The Soul in Whole Self Coaching

Soul is seemingly intangible. You’ve experienced it in others plenty of times, and so have I. People, places, and things all have Soul. We all know when someone or something has really got it. We feel it, even if it’s hard to articulate.

My friend succinctly described Soul as the “essence of someone”. Soul is where many elements come together to form a unique identity, an experience, and a sentiment inside ourselves that leaves us feeling authentic and grounded, and that emanates in the external world for others to experience. Souls glow from the inside out, and we’re drawn to them. It is something we all uniquely have and can cultivate for a more meaningful, more grounded life. If we’re grounded in our Soul; in who we are, we’re better positioned to manage the highs and lows in our lives, and grow through them.

Here are some of the tangible components of Soul that when broken down, make them attainable, and actionable in daily life. They make decision-making easier. And, Soul clarity → increased self-awareness → more control over your actions, and the ability to leverage stress coping tools.

Your Traits

Who are you when you strip away what you do? Knowing your strengths is important, however, it’s easy to get caught up in the actions you perform well, rather than identifying what underpins them; what drives you to do them, and if you want to. In the case of Soul, separate out what you do, and what you’re good at. What is it about them that gives you joy and satisfaction? What are the adjectives that best describe you? Those are the words emblematic of your essence.

What You Stand For

Your personal values and your code of ethics drive your decision-making, and your life goals (and if they don’t, they should). Values and ethics motivate you, keep you focused, and keep you resilient during adversity - all because you’re focused on that greater good. They’re North Stars. They draw others to you and help you find like-minded people who see, and intrinsically understand you.

Purpose & Meaning

This is a calling for something, or a passion compelling you. It can be religion, a pull to serve a cause, or make an impact on a social issue. Often, these are manifestations of your ethics and values out in the real world. Something that gives my life meaning is helping others feel and be their very best, and a couple of the ways that plays out is through teaching cycling and coaching. Purpose often informs a career, goals, a hobby, or a community. 

Creativity

I read somewhere that Creativity is a mind set free, and wow…that really hit home. There are all different types of creativity, but some of my favorites are ideas, self-expression, interpretation, and problem-solving. When we’re in creation mode, our whole self is stimulated (especially our mind) and allows us to transcend the practical in favor of an idea, a vision, or anything larger than life, existing outside of the present moment. Actually, you’re both present and transported into the the future. You feel so very alive as you’re creating. That creation leads to vision, action, insights, and connection to others. Creativity moves us, and others - together.

New Experiences

Without new experiences of all kinds, we wouldn’t find Soul outside ourselves. Part of what makes us human is complexity.  When we have new experiences, we add more layers to our whole selves. We’re more dynamic. We gain fresh perspectives, see people and things in new ways, and develop more empathy. New experiences = opportunities to connect, learn and evolve.

Are you ready to dive into matters of your soul? Click the link below to setup your free discovery call to learn how I can help!