11/27/2024
I just had my first official call with my coach, Shazia Govindji, and I’m amazed by how much I’ve already gained from this experience. I’m going to reflect after each call with her and document some of the lessons learned—not only for myself but to see if there’s something here that resonates with you. If you know me at all, you know I crave deep, meaningful conversation. I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Lessons Learned So Far:
1. This gift isn’t mine to give or take. The desire I have to help people isn’t something I can or should control or withhold. It’s simply who I am, and it’s freeing to realize that I can just operate from this place instead of making it about me.
2. Receiving is more challenging than I thought. When Shazia offered me a second complimentary session, I felt guilt and uncertainty, even though I was also excited. It was an opportunity to feel those feelings and move forward anyway. I always see my own lessons as lessons for my clients as well and I’ve already been able to pass this on.
3. Words matter. This is something I often say to Tom Musgrave when he lets the words fly ;) I thought I had a pretty strong awareness, but in our call today, Shazia pointed out some language I was using that wasn’t serving me. For example, instead of saying, “I tend to withdraw when I should reach out,” I can say, “In the past, my pattern was withdrawing and now I’m working on connecting more.” Small shifts like this are powerful and help me step into who I want to become. There were other similar statements I was able to catch in the moment—another reason I’m grateful for coaching calls.
4. Expect greatness. Whatever we focus on expands. By entering this coaching agreement expecting it to be transformational, I’m already seeing better results for myself. HOW I enter the coaching agreement is more important than the fact that I entered into one. I’ve already gotten so much out of our time together that I could stop here and call it worth the investment.
5. Integration is key. A year ago, this word wasn’t even in my vocabulary. I used to rush from one activity to the next, constantly consuming without pausing to reflect. Shazia recommended setting aside at least 30 minutes post-session to integrate the work. From a conversation I had with her, she inspired me to take it a step further and block out a full day of reflection, integration and writing/sharing after our calls. In the past, this would have come with some guilt for “not doing enough”, but this IS the work and I’m fully committed.
6. Social media doesn’t need to feel heavy. This one feels so freeing. Instead of “teaching,” I can simply share what’s true for me and let it resonate—or not. That simple shift takes the pressure off and makes sharing feel more authentic. I’ve struggled recently with what to post, where to post it, how to make the most of every opportunity and I realized that I was putting way too much pressure on myself. From that place of pressure, I saw myself adding to the noise, which is the exact opposite of what I want to do with my life.
7. Coaching calls are sacred. I’m now even more aware of treating our sessions like sacred events. I’ll make sure I’m reflecting before, being fully present during, and taking the time afterward to process and integrate. It’s obvious to me that I naturally felt this, but like anything, awareness makes it that much greater. My excitement and potential for growth grew in that conversation.
8. Integrity is a process. Being in integrity means honoring your commitments and being your word, but it’s also okay to clean things up when necessary. Communicating openly when something isn’t working removes shame and allows for solutions that move the needle forward. If I see myself slipping out of integrity, this will be the reminder needed to clean up the communication and focus on getting back in alignment—whether that’s with the agreements I make with my coach or my clients.
This is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing more insights as I continue this 6-month journey. My hope is that this documentation helps me slow down, integrate the work, and perhaps spark some meaningful conversations.
If something here resonates with you, I’d love to connect. Vulnerability and growth aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay, but they’re absolutely the path I’m choosing. And I’m all in.
