'Life Coaching' is a generic term. It is a little vague in its definition, and hardly a helpful guide for those who are curious about what it is - let alone what it does. Its why I brand myself as a Life Transformation Coach - I see my role and purpose as helping clients transform their own lives. Transformation can mean different things to different people. I define it as moving beyond your current situation or state of being or doing. Its about change. Its about growth. Its about moving to the next level of understanding and awareness in your life.
What I find interesting and in fact remarkable, is how we live our lives and how we attribute a monetary value to all that we do and acquire in life. Our capitalist and consumer driven society dictates as a necessity that we should have and acquire things to live a sustainable and secure existence. The potential problems with this is that we move away from ourselves, our being, and start to identify with and cultivate a materialistic focus and purpose. In other words, our lives become more focused around physical possessions and acquisitions.
So where is the problem in that you might ask? The problem is when things so to speak start going wrong. We are moving away from what makes us human beings to being mere robots when we let our lives define us by what we do, how much stuff we have, and how much status we acquire doing it. For many this is a perfectly natural state of being and one they are content with - at least on the surface. But lets talk about those of us who perhaps need a little more than just things to sustain us or give us real meaning and purpose in our lives.
Before I go on, I am certainly not denouncing modern life, material assets, money or working for a living - we all need those things to varying degrees. I'm talking about those of us who become entrenched in these things and seduced by them until they finally lose any concept (if indeed they had one to begin with) that life is just about those things. How many people do you know who are just not happy or content in their lives? You know the ones, those who are never happy, always complaining about life and about people. They talk of life being hard, that life is not a picnic, that you have to struggle and do it tough to get anywhere in life. So many of these people have lost themselves in the machine, or the machinations of life in a system where they failed to see any other way of living life.
This is where life transformation coaching can be of immense benefit to a person - it provides opportunities to move beyond the current limitations and restrictions that are either imposed upon us - or by us on ourselves. Unfortunately because of the system based and societal values that are often the driving force in these individuals, they will never ever afford themselves of the opportunity to truly move beyond this way of life. They either work their way out of it (which is rare as it is a mindset) or they merely grind themselves (and those around them) into the ground. Their world makes sense to them when their actions reflect their values and beliefs. They reward themselves with things, with acquisitions, and for a moment they feel relief perhaps and even a sense of accomplishment.
Life Transformation Coaching can help those who are willing to step out of their box and their current world view. But to do this people need to value and comprehend that this very process has the potential to help them to transcend their current life situations. Unfortunately for many, a brand new TV or multi media device (to replace the one thats working perfectly that they already have) is the only meaningful way for them that they attribute value and reward in their lives. This is why it is so important to never lose sight of your inner world, those things that bring passion, happiness and inspiration into your life. If you hold true to those things, that spirit of creation and potential is ready and waiting for you - ready for your personal transformation.
