This is a special week for me, as I am celebrating my graduation from my year long life coach training program, Mentor Masterclass. This program has been transformational for me. So many things have changed since I began the program last year, that I feel like a different woman, both personally and professionally. I wanted to share the top 10 lessons that I learned from life coach training because I know that they are invaluable lessons that everyone should know.

1) Start before you are ready.
When I started my life coach training program last year, I had a 6 month old baby, was working full time, and was still trying to figure out the ins and outs of motherhood and this new life phase. It did not seem like the perfect time to be taking on an intensive program, but I went for it anyway, and now, one year later, I am a certified life coach! Life gets crazy and we are all busy. If we wait for the perfect time to do the things that we want to do, that time may never come. So start before you are ready. Start now.

2) Set goals. They are the roadmap to success.
Our goals are our roadmap to life. If we don’t know where we want to go, then we won’t know how to get there. Once we decide what our intentions are, we can figure out where to focus our energy, and figure out the steps we need to take to get to our final destination.

3) Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be.
Have you heard the quote that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with? I have found this to be incredibly true. In the past year, I was surrounded by amazing women who were living the life that I aspired to live. Many of them had their own businesses as well as families, and they were figuring out a way to make it all work. They were driven, successful, and living life on their own terms. Being in their company helped me see that if this was possible for them, it’s possible for me too. You are the company you keep. Surround yourself with people that inspire you to be your best self.

4) Where there’s a will there’s a way.
We all have different blocks that hold us back in life. There is always something that we feel is holding us back from living the life we want to be living. We might think that we don’t have enough money, or the right education, or enough self confidence to go after our dreams. We doubt that we are worthy of the lives we deserve. This year, I’ve learned that all we really need is to be willing to show up day after day and take small steps in the right direction. The rest will figure itself out. When I left my job a few months ago, it was really scary. The idea had seemed impossible to me for months. From a financial perspective, it really didn’t make sense, and I wondered if it was irresponsible. But, I was willing to make the change, and I’m figuring the rest out. There are challenging days, but I am so happy that I was willing to choose what was right for me in my family, and that I now get to spend so much more time with my precious daughter. Be willing to follow your heart and make necessary changes, even if they feel scary. Once you are truly willing to change, you will find a way to make it happen.

5) Small steps lead to big journeys.
I signed up for life coach training because I wanted to dive deeper into personal development, and I knew that I wanted to help people. When I enrolled, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to be an actual life coach, but I knew that I had been through my fair share of challenges in life, had managed to come out the other side, and I wanted to share the tools that I had learned with other people who might be struggling. So, I started taking small steps. I created this blog, and started writing every week. I started teaching yoga to my coworkers, started my wellness circles for new moms, lead meditation groups, and started coaching other women. Now, one year later, I have coached over 30 women and have been blogging every week for the last 8 months. It makes me so happy to be able to share from my experiences and help other people so that they don’t have to suffer. This is only the beginning of my journey, but I am so proud of the small steps that I’ve taken this year. Be consistent, show up every day and keep walking toward your goals, You will be amazed at where you end up.

6) We all have a story to share and you never know who needs to hear your story.
Life is not always easy, and we have all had challenges and life experiences that are unique to us. Many times, we try to hide our past struggles because we feel shame around them. But the truth is, those struggles are what made you strong. If you have overcome something difficult and managed to become a better person as a result, you are a warrior, and your experience should be shared. We all have things that we keep hidden, but by being able to own your story, you empower others around you who might be going through something similar. Be brave enough to show your truth. You never know who you might be helping with your story.

7) We are all more alike than we think.
Being in community with 40 women from different walks of life showed me that we are all more alike than we think we are. Our stories might be different, but our feelings and desires are very similar. We all want to love and be loved. We all want to contribute to the world and leave it better than we found it, whether that be by the work we do, the relationships we have, or the children we raise. As women, we are nurturers, we are sensitive, and we are cyclical beings. We have ups and downs, we are emotional, we are overjoyed, we are messy, we are so much to so many people. We are all alike, and most of all, we all need each other. Take time to acknowledge the people around you. Smile, be kind, hold the door for a stranger. Treat others the way that you would want to be treated. Learn to see yourself in the eyes of those around you.

8) Know when to ask for help.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned this year is that I can’t do it all alone. I’ve always considered myself a very independent person and had developed a story that I don’t need anyone’s help and I can do everything on my own. I’ve learned that it’s just not true. Sometimes I need help. We all do. Knowing when to ask for help and allowing yourself to be supported by others is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself and your wellbeing.

9) Take everything personally.
In our everyday lives, it can become really easy to blame the people around us for our life experiences. We blame our husbands not being home enough for us feeling overwhelmed. We blame our families for making us feel guilty if we don’t visit or call enough. We blame our children for acting up and driving us crazy. We blame our friends for being moody and putting us on edge. What if instead of blaming everyone around us, we chose to take 100% responsibility for ourselves, our actions, and our feelings? It might mean that the reason we feel overwhelmed is not because our husbands aren’t home enough, but because we haven’t chosen to ask for help. It may mean that our families aren’t making us feel guilty for not visiting enough, but that we have created an idea in our heads that we “should” be visiting our family more, when in reality we don’t want to. It might mean that our children acting up is driving us crazy because we aren’t taking enough time for self care. It might mean that we are on edge around our friend because we aren’t being honest about what we need from her. These might be some harsh realizations. But by learning to take everything personally, and figure out what it says about you, instead of those around you,  you put yourself back in the driver’s seat of your life.

10) Celebrate everything.
This year, I have learned to take time to celebrate all of my accomplishments, big and small. Celebrating helps to keep us accountable for reaching our goals. It shows us that we are someone who is capable of doing great things and teaches us to honor ourselves and our achievements. By taking time to celebrate ourselves, we are programming our minds to keep doing things that are cause for celebration. Best of all, it feels good! Next time you reach a goal, instead of brushing it aside like it was no big deal, take time to celebrate yourself! Acknowledge your hard work and praise yourself for a job well done. Ask yourself what you did to get here and why that was important to you. And then, reward yourself!

I hope you find these lessons useful.

Wishing you a week full of celebration!

Be well,
Ambar

P.S. In honor of my graduation from Mentor Masterclass, I’m opening up 3 spots for private coaching at a special introductory rate. Please contact me at mamabirdwellnest@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more about life coaching and finding out if this is right for you! xo

P.P.S. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a life coach, I would be happy to talk to you about this amazing program. As you can see, it has been a life changing experience for me, and I can’t recommend it enough. 🙂