“I am often shocked by how much I have accomplished in a short period of time. I have tangible things that have changed [in my life] since working with Michelle. This is a great investment. I highly recommend seeking this help.”
That’s Alexandra, describing the feeling of accomplishment she has so far in working with her coach, Michelle Krasny.
For me, what has been truly exciting, is a new line of thought that often arises after a session with Michelle.
I compare how I feel, how I handle challenging situations and how I think about the world around me to the perspective of the person I was fifteen months ago, when I first started working with Michelle.
There was nothing wrong with that version of Haley, she just didn’t see herself the way I’m able to see myself now.
Before, my narrative was often a line of questioning similar to When will it end? Will there be a resolution?
Now, my perspective has shifted. Often, I think, Wow, look how much I have already achieved. What else is next?
I am so excited about my future self. It can be attributed to the results I’ve seen, in terms of a shifting outlook from hopeless to hopeful that I’ve developed while working with Michelle.
I like to think of it as a buffer, my own safety net of confidence that I have created through her guidance.
Let me explain what I mean. If, a year ago, I was faced with a challenge, I would have been in crisis. I would have tied my self-worth to my ability to overcome the obstacle.
If I “failed” at this thing, then I was a failure.
If I “quit” this thing, then I was a quitter.
Now, when something seems insurmountable, as it inevitably will from time to time, I use my net.
In my net, there are all the tools I have gained from my work with Michelle. The accomplishments I have achieved through my own hard work and self-awareness, that I can fall back on at any point without negative consequence, to rise up again and conquer whatever is daunting.
At first, I needed someone like Michelle to help me tie the ropes to make it strong.
For instance, when I worked with mentors or coaches in the past, I often incurred anger because of missed appointments or deadlines resulting from what I was experiencing in my life.
Michelle tied the first knot. A “freebee session;” the permission to cancel one session for any reason. This offer made me committed to our work together. She was confident in me, and that was my first step in learning to be confident in myself.
Alexandra explains her own version of this transition towards confidence.
“Michelle helped me find the guts to ask for a raise. I ultimately received exactly what I asked for, and was even given an outstanding performance review. It was very unexpected. I felt incredible and I was so proud of myself.”
“I would define this success as emotional and mental success,” she related. “I have done so much reframing, visualizing and manifesting that have made these adjustments happen.”
When thought patterns of blame and shame are shifted to an understanding of your potential, that net is strengthened. I learned that I could rely on myself, and this invaluable perspective has helped me make confident decisions and learn to value myself more each day.
So where are each of us now in our journey?
“I think I am a better person all the way around, and I am excited by the future, since I know I am in control,” said Alexandra, proudly.
“I was promoted and given a raise a couple months ago. I feel like a have a toolkit for when a start a new position. It makes me excited to think about my career and the various opportunities, something I thought negatively of.”
Alexandra has the power to enjoy her current situation, because she has an understanding of her worth.
“I have realized that I don’t care much about money as I do about the impact of my work,” she told me. “I like being fully engulfed in my work, and feel like I’m moving the needle point forward.”
Since our original interview, Alexandra has left her position and is on a new leg of her journey.
What then, would she like others to know?
“That you are completely worth this process. It is all about you because you are the sole factor in your own life. I would tell them to think of this as an investment especially if they are early in their careers. You deserve your best self.”
Alexandra, Derek and I all developed the tools we needed to be confident in our lives. We have moved from a mentality of what, (a dream job/promotion/gig/pay raise) to a mentality of how (with confidence, patience, self-compassion, and self-worth), which has made all the difference in our experience.
Working with our career coach, Michelle Krasny, has led to something we all share, a continuous excitement about exploring the possibilities that come from understanding our potential, and a drive for continual achievement on our career journeys.
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The author of this blog series, Haley Van Bellingham, is a writer and editor who curates content that highlights the unique nature of businesses and their services. Get in contact through her LinkedIn
Thumbnail Photo by Dieter Kühl on Unsplash