My Business - becoming Revitalize Life Coaching

by Karen Carr
(St. Paul, Minnesota)

One year from now January 2011 I will celebrate 10 years of being in business as a self-employed life coach. Even expressing this timeline in writing - amidst some stress of an unpredictable financial reality of working for myself and being a single parent - gives me a thrill. It's a gift to be able to do this. Because I enjoy so many aspects of life I need to reel in my interests weekly, daily and hourly.

Discovering new people and ideas can sometimes become overwhelming. Yet, It is also a benefit of working for myself. Today's discovery of this website and the information about HSP is a validation of my feelings.

I'm raising my third son who is a kind, gentle and sometimes stormy teenager. Yet I feel that I'm not always a great role model for him since he also resists anyone looking over his shoulder. And the last person he wants to admit relating to is his mom! So the ups and downs of both my jobs: being a life coach and being a mom don't always make for smooth sailing.

In January of 2000 I was teaching middle school Language Arts. when my father passed away. In my grief I found myself rethinking my career. I did not feel loyal to my job, although I enjoyed the students and literature. But I didn't like to give grades or keep students from being raucous the natural state of teens enjoying the classroom experience?. The local newspaper ran a posting for a workshop called Work from the Heart. It was scheduled for my birthday in April. I took a personal day to attend. When I got the pink slip from the local board of education, instead of sadness, I followed my nose to do more research about what my heart yearned for during the summer months. Three different people recommended that I look into Life Coaching. I chose a school after more research and was trained and started my business. In 2008 I became a certified professional co-active coach.

Over the past 9 years I have started several different projects related to my work. Still I am wanting to publish a book and go back and forth between fiction my love and non-fiction to promote coaching, which I also love. Soon I hope to have a story submitted for publication. My own coach helps me with this. Last fall my first corporate client hired me. This was a breakthrough in my practice. And I'm hoping this aspect of my work, coaching individuals to hone and reflect on their communication styles with the intention of reaching their highest career goals, will flourish.

What has meant the most on my journey? Other people. Friends who listen, colleagues who care, professionals who share. All of it a great gust of wind keeping my sailboat afloat and moving forward. Be inspired and inspire others.

With love and ease,
Karen