Powerful moments

For all the talk about Eureka moments, that moment where the penny drops or the idea just PINGS, such moments are actually few and far between. They are wonderful, exciting moments that shape us and change our course, but they are rare.

Rare though they are, the place that they seem often to be found is in the honest curiosity of coaching conversations.

Not unusually, whilst pregnant with my first child I found myself reassessing a few things. I worked through a number of shifts and changes with a brilliant coach and there are many of our conversations that still resonate strongly today. One such moment stands out because it had an actual physical impact on me. As we explored how I wanted to handle the meeting point and between my personal and professional lives, she interpreted my description of blurred boundaries and messy flexibility as a washing machine on full spin. My stomach flipped over and the rush of adrenaline sent my body temperature sky high; I had to look away to block my view of her rapidly moving hands. The effect was so physically profound, I can still feel it now.

Once the tears subsided, we started to work constructively to create the framework and systems for a work-life balance that sustains me today. I can recall the impact of someone recognising the toll that my way of living and working was taking on me as though it happened yesterday… and yet the child I was pregnant with at the time turns a massive 12 years old next month…!

My coaching practice is built on the belief that such conversations can be transformational, catalysing change and sustaining life-long practices and beliefs. To learn more about how I work, you can visit www.susieys.com or contact me at susie@yorkskinner.co.uk to arrange a chat.