The Road To Happiness Starts Now!

As many of you know I have made the decision to start the next chapter of my life. I have decided to become a 'Life Coach'. No, I am not giving up my travel business, that will always be my # 1 focus. Being a life coach will be my 2nd career and something I feel equally passionate about and, quite honestly, feel is a calling.

What IS a life coach? A life coach has a genuine, personal caring about others, and the desire to help people feel and get better.

To be a life coach, you do not need to have a background in psychology, therapy, or counseling, or any related field.

As a life coach you are focused on teaching various forms of cognitive processes, such as "relationship training," "Psychological assessment skills," "personal insight training," and "life-path counseling."

A life coach is trained to ask the right questions, keep the client focused, allow the client to determine his or her own path, and support and motivate the client to reach the specific goals that will help them reach their objectives.

The # 1 quality a life coach should have is a genuine concern and compassion for people. It is basically "paid mentor" position.

Here is a sample of questions that a person should ask themselves before wanting to become a life coach:

1. Other people look to me for support and wisdom, plus they like to share their dreams and challenges with me.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

2. I am able to temporarily set aside my needs and goals in the interest of helping others meet theirs.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

3. Building rapport and developing a meaningful connection with others comes easily and quickly to me.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

4. I appreciate how every individual is different and enjoy helping people find their own unique solutions.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

5. Others tell me I am a good listener and comment on my abilities to be non-judgmental and non-critical.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

6. I have a strong sense of values and act with integrity in both my personal and business life.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

7. I have good instincts and intuition that I rely on to guide me especially in times of challenge and great stress.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

8. I am not exactly where I want to be in life but I feel relatively balanced and I am consistently working on my own personal growth.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

9. Being an independent professional in my own practice and in business for myself satisfies one of my major life goals.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree

10. I am prepared to dedicate myself to learn as much as I can about coaching and I am willing to invest in myself to receive the proper training and experience.

-Strongly Disagree
-Disagree
-Somewhat Agree
-Agree
-Strongly Agree


So, how did I do? :)


Way to go, Desiree!

Out of a possible 50 points, you scored 50. You're right on course.

Chances are you've already been doing some coaching and just haven't called it that. The good news is you can now begin being paid for what seems to come natural to you. You can now take the steps to become a professional coach.

Yes, I think this is a definite calling in my life.

Since a young child I have always had this desire to be "for the underdog". I always wanted to help people out. I sincerely care about how others feel. I am passionate about gay & lesbian issues and self image issues as well as taking time in life to "stop and smell the roses." I have this DESIRE to share this with other people. It is something I just have to do.

Sample of area I will be specializing in:

• GLBT Youth / Coming Out Issues


• GLBT / Coming Out Later in Life


• Self Image / Eating disorders


• Abusive Relationships


• Self Confidence Issues


• Entrepreneurial Skills / Women in Business


• The Importance of Travel / "Stopping to Smell the Roses" / Enjoying the simple things in life

I, by all means, am not a perfect person. No one is. However, I do feel extremely passionate about the above topics and feel I could be a valuable coach in these areas.

Here are some definitions to further explain.

What is life coaching?

The life coaching process is the only human improvement process that focuses completely on YOU! Life coaches are equal partners who assist you to improve and grow as a person as the means to achieve your goals. Life coaches assist you to become the World's Leading Expert on YOU! Coaches also assist you to execute the actions necessary to achieve your goals. You will have virtual control over the results you achieve through coaching, because you set the coaching goals, and the coaching process assures that you will achieve them.

Why hire a life coach?

You hire a coach to achieve your personal, spiritual, family and business Coachable Goals, much more effectively, more efficiently, more completely, with more fun, and in less time than any other human improvement process. Life coaches assist you to: overcome obstacles and fears, focus on solutions, have someone to bounce ideas off, no matter how silly they may seem, discover truths about you, and how you can improve, accomplish more than you thought possible, and achieve balance in your personal, work and family lives. Your coach will UNLEASH YOU, to become the person you always wanted to be and were capable of becoming.

Personal coaching

Personal coaching is a relationship which is designed and defined in a relationship agreement between a client and a coach. It is based on the client's expressed interests, goals and objectives.

A professional coach may use inquiry, reflection, requests and discussion to help clients identify personal and/or business and/or relationship goals, develop strategies, relationships and action plans intended to achieve those goals. A coach provides a place for clients to be held accountable to themselves by monitoring the clients' progress towards implementation of their action plans. Together they evolve and modify the plan to best suit the client's needs and environmental relationships. Coaches often act as human mirrors for clients by sharing outside and unbiased perspectives. Coaches may teach specific insights and skills to empower the client toward their goals.

Clients are responsible for their own achievements and success. The client takes action, and the coach may assist, but never leads or does more than the client. Therefore, a coach cannot and does not promise that a client will take any specific action or attain specific goals.

Professional coaching is not counseling, therapy or consulting. These different skill sets and approaches to change may be adjunct skills and professions.

I haven't been this excited about anything since the start of Out & About Travel in 1999.

I will keep you all updated on this process and thank you for your support! :)

Love,

Desiree