adminI bet you’ve never heard that sentence uttered in your lifetime and likely never will again.
Brain cramp, energy drink, geocaching and life coach are just a few of the newest words recently added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for 2012. Likewise certain words are also dropped each year from the abridged version like hodad, which describes a person who hangs out at the beach and pretends to be a surfer. I’m sure Gidget used it a lot. For some odd reason I find the whole phenomenon slightly fascinating. I guess these new additions to our lexicon serve as a symbol of the ever-changing world around us, with words like e-reader, copernicium, and flexitarian. A few other new words joining the list that I really like are craft-beer and man-cave, but none mean as much to me as life coach does. The definition is as follows.
life coach- noun (1986): an advisor who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal with problems
What a happy little coincidence that the same year the term life coach gains this additional credence, Messiah Lifeways starts the Messiah Lifeways Coaching program. I have learned a lot about what it means to be a life coach since launching the service this past February. Still in its infancy though, some people still look at me oddly when I tell them I’m the Lifeways Coach.
For those of you who are still figuring out what Lifeways Coaching is, maybe this will help. With various aspects of life, many of us encounter challenges and obstacles that keep us from moving forward. For certain people having a mentor or advisor to help tackle that problem can provide a sense of relief and comprehension. Just as a golf-pro teaches the fundamentals of the game or a financial advisor gives pointers on investing, a life coach can provide the guidance and direction that people need to reach personal goals. The idea or practice of life coaching is nothing new. Its origins trace back to the ‘70s and early ‘80s with the teachings and practice of self-motivation or self-help. Fast-forward to the present. With its increasing value and demand there are now 30 different universities that offer coaching programs including schools like Harvard, Yale, NYU, and Penn State. There are also many certification programs and courses available for professionals and paraprofessionals looking to enhance the services they provide to their clients.
Life Coaching comes in many forms: fitness coaching, career coaching, business coaching, weight-loss coaching; the list goes on and on. Similarly, some of the largest health insurers like Highmark Blue Shield have health coaches to advise and assist subscribers with medical issues and inquiries. But particularly in the case of Messiah Lifeways Coaching, the goal is to achieve a desirable outcome for those 55 years of age and better. This can manifest in a number of ways. Many coaching clients are seeking guidance for themselves or a loved one about moving into a community like Messiah Village or safely aging in place. Others are seeking help or guidance when caregiving becomes too overwhelming or even hazardous. Sorting through and navigating the options, all the jargon, and the financing these choices require can be very exasperating. Coaching can ease some of the burden and help people expedite the services they need in a more efficient manner. Another key element is simply having someone to turn to, vent or use as a sounding board. Sometimes they need me just to reaffirm their own solutions or encourage them to take that next step.
Life Coaching at Messiah Lifeways may be new, but it bodes well particularly for the baby boomer generation. Boomers give me the impression that Life Coaching is viewed as a vital tool to stay proactive, prepared, and engaged as they age. And unlike hodad I think the term life coach is here to stay.
