Let’s face it…getting your life together is much easier said than done.
There always seems to be something getting in the way of you living to the fullest. This can be personal shortcomings, this can be financial struggles…whatever it is, you just know you need help. Did you know you can take this difficulty and transform it into a career that helps others? Life coaching is a useful resource many tap into when they need that helping hand out of their personal pit. Many life coaches take this a step further by drawing upon personal experiences that give them insight that can’t be bought.
Whether it’s business coaching for new entrepreneurs or creating a meditation book for tired mothers, there’s a niche with your name on it.
Life coaching isn’t just for celebrities and sports all-stars. Many Americans of different demographics and age groups today are actively turning to business coaches to help get them back on their feet again. A recent survey went out and asked several Americans about how they felt about their direction in life — a paltry 35% were able to say they were happy in their day-to-day lives. While there is no concrete path to happiness — indeed, that’s a very lofty dream — there are ways of creating a more consistent quality of life.
A major component of life coaching is learning how to express gratitude. Also known as gratitude coaching, this gets back to the basics of expressing appreciation and contentment to yourself and others. Gratitude is closely linked to generating social capital — two studies with over 200 participants found expressing gratitude by just 10% more than average will generate 20% more social capital. Making friends, cementing business partners, finding dates…the list goes on and on. When’s the last time you really showed someone you care?
To increase happiness, you need to spread it. This is the foundation of gratitude-based life coaching and something you can start instilling in others with your new career. One study found 15% of people say it takes something out of the ordinary for them to feel gratitude, while the majority of people stated they’re grateful for their children and family. Interestingly enough, nearly 70% of people are grateful when something unexpectedly good happens. Asking yourself some important questions on your life perspective will be the building blocks of becoming a successful personal life coach.
Journaling is starting to make a comeback. According to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health And Well-Being, spending just 15 minutes jotting down some grateful sentiments before bed can help you sleep better and longer. A study conducted two years later in the Journal Of Psychosomatic Research saw people who showed more gratitude during waking hours were able to fall asleep easily at night. You’ll be meeting a lot of people who turn to life coaching not just for financial help, but health reasons.
Do you have a passion for helping others and bringing out their best? Do you want to combine your business knowledge with a more personal touch? Life coaching could just be your calling in life. You can work with a specific age group or keep yourself open to any challenges that come your way — many life coaches today have to figure out their niche, experience, and personality type to better address their client’s problems. You can become a personal life coach online or try your hand at publishing a gratitude book.
It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. What could life coaching do to create a positive ripple effect?