Somebody once coined the phrase ‘positive not perfect’, and this is my aim for myself and for my clients, as I see imperfection as an opportunity for growth, and a chance to take ourselves a little more lightly. What attracted me to coaching was that it was perfect for someone like me to whom people opened up (in supermarket queues, at bus stops, in the kitchen at parties…). It would give me a tool, not only to listen, but to help them do something about the situation they found themselves in — to go for that dream, to stand up for their beliefs, to move on from their past. And so Straightforward Coaching was born, after 2 years’ of training, in 2004. Over the years, I have coached many people, either 1:1 over the phone or face to face; in workshops or in group coaching sessions. I’ve coached clients from as far away as Texas, as well as near neighbours; CEOs to homeless teenagers. The challenges these clients have faced have been similarly diverse, including weight loss, overwhelm, relocation and changes at work.
