Jonathan knew he was not handling work situations as well as he’d like; his loss of clear thinking was leaving him feeling frustrated and anxious, which was preventing him from achieving what he needed to accomplish. Life’s stresses and experiences can build in us all, we are all human, and this can lead to mental obstructions and unease. Coaching is great for helping to remove blocks and angsts, allowing us to clear our mental paths and move forward.
Mind circles
‘To an extent it felt like my brain was caught up in its own loop and it felt unnatural to break that loop; it was caught in this slightly self-destructive circle and was comfortable with the loop it had created. I think all the sum of the parts of my life had gradually built up and I found myself not handling situations well. I was taking on too much and managing things in the wrong way.
In a stressful situation when you handle things badly, it just leads to more stress. I was getting frustrated at not getting the outcomes I wanted, and this was leading to me not communicating correctly, and situations weren’t resolving. I was winding up in a cycle of stress. I needed to find clarity — there was a lot of chaos going on in my head and I wanted to improve my business life and work pressures. I’d reached a limit and required coaching to help process everything that was going on.’
Worries
It’s not unusual for people to worry about the stigma surrounding finding support for our metal wellbeing, thankfully this attitude is changing as more people discover just how important getting the right help is in life.
‘I had a lot of initial fear that was holding me back from finding the right help, it was an unfounded fear based on an unknown element; perhaps stemming from the worry of being judged for reaching out.
I think coaching is a wonderful thing that not all people appreciate. I thought that people would judge me for getting help. But there are lots of people who don’t get the help they need and continue to suffer in their work and with their mental wellbeing.’
The coaching experience
‘I’d had a little bit of coaching in my past, but it hadn’t really worked to my expectations. So rather than giving up, I chatted with Emma. My sessions were initially fortnightly, and as I progressed, we moved into monthly sessions.
This was a really refreshing experience because Emma approached coaching from a different point of view, and I think that’s the thing that worked for me and helped to ease my anxiety.
Emma helped me visualise images that work as an anchor or as a safe thought which I associate in certain circumstances to give me the strength I need to work through moments of anxiety. The tools stay with me because I know they work, and I can access them whenever I need.’
The outcome from the coaching sessions
‘Emma has helped improve my mental health and the way that I look at situations. I now view things in a completely different light and have learnt that I can choose how I want to feel.
I have a choice about being sad or being angry. It’s quite a revelation when you realise you have a choice about feeling anxious — I can now control how I react to problems.
I’m a lot less stressed at work — I still get stressed occasionally, but I now recognise it and take time out to do some breathing or meditate. People often think that these sorts of practices are just a time wasted, but actually the time you spend on them pays back several times over because you’re calmer and can work through problems quicker as you have clarity of mind.
I feel so much happier with how I handle things and the outcomes I’m achieving, all as a result of my coaching with Emma. The biggest revelations for me is now being able to manage my reactions, thought processes and emotional state.
Looking back, it’s such a shame I couldn’t have had this coaching and guidance at an earlier point in my life, as I would have been far better set to cope with the things that I have gone through!
Coaching is a great investment and I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs some help along their way.’
If you feel as though your head is going around in circles and it’s creating a sense of unease and anxiety in you, coaching could be a great solution to help your situation. Book in for a free 10 minute discovery call to discover how I can give you the right tools for you to move forward and stop the circles.
