Mirror Mirror

Sometimes I wonder what kind of 'life coach' I am. I'm not particularly gifted in the area of ticking off steps toward goals, though that's part of my work. It turns out, my 'superpower' is in seeing past the limited stories people tell themselves about who they are. Takes one to know one. You can't con a con, as they say. Thousands of hours of coaching has created a superhighway of neural networks in my brain that let me see people at their core. It's like x-ray vision for your inner amazing self. Don't worry, I can contain this - mostly. Turns out that people are beautiful when you see past their negative thinking, their personality and familiar dance steps to what is truly important to them. I'm more interested in letting clients see themselves through my eyes. When they see what I see, they spontaneously and naturally get out of their own way and there's no going back. Checking off steps toward goals turns into something different: something that looks more like curiosity, energy and intuition.

Recently, I completed one of the groups I facilitate. This group that has met monthly for going on ten years. Lots of different people came and went in that time. We started out as a group for mental health interpreters from Southern Minnesota who met in-person, and over time grew into a group for professionals from all areas of the interpreting field who lived across the country and across the ocean.

Funny how energy works. I choose to imagine that we have a finite amount of energy. A precious resource. While I'm sad to close this group, I'm aware of wanting to do something new with the energy that will become available. Will it be coaching a group of therapists or caregivers? Will it be shorter term intensive groups and classes? I'm open to ideas that have my name on them. I don't know what the year will bring, but one thing I know is that I will need my superpower. I will need to see myself the way I see others - as capable, creative, resourceful and whole.

May you live your dream this year and always.