Finding My Calling as a Coach….by accident!!
When you think about leaving, cutting ties, launching out and starting over, it’s usually because there is something you don’t like. This was not my story. I loved my job; I was challenged and fulfilled by it. I had many opportunities to teach, speak, travel, lead, and contribute to transforming lives. I was at the height of my professional and academic game; then suddenly, the rug was pulled out from beneath me … my contract was not renewed.
A young, bright professional like me should not be unemployed; any organisation should hire me in a minute. So, I thought. I told myself that I’ll do as I always did: ‘bounce back’ into another job and continue my upward trajectory. However, the harsh reality soon dawned on me that I may not able to ‘bounce back’ as I did before. Now at 40 years old, I came face-to-face with the reality that I had to START OVER.
After what seemed like an eternity of depression, thoughts of failure and badly shaken self-confidence, I got an IDEA. Despite having a successful career, I now had to eradicate debilitating beliefs, such as the fears of not being in control and the unknown. I also had to accept the changing direction of my life. I was now in a place to assess my life-long acquired skills and set out on a path to repurposing them.
I have learnt many lessons out of this experience, a few being: 1. Learn to Accept Uncertainty, 2. Deal with the Fear of the Unknown and 3. It is okay to ask for help. I have fully embraced these lessons and have launched bravely into a path of developing women in gaining confidence, clarifying their vision and providing them with skills and resources to successfully navigate life’s many transitions.
Now, as a Vision and Transition coach, I have made a promise to pass on my Pearls of Wisdom, pearls gathered through life’s lessons, and it is these pearls that I use to help persons navigate through their many transitions in life. I have adopted the mantra, ‘Whoever hoards the fire and does not pass it along is a thief.”(Viking saying). I am determined to pass on the fire. However, an early lesson as a coach that I quickly learned was that my pearls were not for everybody and so I learned to adjust my expectations. But being resolute with my new found calling; I have vowed that I would find those persons who need to hear what I have to offer. My priority as a coach is to firstly to form meaningful relationships and to make connections with persons that will set them on the path of vision-centered development.
As a coach, I am intentional about helping persons identify the capacity for change within them, and encourage them to adopt a visionary outlook on their life. I am fulfilled by witnessing the individual transformation that comes through successfully navigating a transition. When an individual understands the internal changes taking place, changes to their thinking, behaviours, emotions, attitudes, they can then easily adapt to these changes, the end result is a refreshing life transformation that pivots them to confidently handle their new season.
By Jiselle Alleyne-Clement
