Teaching an old dog, new tricks

I am what some younger folks may refer to as an “old dog”! From coaching (1-2-1, family, parent, teen), to speaking, to god knows what else, I’ve done quite a lot, and I am very grateful for it!

I attribute a lot of this, to my ability to learn “new tricks”. Throughout my life, I have never stopped pursuing professional and personal growth and development. I have never once thought that it was “too late” to change something, or that I am “too old” to learn something new.

I changed careers in my 20s… and 30s…. and 40s… and I am still learning new things and finding new passions. I also went back to school in my 20s… 30s… and 40s! I don’t care how old I am - I will never be too old to keep growing and changing.

This attitude informs a lot of my coaching work, especially with adults and parents. So many adults and parents come to me and say that it’s “too late” in their relationship with their kids to change. Or that they’re “too old” to leave their current job and start a new career.

I can promise you, that you will NEVER be too old to try something that leads to more growth and happiness.

It’s scary taking that leap - I didn’t start coaching until I was in my 40s, and when I started I was TERRIFIED. I had 0 confidence in myself, and had no idea how to be a good coach - or if I would love it. The only thing I had was the desire to learn, and a gut feeling that it was time to try something new.

And now? I am so glad I took that leap. I love coaching so much, and I feel so blessed that my clients let me into their lives, and allow me to navigate change with them. It’s beyond fulfilling - and I never would have done it if I’d thought I was too old a dog, to learn a few new tricks.

And just in case you were curious - research supports the idea that coaching helps people learn new things and grow. A study from 2016 on life coaching shows that coaching has a significant impact on people’s ability to attain new goals, as well as engage in metacognition (or thinking about thinking!). The same study also linked coaching with an improvement in mental health.

If this sounds like you or reminds you of anyone you know, take this opportunity. Learn a few new tricks. And if you’d like some help in doing so, or are even remotely curious, schedule a free consultation with me! It’s only 20 minutes long - and it takes less than a second to change your life (so imagine what 20 minutes could do!).