Entering the coaching industry is both a thrilling and daunting journey. One of the most common obstacles new coaches face is the fear of visibility. It’s a significant hurdle but it’s not insurmountable. Let’s delve into a detailed exploration of how you can use your embodiment and mindset as tools to overcome your fears and excel in your coaching role.
The Journey Towards Conscious Embodiment
All of us exist within our bodies, but how aware are we of our embodiment? This awareness can range from highly refined to barely noticeable, with most of us situated somewhere in between. The secret to unlocking your potential as a coach lies in transitioning from being unconsciously embodied to consciously embodied – a state where you are consistently aware of your body and its reactions.
Embodiment is a fundamental pillar of self-leadership. It’s about more than just existing in a body – it’s about understanding and recognizing how your body responds and reacts in various situations. This level of awareness is a critical step towards making more empowered choices, both personally and professionally.
You can start this journey by starting to focus on your feet, your bum and back against the chair, and later on by focusing on your movements, gestures, and the way your breath changes as you think of or encounter different things in your environment. This way, you’re bringing more awareness to your embodiment, which can lead to choice over how you want to shape your actions and behaviour.
Harnessing the Power of Choice Through Body Awareness
As an embodiment coach, my approach centres on guiding my clients to keep their focus on their bodies. We don’t delve into emotions or psychoanalyze the reasons behind our actions. Instead, we concentrate on understanding the body’s responses.
We ask questions like: What are you doing in your body at this moment? Are you tensing up or relaxing? Are you eagerly awaiting the next task or calmly absorbing the present?
By identifying our actions—even if we’re doing them unconsciously—we can gain a new perspective. This understanding can lead us to make different choices, opening the doors to transformation and growth.
The Journey from State Change to Lasting Trait Change
Recognizing your current state of embodiment is the first step in this transformative journey. The next step is to effect a change. However, it’s crucial to remember that a temporary state change won’t necessarily result in a permanent trait change. A brief alteration in routine—like going on a holiday or retreat—may provide temporary relief, but it’s unlikely to bring about lasting change in your daily habits.
Sustainable trait changes require commitment and practice. It’s about consciously integrating new practices into your life and reinforcing them until they become ingrained habits. This process is not immediate—it can take months, or even a year. It requires effort, patience, and the ability to withstand a certain level of discomfort.
Embracing Discomfort and Commitment in the Journey
The prospect of visibility and engaging with clients can be intimidating for you as a new coach. However, remember that discomfort can be a powerful catalyst for learning and growth. It’s not about eliminating discomfort but finding a balance—discovering your “sweet spot” where you can derive pleasure and satisfaction from learning by becoming increasingly visible and present where your ideal clients are, despite the discomfort.
There is no universal formula for committing despite the discomfort you feel as you start your journey. Your path is unique, filled with nuances and overtones that need to be considered for new habits to stick and new traits to emerge. However, by embodying curiosity and calibrating your capacity to deal with discomfort and every no on the way, you set yourself up for success and you learn to navigate the entrepreneurial world with more success.
Your journey as a new coach will undeniably be filled with challenges and victories. The fear of visibility may seem overwhelming, but remember, you are not alone in this journey. By embracing conscious embodiment and a proactive mindset, you can overcome these fears and confidently step into your role as a coach.
The potency of conscious embodiment lies in its tangibility. It’s not an abstract concept, but a practical approach that involves understanding and harnessing the intimate relationship between your body and mind.
As you grow more comfortable and skilled in your role, you’ll find the rewards of this work to be profoundly fulfilling. The connections you form with your clients, the growth you witness, and the transformations you facilitate, all contribute to making coaching a rewarding profession.
Delving Deeper: Practical Steps Towards Conscious Embodiment
To further elucidate, let’s delve into some practical steps you can take towards becoming more consciously embodied:
- Mindfulness: Start with mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga that encourage a heightened awareness of your body. Notice the sensations, emotions, and thoughts that arise as you move or sit still.
- Journaling: Maintain a daily journal of your observations about your body’s responses to different situations. This can help you identify patterns and triggers that you might not notice otherwise.
- Choice of Language: Pay attention to the language you use, especially when talking about obligations or tasks. Can you switch “I have to” to “I choose to”? Reflect on how this simple shift changes your perspective.
- Introspection: Regularly ask yourself: What am I doing in my body right now? This question encourages self-awareness and can help you identify when you’re unconsciously tensing up, feeling anxious, or not fully present in the moment.
- Seek Professional Guidance: Embodiment coaches can provide the tools and guidance to help you deepen your body awareness and make more empowered choices.
From Fear to Confidence: Changing Your Mindset Around Visibility
In addition to conscious embodiment, it’s essential to work on your mindset, particularly concerning visibility. Here are some strategies to help you transition from fear to confidence:
- Reframe Your Perspective: Instead of viewing visibility as a threat, try to see it as an opportunity—an avenue to reach more people and make a greater impact.
- Small Steps: Start with small, manageable actions that increase your visibility, like sharing a post on social media or speaking at a local event. Gradually, you can work your way up to larger-scale activities.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Remember, it’s okay to make mistakes—they’re part of the learning process. Each misstep is an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Seek Support: Connect with other coaches or join professional networks. These communities can provide invaluable support, advice, and encouragement.
- Mindset Coaching: Consider working with a mindset coach. They can help you identify and challenge limiting beliefs that may be hindering your visibility. And for more tangible, faster results, work with an embodiment coach.
The journey of a new coach is a rewarding one, filled with growth, learning, and transformation. By embracing conscious embodiment and a proactive mindset, you can overcome the fear of visibility, connect more authentically with your clients, and truly make a difference. Remember, the path to becoming an effective coach starts with you. Embrace your body, harness your mindset, and step into the light with confidence.
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And here’s a free guide for you to smash visibility fears, and another one to clarify your business values.