There are a lot of coaches out there.
And most of them are women.
When I first started noticing this about 6 years ago, I got a little down on it.
“This is the newest, latest fad…How many coaches does the world really need?…Everyone is copying everyone else…It’s a big Ponzi scheme…a coaching fishbowl…and there’s not going to be enough business because the market is so saturated…”. On and on my thoughts would go.
I was judgmental of other women who were coaching, and I was judgmental of myself, too.
Luckily, I realized that all the judgment was my fear speaking to me, and the more I meditated on why there were so many coaches — particularly women coaches — rising up, it became so clear to me:
For centuries, women were considered the priestesses, the sacred holders of wisdom and of connection to the Divine, the leaders, those who passed the wisdom down from generation to generation. Women would gather together in circles and teach the young maidens how to value themselves and how to honor their bodies. They would know deep in their hearts that they were connected to Spirit and that their lives had purpose. They understood that their purpose was to help make their families and communities a better place.
Through patriarchy, these rich traditions, rituals and Truths got lost.
And for centuries, women’s wisdom and empowerment fell behind the veils. We didn’t lose it, but we just weren’t able to flaunt it, let alone always recognize it.
Thankfully, we’re now living in a time where women are beginning to honor themselves in more ways again. We’re living in a time — at least in some parts of the world — where more and more people are coming to understand how vital the Feminine is to the sustainability of the planet, and how important it is to support women leaders in rising up to have their wise voices heard.
It’s a slow process, but the wave toward holding women and the feminine sacred again is happening.
The coaching industry is 100% a reflection of this wave of feminine empowerment and leadership.
The coaching industry is a place where women’s wisdom in business, health, leadership, relationships and beyond can come forward fully. And it’s a place where one can break free of patriarchal “facts”, traditional ways of doing things, systems, and habits, a place where deeper wisdom can be transmitted and learned.
I see coaches as modern day Priestesses — each woman bringing her own unique brilliance, history, experience and talents to her business and community, each woman tending the sacred flames of motivation and inspiration to pass on to others, each woman teaching NOT from a textbook or set of rules, but from her own experience and intuition and guidance and inner knowing.
In so many ways, the coaching industry has helped us return to ways women helped other women become their most sacred selves in Matriarchal culture: through a network of mentors — with and without “degrees” — who are passing down wisdom and knowledge and deep internal learning person by person by person.
I am so proud to be a leader in this movement.
And all of this is why it is so incredibly important that those of us who are in the coaching industry remain conscious and honor the sacred environment for women, women’s empowerment, and the healing of the world that has been collectively created.
That means we must be careful that the coaching industry does not fall into the traps of traditional Patriarchy.
Instead of jealousy or anxiety about all the coaches out there, may we keep in our hearts every moment of every day that the MORE of us who operate in integrity and from our hearts, the more a reflection it is on the ways women’s wisdom is gaining credibility and respect in the world.
May we be excited that this is an environment where we can bring ALL of ourselves to the table.
May we be uplifted by the fact that we are part of a wave, a tide, a turning, that is way bigger than any one of us individually.
May we rest peacefully with the knowing that there is an entire network, a massive sisterhood of like-minded women who are working with us to heal the world.
With love,
Joanna
In this moment, I can’t actually think of any client I’ve ever worked with that hasn’t at some point wondered or (most likely) agonized over what to charge. And I confess, I certainly have grappled with this many times in the past as well.
I get deeply annoyed and sometimes angry when I see “gurus” pretending that their lives and businesses are perfect because…NO ONE’s life or business is perfect. We all have our challenges, our frustrations, and I am pretty sure we all make our fair share of mistakes.
Whether you live in the US or not, considering everything that is going on in the world right now, this is the perfect week to connect deeply into gratitude and being thankful for all that you have.
Last week was Autumn Equinox which — among other things — is all about the energy of Balance.
I recently posted this on Facebook, and it received such an overwhelming response that it felt important to share with you as well. It’s a short article, but a VERY important one!
More and more women who come to me start by saying they don’t really trust the coaching industry.
Last week, Yael turned one year old, and I spent a few days reflecting on how motherhood has changed me, supported my evolution…and totally revolutionized my business.
