Why I Became a Life Coach 

Back in 1998, my husband and I decided to put our daughters, Chelsea and Anna in the Sylvan Learning Center Program. I wanted to give them extra support in their educational program.

After the initial testing, my husband and I were sitting in the director’s office discussing the results.  When I heard them, my thoughts flashed back, and I also felt the raw emotions, of what I went through as a teen with my own reading and writing challenges. I was sitting in the student's chair as the teachers were talking about me and my "problems".  They didn't seem to have any answers that they hadn't already tried.  Even as I was finishing college, I was quietly praying there was something available to support the brick walls I was running into and help with the struggles.

After I returned to the present, I shared my experience and my raw feelings with the Director.  Gently she opened her desk drawer and handed me a business card.  After handing me the card, she said, "We have the answers for your daughter, however, this person will help you, Lisa."

"Life Coach," hmm, what's that, I thought.  The Director went on to explain that this Life Coach explained to her that there were answers now and that I should contact her. 

Before that moment, I had never heard of a life coach.  I was curious though because I couldn't see the connection or understand the connection at that time.  I wondered if she meant therapist.  Feeling like I was at a dead end, I called her with the barest of hope left inside.  At least I did leave the Center with something, even if it wasn't the miracle I had hoped for at the time. 

After playing phone tag a few times together, the Life Coach and I connected.  The call went positive and very hopeful; however, I was still torn afterwards on which way to go.

It was easy to put my family first, but harder for me.  I fought with this.  The guilt was heavy on my conscious.  It wasn't just that guilt, it was spending the money as well.   My college was already setting us back a big penny and then to add this on top.  Whoa, this even made the air I breathed heavy.  I needed space and time to think, so I thought.  My promise to respond the next day quickly turned into a month.  By then, the semester was done and my excuse faded and the business card began screaming for attention. "You made a promise."

Finally, I pushed the phone buttons and both of us were chuckling about the lapse in time.  It was hard to believe that this person listened without any type of judgment.  Her language was different, her thinking was different.  A different experience I ever had before.  She shared with me that it wasn’t uncommon for people to need some space to think through their decision on using her services.  It was a commitment, not just financially, but a commitment to be open enough to begin believing in oneself.

After a month of working with her, it was clear what my future profession was going to be.  Our original objective was to support me with organization and time management in order to complete my senior thesis.  Yet, many parts of the conversation shifted to my future after college. We explored my past achievements, my passions, and my professional strengths.  I'm sure I'm leaving tons out but these were the main things I remember still from that time.  My passion just kept on increasing until I was at a comfortable point that I was ready to take a bigger leap of faith.  For the first time in my life, I felt comfortable, supported that matched my needs and thoroughly understood.  It was and still is an awesome feeling and sense of powerful strength. 

The passion was clear and pulling.  Pulling hard.  I began researching coaching and taking a few training sessions.  By the time I began with my first client I was trained and ready.  I was able to look past the fear of being new in the profession easily, something I didn't think would ever come during the training.  I felt armed with information, with skills, and definitely my own experiences, enough to help my first client -- a middle age woman looking for the same answers that I went through, except she struggled years longer with the problems than I had.

Since then, now five years, every experience fills my heart and brings me joy as I watch people bloom, achieve, and accomplish long, seemingly lost, dreams.

I will be forever grateful to that Director at Sylvan Center for handing me that business card.  Even today I work with other coaches to continually help me achieve, bloom, and accomplish my own dreams in order that I can do the same.   

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Find out more about Lisa on her Bio

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