A LIFETIME OF COACHING, BUT NONE SO LUSCIOUS
Hello Luscious,
It’s Anna here. I’d had a few coaches in my life before the OG Luscious Mother, Sarah Olin, brought me into the fold. But to me, coaching had never been like this. When I was growing up, a coach was someone who made me run, like my field hockey coach who lovingly (and sometimes NOT so lovingly) yelled at me to do better, faster, more. Results from her methodology were… mixed. I'm more of a carrot person. Not so much with the stick. Also? Not an athlete.
While pursuing a career in Hollywood, I had an acting coach who pushed me to go deeper into my training, mine authenticity in my performance, and discern what my unique offering was and how to package it: Me, as a product. That was intense, with a soupçon of culty-ness.
When I was diagnosed with ADHD in my late 30s I hired an ADHD coach to strengthen my wobbly executive function skills. While supportive and helpful, our whole relationship was based on what was “wrong with me.”
In all of those situations I couldn’t escape the feeling of not being enough. That I needed to be whipped into shape or that I was such a hot mess I had to sub-contract The Expert. What those particular flavors of coaching inspired in me was a desire to be what others wanted: a better forward with precision stick work or an actor who got hired, one who might “pop.” In all of those situations I was using other peoples’ metrics. I was trying to fit into someone else’s idea of who I should be. In L.A. that meant being thinner, sexier, and “marketable” – all vague and constantly changing guidelines. As well as exhausting and ultimately pretty demoralizing.
Cut to 3 years ago: I was recovering from a chronic illness that, over several years, had cleaned my clock. I was working my way back to health, but struggling with nasty old narratives and some HEAVY excess baggage. My friend Sarah, who can always see what is good and powerful in me even when I lose sight of it myself, offered a suggestion. “Hire a coach,” she said.
“I can’t afford it,” I said.
“What would you pay to change your life?” she asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “I’m not working. I’m not allowed to spend money if I’m not making it.”
<Cue record scratch> As soon as I said it, I knew. “Allowed?” By whom? My husband had never told me that; this was all coming from inside me. Something had to change.
Within a month I had flown to Charlotte to attend the first Luscious Mother retreat, a weekend-long group coaching intensive session of like-minded moms who also knew something wasn’t quite right in their lives and also knew it was time for a change. That weekend was the beginning of a massive tectonic shift for me. One retreat became two which became three.
I could tell you all the ways those retreats transformed my life, if you’re interested, check out this piece I wrote about it for the Charlotte Agenda. But here’s the short version: I returned to Maine with a song in my heart and creative ideas in my head. I felt the embers of purpose starting to crackle in my belly. I joined a year-long intensive coach training program, I became a coach, I started my own practice and was hired by my own clients (who are KILLING it! Which is a major contact high!) and then…?
Sarah asked me to partner with her and build Luscious Mother into an unstoppable entity determined to offer radical support to moms, like me, who had lost the plot and were no longer high on their own supply.
My coach–yes, I have a coach; never trust a coach who doesn’t have a coach—is an accountability buddy who stands for my goals and desires, even when I’m wallowing in a puddle of my own pity or basking in the glory of my well-practiced procrastination skills. She is there to help me reset my GPS and get me back into action. She reminds me that I am the origin point of my own happiness. And this is what I do for my clients. I offer them a space to clear out the nasty old narratives, sweep the detritus off their path and get clear on where they want to be. As a coach, I like to think of myself as the bumper rails at the bowling alley that keep your kiddo’s ball out of the gutter and rolling toward the pins. When my client chalks up a strike I am just as happy as they are. And once you’ve had that kind of success, you want it again and again.
Coaching has provided a pathway back to my own power and has served as an incubator for my dreams to grow into reality. I am HAPPY. And I am living in service of moms who deserve support. That is the party that rocks the house, people. Coaching works. I crossed my river, class 5 rapids though they were. And now? I help Mothers cross their own.
What rivers do you need to cross, mamas? Are you crossing one now and in need of a guide? Why not give coaching a try? We have a bevy of Luscious coaches who have their waders on and are ready to grab your hand. If this sounds like you, scroll down to learn about four different ways to connect with us and get an escort to that not-so-distant shore.
And whatever you do, as always, stay Luscious,
Anna & Sarah
