After my last two posts about working with a Life Coach (Why I Got One and Things I Learned That Could Help You, Too), I received so many great messages from you and how much you enjoyed reading about my experience. But also, there were so many of you asking more about how you could find one for yourself or those of you struggling with what the next step is in your life and career. I didn't go dishing out contact information for my own coach in the way that I would hand out referrals for everything else in my life because 1) I know she is very specific about the people she works with and 2) You have to be in a phase of life where you are ready to do the work that's involved.

However, there were a good number of you who were truly interested. So, my coach, Bonnie, offered a gift from her to me to you a session for THREE of you to have the chance to talk to her about anything you want. No strings attached. Just simply to gift the gift of guidance to a few of you. SO…if you're interested, please read this letter from my coach, Bonnie, below and how you can be selected…

Greetings!

It’s such a pleasure to have this opportunity to interact with all of you.  While working with Joy, I often hear how much she loves and respects this Oh Joy! community, and how grateful she is for it.  And, it’s so clear to me why you love and respect Joy so much, too.

I really want to recognize each of you who have read and responded to Joy’s “life coaching” blog posts.  Know that I’ve read every one of your comments and questions, and you are truly inspiring with your curiosity, your openness, your desires, your big dreams and your willingness to ask for help.

Something I’ve learned through my own life experiences is that no one accomplishes anything completely on their own.  Receiving help during different growth phases of my own life has been nothing less than transformational.  I’m grateful every day to be in a profession where I get to pay that gift forward to other people.

Not very long ago, working with a coach was seen as a sign that someone had problems, issues or weaknesses.  Thank goodness that’s no longer the case because I see working with a professional coach as one of the most powerful choices any human being can make — for their own lives and for the positive ripple effect it has throughout our great big beautiful world.  Today, we have the data to prove that the world’s most successful and happiest people work with professional coaches — just as any successful athlete or performing artist always has — to “perform” their personal life and work to their greatest abilities.

I know this from personal experience.  After my faith and my husband, coaching is the most effective support I rely on.  I treasure having deep, life-changing conversations with my own coach a couple times a month.

There’s a quote by George Bernard Shaw that does a great job summing up what life coaching is all about:  “I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

Based on your responses to Joy’s recent blog posts, I have a hunch this quote resonates with many of you, too.

If you happen to be one of these people, Joy and I have a very special invitation for you, to help you shine your torch as brightly as possible.  Because it’s what you were created for, and it’s what the world needs most.

I’ve agreed to create time in my schedule to do a private, one-on-one complimentary coaching session with 3 of you from the Oh Joy! community, as a gift from Joy.  During these conversations, we’ll get into your life, your work, your dreams, your challenges.  Whatever is most important to you, your greatest fulfillment and your greatest joy.

If this idea excites you, here are a few more important details …

1. This is not something I do for everyone.  My coaching calendar is typically full.  I’m doing this to support Joy because I see her as up to extraordinary things in the world, and because that’s exactly how she sees the people in her community.

2. Although this time with me is complimentary, I commit to showing up for this session as I do with every paying client:  I will play full-out and I will give you everything I have to offer.  So, I ask for the same from you — that you are willing to play full-out and hold nothing back.  This is your chance to go anywhere you want to go, with no limits and no boundaries.

3. This coaching session will be from 1.5 – 2 hours on video conference.  If you want to do this, you'll need to prioritize this much time and arrange to be in a private and quiet location, free of interruptions.

4. This coaching session is what I describe as “no strings attached.”  This means that there will be NO sales pitch of any kind from me during or after our conversation.  That’s not how I work.  This is really, truly and simply about me being of service to Joy and her community.  It’s about you and me creating one powerful, life-changing conversation in the time that we have together during this one session.

5. If all of this excites you — and especially if it scares you a little bit — Joy and I invite you to click here to apply today. Every applicant will receive a personal response from me within 5 business days.

Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, September 5th at 5:00pm PST.

In Service.  With Love.

Bonnie Utley

UPDATE: Due to the overwhelming number of applications, Bonnie will need some extra time to reply to all of you. But will as soon as she can!

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Have a great, long weekend all! We'll be back here on Tuesday!

{Photo by Casey Brodley}