Many people are intrigued by what is involved in health coaching, how it works and why anyone would want it. So I thought that I would share a little about the what and why of health coaching.
What is a coach?
As a child and a teenager, my life consisted highly of competitive sport. I represented my state and country in various sports. In my younger years it was for gymnastics and sports acrobatics and in my later years for sailing. I was coached by a variety of different coaches through the various sports I competed in. From my experiences as an elite athlete, I know how important a good coach can be!
I also know what it’s like to ‘be the coach’, having coached gymnastics; been the coach of the sailing squad for the Illawarra Academy of Sport many years ago and also in recent years through teaching children to swim.
In the sporting world, coaches are tremendously important. Whether it’s a junior soccer team or a pro tennis player, coaches are vital! Every athlete needs a coach. A sporting coach helps to assist an athlete in developing to their full potential. They are responsible for training the athlete in their chosen sport by instructing them in relevant skills, providing encouragement and motivation and analysing their performances. A good sporting coach knows their athlete well! They know their struggles, weaknesses and strengths. They know what they need to work on and when they need a rest to recharge. A good sporting coach makes all the difference! They help an athlete achieve their sporting goals and celebrates with them when they achieve them.
Motivation, inspiration and accountability
Motivating and encouraging others has always been something I have liked to do! I remember at High School when I was on the Sports Committee, I had the role of providing a positive quote for the school newsletter each week. I loved reading positives quotes and had books and calendars filled with them. Even my walls at home were covered in positive quotes and inspirational sayings. Some of my all time favourite quotes, were spoken by Thomas Edison – the inventor of the electric light bulb. Yes I have always liked Science! 🙂
Thomas Edison said,
‘I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’
‘Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.’
‘Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.’
My kids hear me quote the story of Thomas Edison all the time! He is the man who never gave up! Imagine how many times he could have given up, but he didn’t…he didn’t see his mistakes as failure, but he had a positive and determined mindset.
For me, having someone to motivate me, inspire me and keep me accountable to my goals, dreams and aspirations is super helpful! I truly believe we were not meant to do life alone, we were made to live in community and to help one another! And that we go though different life experiences and journeys so that we can help encourage and guide other people on their journey.
Health coaching
One of the biggest things I struggle with is going to bed by 10pm. I know that I feel so much better when I do, but there are so many things I want to do once the kids go to bed, that it’s just so hard to listen to myself (and my goal) and go to bed. I often ask my husband to take my phone, computer or book off me or to stop me from cleaning, as I just find it so hard to pull myself away from my to-do list at night and give my body the rest it needs. If you want to read more about my journey, click here.
When I was studying to be a health coach, we were encouraged to find an accountability partner and health coach each other. I can tell you, everyone (including me), benefits from having health coaching!
We all have areas in our life that we want to improve on and seek balance in. We all have struggles and weaknesses and we all have strengths. Therefore we can all benefit from the motivation, encouragement, accountability and guidance, that a good health coach can provide.
A health coach is trained to ask the right questions and actively listen. A good Health Coach knows the person they are coaching through asking questions and listening. They know their goals and provide encouragement to persevere through the ups and downs of life. A Health Coach empowers a client and supports them in achieving their goals. They are a “guide on the side” providing accountability, support, and information to help their clients make sustainable life changes and reach their optimal health.
Your health is worth it
No matter what stage of life you are in, or where you are on your health journey, health coaching can be beneficial to you! If you are ready to make some positive changes in your life and work towards achieving your goals of better health, then you should give Health Coaching a go. Whether your goals are to improve sleep, increase energy, eat healthier, improve gut health or hormone health, learn how to cook allergy-free, decrease stress and anxiety or lose weight, a Health Coach can help you.
If you are ready to take the next step and you are keen to start the process of creating positive and sustainable change in your life, feel free to send me an email or a message. You can make a difference to your health! It really is not as scary as you think. 🙂
