Women Encouraging Women: Teacher to Life Coach
“Oh I’d love to be a life coach,” I thought to myself, “but I could never do that because you have to have your life totally in order first”, I continued thinking after I heard about what my friend’s mom did for a living. Yet still very interested in this profession, I listened with awe at how this woman inspired others and lived a dynamic life through her career. Afterwards, I didn’t think much more about coaching. I dedicated myself to Montessori education, and for years I worked as a teacher guiding the development of three to six year old children. “Beautiful challenging” work is how I would describe those years. Demanding, exhausting, heart-melting, fulfilling, beautiful challenging work.
Eventually I decided to take a break from teaching in the classroom. I was in need of rest, but I also wanted to pursue some of the other deep desires within my heart. After some serious discernment, I decided to switch careers into the field of life coaching. I was hopeful that coaching was a profession that could also support me to pursue my creative dreams of art, music and writing as well. So, I bravely and tearfully said goodbye to my students and coworkers, and I took a leap. I left what was so comfortably familiar and very secure, and I set out to pursue a plan that felt so uncertain and unknown. (Essentially, I was doing my best to live what I would soon be encouraging my clients to do– to bravely live your life doing what makes you come alive.)
It was risky, exciting and terrifying. Thankfully, I let go of my ideas that I had to have my life completely in order before becoming a coach. The personal work I had done, as well as the children in my Montessori classroom, had taught me that no one needs to be perfect in order to be able to do good things for others. The children had also taught me that no one even needs to be great to do great things. Each day I witnessed little children work to more fully realize their potential and become the dynamic individuals they had been created to be. Often times this happened in the simplest of ways and often the littlest or youngest child would make the most profound discoveries.
My original beliefs about coaching did not need to keep me from a dynamic profession where so many of my gifts could be used and where I would find energizing work. My clients did not need to be perfect to do great things in the world, nor did I need to be able to do everything well in order to be a great coach. The children had taught me that the willingness to always be on the journey was most important. They taught me the value of process and what is gained along the way. My students had taught me about practice, perseverance, exploration and trying new things.
These skills directly carried over into my work as a life coach. My coaching practice seeks to encourage, challenge and inspire women to more deeply discover who they are and to live fully alive. It guides women to move past fears and bravely take steps towards living the fullness of life that they have been created to live. I am grateful for my work with the children who directly prepared me for this work in coaching. The children taught me to see the deep potential present in each and every individual person. They taught me to honor exploration, accept imperfection, and how to encourage others to powerfully take action in the world over and over again. They have inspired me to enjoy the journey and to accompany others along the way. It is my hope for each of you that you may discover what it is that makes you feel fully alive and to live the life you have been created to live.
Mary Catherine Craige enjoys spending her time creating art, writing, and playing her Irish harp. She uses her experience as a Montessori teacher and catechist to serve young children through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. As a life coach, she inspires women to more deeply discover who they are and to live fully alive. You can find out more about her here.
