making the changes we want to see in our lives. You may try a million times to approach a problem the same way, to no avail, and all that may be required to find a solution is an outside perspective to break out unproductive thought patterns.
2) Your “tricycle” can’t repair itself.
As I mentioned earlier, Conscious Health is a three-part system that works as a whole. If one wheel isn’t working, the tricycle won’t get you very far. And, you can’t expect the tricycle to completely fix itself! You have the tools within yourself to heal your mind, body, and soul, but sometimes it requires an extra touch to help steer you in the right direction and fill some air in your tires. Starting on the road to complete, holistic health of mind, body, and soul can be challenging, and there’s no reason why you need to go at it alone!
3) Accountability and motivation.
Who doesn’t need a cheerleader every now and then!? We all have those days when just want to skip the gym or bail on meal prep, and of course it is alright to take a break every now and then, but it definitely should not become a habit. This is where a lifestyle coach comes into play–to give you that extra push and to check-in on you to make sure you are doing your best to work towards your health goals. When you have someone else to report to, you’re more likely to feel a bit more responsibility and be motivated to stay on-track.
4) Reliable information gathering.
Having a lifestyle coach provides you with someone you trust to sift through all the health information for you. There’s so much information out there and just sorting through it can be a full-time job in and of itself–who has the time for that!? Working with someone who’s philosophy you trust can save you time and added stress, and you have the added benefit of getting a professional opinion about the latest research to help guide you in all aspects of health.
So, with that in mind, I encourage you to think about where you are right now in your life and with respect to your goals and to ask yourself if you might benefit from working with a lifestyle coach like myself.
