Some people hear about life coaching and dismiss it as a fad. Others tend to disapprove of working with a coach because they think it is better to go with a psychologist or a therapist. Although I personally have no problem with attending psychotherapy, I think that as life coaches, we can contribute something different to people’s lives.
Life coaching can really help people. And it is a booming industry that is only growing.
The Difference between Coaching and Therapy
In general, therapy helps you handle major problems in your life, such as divorce or the death of a loved one. Life coaching, on the other hand, can help you achieve your goals and dreams, change your habits, and develop a more positive mind-set.
Therapy focuses on the past and present and can help heal old wounds. Also, therapy treats mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Coaching focuses on achieving goals in the present and the future. It does not involve the diagnosis of mental illnesses. Essentially, it helps you to act from a more conscious level so you can achieve more.
Of course, we must clarify that there are many forms of coaching, and each coaching practice varies depending on the scope and the coach. The purpose of the coaching sessions is set according to the individual and their needs.
Find Your Life Purpose
Spiritual teacher and transformational coach Eiman Al Zaabi points out that each of us has a deep desire to realize our potential and to offer something to the world. It does not mean that you want to be famous or become an artist, nor does this desire mean that you are pretentious; it is simply a basic human need.
Everyone–absolutely everyone–has a purpose in this life, but sometimes we do not know what it is. A transformational coach can help you discover your purpose. This in turn can help you find what will make you feel satisfied and give you a genuine sense of achievement. When you know your purpose, you can set meaningful goals in your life, those that will make you feel completely happy.
Sometimes our intended role is not something we do daily, like a career. Even when you like your work, you may find something outside the professional realm that you really love, something that makes you happy and that fills you up. It is that purpose that you can discover with a life coach. It doesn’t necessarily mean you will change your career, but rather that you have found the activity that makes you feel full. This journey can be profoundly positive.
Finding your life purpose can start from good experiences, but it can also come from not-so-good experiences and even from situations that are challenging or distressing. Through the conversations you have with your coach, you can give these events new meaning and find that the experience has taught you something about your life, or that you developed certain skills to handle it and could use these skills in other parts of your life. And maybe after these explorations, you’ll realize that you can help other people who have gone through a similar situation. A life coach can help you process the past so you can find the meaning and purpose in your life.
Discover the Answers That Are inside You
Have you achieved everything you want? If you feel there is something more you can do in your life, something you want to improve, even if you don’t know quite what it is, a life coach can help you.
It is important to clarify that a life coach will not give you the answers; rather, he or she will guide you so that you find what you want to change or what to pursue in order to be truly happy. Our mission as coaches is to help you have the confidence and security that you have inside you all the answers you need. We simply help you connect with that innate wisdom and believe in it.
Your coach is a partner on the way to finding the answers in yourself. Even if you don’t think you have the answers, I know you have them. You just have to trust yourself and the process.
