EnCOURAGEment!
Recently it was brought to my attention by a client that the word encouragement has a little gem hiding inside it.
The word COURAGE!
My brain exploded (in a good way) when I realised this. 
I couldn’t believe that I’d missed that crucial key ingredient.
And It made me realise 2 things:
- That encouragement is as much a reward for the giver and the receiver
- It’s something that we should talk about more.
Let me explain…
For the giver of encouragement.
When you are in that energy of courage while you are helping someone grow you allow that other person to feel hope and confidence that their experience will evolve.
From your end, it takes great courage to hold space and support for that person at that particular time as you call on all your past experiences to offer direction and perspective.
For the receiver of encouragement.
When you are on the other end and receiving the encouragement it is inspiring as it allows for accountability.
You know that you have what it takes to complete whatever you need to because you have the support and guidance from someone who has already achieved what you set out to do.
Now, let me tell you a little story…
This year I knew that my life required more energy and a new level of commitment for me to achieve what I am planning to do.
One of my goals for 2022 was to focus on my health & fitness.
So, recently I have started going to a personal trainer.
Now, as someone who has been doing home workouts for the last 2 years, it has been game-changing having that little birdy on your shoulder telling you that “you can do it” when you’re struggling through that last set.
And by little birdy, I mean the accountability of another human being.
This got me thinking about the field of coaching because this has now expanded far beyond just health and fitness.
You can find a coach in just about any industry these days.
When you really think about it though, it makes a lot of sense.
Because a lot of human struggle comes down to how we choose to perceive our experience. ( in my opinion )
Two people can look at the exact same
situation from a totally different lens.
For Example: Your partner or a friend challenges your opinion on a matter.
One person could see the situation as an attack, whereas the other person could see it as an experience to listen, take on board the conversation and grow from the experience.
Can you see the difference there?
I believe that is a matter of mindset.
Now, imagine for a second that you had a person cheering you on for each part of your life.
Your health & fitness, wealth, self-care & self-love, relationships, your mental/emotional wellbeing, spirituality, learning, your mission, your business or brand or career, heck why not even creativity.
The good news is you totally can!
Even professional athletes like Ash Barty have a mindset coach!
And I have never seen a more composed 25-year-old tennis player in my life…
When you learn to control your emotions and have someone in your corner coaching and encouraging you along different stages of your life journey, boy oh boy will your life change.
Now, this isn’t about going crazy and investing in every single solution that you can all at once (trust me when I say this as I learnt this the hard way).
It’s about intentionally curating who’s in your corner by checking in with where you are currently at.
I thought I’d lend a helping hand with this great and simple exercise.
It’s called The Wheel of Life.
So, take a moment to drop into a state of self-honesty.
This exercise asks you to get real about your present life experience across 10 different categories.
And it does take COURAGE to be this honest & genuine with yourself.
But it can help you see which areas in your life could use some tender love and care.
The Wheel of Life Activity.
This very powerful activity asks you to rate different areas of your life out 10.
You can save the image below and print it out to complete this activity.
Or create a similar drawing in a notebook.
I have also provided a video outlining the process and categories in more detail.
