Every person has a story to tell. Few however, have the courage to tell it.
I always believed that I belonged to the majority of people but life was determined to change my mind. From a very early age I was thrust into the spotlight despite my feeble attempts at hiding in the shadows.
Despite being painfully shy, I was an exceptional communicator and natural leader. This is something my early childhood teachers quickly caught on to. And they seized every opportunity to capitalize on it.
I did not have the luxury of blending into the crowd. My counsel was regularly sought and taken as gospel truth.
With time, I realized that people found me easy to talk to. Many took me into their confidence, and responded that they gained valuable insights from our interaction .
Early childhood dreams vs reality
As a child I always wanted to be a teacher. I would often be found in empty houses teaching imaginary students with the blank walls and charcoal bits as my tools of trade.
My dream led me to willingly pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. I did this despite the low regard accorded to teachers in our country.
Upon graduation, the allure of the corporate world inevitably came calling and I found myself swept along in its seductive wave.
With my natural leadership skills, I easily stood out. Before long, the scope of my responsibilities grew to include management and development of teams.
Here, I found my longing for teaching assuaged and I treasured the varied opportunities to positively influence anyone that I interacted with.
As with most corporate roles however, it was not too long before I began to feel like I was not making much of an impact.
My career was rising fast but it somehow felt hollow. I was constantly plagued by the need to have a meaningful legacy.
This increasing discontent was exacerbated by my roller coaster personal life which would rival the plot of a Nigerian telenovela.
My quest for answers ultimately led me to meet a life coach. With her help, I was finally able to define the gift that I had carried within all my life.
My gift is the talent that God had given me. It’s an insatiable desire to help people realize their potential and I now do this through my work as a Fulfillment Coach.
Physician heal thyself…
Before I could help others though, I first had to deal with myself and all the baggage that had held me back at various points of my life.
I am human just like anyone else, and my personal relationships had left me with massive battle scars. There were times when I wanted to give up, when I felt like taking the easy way out.
Somehow, I stayed focused and fought my way through the dark valleys. Through it all, I realized that sharing my experiences made me stronger.
Most people feel shame and hide their scars, only showing perfect masks for the world to see. I learnt that my scars were my battle spoils.
My scars are actually an inspiration to many. By sharing my story, I let people know that the journey may be rough, but it would eventually lead to triumph.
My experiences added real life value to those I’ve coached and mentored, giving them the impetus that they needed to know that it could be done.
Living my dream
I am now practising coaching on a full-time basis, working with people who are stuck in any aspect of their lives.
I believe that it is easier to navigate pitfalls when you have someone walking with you and keeping you focused and accountable.
As a coach, I do not give solutions – after all I hardly have the answers myself! What I provide is reassurance and a restoration of self-confidence. This then propels you towards creating your own solutions.
This is not a magical process. It requires hard work and serious commitment for it to actually materialize. The end result is completely in your control.
Your input and level of dedication determines the success of your results. The process is mutually rewarding as I find myself able to improve my skills continually even as I walk step by step with my clients.
Looking into the future
I am still a long way from where I ultimately desire to be and I take pleasure in the knowledge that I am on the right path.
It gives me immeasurable joy to see people I have mentored or coached soar to heights that they never believed they could achieve.
When they attribute their success to me, I am always quick to correct them and point out that in each of us lies a greatness that only seeks to be awakened.
There are those who will go to their graves with their greatness untouched, unaware of what could have been.
Then there are the few who dare to dream. Those who dare to believe that they can turn their dreams into reality.
Those who believe that they have a story in them that is worth telling. And this is the story I am telling today…
(Image credit: Cole Patrick at Unsplash)
