At this very moment, I am sitting at a coffee shop, sipping on a Nitro Cold Brew! (It is delicious, btw.) It seems like forever since I have written. Life has a tendency to get in the way, sometimes. And for me, this time of year always has me scrambling. But rest assured, I am doing my best to stay healthy (mentally, emotionally, and physically) during this busy season.

One of the things I do to stay healthy, and organized, and focused, is have regular chats with my coach. I have mentioned this in the past—coaching, that is. And for those of you who know me personally—specifically knowing my below average athletic ability—you know that my coach doesn’t help me increase my basketball shot percentage or my 5K running time. Nope, she coaches me in life!

I thought that I would take a moment to talk about the “life coaching” process and what I get out of it. Over the past few years, my coach, Chris, has guided me through some very difficult decisions and life situations. On several occasions, during an hour long phone conversation, I have gone from clueless to clarity in a variety of circumstances.

I was introduced to Chris through my volunteer work with Compassion International. For years, Chris has worked with Compassion Volunteer Child Advocates, and Compassion staff, to help them define their personal ministries within the organization. And this is the capacity in which I first chatted with her. I was wanting to do more to introduce people to child sponsorship through Compassion and I wasn’t sure how to best utilize my time and talents in that pursuit. So, a coaching relationship was born.

Every few weeks, I would schedule a call with Chris to gain more clarity in my ministry. But as the ups and downs of life entered into the picture, our calls often took interesting rabbit trails. I quickly began to realize the incredible value of the coaching process in a much broader context. But before I get into any specific experiences I have had while being coached, let me first give you an idea of what the process of a call is like.

A coaching call begins like any other phone call. Pleasantries are exchanged and there is a short period of time to catch up on life’s happenings since the last call. (And in my case, since Chris has become a friend, this portion might take a few minutes.) This then segues into the first question, “What would you like to get out of today’s conversation?” This is the essence of coaching. The person being coached is placed in the driver’s seat. He or she is given the freedom to take the session where it needs to go. On the flipside, the coach is there to guide the process.

Now, for those who have seen a counselor or therapist to work through life’s issues, you may be thinking that this is quite similar. But having experienced both types of guided interaction, I see a contrast between the two. Indeed, there are similarities, but the dissimilarity lies in the fundamental purpose of the coach. The coach asks multiple questions, guiding the mentee toward answering the questions for himself or herself. The coach’s purpose is not to offer advice, rather, to make inquiries and point out patterns that direct the mentee toward greater clarity.

As I mentioned before, my relationship with my coach, Chris, began in the context of my ministry with Compassion International. However, there have been a multitude of other topics we have discussed. For example:

• Leading more effectively at work
• Preparing for different stages of parenting
• Transitioning between churches
• Deciding to relinquish a promotion at work
• Working toward forgiveness and/or resolution in strained relationships
• Being a better husband when my tendency is to be a knucklehead

These are just a few of the many things I have gained clarity on while being coached. And it continues to amaze me how often an hour long conversation can bring about a resolution to something I may have been struggling with for weeks or months. Coaching has been (and continues to be) a highly valuable practice for my mental and emotional health. It better prepares me to play this game we call life.

Put me in coach, I’m ready to play!

Do you have any questions? Want to know more about my experiences with coaching? Please write a comment below or contact me privately. I’d love to chat with you more!

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Be well…

P.S. If you have a story to tell and would like to join Jim Ladiski Writes as a guest blogger, please contact me!