Long, Winding Road to Becoming a Coach

Many years ago, I stepped away from working full-time to deal with mounting chronic health issues. Taking care of my fragile, unpredictable, mysterious body became a necessary focus. I lost myself in a maze of appointments, tests, and treatments.

I also tended to my precious cats, who had their own significant health needs. They required tremendous focus, care, and energy. I was running on proverbial fumes, but my deep love for them--and my desire to heal my own body--kept me going.

During this challenging time, a lovely mentor suggested I become a life coach. I vividly recall thinking, “What the hell is a life coach? That’s not a real thing."

Years later, I was at a conference led by Martha Beck, a well-known life coach I used to watch on Oprah. I met an amazing woman there who said I’d make a great coach. Something clicked! This time it made sense, and I began a coaching certification program a few months later.

Two weeks into that program my dad’s health took a massive nosedive. I began flying between my home and my parents’ home every few weeks, for seven straight months. My body and my credit cards took massive hits from this, but my heart needed to be there for my dad and my family.

I did my best to keep up with the coaching classes but ended up falling behind on the homework. The program leaders suggested I pause and finish the program later.

However, I decided that even though my dad’s life was ending, mine wasn’t. I stuck with it as best I could.

But I underestimated how the trauma of losing my dad would impact my ability to learn and move forward with a new career. Grief takes unexpected tolls.

Within a few short years, I experienced the deaths of three beloved cats and one irreplaceable father. A part of me left with each of them, causing me to feel even more lost.

On top of that grief, I dealt with difficult long-haul symptoms of COVID-19, undoing many years of recovery from my chronic health issues. The pandemic and strict lockdowns took more of a mental toll. The yearly California wildfires and toxic air quality took yet another toll. I felt confident as a coach, but starting my own practice was daunting. I felt lost again.

I found myself thinking: Did anything make sense anymore? Was I safe in my own home, my own body? Was the air itself out to get me? What's the point of trying to change my life when I just get derailed? Does anything last, besides grief?

Does this sound familiar? Sometimes life just keeps piling on the crap and we get worn down.

I didn’t give up because I had the passion to become a life coach. A year and a half after I technically graduated from my coaching program, I finally finished the homework and got my certification. I signed up for a second coaching certification program to learn new skills and further my training.

I still feel lost at times. That's just part of being human. But, I am proud to be a certified life coach, ready to help you take on your own challenges.

Don’t give up on yourself, your dreams, your goals. Life throws you off course. Plans get delayed or even derailed. 

But it’s never too late to start again. And again and again…

We can do this together.