Young Women’s Trust’s Work It Out service offers free coaching sessions for women aged 18 – 30. The sessions are held over the phone, so the service is still running during the coronavirus outbreak. Our coaches offer 1 to 1 support with strong mental health and skills.
In this blog, Ruma tells us about her journey of personal growth with her coach.
I read recently if you don’t know what you want, then you’ve already got it. Sadly, that didn’t sprout comfort inside of me. Sometimes we genuinely don’t know what we want. Or even what we need. But we do know a change is required, to eliminate the ‘uncomfortable feelings’ residing in our hearts.
Speaking to a coach was integral to me making some changes. They helped me recognise issues that were standing in my way and how best to tackle them. They provided me with thought provoking questions and guidance.
This is exactly what I was looking for when I met the Young Women’s Trust team at a Prince’s Trust ‘Get Hired’ event, before lockdown started. A short conversation with the staff members about the free Work It Out service left me feeling hopeful and also determined to work through my challenges with a coach – a service I would not have been able to afford otherwise.
It would be a lie if I said I didn’t pray for a good match, or that I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief when I first met Denise. As someone who is highly sensitive to tone and manner of speech, I felt so pleased to hear the reassuring voice of my coach, and I soon became familiar with how open she was, which encouraged me to be too.
Most of what I needed was reassurance and to reflect on my actions and accomplishments. I wanted to see a real transformation within myself and wanted to be able to implement new ways of thinking and learning.
It took time and perseverance to change my mindset and to practice valuing myself when others could not see the value in me. More importantly, to start prioritising my principles and walk away from opportunities that were not aligned with them.
This period of coaching would support me through accepting three paid jobs and leaving two. Then, establishing myself as a freelancer and getting creative with minimal resources. It was also a period of growth in public speaking, performance and project management. I was immersing myself in intercultural programmes, creative activities and lots of volunteer work, all in the hope of having better clarity of what I wanted, and have more opportunities open up for me.
There were struggles, disappointments, fruitless job interviews and frustrating reminders of the injustices many of us face. However, it is through the struggles that I did most of my learning and growth. I kept myself going with the reminder that a rejection is a redirection, (usually) to something more meaningful, to a place you are valued for your contribution.
Many thanks to my coach, Denise, for always leaving me feeling motivated to continue and helping me to acknowledge my progress. You were the voice I needed to hear in my head and I always looked forward to our sessions.
It’s easy to get started with free Work It Out coaching sessions. Fill in the application form today and our team will be in touch about connecting you to a coach.
