The Power of Guidance: Jessica's Journey in the Coaching World
In the realm of personal development and transformation, the guidance and wisdom of a life coach can be a beacon of light for those seeking to navigate the complexities of life. Yet, what happens when a life coach herself continues on a quest for growth and expansion? In an inspiring interview with Jessica, I was able to learn all about her own profound journey of seeking advice and wisdom from fellow life coaches. This interview uncovered the transformative insights she gained along the way, shedding light on the power of vulnerability, collaboration, and shared expansion within the coaching community. I hope that by the end of this interview, you’ll have developed a better understanding of what the coaching journey is all about.
I asked Jessica to start from the beginning. I wanted to know how she realized she wanted to get a coach for herself and what emotions led her to making this choice. She responded with a story.
“It started when I was seeing someone. Our relationship felt like a storybook romance, but it was also a romance built on him lavishing me with material things that I was deprived of throughout my childhood. One day, he invited me to meet with a teacher that he had learned about from his brother. Beforehand, I felt both apprehensive and excited. It was the feeling you get in your stomach before going into unknown territory. I got there and noticed the coach, David Michael, sitting crossed legged on a pillow, gray hair pulled back into a ponytail with a snake head dangling from his neck. It was a very unique experience. During the session, I realized that I had been creating a mess by living my life in so many complicated lies. It immediately became clear to me that the romantic relationship I was in wasn’t the true love I wanted to experience. My heart opened and ached for a true love, so I continued to see David Michael. Right away, I felt like I was in the presence of someone with a lot of wisdom, someone who generously wanted to share that wisdom with others. I felt more like myself in his presence, which was a feeling that continued to grow after each session.”
Curiosity sparked within me after hearing this response. How can one session with a life coach change the trajectory of your life? I was impressed by the feeling of inner knowing Jessica experienced after just her first session. I went on to ask her about how many coaches she’s had and how she knew when she found the right one. I was curious, were there signs that lead a person to believe they’ve found the “perfect” coach?
“I am currently working with my fourth coach in 23 years. The way I determine who to work with is through a feeling I get in my body. The feeling is a full body, “fuck yes!” And I honor that feeling. I felt that way when I sat across from David Michael and experienced his unconventional way of teaching, and I feel that way with my coach now. You must learn to honor your inner “yes” because it's what's leading you to living the life you truly want to live. The feeling, however, is different from what it feels like to instantly connect with a friend or a partner. It's different because they(your potential coach) have been somewhere that you want to get to. There's a difference between knowing it and living it. You learn with friends, but you learn from coaches.”
Hearing Jessica describe this “inner yes” had me thinking about all of the ways our bodies are trying to communicate with us. I now knew I wanted to prioritize honoring my inner “yes.” Knowing that Jessica picked her coaches based on a feeling, I became interested if she’s ever met with a coach that had contrasting methods to the ones that she teaches her own clients. If so, I told her, I wanted to know how this affects the coaching process.
“Every coach I've met with has taught me both things that resonate and things that don’t. What happens during these coaching sessions is that you submit to the teachings completely. From there, you take what works and consider what doesn’t. It's not that you resist what’s being taught, you just hold off on certain teachings because they don’t resonate with you at that moment in time. Some things will ring true for you later in life. Whenever something doesn’t resonate with me, I plant it as a seed that I let come to fruition later in time when my consciousness has expanded enough for me to accept it.”
Hearing this made me reflect on the way a lot of people take in information. When something doesn’t apply to life at that moment in time, it goes in one ear and out the other. Thinking about how I myself haven’t put that into practice led me to ask Jessica what each of her coaches taught her and if she’s ever felt like she wasn’t making progress with a coach.
“Yes. With my first coach it was very organic and natural. His way of teaching was very spiritual. My second coach was predominantly intellectual, and taught me that my thoughts and feelings weren’t real, therefore I disregarded them. My third coach taught me that the body can support me efficiently processing my emotions by not being attached to the thoughts. This taught me how to liberate the trapped emotions that my body had been holding onto since childhood. Applying my focus, shifts my consciousness. My fourth coach, the one I currently have, is very experiential. She is teaching me how to focus my body and energy to enhance my overall life experience. As you can see, each coach has something new and different to teach you, so having one coach isn't necessarily going to give you all of the tools to live your truest life. While I’ve always made progress with my coaches, each time I reach a place where I realized I wanted more, I honored that and moved on to a new coach. Even when you know someone is a great coach for you, it's also good to trust yourself and know when it's time to move on.”
I was very intrigued how Jessica received each coach's teachings in a way that allowed her to focus on a different part of her being, whether it was the spirit, mind, or body. I told Jessica that it felt like multiple pieces of a puzzle coming together to help form your highest self.
“Exactly. My first coach told me that I got it so much faster than he got it, which means my clients will get it even faster. This is how we’re all connected and how growth is exponential. Learning about the impact of the coaching lineage was a big motivation for me becoming a life coach. There’s a powerful transmission that occurs.”
Wow. I think it’s incredible how everything is so connected and that each individual has so much power and wisdom to share with others. I read a quote once that said something along the lines of, “one day we are the students, getting 90% of knowledge and giving 10%. The next day we’re the teacher and we’re getting 10% and giving 90%.” Gearing the conversation to the business side of things, I asked Jessica how having her own coach showed up in her career and how her clients were benefitting from the coaching.
“Not only am I learning what the coach is teaching me, I'm also learning the way they run their business, how they communicate, and how they set up the structure of their business. My third coach really taught me how to build a business that would serve the person by allowing the client to have a beginning, middle, and end, which I did through my 6 month container. This brings clients that are committed to the process, and it raises the level of devotion they have to their growth and expansion. So when working with coaches, I not only focus on what’s being shared in sessions, but also how they run their business. It’s a multi dimensional learning experience.”
As an aspiring life coach myself, I felt very grateful that Jessica was sharing her expertise and wisdom with me. Lastly, I asked Jessica if there were any pieces of advice that stuck with her throughout her years of receiving coaching.
“Yes, I’ll go from coach to coach. My first coach, David, taught me to slow the fuck down. The slower you go, the faster you’ll get there. He also taught me to “answer the fucking question.” Instead of going into verbose answers, just answer the question simply. It keeps you having direct communication. My second coach, Marc, taught me, “focus created reality” and “create the experience you want to be having.” He taught me that you don't need to know, and that you’ll know everything you need to know the moment you need to know it. My third coach, Tristan, was all about, “don't control your growth. Surrendering and letting go gets you there further, faster, easier.” and “How easy are you willing to allow this to be?” Brie, the coach I'm working with now, is teaching me more about experiencing God's energy and allowing it. When I think I'm separate from it, I'm just in my limitations, which is why everything seems really hard. On the contrary, when I'm allowing it and I'm one with it, I find myself in a state of flow.”
The journey of seeking guidance from other life coaches is a profound and transformative one. The experiences Jessica shared highlight the power of vulnerability, collaboration, and shared growth within the coaching community. Each coach brings unique teachings, expanding our understanding of ourselves and others. Jessica's coaches have not only influenced Jessica's career and business strategies, but have also enriched her personal growth and relationships. She reminds us that we are all interconnected, capable of learning from another and sharing what we learn with others, and that embracing the wisdom and guidance of a coach can lead us to live a more authentic and fulfilling life. Interviewing Jessica has shown me that everyone’s coaching journey is perfectly crafted for the person they’re meant to be.