If you have been following me for any length of time, you will have noticed my own evolution in the health and wellness space. It started with being very clear on my role as a health and wellness coach, but things have changed. What I have realized is that I’m so much more interested in helping transform their lives in a more holistic way. That means shifting my focus from health and wellness to wellbeing. So what’s a wellbeing coach anyways?
Health, wellness, and wellbeing
It’s important to start with the difference among health, wellness, and wellbeing. They are often used interchangeably, but they’re quite different. Back in 2021, Gallup did a survey to answer the question: What’s the difference between wellness and wellbeing. They landed here:
Wellness describes a healthy lifestyle beyond acute illness. It refers to a state of physical health in which people have the ability and energy to do what they want to do in life, without chronic suffering. Although wellness means something different at every stage of life, it’s primarily supported through habits of eating, physical activity and quality sleep [leading] to positive health outcomes.
I still like this definition and the work I do contributes to this outcome, but we are complex creatures. Transformation is more impactful when it encompasses the whole person. This is why wellbeing coaching is so powerful. So what is wellbeing? Going back to Gallup, “Wellbeing encompasses the broader holistic dimensions of a well-lived life.” What they also highlighted are the different shades of wellbeing. Consider your overall wellbeing on a spectrum, and then further layer in your career wellbeing, social wellbeing, financial wellbeing, and community wellbeing. With the work I do, I include physical and spiritual wellbeing, as well. All of these contribute to our overall wellbeing.
Plants mirroring people
At home I have a lot of plants. Many are tropical plants because I live in the tropics, and those are easy here. However, I also have lots of “pet plants,” sprinkled around my house. I call them pet plants because each of them needs something different. Some need much more attention than others. I have one I call Paul, named after a coworker I used to work with. Paul was brilliant, in the way my calathea is beautiful. If I keep it happy, don’t bother it, and feed and water it every now and then, it looks amazing. Like Paul, as soon as I ask for something or disturb it, it lets me know. Our wellbeing is similar to my calathea. We all need something different. “Overwatering” for one person may be life, while for another person, it could be death.
The tangled web of wellbeing
All the facets of our lives contribute to our overall wellbeing. Wellness is one component of that wellbeing. If our health is on the fritz, everything else around it will falter. This is how a wellbeing coach can help navigate the intricacies of wellbeing. Sometimes, our career may not be where we want it to, which can affect relationships and our health. Other times, our wellness may be struggling, which leads to imbalance in other areas. A wellbeing coach can help you work through these challenges. I help find you find the golden thread weaving it all together.
What’s a wellbeing coach
With the support of a wellbeing coach, you gain support in identifying the most pressing needs in your life. Together, we co-create ways to navigate the challenges and build resilience. Most of the time, what clients find is that solutions in one area of wellbeing often strengthen other areas of our lives. For example, my clients and I work on boundaries a LOT. I would say it’s one of the top 5 focus areas for my clients. The beauty of boundaries is that when you learn to implement them in one place, you can take that knowledge and apply it in other areas of your life.
Co-creation is critical in a coaching relationship, as well. As soon as you hand over decisions around what would serve you best, that’s where we I see clients lose momentum. When working with a coach, it’s critical to keep your needs top of mind. As a coach, I’m here to support you, hold your agenda, and help you achieve the outcomes you desire. The path we take may not always be straight because, like the road of life, it’s curvy.
Is wellbeing coaching right for me
Coaching is isn’t right for everyone, but you never know until you experience it. If you are interested in experiencing coaching yourself, setup a complimentary breakthrough session with me. You can even peep some of my plants and my beloved calathea. Want less conversation? Learn more on Wellspiration, the Pomona Wellness blog, or subscribe to my Substack, where you have access to all things Wellspiration, plus so much more. I’m working hard to provide resources for all levels of interest and price, so if there is something you are looking for, let me know. I would love to hear from you.