Written by: Mindy Schrager, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Someone recently asked me what type of person attends a particular workshop I offer (Self-Care through Color). It got me thinking about a more general question – what leads a person to embark on a journey of personal growth and transformation?
While I share details of my own story on my website (https://systemsofchange.com/meet-mindy/), the two core instigators for my personal growth journey were a health condition and feedback about my communication style at work. The changes that growth and transformation have supported, along with current health, business, and relationship patterns that I find perplexing, keep me on the journey.
That is my story, but the following details are the core reasons I’ve witnessed with my clients and others who want to create change and growth in their lives.
1. Life event/transition – When we experience a significant life event or transition point, it can impact our sense of self, our confidence in our value, and the certainty of our life path. Whether it be losing a job you loved or having your financial security impacted by an unexpected layoff, these types of transition points in our career or life purpose often lead to a search for a new direction. Sometimes, the change point is caused by a shift in our “role,” such as becoming an empty nester or moving into retirement. Other times, a divorce or ending of an important relationship is the reason for the transition. These are all ways in which our sense of self becomes imbalanced, yet also create a great opportunity to explore personal growth options to support the shift into a new persona.
2. Challenging situation – While some challenging situations may necessitate a transition, there are other times when the challenge itself is the growth opportunity. As mentioned, much of my own work has been driven by the challenges of specific health conditions. For many of my clients, the challenge has been in the area of relationships. Divorce is a specific type of relationship challenge, but there are others. Maybe you are holding onto a relationship that the other person felt was over, but you lack a sense of closure. Sometimes, the challenge is within your family, both with those in your family of origin or individuals “acquired through marriage" (i.e., stepchildren). Other times, it is a challenging situation with a boss or co-worker, either in terms of your interactions with them or how they perceive you.
3. Lack of traction – On occasion, we set goals, but they lack clarity, defined action steps, or we unintentionally create obstacles on the path to achieving them. Other times, we strive for something more but find our current situation “comfortable,” and we hesitate to “rock the boat.” Sometimes, the path we think we want is not what is best for us, and transformational work inspires the discovery of a new path. Unraveling subconscious, repetitive patterns of behavior or insights from the feedback we receive can be the key to unlocking forward progress. Another way transformational work can help is to uncover underlying beliefs and loyalties to family patterns that stand in the way, and support us to shift out of habits that block our progress and build momentum to move forward.
4. Curiosity/journey of discovery – Some people are lifelong learners and appreciate the opportunity to experience the growth that comes through transformational work. During the journey, they find that one thing leads to another. In my personal experience, an NLP instructor’s mention of Debbie Ford’s book “The Dark Side of Light Chasers” was the first step on my path to becoming an Integrative Coach; searching for a gift for a friend led me to Aura-Soma®, and; a practitioner’s comment helped me discover the work of Family Constellations. In turn, Self-Care through Color has helped participants discover they focus more on others than themselves, support them in expanding their self-care practices, and uncover their appreciation of a color they previously disliked.
Transformational work allows you to learn, be curious, get clear, take action, and align within yourself to better connect with others. If any of these four situations sound like you, please contact me to schedule a conversation and create your personalized coaching pathway to move forward.
The question about Self-Care through Color inspired this article. I’m offering this workshop again starting at the end of September. Find out more here.
Or download my freebie – “3 Ways to Transform Your World with Color,” – click here.
© 2023, Systems of Change, LLC
Mindy Schrager, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Mindy Schrager is an ICF PCC credentialed coach, Systemic Facilitator, Aura-Soma practitioner and founder of Systems of Change, LLC. Mindy’s focus on and passion for transformational work is built on years of experience creating strong, well-balanced teams, combined with a powerful personal discovery journey. Her experience and training have been focused on creating positive change in life and business experiences working with individuals and groups. Mindy loves to shine a light on hidden patterns and the root cause of dysfunction and then help create new pathways to growth.
