July 11, 2022
It’s thrilling to be at this point in my life, and by thrilling I mean both super exciting and also a little terrifying, like riding a new theme park ride I’ve been admiring from afar for a while. Now here I am, finally at the front of the line and about to begin this adventure.
I mean, in reality, I’ve been on similar rides for a long time. Every position I’ve had up to this point has prepared me in some way for this moment. It’s always been true that I love helping people, be it friends and family who are going through difficult times or students who are struggling. This passion is what has led me to this place. I believe that it’s my opportunity to do the things I love most with as little of the “other stuff” as possible.
Why coaching? At first, when I heard about life coaching and its various types, I knew it was something I wanted to learn more about. Clearly, it’s about helping people and that was something I could easily be on board with. As I’ve gone through training with JST, I have come to understand that it’s more than helping people by sharing my own “great wisdom.” At its core, life coaching is helping people discover that they are complete and perfect as they are and that they have the answers to their own questions. I, as a coach, am here to help them reframe their thinking and to dive deeper into their own thoughts, plans, and ideas.
So why “Strategic Connections?” Both of these words have profound meaning for me.
Finding strategies that lead to a desired outcome is key; people frequently stumble through life, more or less hoping for the best without considering what strategies will help them get where they want to be either effectively or efficiently. For instance, almost all students want to succeed, but many leave things to chance, hoping they will do better on the next test than the last without giving thought to how or why they might accomplish this goal. When we stop and consider what went well and what could have gone better, we are able to use strategies that lead to the desired outcome.
The word “connections” is one that is more personal for me. Throughout my life, I’ve noticed connections between what might seem to be disparate things. Research clearly shows that creativity is really about observing the world and putting together things in new and interesting ways. Maria Popova says, “… something we all understand on a deep intuitive level, but our creative egos sort of don’t really want to accept: And that is the idea that creativity is combinatorial, that nothing is entirely original, that everything builds on what came before…” For me, it’s about both experiencing new things and being aware of things around me as well as connecting in meaningful ways with people. Seeing the world curiously rather than casually instills this interest in connections. How is what I see in New York City similar to and different from what I saw on the streets of San Francisco? How are people on Long Island different from and the same as people from small town Texas where I grew up? And I would much rather connect with a few people in a meaningful way than numerous people in a superficial way.
So when considering names for my coaching business, I want to help people be strategic - on purpose and thoughtful, as they make connections within themselves, with other people, and with the world.
Let’s talk about how a connection between the two of us can empower you to be more strategic in living your life.
