What is wellness coaching?

This is a question I get asked a lot – ‘what is wellness coaching?’ and my answer is always the same. It’s when you are in true alignment with who you are. Wellness Coaching enables you to think about all of the things that you want in your life to be able to root yourself well and believe in you. Remembering that we can achieve whatever we set our mind too we first have to discover what you believe about yourself. And, this is where Wellness Coaching comes into its own.

The foundations we create for ourselves are important in being able to live a compassionate existence. When we look at our whole self, we’re interconnected on so many levels. To nurture and tend to what is at the core of us is a great place to start.

Based on the four cornerstones of our whole self – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – it’s important to nourish each of these every day. So I can hear you say ‘how and where do I start?’ We want to shift into action mode but we’re not sure where to start or even when. The good news is you can start at any time and working with a Wishfish Wellness Coach will enable you to create your solid foundation and embrace the opportunity to transform and put down your own roots.

Wellness Coaching will explore all of the things that make you – you. It’s a safe space in which to be curious, understand and navigate your way through the myriad of emotions that we all have as humans.

The following are my tips to get you creating your solid foundations, believing in yourself and knowing that you can achieve whatever you put your mind too.

Tip #1 - start with re-evaluating your own values – are they still right for you now? Take time to connect with them and, based on your experiences up until this moment in time ask yourself – do my values hold true? If they do – fab! If they don’t then explore what you would want your values to be so that they can guide you in making decisions moving forward.

Tip #2 - think about your own aspirations and goals – what do you want to be doing now? Start by writing down 20 things you’d like to do for you; then ask yourself – ‘out of those 20 things – what do I really want to be doing?’ And, then with your ‘realistic head’ on select 5 things. Start to work out your own plan of action to take the first step towards achieving them.

As Lao Tzu quoted – ‘a journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step’.

Tip #3 – start to put down solid roots by creating a great routine that enables you to work on you each and every day. Let this become your ritual as you include structured time into your daily, weekly or monthly schedule that keeps the momentum and focus on what you want.

Tip #4 – as you achieve the steps towards what you want remember to celebrate your mini-milestones. Give yourself recognition for your achievements. This reinforces that you are capable of achieving great things, which in turn feeds your soul (or your roots)

Tip #5 – like trees they need to be fed, watered, nurtured and have rest - so ensure that you look after the different areas of your own wellness too. Be mindful of your nutrition, sleep, energy, exercise, harmonious balance, and, build in some withdrawal time so that you can be still and look after yourself well.

Wellness Coaching establishes your own foundations which enables you to branch out in to a new future. As Oprah Winfrey quotes – ‘you become what you believe, not what you think or what you want’.

So be more ‘tree!’ – you’ve got this for sure.

Laura Thomson-Staveley is founder and leadership coach at Phenomenal Training and co-host of Secrets from A Coach podcast. For more information visit: phenomenaltraining.com and secretsfromacoach.com