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Explore articles and insights on navigating life transitions, ADHD, and personal growth

Achieving Your Goals: Embracing the Power of Reflection for Long-Term Success

Achieving Your Goals: The Role of Reflection

As a Life Transitions Coach, I always encourage clients to pause and reflect on their progress. Whether you’re at the start of a new month or simply taking a moment to check in with yourself, reflection can be a powerful tool for staying on track with your goals.

Often, we begin new challenges with enthusiasm and motivation, but as time goes on, the demands of daily life can make it easy to lose focus. Taking a step back allows you to acknowledge how far you’ve come, realign your focus, and set yourself up for the weeks ahead. Celebrating even the smallest achievements can be a great way to boost your confidence and inspire you to keep moving forward.

If your reflection leaves you feeling like there’s more you could have done, let that be a source of motivation rather than frustration. Instead of dwelling on what hasn’t gone to plan, consider what you can adjust going forward. Were there any specific obstacles that stood in your way? Identifying them can help you create a clearer plan and make the next steps more achievable.

Celebrate the Wins—Big and Small

Take a minute to look back at the previous month, and reflect on what you’ve achieved. Did you stick to a new habit, take the first steps toward achieving your goals, or handle a challenging situation better than you might have before? Even small wins deserve recognition, as they are the building blocks of bigger successes.

To celebrate your progress and stay motivated in achieving your goals, try writing down your achievements in a journal, sharing them with a trusted friend, or treating yourself to something meaningful—a quiet moment of self-care, or even a small reward like a favourite book or meal. Acknowledging these moments boosts your self-esteem and reinforces the positive changes you’re making.

Understanding Self-Concept in Reflection

Reflection isn’t just about evaluating actions; it’s also an opportunity to connect with your self-concept, the way you perceive and define yourself.  Self-concept is made up of three components:

  1. Self-Image: How you see yourself, including physical attributes, personality traits, and roles in life.
  2. Self-Esteem: How much you value yourself and your abilities.
  3. Ideal Self: The person you aspire to be.

By reflecting on these aspects of self-concept, you can gain clarity on how your actions and habits align with the person you want to become. For example, does the way you’ve spent January reflect the goals and values of your ideal self? This awareness can help you make intentional changes to strengthen your self-concept and move closer to your aspirations.

What Have You Learned?

Reflection is also a chance to embrace the lessons of the past few weeks. Ask yourself:

  • What worked well for me this month?
  • What challenges did I face, and how did I respond?
  • Is there anything I’d like to approach differently moving forward?

These questions aren’t about criticism—they’re about curiosity. For example, you might realise that setting aside 10 minutes daily for mindfulness helped you feel more focused and calmer. Or perhaps you noticed that skipping your usual planning time on Sunday evenings made your week more chaotic. Understanding the patterns and choices that shaped January, you can step into February with greater clarity and intention.

Reconnect with Achieving Your Goals

The start of the year is often a time for big resolutions and goals. But now is a good time to check in with yourself:

  • Are your goals still aligned with what matters most to you?
  • Do you need to adjust your expectations or timeline?

Sometimes, we set goals that feel inspiring now but don’t reflect the reality of our lives. That’s okay. Giving yourself permission to adjust or refine your goals is a sign of growth, not failure.

A woman at her desk writing down her goals

Preparing for the Months Ahead

As you continue throughout the year, think about how you want to carry the momentum forward. Consider these steps to stay focused:

  1. Set Micro Goals: Break larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps. Progress is easier to achieve and sustain when it feels within reach.
  2. Revisit Your Priorities: Make sure your daily actions align with what’s most important to you.
  3. Celebrate Progress Along the Way: Build in moments to reflect on and reward your efforts—it keeps you motivated and encouraged.

A Fresh Start Every Month

The beauty of a year is that it offers 12 opportunities to reset and refocus. Whether January unfolded precisely as you’d hoped or brought unexpected challenges, each day, week, and month is a chance to start fresh.

Reflection allows you to move forward with purpose, confidence, and a sense of ownership over your journey, building on the progress you’ve already made or embracing the lessons learned.

Plan Your Next Steps Using Visualisation and Affirmations

As you reflect on the past month, take a moment to look ahead. Visualisation is a highly effective tool for finding focus and igniting motivation. Picture where you’d like to be in the next couple of months. What does your life look like? What habits have you embraced? How do you feel about your progress?

Pair this visualisation with affirmations to strengthen your mindset. For instance, you might say to yourself, “I am capable of achieving my goals,” or “I am becoming the best version of myself, step by step.” These positive reinforcements help align you with your intentions and remind you of your ability to create meaningful change.

I love myself as I am quote handwritten in blue and green

Take a Moment to Reflect

Before you dive into the month ahead, take a few minutes to reflect on where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, and how you want to grow. Progress isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up for yourself, one step at a time.

You’ve already started the journey, wherever you’re heading, and that’s something to celebrate. If you get stuck when working on your personal short-term or long-term goals, please check my page on Life Transitions Therapy.

Wine O’clock to Wellness: How to Stop Drinking Alcohol with RTT

Wine O’clock to Wellness: How to Stop Drinking Alcohol with RTT

Are you ready stop drinking alcohol and step into the life you deserve? For many, drinking starts as a way to unwind, socialise, or manage stress. Over time, it can become a deeply rooted habit, even when you’re ready to stop.

Life has many periods of transition, whether it’s starting a new career, becoming a parent, entering midlife, or adjusting to a new routine. These moments of change often prompt us to reflect on our habits and whether they align with the future we envisage. Reducing or stopping alcohol can be a powerful way to embrace these transitions and step into a healthier, more confident version of yourself.

How Drinking Became Normalised for Women

In recent years, drinking alcohol, especially wine and gin, has been glamorised and almost encouraged as a way for women to wind down. Popular phrases such as “wine o’clock” and “live, laugh. love and drink wine” have become part of everyday language, normalising the habit of drinking in the evening. While these phrases might seem harmless, they can make it easy to brush over the impact alcohol has on our health and well-being.

If you’re considering cutting back or if you want to stop drinking alcohol altogether, there are many pathways to explore, which include self-help techniques and professional help.

In this blog, I’ll explore why we turn to alcohol, the benefits of letting it go, and how Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) can help you create lasting change. If hypnosis isn’t for you, take a look at my services page for alternative approaches.

sign with the handwritten message wine o'clock

What Kind of Drinker Are You?

When it comes to drinking habits, everyone’s relationship with alcohol is different. For some, alcohol is part of their everyday routine, while for others, it might only appear in social settings or at stressful times. Reflecting on your drinking habits can provide clarity and help you take the next steps toward change.

The Motivational Model of Alcohol Use suggests that people drink for various reasons, which generally fall into four categories:

  • Social Drinking: Consuming alcohol to enhance social experiences or fit in with a group.
  • Coping Drinking: Using alcohol to manage stress, anxiety, or emotional pain.
  • Enhancement Drinking: Drinking to heighten positive emotions and increase excitement.
  • Conformity Drinking: Drinking to avoid social rejection or meet the perceived expectations of self or others.

This model highlights that drinking isn’t just about the habit itself—it’s often tied to deeper emotional and psychological needs. Reflecting on these motivations can give you insight into your own relationship with alcohol and help you decide which steps to take to stop drinking alcohol.

Do I Need to Know What Kind of Drinker I Am?

Discovering what type of drinker you are can help you better understand your drinking patterns and triggers. Furthermore, the way you identify your relationship with alcohol may provide insight as to why you drink. However, what matters most is how it impacts your life and whether it aligns with the person you want to be.

When exploring your drinking habits, it can be helpful to consider:

  • How does alcohol affect your health, relationships, and goals?
  • Would reducing or stopping drinking improve your quality of life?

Whether you identify as alcohol-dependent, a social drinker, or simply someone with a habit they’d like to change, the decision to reflect and take steps forward is a powerful one.

Why Do We Begin to Rely on Alcohol?

Alcohol often fills a gap in our emotional or social lives, even when we don’t realise it:

  • A Way to Relax: A glass of wine after work, or once the kids are in bed, becomes a ritual for unwinding.
  • Coping with Stress: A drink can feel like a quick escape from life’s challenges.
  • Easing Boredom: When drinking, the evening hours may seem to pass more quickly, giving a sense of “doing something.”
  • Numbing Emotions: When facing challenges, alcohol can act as a distraction or coping mechanism, keeping complex thoughts or feelings at bay.
  • A Social Habit: Gatherings or nights out often feel incomplete without alcohol, and for those with social anxiety, it might seem like a way to feel more at ease.

During times of transition, such as starting a new job, moving house, or navigating a breakup or empty nest, it’s easy to rely on alcohol as a way to manage stress and uncertainty. However, these patterns often keep us stuck in cycles that don’t align with the changes we want.

How to Stop Drinking Alchohol Safely:  Heavy Drinkers and Medical Advice

If you drink significantly more than the recommended guidelines for alcohol consumption, it’s crucial to approach stopping with care. The recommended limit in the UK is a maximum of 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over three or more days.

For those drinking well above this amount, stopping alcohol suddenly can be dangerous and may lead to withdrawal symptoms, including:

  • Anxiety or restlessness
  • Tremors or sweating
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Severe symptoms such as seizures, hallucinations, or confusion

Alcohol withdrawal seizures are a serious risk for heavy drinkers who stop suddenly without medical supervision. If you believe you may be at risk, seek medical advice before quitting. Your GP or a specialist service such as Alcoholics Anonymous can provide tailored support and may recommend a medically supervised detox to ensure your safety.

It is important to remember that reaching out for help is a positive step and never something you should be ashamed of. You don’t have to navigate this alone; medical professionals and support services are here to help you take the first step toward a healthier future.

woman looking sad sitting at a table contemplating drinking wine

How Hypnotherapy and RTT Can Help You to Stop Drinking Alcohol

Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) is more than just talking about change—it’s about experiencing it at the deepest level. Using a combination of hypnotherapy, cognitive techniques, and personalised support, RTT works with your subconscious mind to:

  • Uncover the root causes of your reliance on alcohol.
  • Reframe old beliefs into empowering, positive ones.
  • Equip you with lasting tools to thrive without alcohol.

For a long time, hypnotherapy has been recognised as a powerful tool for addressing habits and behaviours, including alcohol consumption. Research supports its effectiveness in helping individuals reframe their relationship with alcohol and achieve lasting change.

Studies have shown that hypnotherapy can be an effective intervention for reducing alcohol consumption. By addressing subconscious beliefs and triggers, hypnosis enables individuals to gain greater control over their drinking habits. These findings align with techniques used in RTT, which combines the principles of hypnotherapy with cognitive and behavioural approaches. By accessing the subconscious mind, RTT helps uncover the deeper reasons behind drinking, reframe those beliefs, and empower you to take steps toward a healthier, alcohol-free life.

The Impact of Alcohol on Your Well-Being

While alcohol may offer temporary relief, its long-term effects can be significant and typical risks and challenges include;

  • Health Risks: Liver damage, heart disease, and increased cancer risks are only a few of the health concerns related to the overuse of alcohol.
  • Mental Health Struggles: Alcohol can worsen anxiety and depression, leaving you feeling stuck in a cycle.
  • Relationship Challenges can erode trust, communication, and connection with loved ones.

Life transitions offer a unique opportunity to step back and evaluate what’s no longer serving you. By reducing or stopping drinking, you can build a foundation of health and clarity that supports your next chapter.

Your Transformation Starts Here

Imagine this:

  • Waking up every morning feeling energised and clear-headed.
  • Letting go of the guilt or regret you’ve been carrying about your drinking habits.
  • Embracing your authentic self, the person you are without alcohol.
  • Facing life transitions with calm confidence, knowing you can handle change without relying on a drink.
  • Enjoying the financial freedom that comes with not spending money on alcohol.
  • Living a life that truly aligns with your goals, values, and dreams.

Reducing or stopping drinking isn’t just about what you leave behind—it’s about everything you gain. Whether you’re cutting down or taking steps towards an alcohol-free life, finding the right approach for you can make all the difference.

Self-Help Techniques for Reducing or Stopping Alcohol

If you’re trying to stop drinking alcohol or cut back, incorporating self-help techniques into your daily routine can make a significant difference. Here are some practical methods to support your efforts:

  1. Identify Your Triggers

Reflect on when and why you feel the urge to drink. Common triggers include stress, boredom, social pressure, or emotional distress. Once you know your triggers, you can prepare alternative coping strategies, such as journalling, walking, or practising deep breathing.

  1. Set Clear Goals

Decide whether you want to cut down or stop drinking completely. Set specific, achievable goals, like limiting yourself to a certain number of drinks per week or avoiding alcohol during weekdays. As you move forward tracking your progress can help you stay accountable and motivated.

  1. Replace the Habit

Find healthier alternatives to fill the time or emotional space that drinking occupies. This might include exercise, meditation, listening to pod-casts, reading, cooking, or taking up a new hobby. Substituting alcohol with non-alcoholic drinks, like sparkling water or herbal teas, can also help ease the transition.

  1. Create a Support System

Share your challenges and intentions with a trusted friend or family member who can support you. You may also find it helpful to join online communities or local support groups where others are on the same journey. Knowing you’re not alone can be incredibly encouraging.

  1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness can help you stay in the present and become aware of your thoughts and emotions. When the urge to drink arises, take a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and ask yourself what you’re feeling. This awareness can help you choose a healthier response.

  1. Celebrate Your Wins

Acknowledge your progress, even if it seems small. Whether declining a drink at a party or going a week without alcohol, celebrating these victories builds confidence and reinforces your commitment to change.

woman's hand round a cup drinking a healthy herbal tea

A Supportive Tool for Change

If you’re looking for a supportive approach to exploring your relationship with alcohol, techniques like Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) can help uncover your triggers behind drinking and empower you to create lasting change. Whether you choose a personalised session or a hypnosis recording, RTT offers tools to support your journey.

Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?

Life transitions are a time for personal growth, and every step you take guides you towards a healthier version of yourself. Whether you’re cutting back, pr stopping drinking alcohol completely, or exploring new coping strategies, your decision to create positive change is a positive first step.

If you’re looking for tailored support, a personalised RTT session can help you uncover and reframe the deeper reasons behind your habits. For a more cost effective and flexible approach, the Stop Drinking Hypnosis’ recording offers an accessible way to start making positive changes at your own pace.

References:

Cooper, M. L. (1994). Motivations for alcohol use among adolescents: Development and validation of a four-factor model. Psychological Assessment, 6(2), 117–128. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.6.2.117

Alladin, A. (2008). Cognitive Hypnotherapy: An Integrated Approach to the Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Wiley.

Top 5 Tips for Setting Goals and Achieving Them

Top 5 Tips for Setting Goals and Achieving Them

Research shows that setting clear, structured goals significantly increases the likelihood of achieving them. Bailey (2019) explores this in Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change, emphasising the importance of a step-by-step approach—especially when working towards health-related goals. According to Bailey, action planning provides a clear path to success, ensuring efforts are focused and effective.

But goal setting isn’t just about achievement; it’s about taking control of your life and making meaningful progress. It’s easy to get distracted by daily demands, but setting personal goals—not just academic or career-focused ones—can be just as valuable. Achieving a goal doesn’t just move you forward; it boosts confidence, enhances self-esteem, and supports mental well-being.

No matter your age, it’s never too late (or too early) to start goal setting. Research by the National Foundation for Educational Research highlights that goal-setting frameworks, such as SMART goals, improve motivation and academic performance (Lord, Atkinson, & Mitchell, 2008). If you’re in college or university, now is the perfect time to develop this powerful habit. If you’re interested in learning more about daily planning tips, check out my blog.

1. Setting the Foundation: Writing and Defining Your Goals

Writing down your long-term goals is the first step towards turning aspirations into reality. Reflect on what is truly important to you and where you envisage yourself in the future. It could be in one month or year—whatever works for you. Gaining a clear vision of your goal is an important part of the goal-setting process.

If you only have vague goals, a good strategy is to get creative, design a vision board, and find photos and quotes that grab your attention.  Visualising a specific goal can bring it to life and give you a clear vision of where you want to be in the future. Also, getting creative is fun and has many mental health benefits.

Remember, a goal doesn’t have to be something extreme, such as running a marathon or skydiving (although it can be if that’s what you want!). Your personal goals can be anything that’s important to you, whether health or professional, or you want to focus on personal development goals.

Setting one goal can positively impact other areas of your life.  For instance, a personal development goal could be to boost your confidence and self-esteem. Increasing your confidence and self-esteem can open doors to new experiences, and you will learn to trust your decisions more. Personal development goals can be the best way to set the foundations for practical goal setting.  As you set new goals, discover how the role of reflection can support your progress in my blog.

2. Milestone Setting: Tracking Achievements

Once you have your big goal, the next step is to break it down into smaller goals and then break these smaller goals down into more manageable tasks.  A big goal can feel overwhelming if you imagine yourself standing at the bottom of a vast mountain; the top can seem so far off, and reaching the top can feel unachievable. However, climbing that mountain can feel doable when you break it down into manageable tasks.

A good idea is to set aside time to note down everything you need to do to complete a task. Putting pen to paper can give you a clearer understanding of what you must do to achieve that task and increase your chances of success.  It can often be the smaller tasks that are the most important steps, so getting these onto paper can be highly beneficial.

Keeping a to-do list can be an excellent way to keep you on track; you can then update it daily, marking off your achievements.  Your achievements are your driver to move forward, so it’s so important to celebrate them. When completing tasks, it can be helpful to identify any barriers you may come across and then do some problem-solving to decide how to overcome them. Balancing this with self-care is essential, as working towards your goals can be hard work. Reminding yourself of ‘why’ you want to reach your goal is another factor that will help drive you towards the finishing line.

man jumping through gap in cliffs signifying reaching your goals

3. Make Goal-Setting Achievable

I advocate for thinking big and not letting anything stand in your way, but it is also essential to set realistic goals. It’s about getting the balance right, as there are some things you need to consider when setting goals. For example, suppose the big goal is to climb Kilimanjaro. In that case, there is a lot to consider, such as physical fitness, mental well-being, the possibility of altitude sickness, booking vaccines, and available finances.

The next step towards positive goal setting is devising an action plan. To do this, write down the different factors you need to consider. Then, note the actionable steps it will take to complete each factor. You could work on them individually, or you might work on some simultaneously.

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone when setting goals is positive, as ambitious goals are great for personal growth. However, you also want to avoid getting overwhelmed. So, think big, but also consider your capabilities and the available resources before setting goals, tasks, and time scales.

4. Set Timeframes: Assign Deadlines to Create a Sense of Urgency

Time scales and deadlines are essential to goal setting as they keep you on track, make you accountable, and can prevent procrastination and perfectionism.  You can gauge your progress by setting target dates for each task, including the small goals. There can be room for movement with this; it can be challenging to know how long a particular task will take, as it can depend on your current situation, such as external factors.

However, having an estimated timescale can keep you motivated as you know that each minute you work on the task brings you closer to reaching the end goal. For greater goal-setting success, you must clearly understand what you must do to achieve the big goal. You can then break this down into daily tasks.

man with arms outstretched enjoying freedom representing reaching goals

5. Seek Accountability and Be Resourceful

Keeping yourself accountable is another crucial part of goal setting. It can be easy to get off track, as other exciting things might appear while you work on a task. If this happens, note down whatever distracted you and spend time on it when you have a planned timeout. Some great online accountability trackers can help with motivation and organisation and keep you accountable.

Sharing your goal with a family member or trusted friend can help keep you accountable. However, if you prefer not to share your goal-setting journey with others, try writing about it in your journal or checking if there are local groups or an online community of people with similar goals. Professional help is also available if you would like a counsellor or coach to help you on your goal-setting journey. You can check out my services page for more information.

Checking your progress regularly is a great way to ensure you’re on the right track. It’s important to remember to celebrate your achievements, even if you feel they’re small steps. After all, small steps can lead to big changes. Having a list of tasks can feel daunting, so take time to look back at what you have achieved with pride.

SMART Goals

SMART goals are a structured approach to goal setting often used by professional coaches. It is also a technique you can implement if you are self-coaching.  The SMART Goal acronym is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.  Let’s break down SMART Goals and what they mean.

  • Specific: Set the goal that you want to accomplish
  • Measurable: Plan how you are going to track your success
  • Achievable: Check your goal is realistic
  • Relevant: Ensure there are beneficial outcomes
  • Time-bound: Create a deadline and prioritise tasks

Following the SMART goal criteria will ensure you clearly understand your goals and confirm they are within reach.

note book with handwritten smart goals open on a table with glasses and sticky notes.

Empowering Yourself Through Self-Coaching

If you are self-coaching rather than working with a professional coach, a great tip is to follow the SMART goals model to keep on track. Reaching your goals can be a transformative journey that can foster growth and resilience.

When you achieve your goals, you prove to yourself that anything is possible when you fully invest in the process. Reaching your goals highlights the power we hold within ourselves.

What to Take into Consideration When Self-Coaching:

  • Understanding Motivation: Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

What drives you to achieve your goals? Are you motivated by internal satisfaction (intrinsic motivation) or external rewards (extrinsic motivation)? Understanding what fuels your ambitions can help you tailor your approach and stay committed to long-term success.

  • Overcoming Obstacles: Handling Setbacks and Failures

Resilience is key to goal setting. Challenges, setbacks, or feelings of failure are part of the process. Having strategies in place to navigate obstacles can help you stay focused and continue moving forward, even when progress feels slow.

  • The Importance of Mindset: How a Growth Mindset Supports Goal Achievement

A growth mindset is essential for success. If you believe you can’t reach your goals, you’re far less likely to achieve them. Self-belief and self-esteem play a crucial role in progress—working on these areas can make goal-setting more effective and fulfilling.

  • The Role of Reflection: Reviewing and Revising Goals

Your goals may evolve over time, and that’s okay. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals ensures they remain relevant to your life and aspirations. Life changes, new interests, or shifting priorities can impact your objectives, so checking in with yourself can keep you on the right track.

  • The Power of Visualisation and Affirmations

A clear mental image of your goal can reinforce your motivation and help you stay committed. Visualisation makes your goal feel real, helping you take inspired action, while affirmations strengthen positive beliefs and self-confidence.

  • The Impact of Environment: Creating a Space for Success

Your surroundings influence your mindset and productivity. Having a dedicated space for planning or working toward your goals can improve focus. Similarly, surrounding yourself with supportive people or communities can provide encouragement and accountability.

  • Health and Wellbeing: The Foundation for Goal Achievement

There’s a strong connection between physical health, mental wellbeing, and goal success. Eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and prioritising sleep can improve focus, energy levels, and resilience—making it easier to stay on track.

  • Leveraging Technology: Tools and Apps for Goal Tracking

Tracking progress keeps you motivated. Whether you prefer a journal or digital goal-tracking apps, these tools can boost accountability and help you celebrate milestones along the way.

  • Goal Setting for Different Life Stages

Goals naturally shift as you move through different life stages. What mattered in your student years may differ from your priorities as a parent or professional. Reassessing your goals ensures they align with your current circumstances and aspirations.

  • The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Goal Setting

Emotional awareness and self-regulation play a key role in goal achievement. Stress, motivation, and relationships can all impact your journey. Having tools to manage emotions effectively can help you stay resilient and focused.

Case Study: From Self-Coaching to Professional Guidance

Adam, a 35-year-old IT support specialist, contacted me for life coaching as he struggled to reach his goal through self-coaching. Adam’s goal was to find satisfaction and happiness in his daily life. Adam believed he might need to change his career to achieve this, but he was feeling some resistance and couldn’t decide if this was the correct step.

We explored Adam’s core values, long-term aspirations, and what motivated him. Adam found that creativity, adventure, and friendships were high on his list of values, but these values weren’t showing up much in his life. Subsequently, Adam recognised that his professional life was not causing him to feel dissatisfied, as he spoke positively about his role as an IT specialist. However, he recognised that work had become his sole purpose and identity.

When Adam recognised that his time outside of work was equally important as his time at work, his overall goal changed. With this updated goal in mind, Adam structured a plan and considered any potential barriers. Adam described himself as an introvert, which he felt held him back socially. We discussed Adam’s introverted traits and how he could embrace them by focusing on his strengths and introducing self-care into his life. We also worked on his limiting beliefs around being an introvert.

Counselling and Coaching Approach

We examined Adam’s needs and preferences through a counselling and coaching approach. Adam came up with ideas that aligned with his values: creativity, adventure, and friendships. Adam tried out many new ventures before finding a hobby he is now passionate about; this has increased his social circle, and he feels he has a sense of purpose inside and outside the workplace.

Adam’s situation demonstrates that the first step is to identify the goal entirely. Adam continued to successfully use his self-coaching skills to achieve his ultimate goal while engaged in coaching sessions. During a recent session with Adam, he expressed how these changes had added value to his life, and he now feels he has the happiness and sense of satisfaction that he was searching for when he began self-coaching. Adam felt self-coaching and professional coaching were the best route for him, and overall, he feels a great sense of accomplishment for the hard work he has put into getting to where he is today.

To Conclude

Applying the above tips empowers you to take charge of your goal-setting journey as your coach or mentor.   Self-coaching can be highly beneficial. However, it’s also okay to reach out to a trusted friend or for professional help if you feel you would like that extra bit of support.

References:

Bailey, T. (2019). Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change. Journal of Health Psychology, 24(3), 321-335.

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. Springer Science & Business Media.

Lord, P., Atkinson, M., & Mitchell, H. (2008). The Role of Learning Goals in Motivation and Academic Success. National Foundation for Educational Research.

Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2020). Motivation and social-emotional learning: Theory, research, and practice. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 60, 101830.

Schedule Your Free Discovery Call

Looking for support with anxiety, phobias, or life transitions? I offer counselling, coaching, and RTT to help you move forward with confidence. Book a free 20-minute discovery call via Zoom to explore the best approach for you, wherever you are in the UK.

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