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Pay attention to what you’re passionate about
Pay attention to what you’re passionate about and the why behind the passion.
For me here was yoga but the deeper passion was this helps me. This can help them too. I still carry the essence of this why in my work today. Sharing what works for me and delivering it to who needs it most in my world – mamas!
With your ‘why’ securely strapped in, ease in to the steps to prepare yourself off hours as much you can. Get the extra training you might need, read up a storm on your chosen area, dabble a bit by working gratis for friends and family to see if your heart sings and your energy doesn’t strain.
Basically, don’t quit your day job until you got your support systems in place to see that you’re not overwhelmed with stress and distractions that can muddle the clarity you need right now to either hone your craft or design your position in your chosen area of work.
And keep your epiphanies from this practice in a journal type container. Whether it be pen to paper, or what it looked like for me, keeping a personal blog, doing Facebook lives. Notice what you are naturally drawn to and what this ‘soul craving’ of yours might be hinting at?
Meditate on what makes you naturally stand out
Once you’ve had an inkling of your area of passion, meditate on how you can stand out, serve your target market best and make yourself unique and communicates your core values.
Even if you’re finding yourself currently in what you hope isn’t your forever gig this is a perfect opportunity to practice creative niche making, communicating to your tribe in a language they use and understand, paying attention to gaps in the market place and playing with different income streams and platforms.
Get comfortable putting yourself out there
I soon got comfortable selling my goods online which was a skill that translates smoothly toward getting over my hang ups of selling stuff online. A must if you want to sell your coaching services on the internets!
My favourite aspect of marketing I discovered was writing in my blog and the connections I started establishing with my readers. Many of those who’ve been reading since back in the day so I’m deeply honored they’ve witnessed major parts of this slow motion leap from my sitting in a open-concept cubicle desk to training mamas just like me to start up a heart-centered business that speaks to their souls.
So start getting comfortable online as soon as possible. No matter what sort of business you start up you’ll need to have a blog, or some other sort of web presence, to attract and connect with your right people. If it helps, start a personal blog to dip your toes in these waters but don’t delay your declaration to the world at large that Mama Means Business by starting to collect the precious gold that is email addresses from those who are digging your style, values and ambition and sharing your growing expertise with them.
Consider ways you can one day scale your coaching services
Half of your efforts, no matter what you end up offering, will more or less be devoted to marketing so to have something to market that’s pretty much on auto pilot is perfect for mamas that want to spend a good chunk of time cuddling with their kiddos on the couch before making dinner like I like to do. Time flies when you cuddle.
At a certain point I wanted to go deeper with my work. I returned to that big why I had a taste of while I was still clunking along in my clunky high heel shoe wearing corporate days.
There was a shift in me to move from creating to preaching the deeper importance of creating the time and space for self-care, creative play, meditating on these ‘big why’ aspects of our purpose in life as well as simplifying our days to highlight was truly important.
Working one on one with coaching clients gives you a real precious opportunity to hear what your ideal client is struggling with. A beautiful way to serve more than just one one one get to use their own words in my sales pages and program ideas.
Coaching has been such an invaluable life skill that’s enhanced so much more than my business model and income streams. My relationships are stronger, I have tools in place that lift me up when I’m feeling weak and I’m more inclined to always have a coach at my side on some aspect of my business or personal life. That last bit kinda makes me feel like Oprah. LOVE any moment I feel like Oprah.
Start practicing your coaching skills on everything and everyone
A huge part of coaching is listening. Whole body listening. When exploring your new career path or next transition bunny hop, see if you could hop (ha, ha) on the phone with who you think you’d like to work with on a business capacity to deeply hear what their struggles are, what sort of support they’re seeking, what sorts of investments they’ve made so far to alleviate the pain from their pressing problems ( or not so pressing) and then be open to the ideas these conversations might bring forth.
And if you like the sound of idea of coaching, consider what area of your expertise or passion you could coach someone who’s a few steps behind you on or how one on one attention could be offered in something you’ve created already.
Like a poet, you might just be a coach already but don’t know it!
The leap from corporate to ‘it’s jeans day everyday’ isn’t always so clear cut and dramatic.
But it’s always hopping fun and usually an unpredictable journey that you could never guess the destination you’ll end up at or the character, and life skills, building adventures you’re sure to have along the way.
