Posts

A Coach as the Musical Notes in a Client's Life

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  Life is like a dance to the rhythm and melody which is unique to each person. As coaches, we aren’t the ones orchestrating the music for any client or even leading the dance; instead, we are like musical notes. The notes are essential elements that guide, uplift, and harmonize with our clients’ journeys. The client is like the orchestrator of his own life’s music. Each coaching session is like creating a symphony of growth, clarity, and purpose, where the client is both the composer, orchestrator and performer. Here’s how, in my experience, coaching mirrors musical notes, with each aspect adding depth and resonance to a client’s life. I will divide this into 5 sections of musical notes, depicting 5 different stages in a coaching session.   1. The Opening Note: Establishing Trust and Rhythm The start of any coaching relationship is like the opening notes of a song. It sets the tone, establishes the rhythm, and builds trust—the foundation for everything that follows. I remember

What would you have instead of fear?

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 In a recent coaching session, I worked with an employee struggling with repeated quality errors and mistakes. As we dove into the conversation, he shared that he was constantly anxious about how his work would be perceived. He worried that, no matter what he did, something would inevitably go wrong. This led him to overthink every detail, which only seemed to create more mistakes, ironically reinforcing his fears. He described the cycle as exhausting and frustrating, feeling as if he was never able to meet the mark he set for himself. In his words "It is exhausting to be fearful." Listening to his concerns, I could sense that a significant part of the issue was his fear of being judged. He was so focused on the potential for negative feedback that it had become a self-fulfilling prophecy, overshadowing his confidence and focus. I paused, then asked him, “If you could quiet that inner fear of judgment, what would you say to yourself instead? And how would that feel?” He took

Embracing Positive Intelligence: A Journey into Sage Mindfulness

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  The past few days have been a whirlwind of self-exploration as I dive into a course on Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine. It’s a transformative approach that’s reshaping how I envision my future, encouraging me to live more fully in the present. The course is all about activating what it calls the “Sage Mind”—essentially, cultivating a mindset rooted in awareness, presence, and genuine happiness. In many ways, it aligns closely with mindfulness, yet it goes beyond by offering tools to ground myself in the here and now, savoring each moment as it unfolds. One of the most impactful aspects of Positive Intelligence is how it encourages daily practices to strengthen presence. I’ve found myself more attuned to my thoughts and emotions, reminding myself to pause and truly be where I am. This daily focus has been instrumental. Whenever I feel my mind drifting into worries about the future, or reminiscing about the past, I gently guide it back to what’s in front of me, fully engaging

The Illusion of Being 'Genuine'

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  Have you ever wondered how often we present a different version of ourselves to the world? The term "genuine" is thrown around casually, but how often do we truly embody it? In today's world, it seems like people are increasingly adept at wearing masks, carefully curating their online personas and projecting a facade of perfection. Why do we feel compelled to hide our true selves? Is it fear of judgment, a desire to fit in, or perhaps a misguided belief that authenticity is a weakness? Whatever the reason, this constant performance can take a toll on our mental health. It's exhausting to constantly be on guard, to be alert for any potential missteps that might expose our true selves. I've observed this phenomenon firsthand. People often put on fake smiles, offer insincere compliments, and express love that feels hollow. While there are undoubtedly genuine individuals out there, it seems that the pressures of society often drive us to adopt a persona that aligns

The Power of Childlike Curiosity

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  I recently had a fascinating conversation with my daughter that highlighted the power of childlike curiosity and innovative thinking. We were painting together, and she was using her brush and poster colours for scene of a bathtub and a small child playing and splashing water. As my daughter mixed different paints to create new colors, I was struck by her ability to think creatively and logically. When she mixed red and blue to make purple, I was impressed with her understanding of color theory and her recall must have been through some YouTube videos. However, I was truly amazed when she later decided to color the water in the bathtub a very dark blue. When I questioned her choice, she explained that it was nighttime, so the water should be dark. This simple explanation revealed a deep understanding of the relationship between time, setting, and color. It also demonstrated her ability to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions and her imagination of the context. As