Defining Wellness Coaching in 10 Words, More or Less

Boy, if I had a dollar for every time I was asked the question, "What, exactly, is Wellness Coaching?" I wish I could find a good way to sum up the benefits of Wellness Coaching in ten words or less, but I never felt ten words could do it justice. Instead, let me present a scenario. Perhaps you can relate... You see yourself in the mirror while brushing your teeth before going to bed, or walking past a window where your reflection startles you a bit. Maybe you see yourself in a picture posted by a friend on Facebook, or notice how tired you feel while driving to work one morning and think to yourself, "This is not how I envisioned myself to be at this point of my life. I don’t feel like I’m thriving. I feel stuck." Ok, now wait a minute. Let's back up a decade or three. What have you been doing? Let me present another scenario, and perhaps, once again, you can relate... You finished college or trade school, landed a job, worked hard to advance in your career, maybe started a family. Car payments, kids' soccer practices, mortgages, kid needs braces, tree falls on house, late nights at work, early meetings, not enough sleep, fast food, etc. etc. You know, LIFE. That's what you've been doing! You're holding down the fort and doing a good job keeping the plates spinning. There's just one problem... Your health and wellness has gone by the wayside. "How on earth do I get it back? Is it possible to ever get back on track?" I would venture a bet that many people reading this article can identify with one of the above situations. Essentially, if you are desiring to be a better YOU, it may be time to call a Wellness Coach. Because yes, you can get back on track, and you owe it to yourself to do it. Though Wellness Coaching can be very therapeutic, Wellness Coaching is not therapy, in the traditional sense of the word. In coaching sessions, client and coach do not analyze the past. Rather, a Wellness Coach sets the stage for a client to verbalize a vision of his or her future best self. A good coach helps you uncover answers to questions like: How would you feel if you were in optimal condition? What would you look like if you were feeding your body what it needs to thrive? What more could you accomplish if you felt well rested and less stressed? And most importantly, what are the very first baby steps toward becoming that person you envision yourself to be? Over time, achieving manageable weekly goals set in coaching sessions are how you become THAT person. On second thought, maybe I could take a stab at describing Wellness Coaching in ten words. Wellness Coaching is: Discovering pathways for individuals to reconnect to authentic, healthy selves. At the end of the day, is that not what we all want from life? For me, and for many of you, those ten words could change your life.