Working with a life coach saved my butt on a couple of occasions. Before becoming a coach myself, I hired a life coach on two separate occasions, years apart, to help me achieve specific goals, and I was astounded at how quickly I was able to effect meaningful change in my life with the help of focused coaching.

The first coach helped me identify and take steps toward fulfilling my dream of being a newspaper columnist. Within two years of working with her, I was a paid columnist appearing in the Pelican Press, Herald Tribune, Tampa Tribune and St. Pete Times. From there my life took off as a writer — I won awards including a Florida Press Award, and a Best Blogger award from Sarasota Magazine … was invited to give talks to clubs and groups, and eventually even published a book: a collection of my newspaper columns titled Sideways in Sarasota.

The second go-around with a coach was 10 years later when I was struggling with having the confidence to raise my professional hourly rate as a public relations consultant.

I’m a fairly assertive person, but for years I had been under-charging for my services. The coach helped me work through my fears — which included the big fear of potentially losing all of my wonderful clients — and four months later, my rates were doubled. I didn’t lose a single client, and not only was I was earning fair fees for my services, I was finally recognizing my own unique worth and value in the professional marketplace. That was a huge moment for me — to realize that I had been the one who was keeping myself underpaid! And my coach helped me see that roadblock of my own creating.

After that second experience with coaching, I knew immediately I wanted to be able to help other people connect the dots on what’s really holding them back from experiencing their best lives possible. I spent over a year in training — in the Martha Beck Certified Life Coach program, and in a separate, nine-month program with Master Life Coach Terry DeMeo, received two certifications, and now I love helping others in the same way I was helped.

Life Coaches Help You Learn How to Save Your Own Butt

In both of the circumstances described above, I was unfocused and feeling like I couldn’t create the reality that I so desperately desired — to be a paid and published writer and to be a better-paid publicist. I was fearful and floundering and a life coach helped me work through my fears and find my way. I call that butt-saving big time.

Working with a life coach is one way to learn how to save your own butt (and just holler if I can help you with that!) — but if you want some rock-solid ideas on how you can save your own butt big time, here’s a fabulous,funny, and spot-on blog, written by one of my wonderful coaching mentors, Terry DeMeo. Reading her insightful blogs which are frequently published by The Huffington Post, is like getting the biggest, best, most sincere hug ever from someone who thinks you’re just great .. and getting a kick in the ass at the same time. Read it and laugh — and then go save your butt by pursuing whatever brings you joy!