What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• Why the one-on-one and one-off models don’t work.
• Why guided transformation is replacing packaged peak experiences.
• Why Yoga Health Coaching isn’t just for yoga teachers.

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Be a coach
• Have a conversation
• Discover more about Body Thrive 
• Body Thrive Book

Show Highlights:

• 9:15 – Why guided transformation is replacing packaged peak experiences.
• 15:37 – Building dynamics groups takes a unique set of skills that requires time and mentorship to master.
• 24:18 – Yoga Health Coaching isn’t just for yoga teachers. The business model can be applied to anyone in the wellness industry.

Favorite Quotes:

• “For a group to be dynamic, people have to have skin in the game.” — Cate Stillman
• “A dynamic group isn’t dynamic unless all members are involved.” — Cate Stillman
• “When they don’t have skin in the game, and they’re not invested, they don’t have to show up. When they don’t show up, they don’t get the goods that you have. And so basically then, you don’t get to provide the full service to them because they don’t show up to receive it.” — Grace Edison

Guest BIO:

Grace Edison lives in British Columbia, Canada. She’s a mom of twin 8 year olds, a Yoga teacher, studio owner, and Yoga Health Coach — and she also works for Cate Stillman in Admissions at Yogahealer! More than anything, she loves to make people laugh and has a not-so-secret dream of doing stand-up comedy. Grace has a strong passion for empowering others to take their health and wellness into their own hands. She loves building authentic relationships, making people laugh, and creating supportive communities. After a long-standing relationship with severe depression, Grace has found deep relief through the habits of Ayurveda — and much credit is due to Cate and her Body Thrive program. After taking Body Thrive several times and jumping into Yoga Health Coaching, Grace came aboard the Yogahealer team.

The 80/20 rule, or the law of the vital few, is also known as the Pareto Principle. Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto argues that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results. Pareto’s Principle has come to be known as an axiom in business management and life, but I have seen this play out with group participation as well. If I can get 20% of my people to be very active and show up well – others will follow. My members will not show up simply because I do. The hierarchical teacher/student dynamic makes most students see me as different and separate from them, though. Latitudinal learning structures, where members learn from each other as much as from the teacher or leader, is far more effective in creating community.

By ensuring that 20% of your members have been instructed to be active participants – both on the live calls and on whatever social forum you are using – you will start to create a culture of togetherness. That means 2 out of every 10 members are showing up to the live calls interested, vocal, sharing, posting, commenting, and liking what is going on in the forum, and generally being engaged. You can ensure their participation by praising these kinds of actions, being specific in that praise and telling them how much it means to you and how helpful it is for the other people in the group. I do this privately, in an email or text, or in person. I have also utilized the specific talents of these vital few in special events such as retreats. This will give them ownership of the event and will hold them to a higher standard, pushing the bar up for the group as a whole.

Once you run one program, you will get a feel for who knows how to “show up”. Then, ask them to continue being a part of the group so that they can keep modeling that behavior in exchange for a deal on the cost of the program. They can be paired with newer members to put those vital few in more of a leadership position and elevate the chance of success in the newer clients. I’ve offered exceptional members an arrangement where they give me monthly feedback on what is and isn’t working in the course (encourage and teach them how to give critical feedback), agree to post new threads on the forum once a week, like and comment on other member’s posts 3x weekly, let me know who needs more support, and are required to attend 80% of the live calls. What I’ve found is that other members will start to share and show up in similar ways – becoming more vulnerable, transparent and present. It’s a beautiful thing!

While Alec has started reaching more people with podcasts and videos, he’s still struggling with getting people to schedule strategy sessions with him. Cate quickly identifies that Alec isn’t using his public yoga classes to their full potential, which is probably the case for a lot of yoga teachers who are also yoga health coaches. We look for new leads before we effectively mine the ones who are right in front of us on a weekly basis. The easiest way for yoga teachers to more effectively draw people into strategy sessions is by theming yoga classes with the habits of ayurveda. Move your yoga students through a curriculum week by week that relates to the habits you teach as a yoga health coach.

Use a scarcity mindset and offer free strategy sessions related to your curriculum to the first 3 people who schedule with you after class. Specificity, scarcity, and value are key!

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How yoga teachers can use their public yoga classes to generate interest in strategy sessions.
• Why subbing other people’s yoga classes is an outstanding opportunity for yoga health coaches.
• How to use specificity, scarcity, and value to fill your courses!

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Body Thrive
• Yoga Health Coaching
• Living Ayurveda

Show Highlights:

• 0:00 – Alec has started reaching more people with podcasts and videos, and he wants to know how to get more of those people to schedule strategy sessions with him. Cate quickly identifies that Alec can use his public yoga classes to more effectively draw people into strategy sessions by theming his classes with the habits of ayurveda.
• 13:00 – We have to help people connect the dots between their health concerns and what we’re offering through yoga health coaching. Once we’ve exhausted the potential of the people who are in front of us on a weekly basis, we can start to look at secondary sources: the people who know the people who we know. Ask for referrals!
• 19:50 – Once we’ve identified our target audience, we can get really specific about who we’re offering sessions to: for example, people who are constipated. Plan the theme of your yoga class to coordinate with the theme of your strategy sessions and ask your yoga students to refer people to you. Offer incentives for referrals.
• 22:22 – The wellness market is moving toward guided evolution, and that’s what yoga health coaches do! Point out the value of a strategy session. Move your yoga students through a curriculum week by week that relates to the habits of Body Thrive. Use a scarcity mindset and offer free strategy sessions related to your curriculum to the first 3 people who schedule with you after class. Specificity, scarcity, and value are key.
• 31:45 – Cate also suggests offering yoga classes only to your annual pass members or offering your annual pass members benefits that aren’t available to students who only attend your public yoga classes. In this way, you build interest in your annual pass and perhaps end up with people on a waitlist to join your course. Invoke curiosity.
• 33:25 – Subbing other people’s yoga classes is another easy way to generate leads. Start with an introduction that tells the students what you do in your habits course: “I help people . . . .“

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “If someone is coming to you to feel better in their body, and they’re overweight and they have an autoimmune issue and they’re eating their main meal of the day past 6 pm, I don’t care what you do in your yoga classroom, you cannot help them until you address that as a habit.” — Cate Stillman
• “This is where the market’s going too, is to guided evolution. . . . That’s what we do! We do guided experiences.” — Cate Stillman

Guest BIO:

Alec Hurley is a yoga teacher in the San Diego area and a life long surfer. He is the founder of Higher Self Wellness and an avid practitioner of ancient wisdom and spiritual practices which he infuses into his public yoga classes and group program “The Art of Connection”. He is professionally trained as a Chef and incorporates the ancient wisdom of “food as medicine” into his culinary creations. Currently enrolled in the Yoga Health Coaching program, Alec is adding the practices of personal and planetary alignment into his modern healthy lifestyle toolkit to help shift the collective into deeper states of connection.

You can download a Free guided meditation here to get a deeper sense of what he is all about.

Amarylis is a prenatal yoga teacher who was looking for a way to continue to work with her students after they delivered their babies and support them in the early years of motherhood. After watching Cate’s work for a couple of years, and with a passion for ayurveda, Amarylis took the plunge into Yoga Health Coaching, despite her doubts about whether or not she could afford the cost of the program.

Amarylis enrolled in YHC during a time of huge transition. Her marriage was dissolving, She didn’t have much of an income from her yoga teaching or her work with nonprofit organizations, and she knew she would have to figure out how to support herself and her daughter. She was done with the scarcity mindset and knew she wanted to make more money.

Amarlyis has enrolled nine members in her YHC pilot, and she has paid off her tuition. She knew she could serve others in a bigger way; she just wasn’t sure how to do it. Yoga health coaching is that way. Amarylis did the work and trusted that her members would show up, and they did. She has learned that the investment of money translates into an investment in yourself.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• Why investing in Yoga Health Coaching sometimes involves a change in mindset about “spending” money.
• How Yoga Health Coaching is just the right combination of growth mindset and solid business practices.
• Why sometimes the only obstacle you really need to overcome is your mindset.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Catch Yogahealer Black Friday Sweet Deal-EXTENDED!
• Yoga Health Coaching
• Amarylis’s website

Show Highlights:

• 0:00 – Amarylis is getting ready to launch her pilot coaching group. As a prenatal yoga teacher, she was looking for a way to continue to work with her students after they delivered their babies and support them in the early years of motherhood. After watching Cate’s work for a couple of years, and with a passion for ayurveda, Amarylis took the plunge into Yoga Health Coaching, despite her doubts about whether or not she could afford the cost of the program.
• 6:08 – Amarylis enrolled in YHC during a time of huge transition. Her marriage was dissolving, She didn’t have much of an income from her yoga teaching or her work with nonprofit organizations, and she knew she would have to figure out how to support herself and her daughter. She was done with the scarcity mindset and knew she wanted to make more money.
• 9:40 – Amarlyis has enrolled nine members in her YHC pilot, and she has paid off her tuition. She was enrolled in Living Ayurveda at the same time and was able to schedule her pilot during a time that made sense for her.
• 13:40 – Amarylis has learned that the investment of money translates into an investment in yourself. The power of yoga health coaching lies in the support and accountability of your group.
• 15:25 – Yoga Health Coaching is just the right combination of growth mindset and solid business practices. Amarylis knew she could serve others in a bigger way; she just wasn’t sure how to do it. Yoga health coaching is that way. Amarylis did the work and trusted that her members would show up, and they did.

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “I finally had a conversation with Grace. And I was like, ‘Yes, sign up!.’ And I remember distinctly telling her, ‘I’m signing up for this, but I want you to know that I am terrified.’ And she was like, ‘Good! You’re in the right place!’” — Amarylis Fernandez
• “I just decided that I need to make more [money]. Not just that I need to make more, but I want to make more. And I believe that I can make more; I just don’t know how. And I’m going to find those people who do know how . . . . I’m going to start surrounding myself with those people who do have that same mindset.” — Amarylis Fernandez
• “It feels so good. And it feels so fulfilling. And it’s creating a model for the people who you want to serve. And creating a structure that makes it available for them. . . . There’s just so much power in the structure of Yoga Health Coaching.” — Carly Banks
• “I knew that I needed the structure and the step-by-step model that Cate has laid out for Yoga Health Coaching so that every single week I know exactly what I need to be working on.” — Amarylis Fernandez
• “It’s very empowering when you get to step into your own dharma and your way of serving in the world.” — Amarylis Fernandez

Guest BIO:

Amarylis Fernandez is a yoga teach, a yoga health coach in training, and a mother. Not so long ago, Amarylis was totally frazzled, ungrounded, and desperate for change. And she realized things wouldn’t change until she did. So she did.

Now, Amarylis is on a path to guide women into vibrant living amidst the beautiful chaos children can bring. She spent a transformative month living at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health getting my 200 hour yoga teacher certification. She earned her 85 hour pre/postnatal certificate through the Bhaktishop in Portland, Oregon. She’s trained more than 200 hours in Ayurveda with Cate Stillman of Yoga Healer, and specialized in Ayurveda for pregnant mamas and new mothers through Sacred Window’s Ayurvedic Doula programs.

Amarylis believes the transition into motherhood is a wild and wondrous ride that can be aided by yoga in all forms: postures, breath work, meditation, mantra, and help from your tiny guru(s)! She also knows the potent life transformations that occur when the wisdom of Ayurveda is incorporated into daily rhythms. Connect with Amarylis on her FB page and get more info on Amarylis’s website.

As a yoga health coach in training, the last year has been very intense for Tracey. She started Body Thrive in 2017 feeling pretty depleted. She went to the Yogahealer retreat in March 2018 during a time of introspection, knowing that the changes she was experiencing in Body Thrive and YHC meant that she needed to let go of some things in her life that no longer aligned with her identity. What happened during and after the retreat amounted to a deep dive into long-held beliefs, doubts, and shadow issues.

Tracey’s transformation culminated when she was ready to fill her pilot program. She filled 10 spots in one week! She attributes her success to living the habits of Body Thrive.

What Tracey and many other yoga health coaches have found is that Yoga Health Coaching is so much more than a business course. Because we go through the program we are learning to teach, our own personal growth is exponential. If you think YHC might be for you, your first step is talking to Grace.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How personal growth leads to professional success.
• How Yoga Health Coaching evolves our identities.
• How the service provided by yoga health coaches is far more valuable than any “quick fix.”

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Yogahealer Shop
• Catch Yogahealer Black Friday Sweet Deal
• Why it’s Better to Gift Experiences to Evolve
• Yoga Health Coaching

Show Highlights:

• 2:48 – As a yoga health coach in training, the last year has been very intense for Tracey. She started Body Thrive in 2017 feeling pretty depleted. She went to the Yogahealer retreat in March 2018 during a time of introspection, knowing that the changes she was experiencing in Body Thrive and YHC meant that she needed to let go of some things in her life that no longer aligned with her identity. What happened during and after the retreat amounted to a deep dive into long-held beliefs, doubts, and shadow issues.
• 9:30 – Tracey’s transformation culminated when she was ready to fill her pilot program. She filled 10 spots in one week! She attributes her success to living the habits of Body Thrive.
• 14:35 – Yoga health coaching is service. You’re not selling a product. You’re guiding others through a process that facilitates self discovery. Sometimes that can be a hard sell. Not everyone is willing to step outside their comfort zone and put in the work.
• 18:00 – When it comes to the Yoga Health Coaching course, taking the long view is extremely important. Knowing we don’t have to do everything at once or know exactly how things will work out is calming and liberating and allows for our own personal growth. If you think YHC might be for you, your first step is talking to Grace.

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “This process of doing the work . . . you have to do the work; you have to look inside; you have to peel back your layers. And it hurts, and it’s hard . . . but the depth is so beautiful! And what you can uncover, and how you can grow from being in that depth is something that I never could have expected.” — Carly Banks
• “It [yoga health coaching] is service. And it’s service in the most clean way. You’re not buying anything. . . . There’s no quick fix. It’s not easy. You’re creating practices and it’s a process.” — Tracey Thiele
• “I signed up for a program that would help me build a business. What I got was a program that changed my personal life.” — Carly Banks

Prior to YHC, Rachel was working at a job that showcased many of her innate skills: organization, structure, opportunities to speak and to lead. She also owned a brick and mortar yoga studio. She excelled in both businesses, but something wasn’t right. Rachel was working 60+hours a week.

Following the birth of her son, it became obvious that her work schedule would not foster the connection she wanted to build between them. This was the spark… the moment where she accepted something needed to change. She took the leap and enrolled in Yoga Health Coaching.

In this interview, Rachel is super honest about how her mindset can stop her from moving forward. It almost always comes down to fear. But in this community we get comfortable with our fears. We play the edges of them, and seek new truths so we can overcome them.

Three years into her YHC career, Rachel is now making the same income she was while working 60 hours a week, except now she only works 20-25 hours a week. Same money. A THIRD of the hours. Doing work that really fills her up on her own terms. And the flexibility to be with her family whenever she sees fit.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How our fears keep us in our comfort zones.
• How YHC provides the structures and systems we need to be successful.
• How YHC is a platform for both personal and professional growth.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Yogahealer Shop
• Catch Yogahealer Black Friday Sweet Deal
• Body Thrive
• Yoga Health Coaching

 

Show Highlights:

• 0:00 – As moms, sometimes it’s hard to define what a good work/life balance is. For almost 20 years, Rachel worked as a liaison between land management agencies and a local college. She often put in over 40 hours per week. She also owned a yoga studio and taught 8-10 classes per week. After the birth of her son, her heart wasn’t in her work anymore, and she found herself talking more and more about yoga and health.
• 6:50 – Becoming a parent changes your priorities. Even when you’re really good at your job, you might start to wonder whether it still suits your identity and whether it’s in line with your dharma. Rachel realized that in order to do the work she really wanted to do, she had to step out from behind the desk.
• 10:50 – Many of us have been taught that we need a job with a “benefits package.” For Rachel, it was hard to break away from that mindset . . . until she realized that the benefits package wasn’t benefitting her. So she started making a list of all the things that were holding her back, and she began to realize that most of it was fear.
• 16:20 – Identity evolution is an ongoing process. Even after we make a big leap, there is always more work to do; there’s always a next step in our evolution. The 10 habits of Body Thrive help us ease through those transitions.
• 18:20 – Rachel was part of the first group of yoga health coaches. She recalls sitting down with Cate for a strategy session and making a plan. It took Rachel another two and a half years to leave her desk job. But she “followed the breadcrumbs” and put in the work. She no longer works a desk job. She no longer owns a yoga studio. She works between 20 and 25 hours per week and this year her income will be what it was when she left her 40+ hours a week desk job.
• 21:40 – When we learn and practice the habits of Body Thrive, when we do the work in YHC, we start to get really clear on what matters most. We experience personal and professional growth simultaneously.

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “The work that I’d been doing so long . . . became the thing that I hid behind.” — Rachel Peters
• “I still am working on really believing in myself and that I can do this. And that I really can help people.” — Rachel Peters
• “You create new patterns in your thoughts by repeating the new truths to yourself.” — Carly Banks
• “Which one feels better? Fly the desk, or like . . . fly?” — Carly Banks
• “One of the beautiful things of YHC is to learn the steps, that it’s a system and it works.” — Rachel Peters

Guest BIO:

Rachel’s – As a Certified Yoga Health Coach and the Founder of Embody Ease and the Easeful Living Community, Rachel leads women on a yearlong journey to dissolve perfectionism and embody daily habits that promote clarity, ease, and inner connection. She is a wife, mom, and lover of wild places and contributes to her local community as a yoga teacher and teacher trainer in Prescott, AZ she also serves as the leader of the Coaching Team at Yogahealer. Check her website and facebook page.

I give talks at regional Lyme disease conferences and to local support groups to get out in front of my community.  Clear impactful communication supports my wellness career and helps my audience understand the transformation I offer.  I’ve learned that speaking effectively with a large group at a meeting or conference is different than working with people one on one or in a yoga class. I work to improve my delivery, so I can help more people.

Speaking With Large Groups

The way you deliver your message- your use of voice and body language-  can make or break your impact in a workshop or a conference. I learned a lot about delivery while studying voice and singing. My voice coach was very particular about my stance, enunciation and use of breath.  She wanted these habits established, so I could focus on the emotions and message in each piece. By the end of our lessons I was always shaking with fatigue from the work we had done to improve my delivery.

I recently attended an event where a number of yoga teachers spoke- and as I listened to their presentations I was surprised by how uncomfortable many of them were speaking in front of a large group. It made me think about all the training I have done and how it supports my ability to speak effectively to an audience. It also reaffirmed the value of the work I continue to do to improve my delivery as I refine my voice and increase my impact.

8 Ways to Uplevel Your Presentation Skills and Engage Your Audience

Talk About Your Passions

People can tell if you aren’t into your subject matter. You don’t have to know and love every detail- just be honest about what you know, what you are learning, and why it is important to you and them. You want your audience to feel the love.

Know Your “Why”

Understand your purpose in giving the talk. Is it to entertain, to educate or to get people intrigued and excited about how you solve problems? Keep the purpose of your talk front and center in your plan and delivery.

Meet Your Audience Where They Are

Reach out to your audience. Make eye contact, ask questions, do quick surveys, or pass props to engage them. Use language they can connect with, and have simple explanations for any technical terms you introduce. Remember you are speaking for your audience, to help them engage at a deeper level.

Organize Your Information

I use powerpoint or google slides for large groups to me stay on track and on time, but you can use notes, props or speak from memory. Prepare for the unexpected by being organized and anticipating how things might go wrong. I always bring my computer, a thumb drive and a paper copy of my presentation. This means I am ready to continue if things go wrong.

Shake Off the Fear

Does public speaking give you the jitters? Before you begin, do a “check-in.”  Are your palms sweating? Is your mouth dry, or your tongue four times its normal size?  If so- stop. Before you begin, get grounded. Meditate, do some deep breathing, or imagine the audience in their underwear.

“Overall, fear of public speaking is America’s biggest phobia – 25.3 percent say they fear speaking in front of a crowd. Clowns (7.6 percent feared) are officially scarier than ghosts (7.3 percent), but zombies are scarier than both (8.9 percent).”  Christopher Ingraham “The Washington Post”

Actively Manage Pace, Pitch and Volume

Be aware of how quickly or slowly you speak, and learn how to actively vary your pace, pitch and volume.  I had a tendency to speak too quickly and softly. I could see puzzled looks on the faces of the audience as they tuned out.  My solution? I got myself a metronome and used it to practice varying my pace.

Stand in Your Own Footprints

What do I mean by this?  Literally stand and be still! Move with purpose when you move. Minimize the pacing, fidgeting, “sos”, “ums” and “ohs”- they detract from your message.

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” –Dale Carnegie

Post Talk Review

Make a constructive review checklist. Fill it out after your talk and use your findings to create a plan for improving your delivery. Record your talk when possible and listen to your words and delivery.

Here are the questions I ask myself- or in some cases my host- after I give a talk.

Talk Review Checklist- 4 Questions

1.    Was I clear in my delivery? What one thing can I work on to zero in on my message?  Narrow the topic? Use a pause instead of “um”, “so” or “and”?
2.    How was my pace?  Did I need to slow down? Did I finish on time or was the conclusion crunched? If I was rushed at the end, what section could I leave out or shorten to create space?
3.    Did anyone ask questions?  If not, build in a place for questions.
4.    Did the audience engage?  Was this the right topic for the right community?

What should be on your checklist?  Do a quick post talk analysis, and systematically refine your voice to improve your impact with your audience.  You have the power to evolve the way you speak to reach more people with your message.

I’ve wanted to pull out more than a few times. Jump ship. Try something else.

But I stuck with it. I worked their systems.

It’s been hard. Obviously.

My investment- with travel- is around $18 thousand per year. It’s a business investment – paid for by the business. I used to think of it as a personal investment. I was wrong. It’s an investment I make to create the momentum to grow, to help my people to grow, to help myself to grow.

Questioning the Value

Last year at exactly this time I talked about giving up on the bigger goal. I had 3 bad hires in a row. I lost faith in my ability to do this. I was serious about not growing – just staying put.

But in the end, I was more curious about what it took. Why some people made it past the rocky terrain of $1 million to $3 million. Why others, like me, did not. I couldn’t see why I didn’t have what it took. In fact, I couldn’t see, with all my “west meets east meets west” wisdom background, how I wasn’t actually at an advantage.

I kept trying. I made a good hire. Then another bad hire. Then another good hire.

Mapping New Habits with Consistent Action

And now I see clearly how by consistently choosing what is hard in the moment- like my daily cold plunges– I have also paved the way for growth for others.  

This week we hired three new team members at Yogahealer. I’m sure they are all good hires. The hiring process was arduous. I wasn’t nervous about the added investment in people. I can see how I’m on the other side of some old shadow issues that held me back as a CEO.

Coming out the Other Side

The hiring I’m doing will free up my time in 2019 immensely, letting me focus on tribe growth strategy, networking, writing, speaking, coaching, and new smaller courses- all within my “zone of genius.” In 2019 I’m leveraging all my strengths, and the strengths of all the Yogahealer individual members, not just some of them. In 2019 I’ll have even more free time, though my calendar is already dialed in with big open blocks and focus blocks.

I’m starting to see the light. To witness the cumulative changes in my thinking, strategy, leadership abilities, team growth.

The reason I write this is: there are hard actions we need to take every day. There are lessons to learn. Weaknesses to alchemize into strengths.

And it’s hard.
It’s not personal, though it feels personal.
And it works.

Stay the path. Growth is real

Does your coaching beg the question? And the next question? If you are concerned that you just don’t know enough about Ayurveda or health or life or fill-in-the-blank to coach, I have a question for you. What do you think it takes to be effective at coaching?

We live in the information age. People almost always already know what they need to do. If you have ever tried to give the average person advice, then you understand the futility of adding to the already neglected pile of information. What people need is to be invited into an epiphany of their own. As a coach, you can facilitate this by asking the next, best question. Repeatedly.

In fact, I challenge you to only ask questions and refrain from giving advice. Offer 5 (be willing to do 10!), 15-minute sessions (about any area of life) where you practice the art of listening so that you can ask better and better questions. Questions so direct that they pry open the heart of your clients and allow them to be seen in a way that is profound. It is rare that people have deep, meaningful conversations about their own life. It is even more rare that they have an unbiased, inquisitive ear listening for the words beneath their words. Words that want out but may never have been spoken before.

When you hear a lilt in their voice or a clip in their cadence, that is the indication that the conversation wants to turn in a different direction. This is where you can choose to be bold. Summon your courage to allow the conversation to takes its course without your direction. The shakti is palpable at these points in the conversation and She wants to be heard. Listen. Ask about what you just heard, “I heard your voice change, what is that about?”.

There will be a temptation to guess or direct what comes next. Resist the temptation to lead. Continue to dance, with the shakti in the lead, as you breathe deeply, listen broadly, and remain curious. Keep your body relaxed. If an idea pops into your head about what to ask next, go with it. Even if it seems unrelated. You do this work because you care, not because you’re an expert, and your care is rooted in the wisdom of love. Let love lead.

You have probably heard of the idea that our reality is a reflection of our beliefs. What a conversation heavy with questions does is anchor the container of intimate conversation so that our beliefs about ourselves can be exposed to the fresh air of inquiry. And whatever doesn’t stand up to that inquiry is seen for what it is – limiting, and usually false, belief. Use the following questions (inspired by The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier) if you need something to grab onto but I encourage you to preference your intuition:

• When did this first become an issue for you?
• What do you really want?
• What’s stopping you?
• If you don’t get on the other side of this, what will it look like in 2, 5, 10 years?
• If X were solved, what would change for you?
• What’s the real challenge for you?
• Anything else?

At this point, after about 14 minutes, you will have already wanted to give advice. You may have accidentally given it. You may think you know what they need to feel better. You may think you know exactly how to resolve their issue. Make no mistake, your advice would be stellar. But don’t give it. Intelligent, eager-for-help people regularly find reasons why good advice won’t work for them. Ambitious, effective people will rebel against being told what to do. It doesn’t matter if you’re right. Autonomy matters. Instead, ask them what was the most valuable part of this conversation. Take note of what they say. Then thank them for trusting you and ask if they would like you to follow up with them next week. If they say yes, in your follow-up you can give them one small next step to take.

Effective coaching requires good questions which demands deep listening which necessitates space. Give them space. Space in between your questions, space to hear themselves talk, space to be blown away by the obvious next step that they now can see they should take. Space for their epiphany.  

After doing this challenge, you will have strengthened the question-asking muscle to such a degree that it will take over in your coaching sessions. After the challenge, when you occasionally do drop knowledge (possibly in the form of advice) it will land with precision and clarity. You’ll be an effective coach. Not because you know everything, but because you dared to ask the next question. Please share your experience with me, I might have a few questions!

Jenny is a spiritual guidance practitioner who has been teaching Enneagram since 2009. Until now, her work was more of a hobby than a career. There was very little structure to what she was doing, and she always felt like she didn’t have enough time. Now in the second quarter of Yoga Health Coaching, Jenny is learning and applying the YHC business structure to her own signature program.

She’s blending the group model with her one-on-one model and loving it!

With more structure to her weeks, Jenny is excited about her work and feels like she now has the time to do all that she needs to do. Her income has tripled. Her workshops are lead generation for her course. And even though she doesn’t teach the habits of Body Thrive, what she’s learning in YHC is directly applicable to her work: how to coach, how to lead dynamic groups, and how to enroll.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How the YHC business structure can benefit anyone offering a wellness course.
• How to adapt the YHC coaching model to your and your clients’ needs.
• How the YHC course provides plenty of opportunities for members to share ideas.

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Yoga Health Coaching
• Body Thrive
• Enneawake

Show Highlights:

• 2:00 – Jenny is in the second quarter of Yoga Health Coaching. She is learning and applying the YHC business structure to her own signature program. Jenny is a spiritual guidance practitioner who has been teaching Enneagram since 2009. Until now, her work was more of a hobby than a career. There was very little structure to what she was doing, and she always felt like she didn’t have enough time.
• 6:35 – Through the habits of Body Thrive, yoga health coaches learn how to structure their days to be more easefully productive. Like many wellness pros, Jenny felt drained by one-on-one sessions with clients. In YHC, we learn how to maximize our time and our impact by working with groups.  Jenny is blending the group model with the one-on-one model and loving it! With more structure to her weeks, Jenny is excited about her work and feels like she now has the time to do all that she needs to do.
• 10:20 – Jenny offers a 9-month group course. Her income has tripled. Her workshops are lead generation for her course. And even though she doesn’t teach the habits of Body Thrive, what she’s learning in YHC is directly applicable to her work: how to coach, how to lead dynamic groups, and how to enroll.
• 15:18 – YHC content isn’t limited to the course work. Live calls and an online forum provide plenty of opportunities for members to share ideas.

Your Favorite Quotes:

• “I think it’s totally adaptable. I’ve just been plugging in my thing. It’s been easy for me.” — Jenny Faulkner Campbell

Guest BIO

Jenny has a Psychology degree from Middlebury College. She has been teaching the Enneagram since 2009, and has been Certified and Authorized by Don Riso and Russ Hudson of the Enneagram Institute.

She also has a Certificate in Spiritual Guidance from Rowe Camp and Conference Center. Jenny offers Enneagram teaching and Spiritual Guidance over the phone, via Skype, or in her office in Holliston. Jenny is available to travel and offer a program designed specifically to meet your needs.