Since making the switch from traditional therapy to Life Purpose Coaching, I get this question all the time: “So, what exactly IS life coaching anyway?”

In a nutshell: coaching is all about discovering the intentional and unintentional ways we stop ourselves from living big. See, we take classes to understand and learn things like math, science, reading + business. But we don’t get classes on making our life work (maybe someday?). That’s where coaching comes in. It’s like a class on how to do life.

Here’s my best answers to the question: “What is Life Coaching anyway?”

1. It’s a place to learn.
Coaching is all about learning. Learning about you, your patterns, your strengths + your blocks. I often joke that I’m a personal trainer for your brain. ‘Cause that’s what learning is: a workout for the ol’ noggin. Just like a physical workout means you can DO more, working your brain out means you can SEE more. With coaching you learn to see yourself + your patterns from different angles. And to see opportunities + choices where you couldn’t before.

It’s a way to learn how to make your life work for you.

2. It’s a support system.
Let’s be real: loneliness sucks. And taking on life changing projects all on your own is the worst kind of loneliness. Working with a coach is like bringing on a partner to help you every step of the way.

Someone who:
-totally supports you. (Even when you can’t.)
-wants you to succeed AND can see you doing it. (Even when you can’t.)
-is able to see the bigger picture. (Even when you can’t.)
-focuses on your strengths. (Even when you can’t.)
-lovingly holds you accountable (even when you can’t) + helps you learn to tackle resistance.
-and, is so curious about you, they could spend the whole hour just asking questions about you with ZERO judgment. (Especially when you can’t.)

Basically, a coach is someone who’s got your back. Fully. (Even when you can’t.)

3. It’s YOU time.
It’s time you set aside to intentionally focus on you. Without which, very little nothing changes.

4. It’s strength focused.
You’ve got it go going on. Maybe not in every part of your life, but in some areas you’re totally rocking it. Coaching builds on that. What’s already working for you. What you’re already knocking-outta-the-park. It helps you reframe + understand these snippets of success so you can purposefully create the same success over ‘n’ over. (Instead of feeling like it’s a fluke.)

5. It’s about getting to the next level.
Life Coaching is a support system with one goal in mind: improving the quality of your life. It’s about reaching goals. Moving forward. Upping your game. In my words, it’s about going from good to ah-mazing. Sure, there’s usually some healing + letting go along the way. But what makes coaching so effective is it’s focus on growing + learning and what you DO want in your live. When you understand exactly HOW you take the ball and run- you learn how to (better) do life + totally up your game.

*This post was originally published on Caley’s website, Life Purpose Coaching. For more from Caley visit www.caleyphilipps.com.