 Interview With CarlyHow did you become a Life Coach for moms?
To answer this question, it's probably best that I share with you a little about my background and the defining moment that brought me to where I am today.I am happily married and a working mother who owns her own coaching business called Balance the Mother Load. I have a healthy work/life balance, live guilt-free and I’m proud of the mom, wife and entrepreneur that I’ve become. But it wasn’t always like this. I spent much of my life in search of the perfect career. I worked hard but never felt a passion for anything I did. I struggled to find my purpose in life and thought having a baby would fill the void I felt. So my husband and I started trying. And trying and trying. It took us a year and a half before we were finally blessed with our son Jack. About 6 months after Jack was born, I was at the Gap doing some shopping. I still had 20 pounds of baby weight to lose and was feeling depressed and unmotivated. I took a bigger than usual pair of pants to the dressing room and when I tried them on thinking I would need a size down, to my horror, I needed a size up. I was mortified. Tears stung my eyes and I sat on the bench in the dressing room with the pants undone and my stomach hanging over the waistline. I didn’t recognize myself anymore. Not just because I was 20 pounds overweight, but I was someone else entirely. I was a new a mom who’d lost herself by giving everything I had to my baby. I was no longer driven or motivated to work because I felt too guilty to leave my son. I completely neglected myself and my well being because I couldn’t figure out how to balance all the new roles that I had. I was going through the motions,pretending like everything was great in my world when really I was falling apart. I decided right then and there that something had to change. I was going to take back control of my life and start to put my needs first. And I was going to start by losing the extra weight. I decided to buy the smaller pair of paints and vowed to make them fit me sooner than later. As I speed- walked home, the wheels in my mind started turning. I felt a surge of energy and excitement that I hadn’t experienced in a really long time. The next day, I joined a gym and hired a nutritionist. I worked out 3 times a week and wrote down everything I ate for 10 weeks. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done, but I literally worked my butt off and lost all the extra weight by the time the program was finished. During this amazing time of hard work and dedication, I felt alive again and had an undying belief that I was unstoppable. But I kept getting a nagging feeling that I wasn’t in the right business. I knew that I wanted to be home with my son and that I wanted to work for myself, but I didn’t know what to do. So I asked the universe. “What am I supposed to do?” and I left it at that. The next morning I turned on a local breakfast show and a man by the name of Bob Proctor filled the screen. He was talking about a book called “The Secret.” I had never heard of it before but I had heard of the Law of Attraction. I was intrigued by what he had to say so I went to his website. He is an internationally acclaimed Life Coach and motivational speaker. The wheels started turning again and I began to feel the buzz. That afternoon, as I was on the treadmill at the gym, Oprah Winfrey was doing a show on “The Secret” and had a panel of coaches and motivational speakers. I was glued to the screen. All I kept thinking as I was listening to these “experts” was, “I can do this.” The universe gave me my answer. I am now a Certified Life Coach and graduated from the Coach Training Alliance. I also developed my expertise in the areas of work/life balance, self care, time management, overcoming guilt and having a strong mindset by reading tons of books and attending many workshops and seminars. I started applying what I was learning into my life and quickly saw the results. I felt happy and fulfilled. And I managed to balance being a hands-on mom, a dedicated wife and an entrepreneur who felt like her old self again, only better. I decided I wanted to share what I knew with other mothers who are struggling with lack of balance, too much guilt or loss of their former selves. That’s why I started my business “Balance the Mother Load”. I’ve coached countless moms, written numerous articles, and given many seminars on the topics listed above. Whatever your struggle is, I am confident that together we can get you back to the woman, wife and mom you are truly meant to be. Who are your clients exactly?I work with all kinds of mothers. But I find the moms who need me the most are the working mothers who can’t seem to balance it all. They have unrealistic expectations of themselves and often feel guilty about their choices, decisions and actions. Their intentions are good, but due to the stress and overwhelm in their lives they aren’t always proud of the woman, mother and role model they’ve become.How are you different from other coaches?I ONLY work with moms. What that means to you is that I am very focused on anything and everything that helps you take care of yourself so you can take better care of your family.Because my focus is very narrow, what you get from me is no-nonsense, undiluted expertise on what works to help moms get their lives back on track. I've simply become an expert at this stuff and that's why my clients get great results. (I also add a healthy dose of compassion, humor and encouragement, which ALWAYS helps!) What type of personality do you work best with and what is expected of me?Balance the Mother Load was created for moms who are absolutely committed and extremely serious about changing what isn’t working for them and creating their ideal life. These mothers are smart, ambitious and have good intentions but can’t seem to get out of their own way.Being a real and honest mom myself, I'm known to work best with other honest moms who are excited to start and just want to know exactly what steps to take. You’ll be expected to take serious and consistent action and to start being true to your feelings, needs and wants. No more excuses, pretending and no more self-neglect. You’ll experience a different way of thinking and receive full support while you achieve this incredibly exciting goal. Who is this not going to work for?Please know I'm very selective in who I work with. I will choose to (gently) turn away people who aren't suited for my programs and won't get the results for which they would have signed up for. (It wouldn't be fair to them.)Balance the Mother Load is NOT for those mothers who have been diagnosed or think they have postpartum depression. I am not qualified to fix, diagnose or treat postpartum depression and would recommend contacting your physician if you think you are depressed. I also won’t work with moms who refuse to invest in themselves. Another type of mother I won't work with (without exception) is the chronic skeptic, the mom who consistently makes excuses or isn’t open to change. If you are one of these people, I gently and respectfully ask that you not call and I hope you understand why. We'll probably just not work well together and I wouldn't want you to waste your time or money. What things do people talk about?Often, personal behaviours are keeping moms feeling stuck, unhappy, or unfulfilled.The behaviours may be the result of issues such as:
What results can I expect?You can expect to:
How quickly can I expect results?Obviously this depends on how dedicated and open you are to the work I give you. That said, virtually all my clients see results within the first few weeks in the form of less stress, more of a work/ life balance, and healthier habits all around.Most of my clients see results very quickly when they are dedicated to seeing change, open to the process, diligent with assignments, and absolutely 100% unshakable in their conviction to feel better, no matter what. This sounds great! What are my options for getting started with you?Congratulations on making a decision for success! The first step is to schedule a Complimentary Coaching Consultation with me.You will leave this session with,
From here, we determine which coaching program is right for you based on your needs, how quickly you want to see results and your budget. The coaching structure includes weekly phone sessions, email support and some homework assignments. What types of coaching packages do you offer?I offer three different packages based on your needs and budget.Balance the Mother Load Gold Program Do you want to move quickly in getting yourself and your life on track now? If so, then this is the program for you. I roll up my sleeves and do the work right along with you and give you the tools and strategies that are necessary to create the life you want. I am also available to you by email whenever you need to vent or just want additional support. This is by far the most popular program and creates the best results, simply because you have more time with me. What’s included:
Balance the Mother Load Silver Program This program is for independent self-starters who feel they can do the work required of them without speaking to me as often. Together we brainstorm, collaborate and strategize any challenges that come up. These moms are confident that they can take consistent action on their own. What's included:
Balance the Mother Load Bronze Program (For Graduates) This program was created for moms who have already “graduated” from one of my other programs. They just need occasional support to ensure they stay a balanced mom. This program is not recommended for beginners, as there's more work to be done initially before you can gain momentum. What's included:
How long is your program?Each program is at least 6 months to allow for real, lasting change to occur. Remember, this is not a quick fix. This time frame allows you to integrate and apply the new skills, knowledge, and create new and positive habits. We also need time to "recondition" your mind with thoughts and beliefs that move you towards creating the life you want.I have found anything shorter than 6 months just gets us started. Although you may think you “know” what to do, if you aren't living it, you don't really "know" it. This happens with consistent action over time and I'm here to provide the accountability you need for long-lasting success. Can I contact some of your former clients to see what it's like working with you?Yes, I encourage you to! Please go to the Client Testimonials page and read all of them. See which ones you feel drawn to. If there is an e-mail listed, this is an invitation to contact them directly.If I'm not sure I'm ready to get started, how can I sample your work to see if it's right for me?I suggest subscribing to my FREE Balance the Mother Load blog. It provides you with proven tips, tools and powerful techniques to help you find some much needed balance.You can also set up a Complimentary Coaching Consultation and I'll be happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Ok, based on everything I’ve read and heard about you, I know you're the one I want to work with. How do we get started?Congratulations on making the decision to transform your life!Here's the next step. Schedule a Complimentary Coaching Consultation. This will allow you to ask me any questions you have. Do we already have a date set? Great. Then just let me know at the end of the call which program you want and we’ll pick a date to get started. It’s that simple!
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