For many of us, health coaching is more than a profession; it’s our passion, and we could not think of anything else we would rather do than help others take control of their lives and achieve their health goals.
A health coach is a mentor, a teacher, a guide, and a listener with a compassionate ear.
We choose this path because we believe we have the ability to make a difference in other people lives, and it’s this desire to have an impact on the lives of others that drives us to enroll in the Primal Health Coach program or some other health coaching program.
Earning your credentials as a health coach signifies to the world that you are an expert in the health and wellness field and that you have the knowledge to be able to help others achieve optimal health and well-being.
Despite knowing within yourself that you have the skill set—and support network of the Primal Health Coach community behind you—something may be holding you back.
It’s very common and completely natural to feel a slight disconnect between becoming certified and feeling like an actual health coach. The unknown can be a little intimidating.
Here we’ll explore how you can gain confidence and feel like the health coach you truly are.
Qualities of a Great Health Coach
Being a great health coach isn’t about having a six-pack, bulging muscles or a perfect bikini body.
And having tens of thousands of Instagram followers doesn’t make you a great health coach either.
So what are the qualities of a truly great health coach?
Great health coaches possess a strong desire to help others. They’re hugely empathetic, caring and supportive, and are passionate about helping their clients live the healthiest lives possible.
Great coaches are patient and know how to make their clients feel at ease.
Great health coaches possess the ability to listen with compassion without taking on the feelings or emotions of their clients.
Great health coaches are avid learners and see each and every challenge as an opportunity to build and grow as a coach and as an individual.
Great health coaches are genuine. Clients will always be more responsive when their coach is being their true self.
The Impostor Syndrome
The Impostor Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that describes an individual’s inability to internalize their accomplishments and is characterized by a persistent fear that they are a fraud. It can affect anyone, but is most common in high achieving women.
Feeling like an impostor can definitely hold you back from achieving your goals both personally and professionally, but the great news is there are some simple strategies you can implement to help overcome your irrational fear.
Acknowledge Your Achievements
People who feel like an impostor often have trouble acknowledging their achievements, so a great tip is to celebrate each and every one of your victories.
Whether it’s celebrating the completion of your certification course, or landing a new client, acknowledging and internalizing your achievements will go a long way towards helping you feel like a real health coach.
Focus On Your Strengths
Many people find it hard to see past their perceived weaknesses, so a useful strategy is to write a list of all your strengths. Strengths can be as simple as being friendly and approachable to being able to see a task through to completion. Maybe you’re highly organized, or a good motivator? Whatever your strengths may be, focusing on them will help you see how amazing you truly are.
Set Achievable Goals
Striving for the unattainable will only set you up for an inevitable fall. Instead, set achievable, realistic goals based on your current situation and the time you can commit to achieving them.
For example, if you can only commit 10-15 hours per week towards your health coaching due to work commitments, then be realistic as to how many clients you can take on as your business grows.
Walk the Walk
As a health coach, it’s important that you do your best to uphold the lifestyle principles that you teach your clients. However, you are not expected to live a perfect lifestyle; we’re all human.
Doing your best to eat well, get enough sleep and to exercise in a healthy manner are all healthy habits that you advise your clients to strive towards, so it only makes sense that you do your best to live by them too.
Sharing a little insight into how you’ve overcome your own challenges and slip-ups is an effective coaching strategy, as it reveals a little bit of your true self, which will help to strengthen your connection with your clients.
Connect With Other Health Coaches
Building your professional network is a great way help you feel like a health and wellness expert, as you’re likely to find that your fellow health and wellness peers share the same concerns as you.
If you’re a Primal Health Coach student or graduate, then you’re likely to be aware of the Facebook groups set up by the Primal Health Coach team.
These groups are the perfect medium to connect with other health coaches or students.
Sharing your highs and your lows with your peers can be highly beneficial, as they will be able to relate to whatever you’re going through, the good and the bad.
Connecting with fellow health coaches will provide an audience for you to share ideas, seek advice and form collaborations.
You may find yourself writing a guest blog, or being invited to speak as a health expert on a fellow health coach’s podcast, which will boost your confidence and build your reputation in the health and wellness community.
Your local area may also have a local networking community that you could get involved with, so do some research to explore that possibility as well.
Be the Coach
If you’re a recent graduate or even if you’re still studying, a great way to feel like a coach is to be a coach.
Ask your friends and family if you can coach them. You’re likely to find more volunteers than you think!
The more coaching experience you can get under your belt before you land your first official client will set you up for the real event when the time comes.
A huge part of being a health coach is feeling like a health coach. Building your confidence takes time and effort, so it’s imperative to never give up on yourself or your dreams. The first step towards feeling like a health coach is believing you are one. Believe in yourself and the sky’s the limit!
