When I first learned about the idea of coaching, I was very certain that it wasn’t for me. I’m not a person who likes to talk about what I’m going through. In fact, I never felt the need to open up to anyone because I’ve always been certain that I can figure things out on my own. Are you the same way?

Now as a coach, the more I listen to people, the more I see how opening up to a coach can help people make meaningful changes in their lives. But what sets apart opening up to a coach as opposed to opening up to friends or family that help people make meaningful changes? It’s in the way a coach listens to you.

When you open up to a coach, we listen not only to your story, but also to your experience. We serve as a mirror, reflecting back to you what you say to us, so you can see yourself better. We give you the benefit of an unbiased, sobering view. This is just not possible when you work through your problems on your own as well as talking to friends.

But what is it about your experience that a coach helps you see? Here are a few examples.

Make sense of your emotions

Much of what we do is driven by how we feel--whether we are aware of our feelings or not. When we are in a situation, experiencing every single moment of it, we can’t have a clear view of what’s going on inside us. A coach draws out for you driving emotions that will be most useful for you to understand what’s going on.

Help you see how you’re thinking

We all have our biases from our past experiences, conditioning, and environment. Because of these, we have a default way of thinking that we may or may not be aware of. These default ways of thinking influence decisions that we make. And when we unknowingly think at default mode, we end up making the same decisions that produce the same results. If you’re trying to change your results, this is not helpful. A coach opens up the space for you to examine how you’re thinking about certain things so you can gain a better perspective.

Get clear on your intention

What are you trying to create in your life? Why do you do what you do? Many of us live our lives on autopilot, going with the flow of life. If we want to create something meaningful in our lives, we need to be intentional. A coach helps you get clear on your intention by helping you unearth what is most meaningful to you.

In the end, it’s about getting the support that you need so you can create the life that you want to live. Sometimes, we think we can do it all on our own. But actually, with the right kind of support, you get to open up your life to something that was previously unthinkable.