As your Personal Development Coach, I will offer you space and time to think about what you want to achieve in your life right now.
Then together, we can create a bespoke action plan that's right for you.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word Coach?
For many people, the word 'coach' conjures up an image of helping with sporting or health goals: maybe a football or swimming coach, or a personal trainer in the gym, perhaps.
They would work with you to set realistic goals and continuously offer you encouragement and support.
They will take into consideration any restrictions or 'blocks'; and set goals according to your own set of circumstances.
They believe in you, and don't doubt that you have the ability to succeed. They will continuously review progress.
And there is a good balance between being challenging, encouraging and supportive.
So, a Personal Development Coach (often known as Life Coaching) isn't really that much different!
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People seek out a Personal Development Coach for a variety of reasons. A few of these reasons are detailed below...
Knowing that they want to change job or career, but don't quite know what career choice to make.
Building confidence to move forward in any area of life, be it work or otherwise.
Being at a crossroads. Not feeling totally happy with where they are now: not quite sure what direction to go next, and seeking clarity about a way forward.
Growth and Development in general.
If they tend to start something and not finish, and are wondering why? Help to finish what they started.
Becoming more assertive. For example, being able to voice legitimate opinions, or even just say the word 'no'.
Health and Wellbeing. Perhaps working on getting a better work-life balance; losing weight; developing a fitness plan, etc.
Action Planning the way ahead
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My service will...
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Offer a friendly and supportive space for you to tell me what you want to achieve from Coaching
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Help you to find clarity to work out your aims and objectives
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Set realistic goals
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Plan a way forward
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Assist you to incorporate helpful tools and techniques that would best support you on your journey
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Be flexible, and adapt to circumstances that arise along the way
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Offer support and mentoring throughout
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Continuously review progress
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Work with you to move forward if you are doubting your ability to succeed
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Assist you with whatever thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions impede on your journey, and potentially hold you back
You will receive a complementary 'Coach Yourself' manual for you to use to support yourself throughout. This contains helpful tools and tips for you to use to use now, and in the future too.
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It is important to get the right Coach for you.
I can offer you a half hour zoom consultation, free of charge.
It will enable you to you to check in with me, and ask any questions you may have. There is no obligation to book my service afterwards.
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How I would approach my work with you and support you through challenges along the way
I have a Masters in CBT, and this offers a rich framework to base our work together. It is a rounded, comprehensive and holistic approach, taking into consideration how you think, feel, act and react. You will learn tools and techniques to help you now, and for you to use to help yourself throughout your life.
Going out of your comfort zone
Moving forward on a new idea or making big changes to our life often means leaving our comfort zone - no matter how well prepared we feel. This can sometimes feel scary, with inevitable obstacles along the way.
Have you had to take on a new challenge in the past? Can you remember what it like for you and how you managed to achieve what you did, despite any discomfort you might have felt along the way? Building on these inner resources will be your starting point in your journey.
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Thinking and Beliefs
Take my own experience of learning to drive. I carried a long standing belief until I was in my 40s that I would never be able to drive. I was 'too scared', it felt 'too hard'; and I never ever believed that I would have the confidence to succeed.
But then my circumstances changed, and it became much more in my best interests to be able to drive. So I learned to drive. Building confidence and pushing through fear was the main area I had to overcome in order to succeed. And I learned to drive (and passed my test)
Reminding yourself of helpful, affirmative beliefs that you know to be true, throughout your journey, is a key ingredient to success.
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Feelings and Emotions
Noticing and strategising for difficult and hindering emotions that hold you back
Can you think of an occasion in the past when you managed to regulate your emotions in order to push forward with something, or even stop yourself from doing something you might regret? Or when you wished you hadn't allowed your feelings to control your reaction?
I remember being in a tense meeting, and I stayed in tune with my breathing throughout, regulating it and slowing it down. By doing this, it enabled me to be much less reactive, and much more thoughtful in my responses.
Whatever emotion comes up for you, there are many useful tools and techniques that can help you to push through on your journey.
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Actions and Reactions
Reacting constructively throughout your journey
I can help you to learn new techniques to assist you with negative actions or reactions that might come up for you during your time with me.
When I first started my work in private practice, I felt apprehensive to put my website live because I felt out of control about how I might be received. I needed to coach myself to ensure that I could allow myself to feel some discomfort, but still do it anyway.
After all, I don't have to believe the story a feeling is telling me. And what is the worst that could happen?
It may come as a surprise to hear that most people don't feel calm when they take on a new challenge. In fact, most are likely to feel varying degrees of uneasiness or discomfort - especially at the start. But they can still carry on. The more they push through, the easier it becomes.
Getting an understanding of your underlying thoughts and feelings impact on how you behave, and discovering a way forward, will be part of our work together.
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The difference between a Coach and a Counsellor
A counsellor would help an individual understand how experiences from the past may be blocking their ability to live their best life now. As your coach, our discussions would be largely based in the present. The focus would be to help you think about your current circumstances. You would, in essence, be taking positive action about where you are now, and then identifying goals and working towards them.
We would work out what you need to help you on your journey, which would involve implementing bespoke, practical self help tools and techniques to help you through.
I would also expect that difficult or unwanted emotions might arise, such as fear or doubt. This is quite natural. I would listen carefully, reflect with you and work with you to overcome these obstacles in order to move forward.
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Contact Me
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you want to book an appointment, or to ask me anything at all.
E-mail me at services@LindaHardy.org
I look forward to hearing from you should you feel that I could be right person to work with you.
Thanks for taking the time to read my page.
All the best from Linda.
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