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Wendy Buckingham / Creator, Life Coaching Professionally

Life Coaching Professionally

Welcome to my life coaching blog! To stay up to date, please make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed.

This blog assists new and established coaches and those wanting to embrace life coaching as a career with independent information, coaching tips and practice growing strategies.

A Free Tool To Create Your Captivating Brand Message

Do you hesitate when someone asks you what you do? Does your message let you stand out, and inspire people to learn more?

Expressing what you do authentically and congruently is a big challenge for many coaches.

So take advantage of this free Brand Message Template that will help you get clarity on your message and be able to express it simply and easily when you are asked “so what do you do?”

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Solving the "I have to get organised first" client challenge

Your clients may often tell you something like " I need to get organised and get on top of things first THEN - and THEN I can focus on my important goals."

The problem is that total organisation and being on top of things can rarely be achieved or permanently last! It’s an ongoing process to master.

You'll find some fantastic information and tools to help your clients get out of organising overwhelm and into control in The Productivity and Time Management Toolkit from the Coaching Tools Company.

Check out the many practical tips, techniques and concepts, which will help your clients transform, prioritise and make better use of the time they have.

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How To Solve Your Niche Dilemma

Are you going nuts trying to decide on your coaching niche and then idth="284pxhow to get your special message across?

Take advantage of this free Niche Success Kit from my colleague Cindy Schulson who is a whiz at helping coaching get clarity on who their ideal client is and how to market to them.

She also has a great mentor program to hold your hand through the process and some great free trainings. Check them out, nothing to lose.

Niche Success Kit

Speak Up And The Client Will Come

It's a real plus as a life coach to also become a motivational speaker and use your presentations as a tool to grow your practice.

Read These 10 tips on getting started as a speaker (even if you are scared). Learn how to avoid “death by powerpoint and how to establish rapport with your audience.

Plus six ways to ensure a trouble-free presentation.

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Goal Achieving Tips

Is your goal dependent on somebody else’s “doingness”? This tip is about making sure your goal is truly yours to achieve.

So ask yourself: “Is this goal something I am in control of and can achieve by my own efforts, or is it something I am dependent on someone else’s efforts for success?”

If success is riding on the back of another person’s idea, ambition, inspiration or activities watch out!  So if your goal is reliant, even partially, on another for success, make sure that person willing and, more importantly, capable of meeting your expectations.

Discover more vital tips for goal success

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Things To Know About Life Coach Training

Do you know the difference between coach Certification, Accreditation and Credentialing. It’s confusing but one of the first things to understand about life coaching training. 

Certification is what is offered at the end of a coach specific training to show you have completed and maybe taken a test within the training offered.

Accreditation applies to a training not a coach. The training has been accredited to comply with the criteria and standards of an independent coaching organisation such as the ICF.

Credentialing is what coaches who reach a certain level of proficiency and coaching experience can apply for from some of the independent coaching associations such as the ICF.

Still confused about coach training. This will help you understand and make the right decision.

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Goal Achieving Tips

DON'T RECRIMINATE, CELEBRATE

With apologies to John Lennon’s - So Now This Is Christmas - it's time to acknowledge what you have done, rather than lament what you didn't do, or weren’t able to do in this memorable, for all the wrong reasons, 2020.

My New Year’s gift to you, as my valued subscriber to this blog, is Chapter 11- Celebration, The Great Motivator - from my book Be Your Own Goals Coach.

I hope it will help you and your coaching clients, celebrate the wins for 2020 however small, and turn any perceived failures, even into experiences from which you can grow and set the foundation for greater things in 2020.

Here’s to a peaceful, healthy, abundant and fun 2021

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Goals are better than comparisons

Are you constantly comparing yourself with others? I know it’s hard to avoid but it really is a useless exercise. You’re you a unique person doing what you do to the best of your ability with your own goals and aspirations.

Comparing ourselves to others as coaches can be really self-destructive. There will always be someone who charges more or less, or appears to have more experience or skills to offer, more “likes” on their Facebook page and so on.

So when you (or your clients) next start indulging in the “I ‘m not as good as” stop and remember its pointless and self-destructive to compare yourself to others.”

Better to set firm and powerful goals that work for you and go for it.

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Things To Know About Life Coach Training and Certification

Do you know the difference between coach Certification, Accreditation and Credentialing. It’s confusing but one of the first things to understand about life coaching training before you enrol. 

Certification is what is offered at the end of a coach specific training to show you have completed and maybe taken a test within the training offered.

Accreditation applies to a training not a coach. The training has been accredited to comply with the criteria and standards of an independent coaching organisation such as the ICF.

Credentialing is what coaches who reach a certain level of proficiency and coaching experience can apply for from some of the independent coaching associations such as the ICF.

There's a lot more to it and this will help you understand and make the right decision.

Continue reading "Things To Know About Life Coach Training and Certification"

Business Card Ideas That "Work" For You

In these days of social media connection and Covid 19 disconnect don’t overlook the value of the business card as a basic coach marketing tool.

This tip is about creating a business card that will really do the job of making you memorable whether you give it out to a coaching prospect, a neighbour, someone you meet on the train or plane or a persona of influence in your niche who may refer your a client.

I’ve put together lots of creative business card ideas and mistakes to avoid so check them out.

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Life Coaching Accelerator Tips

Have you had the experience where a client doesn’t seem to be quite with it and focussed during the session. I know I have. The client may have filled in their session preparation form indicating what they want to work on, and all may seem in order. So you press ahead with the session hoping they will get it together.

But it doesn’t always happen. Something has occurred that has thrown them off track and is stopping them from being totally present.

I have solved this happening by asking at the beginning of every session “Are we Ok to go ahead or do you have anything on your mind we need to talk about first?”

Clearing the space right at the start of every session makes sure you are not trying to coach over a “withhold” that it taking the clients attention.

For more coaching tips your coach training may not have taught you I invite you to subscribe to my free Life Coaching Accelerators:

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Goal Setting and Planning Secrets

Don’t Assume, get the facts! You’ve may have heard the saying “assumptions are the mother of all stuff-ups. It’s about how often a misunderstanding occurs because you or someone else assumed something, thought someone else was taking care of something, or took an opinion or a guess as being a fact.

This goal achievement secret comes from the chapter in my book Be Your Own Goals Coach on creating a personal’ Success Policy’ around the strategies and behaviours you need to develop to give you the best chance of success in reaching your goals.

Always aim to get the facts about an issue or question you have rather than making an assumption or listening to an opinion. And get those facts from someone who really is in a position to know them, and is not just guessing or assuming themselves.

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Weight Loss Coaching v. Therapy Boundaries

Do you have a protective disclaimer on your website? You may need one if you choose to define your coaching in a niche area that may be considered the province of therapy, such as mental, health, ADHD, trauma coaching and so on.

Irrespective of the amount of coach training you have undertaken, if you identify yourself as coaching in health related coaching niches, and are not a qualified and licensed therapist in that area, take heed or you could be on shaky ground.

If you are going to offer any sort of health advice on your social media profiles or website, outside the boundaries of coaching, make sure that the reader understands the boundaries of your qualifications and does not take your suggestions as medical advice.You can see how I have demonstrated this in the disclaimer on my website article on weight-loss goals to ensure I do not stray into the territory of eating disorders

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Insider Life Coaching Tips

This tip is about the dangers of navel gazing - looking inward and down, rather than up and ahead.It comes from my aversion from experience to the “how did you create this”? Or “What’s the lesson?” Questions so beloved by many personal growth gurus.

Much better for you and your clients to ask “What do I want and how can I have it?

The thing is that whilst you are going inwards looking for answers not much is happening to solve the problem. It’s Ok if you immediately know what you did to create a particular situation, or what you learned from it to move on. Otherwise you waste a lot of energy searching for an answer that may or may not be there whilst standing still.

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The History of Life Coaching

What do you really know about life coaching? Where did it come from and why is it different from any other type of coaching such as sport or financial coaching? If somebody asks you, what do you tell them? 

It’s not surprising that many of those who take up what they think is life coaching have no real idea about its origins or parameters. They may never have heard of Thomas Leonard a financial adviser who developed the concept of life coaching in the early 1990s and started the first life coach specific training - CouchU, or as it was called then Coach University. 

He also founded the International Coach Federation and created the first credentialing system and code of ethics for life coaches.  So learn about what prompted him to move from financial advising to life coaching and how all evolved.

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Finding The Right Life Coach Training For YOU!

I recently saw a promotion for a new Certification Course for Life Coaches. It again reminded me that many aspiring coaches looking for a coach training often don’t understand there is an important difference between certification and accreditation.

Anyone can create a life coaching course and offer certification at the end of it. The thing is that the certification is only as good as the person or school offering it. What really gives the course credibility is that it is accredited by a truly independent and authentic coaching association that sets standards and ethics such as, but not exclusively, the ICF.

I’m not saying that all certification courses that are not accredited are no good, or that every accredited course is perfect and great value. But there are a lot being offered that will fall short of standards and not give you the credibility you are looking for as a coach or value for money.

So check them out carefully with this information and list of possible questions to ask so you don’t end up disappointed and wasting your money.

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Life Coaching Tips

How do you stay motivated on those “hard” days? Those times when the creative juices seem to have dried up around your goals and all you seem to be able to do is stare into space or fluff around. You still want the goal but it all seems just too hard. 

Here’s a technique that has worked for me when inertia sets in. Go forward in your mind to the end of the day and look back. How will you feel if you have spent the day procrastinating? The imagine how you will feel if, as you snuggle down to sleep, you have overcome that inertia, and can acknowledge yourself for having taken even a little step towards your goal - such as a phone call, an email written, a Facebook post – whatever. I guarantee it will life your spirit and get your moving again.

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Distinctions On Life Coaching Fees

How flexible is your refund policy? Of course every coach should have a firm refund policy, but there should also be room to be flexible and judge each request for a refund on its merit.

I learned the hard way when I was quite within my refund policy rights to refuse a refund for two unused session, which I did. The results was a happy client who then became resentful, and sent a nasty email.

So by all means have a firm refunds policy but also use your judgement with each request. Sometimes it is better to sacrifice a few dollars (even if you really need them), rather than have an ex-client out there who will speak ill of you and certainly won’t refer you.

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Tips To Accelerate Your Life Coaching Career

When did you last take some real time off?

Stephen Covey, in his book Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, has ‘renewal’ as the seventh and most neglected habit. Specific time out for self-nurturing, in whatever form that takes – rest, recreation, time with family – it is a vital well-being and success strategy

When you are overwhelmed, frazzled, needy and tired are you attractive and encouraging to be with to your family, friends or even your clients?

So do allow yourself to take time out to smell the roses and look after you. Sit in the sun, go for a walk, book a massage, have coffee with a friend or, CV19 permitting, go away for a weekend. Even the most inspired and energetic of us need renewal time to regroup and regenerate. It really pays off.

For more good ideas and great coaching tips for you and your clients, I invite you to subscribe to for lots more tips to help you and your clients

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Tips to Accelerate Your Life Coaching

Pick up the phone for important or sensitive communications.

It may seem much easier, quicker (and less confronting) to handle a difficult situation by email, text or messenger than making a phone call.Yet for sensitive communications it is usually not the best way. Written communication invariably lacks the tone and essence that comes with the spoken word, so is open to misinterpretation.

Speaking physically allowed for quick questions and answers and, most importantly, preserved and strengthened the relationship.So before you message and text on important or sensitive issues, do consider whether it would be better and more satisfactory to pick up the phone.

I invite you to subscribe to my free regular Life Coaching Accelerators for lots more tips to help you and your clients.

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Powerful Coaching Tips To Get Great Client Results

Would you like a really powerful question to ask a client who was doing well but turns up to their session confused and stressed? A question that can quickly restore their confidence and get them back on track?

Try “When were you last OK?” Then follow it up with “What or who happened?”

So often, something that somebody said or did to your client, or an event that occurred, can send their energy spiralling down without their even realising what is happening. Something less obvious that CV19, for instance.

Just helping them identify and acknowledge when they were last OK and what then happened to throw them, can often be enough to pop them out of their stress and confusion and restore their energy and intention.

Of course you may have to do some more coach probing around the issue, especially if they have trouble spotting the trigger, but the main key is being able to help them identify when they were last doing well and what happened to change things.

It’s also a great questions to use on yourself when you feel YOU have lost your mojo.

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How To Have Success With Weight Loss Goals

This tip is about weight loss goals. Often when clients are deciding on their big career or business goals for a coaching session they slip in "and I could do with losing some weight".And if your coaching niche is health and fitness, then this scenario is almost a given.

But losing weight can be one of the hardest goals to achieve. There are so many insidious challenges your clients can face that get in the way.

To make weight loss goals easier to achieve I’ve put together six little used tips specifically to support goals to lose weight. They will help you coach your clients to have the result they are looking for and you to have some weight loss success stories to brag about.

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Do You Know How To Fire a Client?

Has this happened to you? However carefully you check out a prospective client, however skilled a coach you are, things don’t work out. Either they turn out to be uncoachable (at least by you), needing therapy rather than coaching, or some other reason that makes them a poor match. You come to dread sessions with them because they drain your energy and your confidence.

And this is far more likely to happen when you are new to coaching and eagerly take on all comers.

The solution as I now see it is not to descend into self-reproach and feelings of inadequacy (I’ve been there) but to end the coaching relationship elegantly and put it down to an experience to learn from.

So how do you literally fire a client so there is no, or a minimum, of hard feeling. Not all will go quietly, so you need to be kind, yet firm. This will help you get it right.

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How To Use Your Personal FB Profile As A Marketing Tool

What do prospective clients see when the click on your FB profile? Is it a lot of irrelevant chat about you, your partner, your kids and their pet and/or what might inspire.

What I want to know, and I think other people who check out your profile want to know, is how do you relate to me in a coaching context so I get really frustrated when the space where you can post an intro is blank.

So do take the time and effort to fill this intro in with a few words about what you do professionally and a a link either to your website, blog, LinkedIn, or your Facebook business page and don't miss out on this important marketing opportunity.You can see how I have done it on my personal FB page.

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Do you know how to say “NO” graciously

Do you know how to refuse a request? Of course you do. NO is a simple word. But do you have trouble saying NO to the numerous requests that come your way and take your time away from those things and goals you really want to focus on?

Time to learn how to say NO and still keep relationships intact. It can be challenging at first but with intention and practice it will pay off towards being more in control of what you agree to.

Lots more tips on how to refuse a request elegantly

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Are You Thinking About Presenting Online

I’ve always found one of the best ways to attract committed clients is to deliver a lively informational and motivational presentation around your coaching specialty.

Given that live presentations may not be possible for the time being because of CV19, I’ve added a section about presenting using an online platform to my article on attracting clients through speaking engagements.

You'll find all the low down to support you to feel confident about presenting whether you have a face to face or online audience and even tips on overcoming any fears about public speaking.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

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Free Training - Five Things That Will Stop You Getting Your Goals And How To Avoid Them

Next Tuesday May 5, I will be delivering a free webinar titled Five Mistakes That Can Stop You Achieving Your Goals And How to Avoid Them". I was thrilled to be invited to do this by the UK based International Authority of Professional Coaches and Mentors (IAPCM) I’d love for you to be there and get these invaluable tips to help you and your clients achieve their goals. .

If you can't make it, it will be available as a recording to all who register. Do come along. You can find out more and register here:

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How Are You Going With Becoming and Online Life Coach?

The Corona Virus has made many coaches, who haven’t done so before, transition to using phone or online platforms to remotely coach their clients.

It can be a challenge if you’ve only ever coached face to face but once you appreciate the advantages for both you and your clients it will help you make the transition easier.

In my latest article on becoming an online life coach, I discuss the benefits of phone and online coaching (which I’ve done for years), coaching tips, mastering the technology and looking and sounding good on line.

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Website Problems To Know And Avoid

I’m ashamed to say this blog, comes for my own discovery that on one of the pages on Life Coaching Professionally four of the links weren’t working at all or going to the wrong place. Not a good look!

So I do thoroughly recommend to all your website and blog owners out there, please check your links regularly to make sure they are working and linking to where you want them to. Then you don’t run the risk of annoying and possibly losing prospective coaching clients who visit you online.

It’s easy to do, just bookmark the free Broken Link Check https://www.brokenlinkcheck.com

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Solving The Life Coaching Fees Dilemma

One of the most frequently asked questions by new coaches is “How do I know what to charge?” and “Should I start coaching for free?

In my page on setting your life coaching fees I discuss these challenges around getting it right about what to charge, including the danger of discounting, the pros and cons of publishing your fees and whether or not there is a benefit in giving free sessions.

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About Wendy.

Wendy Buckingham is a life coach with 20+ years experience. Her professional journey includes journalism, writing, teaching and business and she loves to simplify and educate.

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This site is created and written by Wendy Buckingham and was last updated on January 1, 2020. The information is free although I may receive a small commission from products or ads. I do not sell or pass on any personal information.

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