Professional
Part of knowing who I am and how I am as a coach and educator is knowing about my journey to coaching.
As a firm believer in personal growth and development, recently I began to reflect more about my continued pursuit of learning and education. Do I continue to pursue further education and professional development because I feel I am lacking and want to fill the gap with one of society’s biggest indicators of success? Or am I learning simply because I enjoy it?
Of course, this question made me think of my education and learning over the past number of years. I completed by Business degree in the late 90s because I knew it would help me to get a job. I earned my Adult Training and Development Certificate in the early 2000s, and completed a Masters Certificate in Organizational Development and Change in 2017 – both I completed because I felt they would help me in my job and provide me with further recognition in my career.
During the pandemic, the urge for further education nudged me again. This time I explored Masters degree programs, while at the same time becoming curious about coaching. With limited time and money, I began to struggle about my next steps. I felt the Masters degree would be helpful because I worked in an academic institution that placed high value on education. But there was something about coaching and having that certification that was pulling me towards it.
During the decision-making process I met with a colleague to hear her insights. She asked me one question. And there in that question was the answer.
In 2020 I began my coaching certification and, eight months later, became a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC), a ACTP ICF accredited coaching program. Today, I am also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation.
In September, I’ll be starting the Masters degree I put on hold two years ago. When I ask myself why I want to do the Masters, this time I know the answer is because of my love of learning. And I am excited to see how I can integrate my love of coaching in education (which I had immediately started to explore once I was a coach). Looking back, I am grateful I did coaching before pursuing a Masters degree. Now there is truly fire behind my decision.
In my full-time job, I am an Educational Developer. To me I have found a place where I can grow, develop, explore and educate, along with being a coach, and I am always excited about what possibilities my coaching can have in education (which are HUGE by the way!).
If you’re interested in learning more about my professional background and experience, please visit my LinkedIn account.
Why am I sharing this?
At the end of the day, I decided I could have degrees and certificates coming out of my butt, but if there was no power or passion behind them, then why do them?
I truly believe we are each here to learn as much as we can. Not to be experts in particular areas or disciplines, but to evolve our conscious selves – the parts of us that know deep down we are all connected, and that we each offer unique gifts to the world that deserve to be released and valued. You can’t fully share them if you’re doing things and being someone for other people.
Sometimes, life and other things get in the way. We lose sight of who we are and what we value. We struggle to be who we are in a world that wants us to be a certain way. I know how this feels because I’ve lived my whole life following the “rules” – the beliefs, expectations and ideas of other people, every day forgetting who I am and what makes me come alive.
Not anymore though! By being coached by professional coaches, using coaching practices and being more aware of how I am showing up every day, I have found new power in every day. Each day I wake up with renewed energy and purpose. I’m aligned with my values, doing what I love and excited about what’s next.
I know it can be the same for you too and I’m exited about what you will discover in connecting better with yourself and those around you.
I believe being coached, using coaching skills and having an awareness of how we show up every day is the recipe for discovering, using and sharing our gifts freely. The foundation to all of this is connection within ourselves and with others.
This is what I am passionate about and I want to share it with you because it’s my GIFT and PURPOSE.
Coaching Credentials
