Let me talk about the first time I really connected with a coach. I learned so much about myself and the world by showing up every week, ready to get my money’s worth.
It was Spring 2020. I was weeks away from graduating with two master's degrees. The world was ending. In my field, there were no jobs, internships, or even volunteer openings. I was scared to go outside. I was desperate.
My younger brother simply said, “Get a coach.”
Easier said than done. My younger brother has a developmental disability, and the county assigns him a job coach. He thought coaches were great and had no reason to think of the barriers I might face in finding a coach for myself.
Then I had a thought: Why shouldn’t I have a coach? My parents had invested so much into my brother’s career: time, resources, connections… and here I was in the dark, hoping a job would hit me in the face.
Just a friendly reminder: this was the pandemic. This was the Black Lives Matter movement. This was the 2020 U.S. presidential election. None of my rules for survival made sense anymore. The world didn’t make sense anymore. So why not find a coach to help me piece it all together?
I went to Noomii and asked for someone, anyone, to help. And by some miracle, I met the coach who would go on to be my friend and mentor. No kidding, this woman saved my wedding six months later. When I met her, I finally felt safe enough actually to tell her my wildest dream—the reason why I decided to get two master’s degrees in two years while living with my parents. She didn’t laugh at me or tell me to aim for something easier. She said, “People hire people they know, so let’s get you to meet some people.”
Together, we laid out a plan for me to get over my fear of networking and how to get noticed by people with hiring power. We got my LinkedIn profile presentable, and seen by respected people in my field. She took me step-by-step through networking techniques that I still use today.
I didn’t learn these skills in school or online, I needed a coach.
And you know what? I got my dream job. Twice. And I did not take a single minute for granted.
I took a bet in 2020. I bet on myself, which is not something I had really done before. I’d never jumped in with both feet; I’d always be hanging onto something just in case. 2020 scared me into investing in myself for the first time. And I’ve thrived so much since I made that decision that I decided to keep investing in myself and in coaching.
I heard a coach once say that no one needs coaching and that it’s all about whether the client is ready for change or not. And I respectfully disagree. I needed coaching just like I needed graduate school, and I sure wasn’t ready for that either. I needed a trained coach/professor to guide me through the process.
Coaching has introduced me to so many wonderful people, and one of them was myself. I want that for everyone, which is why I decided to become a coach.
If you’d like to try coaching with me, schedule a free 15-minute call, and we’ll see if we vibe.
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