I Find This Therapeutic

I Find This Therapeutic

I have been writing these weekly blogs and monthly newsletters that are a part of my business now for almost 12 years. They started at the suggestion of a business guru who was speaking at a one-day coach’s seminar I was attending. At that time, I was a very new business owner, having for 30 years worked previously in a job in corporate America. As such, I was learning what it was like to actually own and have to promote my own one-person business.

The guru indicated there were one of 3 ways individuals needed to promote themselves and the services they offer. One was to do speaking engagements, a second was to be active on social media, and the third was to write. I never minded writing, (even though just about all of it I had done was for school or to communicate instruction within my corporate job role). However, I really had never done it for myself.

As these many years have gone by, my writings have conveyed to my readers my thoughts, in my own voice, to perspective clients and supporters of my coaching business. They have allowed me to share my thoughts and perspectives. Additionally, they have allowed me to share some of my life experiences and interpret those for you, my readers. However, one thing I have noticed as I sit down to do each month’s writings, I often find them quite therapeutic for myself. That is certainly true for me as I sit down to write this month’s submissions.

The past few weeks have been stressful for me. Coaches are usually supposed to be the individuals that help others through their problems or issues on which they want to move forward. And, for the most part, while I can have my times when I get stuck or frustrated, they have not been as oriented as they have in the last few weeks on this one-person business I established, all so long ago.

Without a doubt, the most enjoyable part of the business that I do, is the work and coaching sessions that I do for the clients that come into my life. For some, that may only be help on a resume’. For others, it may include resume’ and interview assistance. With still others it can involve several strategy sessions. While the process and tools that I use in my work are often the same, the way they are applied and the different strategies that are employed as I work with each client distinctly, can change appropriately. I have been fortunate that I have had funnels into those businesses that have helped to provide much of that client base. As we entered early 2022 much of that dissipated substantially.

Companies were no longer letting people go, but instead were looking to convince individuals to work for them. Many were reevaluating their entire life, and part of that was actually taking a step away from the workforce. Yes, I received (and continue to receive) numerous solicitations on how to promote by business, but to me they are more from others who are “desperate” to get me to sign up to use their product or service. The business networking group of which I have been a part has been continually shrinking in size, and more of the accountability for it to keep functioning has fallen to me. Some of that has been my responsibility, but the responsibilities of others continue to fall on me. On a positive note, some new pro bono experiences have come into my life which are allowing me to use my career coaching skills and share my knowledge with others.

So, where this all led to for me. I’m evaluating what activities I may want to keep as part of what I do and from what I may want to move on. Are there ways I can work differently? Will the way I receive clients go back to the way it was, or has that permanently changed? I suspect it will take months to answer these questions and others like them in my life, but I am glad to have my old friend, my monthly blog and newsletter writings as a vehicle to get my thoughts out of my head, see them in front of me, and also share them with all of you.