Rachel Walmsley

Before we started working together I was stressed out, deeply unhappy, fed up and lost. I didn’t know what I was doing with my life and I felt very unfulfilled.

My biggest fear was not being good enough - which applied to everything in my life. I didn’t know what I was doing anymore and I was fearful of what the future held.

I doubted myself on so many levels, apart from sport which was about the only thing I felt confident about. Work was a big focus of my life, yet I didn’t feel good enough for the job that I was doing.

I had tried so many things, read so many books, done many courses, travelled many places, lived in many places - I’d gladly give myself a gold star for trying! And over many many years too. I was unhappy and was looking for that quick fix.  

But through coaching with Charlotte I’m pleased to say that I’ve moved from a place of hopelessness to feeling that I have options available to me now. The world has opened up more and is full of possibility.  I am also happier. Yes, definitely happier. And more optimistic.

In coaching with Charlotte I had the huge realisation that  “I don’t have to be this hard on myself”.  I can still live my life, still be great at my job, still be a great friend  - all of these - without being so critical of and hard on myself. I didn’t need to hit myself with a sledgehammer all the time….in fact, I realised I didn't have to do that at all in order to be the person I wanted to be and do the things I wanted to do.

I still have work to do - of course, it’s ongoing -  but I am not in that place of desperation any more, believing that ‘if I could just get that job’, ‘just earn a bit more’, ‘live in that house’, ‘get that promotion’, ‘travel to that far away place’ then all would be joyful and working perfectly in my world.

Sounds crazy to say it now but before coaching with Charlotte I struggled to sit still, take time for myself, meet my needs - in fact I’m not sure I even asked myself what my needs were. But now I’m pleased to say I enjoy taking time out, to read a book, watch something trivial on TV once in a while, or take a walk for no other reason than because I feel like doing so in that moment - and I can do these things without thoughts of ‘am I being productive / successful’ and without feelings of guilt too. These might seem like small or even trivial things. But I know that they are really important to me. Because they’re one step along the way to me becoming ‘me’ (not the productive perfectionist that I learnt to become).

I have changed my thinking too - from the all too familiar place of  ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’ and ‘not good enoughs’ to being more compassionate to myself and taking time to reflect and ask myself ‘what do I need to do in this moment?’, or ‘what do I need?’. Charlotte encouraged me to go outside my comfort zone, to do the unheard of, to face my fears, to challenge myself - and not in the physical way that I was used to - but psychologically - to change my beliefs and my view of myself.

And my world hasn’t fallen apart as a result - quite the opposite, my world has grown. I’m more optimistic now, kinder to myself, I can see opportunities when they arise and this excites me. How much more of the world is out there and available to me that I cannot see?

I’m not going to lie - it’s not easy work. Why would it be? If it was easy we’d all be doing it. But we’re not. You have to be willing to put in the effort - and commit 100% to the process - it’s one of those processes where the more you put in, the more you get out. It also takes courage, tenacity, compassion, commitment, kindness and most importantly support. And there could be no one better for support than Charlotte. She was there at every moment of our time together and importantly was always there to celebrate with me too.

It’s an ongoing process - a journey - a lifetime of work. But if I’m going to work hard anyway, better that I work to challenge my beliefs and grow into the person I was born to be, rather than try and squeeze myself into being the person that I believe society wants me to be.

So, I guess in short, I’m trying to say that for anyone considering coaching with Charlotte, I say just do it! 

If you’ve given it half a thought I have no doubt that, like me, you’ve found some reasons to not sign up for coaching. Money was a big reason for me, having the time was another, fear of the unknown was a third. It is a scary thing to commit to, absolutely and it’s not an easy process, but that’s what coaching is about. Charlotte is incredibly supportive, encouraging and has a huge amount of optimism, positive energy, enthusiasm, and 150% of commitment to support you all the way. If you’re going to spend any money this year, why not invest it in yourself for lasting change - what could be better value for money?!  

What are you waiting for?