By: Ellen Kocher, MA
2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least.
The global pandemic has most of us working under new and different physical and emotional circumstances. Stressors and priorities have changed – who ever thought we would anguish planning a mission to the grocery store? Fortunately, many of us have seen a silver lining to this period, appreciating more family time, flexible schedules, home cooked meals, and perhaps extra time to stop and smell the roses.
What about you? Have you taken some time to consider your own health and well-being, or to take care of yourself? Are you feeling alone, frustrated, or stuck, struggling to manage the “new normal” with things like food, weight, exercise, stress, sleep, or work-life balance?
Surfing the virtual world, the field of health and wellness is overwhelmingly filled with so much contradictory health advice that we are often left wondering what’s really sound. Many of us are inundated with webinars, PowerPoints, and on-line meetings but are craving connection with real people and time dedicated to in-person activities. This could be the perfect moment to “put on your own mask first” by partnering with a health coach to benefit your life and the lives of those around you.
10 Reasons to Partner With a Health Coach:
- Health coaching makes you feel good because its roots in positive psychology encourage positive thoughts and self-talk.
- Health coaching is highly personalized – just for you – and never a one-size-fits-all approach.
- A health coach is a mentor and guide certified to help you reach your own goals through positive, sustainable lifestyle changes–no quick fixes.
- Health coaches break through the fads, understanding the physical, emotional, behavioral, and nutritional lifestyles that promote health and prevent illness.
- Health coaches empower you take easy, incremental baby steps toward your targets because they understand the science behind behavior and habit change.
- Health coaching is holistic. It integrates all domains, such as career and relationships, that affect your lifestyle.
- A health coach keeps you motivated and accountable, like a personal cheerleader – always there to keep you motivated, inspired, and moving forward.
- Health coaches support change based on your reasons and your terms, which means less resistance and greater likelihood of success.
- Working with a health coach helps increase self-awareness and boost confidence.
- Though you call the shots, you have a partner with whom to overcome obstacles.
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons not listed for starting a journey with a health coach. Strong evidence backs the effectiveness of health coaching for improving health, well-being, and a variety of health conditions, coaching remotely appears to be as effective as face-to-face sessions, COVID-19 has heightened general health concerns and willingness to be well, and you just might have more time, right now.
It’s Time to Put on Your Mask
When we take care of ourselves and feel our best, we operate on a higher level of wellness and move through life more confidently, powerfully and happily. I cannot think of a better time to give a boost to our general outlook and attitude on life! Self-care involves recognizing our needs and taking responsibility to thoughtfully make choices about our lifestyle. Once that is achieved, we are able to arise to any occasion exponentially better–for everyone. Partnering with a personal health coach is an enriching, life-changing experience that you owe to yourself and to those around you. So what’s preventing you from putting on your mask right now?
The author wishes to acknowledge and thank Dr Peter Grinspoon, M.D. for his inspiration and thoughts on the above article. Peter, a physician and Certified Health Coach, believes in the strong evidence backing its effectiveness for improving health and well-being. See his Harvard Medical School article Health coaching is effective. Should you try it?
Through her work as Corporate Health Consultant and Workshop Facilitator at Whealthness, Ellen Kocher promotes a non-diet, weight-neutral, mindfulness-based approach to eating, physical activity, holistic health, and self-care. Ellen has coached hundreds of individuals and groups in dozens of organizations and companies to help them make lifestyle changes, moving them from “knowing” what to do, to “actually doing it” – with real and lasting results.
