12 Benefits of coaching
So, you’ve heard of coaching, you may even have considered coaching, but you have absolutely no idea what it is or, let’s be honest, what the point is! Well, first of all, welcome. Here at Blondes Restoration Coaching we want to make sure you not only know what you’re getting yourself into but also that you have a really good understanding of the science behind what we do.
What is coaching?
Coaching, in its simplest form, is a conversation. It is a time for you to express, collect and examine your thoughts to really dig into the truth of who you are and what you want. Business and Personal coaching give you the opportunity to focus on the different aspects of your goals, be those in your career or your personal life, to start making steps towards making those goals a reality. Coaching is a collaboration between you and your coach, helping you navigate the sometimes-overwhelming thoughts occupying your mind on a daily basis. Its purpose is to empower you, to allow you the space to make change, to reflect on who you are and your behaviours, and to start becoming the person you truly want to be.
What you really need to remember about coaching is that YOU are the leader; a good coach listens to you, a great coach will help you listen to yourself.
Why coaching?
So now you have a little more understanding (or at least I hope you do!) of what coaching is, let’s dig into the why. Why is coaching beneficial? Why have millions of people across the globe turned to coaching to help them, and more importantly, how will it help you?
Below are 12 Benefits of Coaching; the benefits are far greater than this list can describe but it’s a good place to start.
1. Understand who you are and why you do what you do.
Our passions are what drive us to be greater, be that in our professional career, our home life or in our hobbies. Coaching helps you develop your passions, or for those who haven’t found them yet, uncover them. With more clarity you can start to consider your purpose. Working with a coach allows you to flourish with a greater knowledge and understanding of your true purpose, embarking on incorporating more of your passion in your life, your goals and your achievements.
2. Increase self-confidence both in yourself and in your decisions.
I don’t know about you, but self-doubt is what has held me back at different points throughout my whole life. I would often put my lack of confidence down to others and their opinions of me, but the weight of my own expectations has been the biggest contributor to my lack of trying and lack of belief in myself. Coaching gives you the opportunity to listen to those voices, that inner monologue, as an observer. To see your self-doubt as something that can be heard and then forgotten. With a coach you can find your self-confidence, understand that your worth is intrinsic to who you are as a person and truly have faith in your decisions and decision making.
3. Implement systems and structures for better productivity and organisation.
Organisation, it is either your strength or your weakness and I know mine depends on the number of thoughts running around my head at any one time. Organisation isn’t always about having an impressive diary or more hours in the day, what we really need is the ability to view our tasks as a whole and make clear, well backed decisions around which tasks take precedence. In coaching, you’re given the time to consider what really should be a priority, and what can wait.
Increased productivity? I’ll take two!
4. Foster better relationships
Coaching is a route to a higher awareness of gratitude and appreciation, both of which support our relationships at home and at work. In your sessions, you will be given tools to appreciate yourself, your colleagues and your loved ones allowing you the space for healthy, well-balanced relationships
5. Do what you truly love
Do you feel like you’re trudging through each day without seeing and feeling that passion for life? You’re not alone, in 2017 YouGov found that only 17% of Britons surveyed ‘loved’ their jobs. Coaching helps you figure out what loving your life and your career would look like, and then gives you to tools and steps to get there.
6. Be accountable
How often have you made a to-do list to only get part of it done? Is it because we are unable to prioritise, that we don’t have enough time or even that we lose our motivation halfway through? Whatever it is that holds you back, coaching will help you pinpoint those moments and work through them. Becoming accountable to who truly matters. Yourself.
7. Overcome your fears
Fear. So many of our emotions are wrapped up in fear and being afraid. Did you know our productivity and progress are hindered by our fears? It may be that we are afraid of failure, or even sometimes we are afraid of success! When you sit with a coach, you get to identify and more importantly face your fears. When we embrace fear as it is meant to be, we can work with it towards making our dreams a reality. “Action conquers fear”, so let’s get started.
8. Unearth creativity
Our creativity is often hidden within our subconscious, waiting for the “right time” to be allowed to shine. Through coaching you can find and nurture your creativity. Using it for the everyday, giving yourself the opportunity, you deserve to unlock more joy in each moment.
9. Be better equipped to work through your problems
How often have you thought you wanted to chat about one problem, only to figure out that the real issue is something completely different? In your conversations with your coach, you’ll find solutions to both. Identifying obstacles in your professional and personal lives, barriers which slow your progress and dampen your passions, to find ways around them.
Problems that seem at times, terrifying and overwhelming, become manageable with a new perspective and clear tools.
10. Be fully present in the now.
As humans we are known for living in the past while preparing for the future, and while gratitude for what has been and an awareness of what is to come can be useful, we will never be happy unless we can find joy in the present. With your coach, you will be able to step off the treadmill that keeps us racing towards the future, to view what is going on around you right now. And let’s be honest, how many of us miss those beautiful moments because we are overwhelmed by the chaos and ‘full on’ life that we as a society live in? Let’s take stock, see where we are and enjoy the best bit, the journey.
11. Develops your self-awareness
Self-awareness, the paradox of it being completely necessary to live honestly and fruitfully, while being extremely difficult to cultivate and develop is not lost on me. But without it, we risk never fully diving into the joy and emotion of reality.
By embarking on a coaching journey, you’re agreeing to begin stripping away the layers that encompass who you are. The thoughts, fears, emotions, and drivers that are the foundation of your being. It sounds pretty scary, but by embracing each part of ourselves, we can start to envision our path for moving forward. Are you playing to your strengths? Are you getting support for your weaknesses? Is our current path leading us towards the goal we desire? Are we living our authentic selves?
Together, you and your coach will find the answers and in becoming more self-aware make evolving a natural part of your day to day being.
12. Grants you the space for honesty, enabling you to regard your assumptions and beliefs without judgement
How often do you have a thought and berate yourself for it? Or assume the worst in a person or situation? The path to living openly, prepared for self-improvement and expansion, requires us to inspect and analyse our thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions but without judgement. A coach is Switzerland. Neutral. Their role is to give you the space to do the same, to be honest with yourself about your thoughts and beliefs, enabling you to witness your limiting beliefs and foster the thoughts that will help you grow. You may even find that those limiting beliefs come from the outside world, and in realising that find yourself ready to face your challenges with renewed vigour and motivation.
There you have it, 12 benefits of coaching and this list is by no means exhaustive. Each person who tries coaching, experiences it differently to anyone else, and that’s the whole point. Coaching is an extremely personal journey for you to go on, which is why finding the right coach is so very important. Something to consider is that a large portion of the coaching space is unregulated; just about anyone can call themselves a ‘coach’, so it’s very important to do a little research on the coach you choose, check their accreditations, and make sure they are the right fit for you and what you want to achieve.
Take your time, make sure you have the opportunity to get to know them and their style before you commit, and most of all trust your gut. Coaching, when done right is a powerful tool to be used for growth, personal development, and self-improvement.
I hope you’ve found this article useful! If so, why not share it with someone you know and give them an insight into coaching?
Want some more information about coaching and what it could do for you? Pop over to our Contact page and get in touch for a free discovery call.