Life is a journey – enjoy the ride! A phrase I’ve adopted and shared, yet I had little preparation for life’s changes this year. Practicing what I coach others to do, I reflected and took an internal peak into my motivations, passions, and hopes for the future. I wanted more of my work and life to match a vision for expanding educational opportunity to adults wanting change in career potential through learning. The result: I accepted an unexpected new job in Scottsdale, Arizona!
On the way to meeting my future team members, family and vacation put me on the right track of perspective. The picture was taken in early July in Bryce Canyon, Utah by my loving sister-n-law. Little did I know what I would see from her urging my husband and I to make this northward trip from their St. George, Utah home. Feelings of wonder and awe arose with intense views of expansive geological spikes called hoodoos, and landform colors that shifted with the sun’s movement across this land where weather and water created breathtaking beauty. I had no idea that this place existed, with only the Grand Canyon being on my lengthy bucket list of southwest geological wonders of the world.
I share this story to comment on my journey of putting into practice what I’ve learned and experienced – SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES is key to bringing about both planned and unplanned change. Life coaching with a lens for learning sparks new ways of seeing and being. The action of doing is how I engage with the learning, which also includes reflecting that brings more clarity and feeds the ongoing cycle of seeing, being, learning, and doing.
Questions for learning started an awareness of ways I wasn’t living and working to my highest potential, and I wasn’t ready to be in my “last” job. The WHAT IF’s of ensuing conversations opened up my mind to possibilities outside of where I was working and living. The WHY NOT’s in reflection arose when learning of a “perfect for me” job in a place not even on my potential places to move list. Coaching allowed me to explore LIMITING BELIEFS and FACE MY FEARS. I had to move beyond them to see expanding opportunities and life long learning potential in ways that serve not just me, but my husband as well. His early retirement and hopes of being in a warmer climate during cold, winter months was the fuel needed to prompt my search to be a serious application of coaching principles.
Growth happens more when I am wiling to learn and to be open to new perspectives. This time, it was the goals of others that provided the additional sparks that prompted me to be more inquisitive and moved me to action sooner that my reserved self would have normally pursued a quest to move SouthWest in the first place!
Reflecting further: We become more beautiful as we age – where weathering life’s experiences and “learning while adapting” shapes how we show up in the world. Learning and growing this year required me to expand my perspectives of what is possible and to be more open to the Divine energy that weaves people and opportunity together. I’ve taken a risk to move my husband and I cross country for a job at this time in our lives, and missing family and friends in the Midwest is a huge cost. Yet the urging awareness of a source beyond me – and within me – prompted me to put forth the effort needed to bring about this life and career change. Ongoing attention to my life purpose and vision with values, desired feeling, and ways of being fed my ability to take on the still-unfolding challenges.
When are YOU willing to be vulnerable enough to share your vision and learn more about your self? How could a life coach support you along the way?
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