Top 10 reasons why people avoid working with a Life Coach

1 What’s a life coach? I've tried therapy/counseling and it didn't work. Life coaching is NOT licensed therapy/ counseling. Many people get them confused. Life coaches are trained to work with clients in the “where are you right now in life”? and “where would you like to go from here”? “What does your roadmap look like on how to get from where you are now to where you want to be”? thought process. Whereas a therapist is traditionally trained to work with clients in the “where have you been”? and “what happened along the way”? “How can we fix you” thought process.

2 My situation is not that bad. That can be true sometimes when we simply need to keep plugging along to get through. But, if your pain, grief, or anxiousness is keeping you from living your best life, then that's reason enough to open the door to healing.

3 I don't have a problem they do/it’s not my fault it’s theirs. We might wish that the behavior of others is in our control, but sadly it is NOT. However, how we think, process, and act about the circumstances is. We can learn to make choices as to how we relate to others instead of merely blaming and reacting to them.

4 I just don't have the time. Life Coach sessions require a dedication of time, so does useless worrying, sleepless nights, arguing, and tearing ourselves down. So does going to a doctor because your blood pressure is through-the-roof and you’ve developed ulcers. It all takes time. How would you rather invest your time?

5 I don't want/need to make any changes. Meeting with a life coach gets us thinking about making changes, whether it's changing the way we view the world, the way we think, the actions we take or what we do with our feelings. You have every right not to make changes, but think about this, if we keep doing the same thing, we will keep getting the same results.

6 I don’t have the money/It costs too much/My insurance doesn’t cover it. Most of us have money to indulge ourselves with a new outfit, a concert, or a burger and perhaps a beer. We are willing to invest our time and money into things that we value. How much do you value yourself? How important is it for you to have the chance to become the person you were created to be? Sadly, most healthcare policies do not cover the cost of life coaching and many people have genuine financial circumstances that prevent them from indulgence. However, arrangements can often be made to make life coaching affordable.

7 That’s just the way life is/Other people aren't very happy either so why should I be any different? You can only be responsible for the choices you make. What do you choose for your life? Your life may be as small and unfulfilling or as large and as satisfying as you choose. You can choose to be happy.

8 If I only had more money, an education, a better job, etc. If only then, I wouldn’t have any problems. The problems obviously haven't gone away if you have adopted this way of thinking. So why not learn to use the resources you have and learn new ways to deal with the problems?

9 I can do this on my own/I’ll figure it out. How often do we hear a friend deny an offer of help and hear the words “I’ll do it myself”? “I got this”? Ridiculous? No more than what we tell ourselves about the broken pieces we carry around in our hearts. You don’t need to do it all on your own. There is power in the broken pieces and a well skilled life coach can help you harness the power.

10 Talking about myself (and spending money to do it) is self-indulgent. It would seem so, wouldn't it? And yet, the paradox is as we heal, we have more time to offer to others. We have more energy, more resources, more of our own gifts available. We clear out the things that have gotten in the way of our broken hearts and so our hearts may be more open to others. Instead of viewing life coaching as an act of self-indulgent, view it as an investment in your future.

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