Graduate Spotlight: Mona Rose on Becoming a Life Coach

Mona Rose is a certified life and somatic coach. Learn more about her work at https://monarose.love/

1. What were the specific worries that you had about what other people might think of you becoming a coach?

Well, I had quite a few worries! Being a non-native English speaker, I was really anxious about coaching in English. I kept thinking, "What if my English isn't good enough?" Mispronunciations and grammatical errors felt like they would be so embarrassing and make me look less credible. 

Also, I was nervous about getting negative comments from people in my former community on my website and social media. 

I also wondered if my cultural background might be misunderstood or undervalued, which could make it hard to build trust with clients.

2. Were you more worried about what your job would think, or what your friends and family would think, or what random strangers would think?

I’d say I was particularly worried about the opinions of family, acquaintances, and random strangers. 

The thought of facing criticism from people who knew me before was really discouraging. 

Random strangers and my old community still keeping an eye on me added another layer of stress. 

3. How did you move through these worries, specifically? What actionable strategies did you use? 

- Conversations with my inner critic. Acknowledging my fears and self-doubts instead of pushing them away. This helped me understand where they were coming from and work through them.

- Reframing my thoughts. I started seeing challenges as opportunities to slow down, grow, and learn. I reminded myself that it's okay to make mistakes and that perfection is never the goal. (As a recovering perfectionist, this has been quite a journey!)

- Somatic practices. I practice meditation/mindfulness, breathwork, and movement to stay grounded and present. These practices really helped me manage my thoughts and process my feelings and emotions.

- I reached out to mentors, coaches, therapists and communities for support. Having people who understood my journey and could offer guidance and encouragement was invaluable.

4. What have you learned about how to handle it when you worry what other people think, since? 

I've learned that I’ve been outsourcing love, validation, and acceptance to others, and it isn't the way to go. 

I've realized I can create an identity that serves me well, and there are healthier ways to protect myself than shrinking or hiding. 

It's also been comforting to know that even native English speakers make mistakes. 

I’ve learned that my inner critic can have a voice, but it doesn't get to drive my decisions.

I handle worries on a few of levels:

- Mentally: I focus on self-awareness and remind myself that I'm the best judge of who I am. Positive self-talk and affirmations help reinforce my self-worth and abilities.

- Emotionally: I allow myself to feel and process my emotions without judgment. This helps me face criticism and setbacks with a balanced mindset.

- Spiritually: I remind myself that one of my purposes is to serve something larger than myself – to serve humanity and be of service to Love. This perspective helps me zoom out and detach from the things I've placed too much importance on.