This past weekend, I was honored to be in the company of 13 beautiful women and three fabulous co-hosts (Monica Manzano, Corey Wills and Mona Lisa Neuboeck) for the Flow Retreats Yoga x Life Coaching Retreat. The energy felt sacred—from the healing rain that poured through the rainforest throughout the weekend to the rituals that began and ended the retreat. There was also the supportive space that was created in our life coaching lounge and the wild tribal dancing that followed our final yoga class where we channeled our inner goddess, full moon warrior and Beyoncé.
Here’s what I learned:
1. There’s beauty in rituals.
I started each session with a breathing exercise. This helped ground both my client and me, connecting us to the space, our breath, our selves. For many, this opened a flood of emotions, an opening of hearts, beautiful vulnerability, humility, courage and love.
At the end of the session, I held their hands and said a prayer, blessing them on their journey and closing the space that was held for them.
A tip for you: Start your day with a ritual. Instead of reaching for your cellphone and checking social media, you can try doing a quick meditation or reciting affirmations that will set the intention for the day.
At night, make time to slow down and connect with gratitude for the day that had passed.
2. Go with the flow.
I had planned an exercise for the coaching sessions which would strengthen their vision for where they wanted to go. But a coach will always go where the client wants. Doing this ended up being more beneficial than what I had planned.
A tip for you: It’s good to have a plan but don’t be attached to it. You might find yourself surprised and delighted at the journey and where you end up.
3. Ask for help.
Some clients had issues that required healing, that needed professional help. Despite my desire to help them, I knew that I wasn’t qualified, that they will be better served by someone who had more experience in the necessary field than me. I referred them to others who could provide more appropriate support.
A tip for you: You don’t need to do things by yourself. The burden of the world is not only yours to bear. It’s okay to ask for help.
4. Be gentle with yourself.
On Saturday, I coached eight wonderful women. Despite breaks and pauses in between sessions to ground myself and despite doing the work that I loved, I found myself tired at the end of the day.
It was Saturday night and it was time to party. Who says no to celebration? I did because I knew that I needed stillness and self-care after a long day. So it was off to my room for hip-opening exercises to release absorbed emotion, journaling, quiet reading and prayer.
A tip for you: Listen to what your body and spirit need and honor that.
5. Practice makes perfect.
This was my first time to coach live, more than 18 months after I first did it during my training weekend. After each session, I could feel myself setting into my role, the rituals coming more naturally to me, responding easily to what my client needed. It was uncomfortable at first. But as each client sat in front of me on our couch, I just shifted my focus to her and attended to her needs.
A tip for you: Doing something new is always uncomfortable. Don’t let that discomfort deter you. Try shifting your focus from your feelings to how you can help. Or try connecting again to why you do what you do.
Im just10 and just started reading your blog and I liked it so much . Keep posting please
You’re very sweet. And your kind words will keep me going. Take care!