Coaching- Not Just Travelling By a Big Bus...

'The world exists not merely in itself, but also as it appears to me.' C.G.Jung

Recently, as many of you know, I have started training with a coaching program for young people called 'Connect,' where I am being trained up to begin working as a Christian based coach. The training is absolutely fascinating and has taught me real awareness of other people's personality traits and qualities. 

As it says in Corinithians 12 v 4-6:

'There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.' 

There are some whose gifting is being good with people, like me and there are those who have quieter giftings which are logical and reliable, but all come from the same God and should be valued as thus. :) The uniqueness of everyone in the world and their personalities is so apparent when there are fallings out and arguments, but is it necessarily celebrated? Well it should start to be!

The biggest problem that I have found as a coach is not giving advice. I am often the person many of my friends turn to when they want advice. This is probably because I have a lot of 'Red' quality with being a quick decision making and incredibly purpose lead. As the picture shows, I often butt my nose is straight away and think I can help everyone! 

However,coaching is not like that at all. Coaching is unlocking an individual's potential by helping them distill fear and lack of self-worth. I can certainly tell you that if I am having a bad day and I am feeling pants about myself, Gaz can tell me his glittering opinion of me (what a lovely boyfriend) until the cows come home. My brain will dismiss each word of encouragement he gives me: 'Oh he loves me he has to say that,' 'He's trying to encourage me so he's going to say whatever he thinks I want to hear' and so on and so forth.  Encouraging people on their strengths and good qualities is so worthwhile but often we have to believe these encouragements ourselves in order for the to make a good impact. We need to come to conclusion ourselves. 

In coaching, the aim is to ask open questions to allow room for the individual to talk about their issue but also steer the 'Coachee' through their different options and to hopefully formulate a plan. When I have been practicing, the most important factor for the coachee has been someone to listen to them. But coming from a christian perspective, I know what has given me the best self worth I could get. 

One of my most favourite verses in the entire bible, deals with this idea. 

Psalm 139v13-16 says:

'For you created my inmost being;

you knitted me together in my other's womb.

I praise you because I a fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.'

According to this verse, my days are ordained and I am created and known by a perfect creator. If you look at yourself and everyone around you with those same statements in mind, it can change your outlook. I am not an accident, a bundle of cells clumped together, but a planned and purpose-filled individual.How I look is not an accident, my personality is not a accident but a most treasured and thought through, logical plan.  

When this finally becomes apparent and hits home and you accept that you, just the way you were created and designed, have extreme value and worth like a precious jewel, you will feel like you've just won the After Eight game- as seen below. And I can tell you- that is a pretty awesome feeling. Peace out. x

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