I'm sitting here today about to share something that has been floating in my mind for quite some time. Thoughts fade in and out, and it's time to weave it together and make it whole. I've had resistance, this is my first publicly shared writing piece. When I told myself I would write an article about this I was paralleled with every avoidance and doubt. Liz Goodchild said, even if it makes a difference to just one person it counts. And it does, it makes a difference to me, so here I am with my story. I've heard that when you share your story it's not yours anymore, it becomes a vehicle for others.
This is a positive story, we all have some of these that stick. Let's face it, it's easier to share the positive one than the one you need coaching for. I want to be transparent that this is not a testimony, and I am not promoting any thing or any one. Rather, it is my own interpretation of events that occurred in my life, and, an appreciation of messages that resonated with me along the way.
When I discovered Animas, I wasn't even searching for a coaching program. I was casually browsing for a short workshop about mindset. I made up the words Positive Psychology and searched them. Of course, this is when I landed on the Animas website. I found out that in order to attend a CPD I must have some kind of coaching qualification in place. I reviewed the Diploma information on the website and attended a discovery day.
Anna Garcia believes that we are all CEO's, 'Chief Energy Officers', and our energy introduces itself before we do. The Animas energy, Nick Bolton at the epicentre of it, was unique. I did not feel sold to, I felt invited to be a part of something bigger. During his talk at the introductory day he drew a diagram of Maslow's hierarchy of needs pyramid. At the top he referenced self-actualisation (achieving one's potential) as 'I AM'. He said the people that join Animas are drawn at the spirit to be a part of it. It was a confident message. The vibe I picked up and the information I gathered that day felt congruent to me. Typically, I take time to research and compare options before I commit to something. On that introductory day, my inner-knowing was loud.
Jim Carrey says, 'What you do in life chooses you' (below), and though I didn't commit on paper right away, the pull I felt internally remained undiluted. Once I joined I set my own pace. I found many aspects of the structure of the program to be flexible, convenient and fulfilling for me. There were opportunities to be part of a growing and learning community, and this continues. I'm not saying it was easy, no doubt there was a learning curve, but I did have support when it mattered.
There is one impact I want to make here. This is not just about becoming a Transformational Coach, it is also about your own transformation to become a Coach. It's like riding a wave: the wave picks you up, you ride the wave, you get dropped off, and you are different. Your essence evolves. What we heard at the Animas Summit last year was absolutely true for me. You cannot undo it. You cannot turn back from becoming a transformational coach. You cannot rewind what emerges from this experience.
Simultaneously, I made a commitment to learn about my intuition. Mostly I did this via books, Ted Talks, Youtube. In general, I had made it a point to attend self-development events which lead me to a one day intro-workshop about being a genius. I joined the next level, but not without hesitation. And then I ended up at a meetup next to two people I'd never seen before. Turns out they recognised me from the original workshop. Without my asking, they encouraged me to pursue it, saying the next level is about 'intuition'. A striking moment for me.
According to Gary Vaynerchuk your intuition and your delusion are kissing cousins (below, from 36:15) so you have to make sure you know your intuition is talking to you. My understanding of this is we can often convince ourselves we are on the right track and later we realise our inner voice was sending us signals all along. Learning through Ryan Pinnick's SuperGenius program has deepened my relationship with my intuition, the whisper of the genius heart. Ryan's communication style is a mix of humour and depth, a blend I love. In his own words: 'When you go for what is true for your heart you have no idea the impact it is going to have on other people'.
The word Genius comes from Latin, meaning "guardian deity or spirit which watches over each person from birth." Also known as our innate ability, our superior talent.
In Latin Anima means breath or soul, and Animus means courage. Combined together they create Animas, meaning, 'to live life courageously'.
We all have genius and we all have courage in us. In a world that guarantees uncertainty, what I know for sure is sometimes you just have to show up and ride the wave.
JIM CARREY - WHAT YOU DO IN LIFE CHOOSES YOU
GARY VAYNERCHUK - YOUR INTUITION AND YOUR DELUSION
(from 36:15)
(Article also published with the Animas Coaching blog)