What is holistic career coaching?

For most of us, work is a big part of our lives. We spend a big portion of our waking hours working, for most of our lives. The way we feel about our work, the people we work with, and our work environment are therefore important for our overall well-being.

We are not our job title. But when what we do for a living does not match with our lives, our values or personal needs we do suffer, both mentally and physically. At the same time, our private life impacts our work life as well. When things are not going well in our personal lives, it is really hard to leave that at the door when you go to work (or start your workday from home). Work and life are not two separate entities: work is an important element of life.

With holistic career coaching, we look at work and career as being an integral part of life. Together we will look at your skills, interests, values, personality, aspirations, and life circumstances – in the context of their career journey. Following your own personalized path will lead to fulfilment in your work and life as a whole.

Holistic career coaching looks at you all that you are

You are not just your education, work experience and job title. You have personal values, natural skills and interests that are not reflected on your cv. Everyone has different personality traits and life experiences that shape who we are and what is important to us. In my sessions with clients, we focus on building on existing strengths rather than fixing weaknesses, empowering clients to pursue careers that align with their natural abilities and interests. We also focus on defining your core values and priorities. Understanding what matters most to you allows you to make career decisions that are aligned with your values, leading to greater fulfilment and purpose.

Everyone has unique goals, dreams and desires. We all have specific skills and natural abilities. While you can choose to grow your skills outside of work and see your dreams as a hobby, we only have so many hours in a day. When you build a career around who you are, and all that you have to offer, you are getting paid to be yourself.  Work becomes a vehicle for joyful growth when you center it around your values and dreams.

Integrating your career into your life as a whole

The right work-life balance is unique to each individual person. While some people thrive on dynamic work days and challenging themselves constantly, others work best on working less hours and having a calmer routine. For some of us going to a physical workplace is essential for our connections with others, while others prefer having the freedom and flexibility to work from home.

Some people love waking up really early and starting their work before the rest of the world has woken up. Others love having a slower morning routine and working til later in the day. When you can build your schedule around your personal preferences, thriving in you career becomes a lot easier.

Not every job or career path will give you the option to choose your own schedule, but knowing your own preferences and priorities can help you choose the opportunity that best fits your needs. It can also help you express your needs, and see where your career path allows for flexibility. 

Focusing on holistic wellbeing

How we feel at work has an impact on us not just mentally, but physically, emotionally and spiritually as well. Work can be a source of growth, stability and excitement, but also of stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Learning the tools to deal with uncomfortable emotions and the physical symptoms that come with them is essential for your wellbeing.

I will guide you to acknowledge and process your emotions in a healthy and safe way. In our sessions I encourage my clients to check in with their bodies and discover the ways in which they can regulate their nervous system to be more resilient, flexible and grounded. From that place it is much easier to thrive in your career while living a balanced life. This might look like incorporating healthy habits, expressing your needs or deciding that your work no longer resonates with you.

At the same time, the patterns we experience at work might be a result of our own beliefs, childhood wounds or unprocessed emotions. If the same pattern keeps occuring in your career, it can be really helpful to look into the root causes.

Holistic career coaching can help you recognize your strengths and needs and building a career path that aligns with who you are. If you have questions about holistic career coaching or want to know whether it could be a good fit for you, send me an email to plan a free introduction call.