 Hope you had a nice and relaxing weekend! Ronald Reagan once said, "Every new day begins with possibilities." In today's resource, Laurel shares how we are all equipped to see possibilities around us and within us. We hope this encourages you and your coaching clients during times of feeling stuck.
The Institute has lots going on this summer! Keep scrolling for more info on our upcoming programs, free classes and workshops. You can also check out our website for the latest updates. Have a question? Please reach out to us anytime. We would love to connect! You Came Equipped by: Laurel Elders A mentor of mine would tell our group each week, "You have everything you need." My mind would argue back. I was a single mom attending a weekly support group because I was struggling. I never seemed to have enough money. I didn't have a good boss. I didn't have a reliable enough car. I didn't have… and the list went on and on and on. So, what did she mean when she said that? How audacious to state that I had everything I needed when I felt so strongly that I didn't! After continuing to show up to her group lessons, I finally realized what she actually meant. She meant, "You came equipped." She was not referring to external provisions, like money, cars, or jobs. She wasn't even referring to the body, which can come with its own limitations. She was referring to what counts. She was referring to what is on the inside—the human spirit. Each of us has one, regardless of what form or shape our body took and regardless of external provisions or lack thereof. The human spirit is strong and in each of us irrespective of our religious or spiritual beliefs. The question is, “Are we aware of what is within us?" One day I had an epiphany and realized some humbling news. I realized that I don't create possibilities. What a bummer! I wanted to create possibilities, but I realized I couldn't create them. Why? They already exist. They surround each of us 24/7/365. But do we have access to them? For example, if I show up to work with a chip on my shoulder, have low self-awareness of my defense mechanisms, and my co-workers experience me as rude. What is the probability I will get promoted? Low to none. However, if I overcome the defenses, gain self-awareness, and now empower my co-workers, what is the probability of getting promoted? Much higher! In this scenario, I've created an opportunity to access the possibility that already existed. Another mentor of mine, over a decade later, made a statement that shook me up. I reflected with her over my epiphany that possibilities existed all around us and how amazing that was. She said, "And within you." Within me? Do possibilities exist within me? Yes! We come equipped. Have you ever gotten a new phone and felt so overwhelmed by the number of new features in the manual? So, you end up settling on learning the basics or just a few new cool tricks. You never really study the entire manual of everything the phone is equipped to do. I know I do this with every new car, phone, and laptop. Then later, I wonder what I'm missing out on. As a matter of fact, I've had my Jeep for over a year and am still finding new features! This is so true with the human experience! Even Shakespeare wrote about this in Hamlet which was originally published in 1603. He stated, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Bottom line? We come equipped. We come equipped with the possibility of compassion, devotion, equanimity, humor, fortitude, grace, kindness, love, wisdom, vision, and so much more. But… we must activate these virtues or else they lay dormant, and we may never know they exist. To experience the possibilities within us, we must activate them. In my coaching profession, we are trained to help our clients activate the possibilities and potentials latent within. The process of being coached by a trained professional evokes us to move from probability into possibility. Coaches help us activate the myriad of possibilities embedded within us. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Hope your summer is off to a great start! In today's resource, Laurel offers a unique perspective on fear and how it impacts our confidence in life. Confidence is an area many clients struggle with as they work towards their goals. We hope this reflection offers a fresh perspective you can apply to your life and in your coaching going forward.
The Institute has lots going on this summer! Keep scrolling for more info on our upcoming classes and workshops. You can also check out our website for the latest updates. Have a question? Please reach out to us anytime. We would love to connect! Life Reflection: Confidence by: Laurel Elders Last night was my youngest son’s final concert of his senior year. I sat in the audience so impressed. I’ve watched this group grow since freshman year. They went from freshman flop to fabulous! It made me reflect on how different my high school experience was. In contrast to my son, I was a loner and horribly shy. I had very little self-concept or self-esteem. High school, for me, was an excruciatingly painful experience. But for my son, it was a blast! I watched him embody the confidence I never found. I realized how much I missed out on in life because fear held me back. Sigh… Years ago, I learned from A Course in Miracles that fear is a state of mind. That is it. Nothing more. Fear is a mindset and can shift. Living in fear is a choice. Sufi teachings talk about how fear is only half a message, reflecting only what we don’t want. On the other hand, our heart has the other half of the message, reflecting what we do want and value. Our heart moves us from darkness to light. Looking back, I wonder what life would have been like if I had found my inner light sooner. I’ve watched the light in my children. Sometimes it is stronger than others, but it is there. I also see it in my clients. Once they locate their inner light, their life illuminates in new ways. There is a grieving that can come with this recognition. When we realize finding our inner light could have happened sooner and that we lived needlessly in the dark. Sadness naturally can surface. But after the wave of grief passes, there is a clearing. The clearing is a new awareness that life is our responsibility. As we go within to cultivate our unique inner light, we can make life profoundly count. How often do we allow ourselves to steer beyond the fear so that the miracles can appear? ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  I wanted to share one of my favorite stories from one of our lead coaches, Tabitha Danloe. Tabitha's dog, Scooby, used to be extremely hard to walk. He is a very strong pup and loves to chase critters like crazy while on his leash. This behavior pulled Tabitha all over the place. She almost gave up walking him because it was so frustrating and potentially dangerous.
One day, Tabitha learned that there are three primary motivators for dogs. They are either motivated by food, praise, or prey. It turned out that Scooby is prey motivated. So while he is walking, he wants to chase everything he sees as prey. However, if you give a prey motivated dog a toy to hold in their mouth while they walk, they feel satiated, and the desire to chase is gone. This toy technique did the trick, and now she happily can walk Scooby without him chasing everything! People and their motivators are more complex! In coaching, learning your clients underlying motivations can be a true game changer. Today's resource offers a new perspective on motivation in the workplace from the inspiring and impactful Simon Sinek. And if you're feeling motivated to create change, our Institute is offering several coach training opportunities this summer. How to Motivate the Unmotivated by: Simon Sinek Click here to watch video ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Hope you've been enjoying your Spring so far! This week, we are continuing to feature the coaching stories we’ve collected from some of our favorite coaches. Meet Scott. Scott served as an Air Force officer for over 25 years and was privileged to hold multiple key senior leadership, higher education, and analytical roles. Members of the units he commanded lauded him as a leader who comprehensively developed and deeply cared for his people. Scott has a PhD in operations research, a master’s degrees in several disciplines, and a bachelor’s in applied mathematics. He is a distinguished graduate from the National War College, Naval Postgraduate School, Air Command and Staff College, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. He holds a certificate in non-profit management. Scott uses the CliftonStrengths® assessment to develop leaders from numerous corporate, government, and non-profit organizations. He is passionate about helping leaders grow in their capacity to lead well and bring amazing design to their leadership contexts. Scott enjoys running, cycling, hiking, skiing, and personal fitness. He is married to Kristi, has two adult sons, and resides in Mesa, AZ. We hope you enjoy Scott’s coaching story! My Coaching Story by: Scott Frickenstein 1. Who were you when you came to coaching? What drew you to the coaching world? Scott: I was a recently retired senior Air Force officer when I officially came to coaching. As a senior leader, I'd taken at least a partial “coach approach” for many years, and some of the best mentors in my professional life used some coaching skills in helping me develop. But my primary tendency was to be much more of a teacher, mentor, and consultant to those that I invested in. I was drawn to coaching shortly after I launched a leader development organization. A friend who had just established a coaching firm invited me to join him and a handful of others as they learned how to coach. He knew I needed a “tribe,” and he was right; we were all aiming to learn how to coach and to mutually support one another in the process. 2. How was coach training more than you had imagined? Scott: The bulk of my academic work had been in mathematics, which is heavily "left-brained." Coaching is much more right-brained. I've been taking courses and webinars non-stop since 2017. Coaching training continues to make me more fully alive and is definitely deepening my impact in my work with leaders. 3. What transformations have you gone through? Scott: In the last five years, I’ve gone from barely being able to spell “coaching” to serving as an instructor for an ICF-endorsed coach training institute. So there have been many transformations! Taking classes helped me learn the “alphabet, grammar & syntax” of coaching. Enrolling in practicum-type learning opportunities has helped me start to form some “complete sentences,” to continue with this metaphor. Journeying with other coaches in various learning organizations continues to add depth to my coaching; serving as a coaching instructor has sharpened my understanding and my skills. 4. How is coaching going now? Scott: I think I'm continuing to "grow into" what it means to be an ICF Professionally Certified Coach. In many ways, I feel my journey is still very much in the early stages. I'm encouraged that God is using me, through my coaching partnerships, to help leaders experience transformation and this development is "rippling" into their personal life, their families, and their organizations. 5. How satisfied are you with the work you are doing? Scott: I’m very satisfied! It's a real privilege for me to come alongside leaders on a regular basis and partner with them on their development. To do that in different settings, with people of like heart and mind, is a real treasure for me. 6. What does coaching add to your life? Scott: I think coaching is making me a better human being, frankly; I'm more fully present when I'm with people. I'm listening for what's being said (and what's not being said). I'm engaging in more life-giving ways (including asking powerful questions, etc.). ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  This week, we will continue to explore callings. Being called to coach and serve the excellence in others is just one type of calling. There are so many ways we can be called to something! I’ve found that callings are like lanterns that light the path to a pretty profound life when we follow them.
Today, I’m sharing my personal reflections on callings to give you some food for thought on what is calling you and how to trust what calls. Last month, my husband and I went to Pennsylvania to spend some time with family. One day during the trip, we felt called to explore the surrounding forest. The picture below is of an amazing mushroom patch we found by daring to go off the beaten path. What can you discover by following what calls to you today? A Life Reflection on Callings by: Laurel Elders A beloved mentor of mine, Sandy Hogan, who passed away a few years prior, used to say, "When your calling calls, don't hang up." I reflected on her wisdom the other day and realized what she meant. When I started out as a new mom in my 20s, I knew I needed a career. I felt called to help people eliminate turmoil and create a life they woke up feeling remarkable about. But my logical side kicked in and said I should pursue a degree, like business or management, that had a good ROI. I enrolled in a degree path in Organizational Psychology as a compromise. Halfway through my degree, I happened across a "Coaching Certification." I joined the program, thinking I was learning counseling skills, and fell head over heels in love with coaching from day one. This was it. I had found what was calling. I knew it in my heart - at a soul level. I changed my career path then and there. What I learned along the journey, as I followed what was calling, turned out to be rather healing to my entire life. I began learning about the heart, the head, and the human spirit in my integrational coaching studies and mentorship with Sandy. I realized I felt called to help others because I had struggled emotionally for years. I lived with so much fear covering up my heart. It was draining and paralyzing. It was clear during those years that I had no idea how to steer through life well. I only knew that I wanted to be of service to others, but I had no clue yet how to be of service to myself. The deeper I got into my studies and mentorship, the clearer the callings became. Dispelling the fears upon my heart, began giving my life a brand-new start. I remember the day I decided to listen to my heart. The heart I knew was fear-laden, burdened, and backward (I based my life mainly on the past). I learned that fear is like sludge. Fear doesn't change our hearts, but it clouds wisdom and buries our potential from shining through. If I was to succeed at following my calling, I had to decide to see what my heart had to say for once. I decided to be true to what was calling me. I decided to trust something I couldn't see or rationalize for once - a task utterly foreign to a natural-born skeptic who lived in her head. I decided to trust my heart. Some people know their calling from the start. Jane Goodall, a renowned anthropologist, shared, "When I was ten years old, I had a dream. 'I will go to Africa, I will live with wild animals, and I will write books about them.' Everyone laughed at me." She went on, "But my mother, she said, "If you really want to do this, you are going to have to work awfully hard, but don't give up." Jane had faith in her calling from the get-go. Amazing! I've been a coach now since 2005 and learned so much about inner-workings. I've learned that not all callings are professional. An inner calling may be as simple as smiling at a stranger who appears to be struggling, giving a drive-by hug to a hurting friend, or volunteering at a charity bake sale. Or callings can be bigger-picture, like art, photography, writing, being a firefighter, or teaching. I've come to believe that people don't follow inner-callings because they don't always make sense logically – It isn’t until after a leap of faith is taken that it all clicks. In my 45 years of life, I've learned that it doesn't matter how little or big a calling is. That calling serves us all. Callings reflect a bigger truth about our life back to us. Living in truth is a spiritual journey. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Since 2005 I’ve learned so much about the profession of coaching and about the people who are called to coach. One thing that stands out the most, I learned from my mentor Sandy Hogan. Sandy shared with me, “People come to coaching when something inside of them is ready to awaken.”
I have found this to be true of the coaches that are called to be a part of the solution in people’s lives and for the clients that are seeking their services. To this aim I became curious about other coach’s adventures on their coaching path. We’ve been interviewing coaches around their coaching story and will be sharing these with you over the next few months. This week, we are featuring Howie Adams. Howie is a retired dentist that is leaving his legacy work through personal coaching. He is our senior faculty for the Neurobiology of Emotional Intelligence & Somatics. I hope you enjoy Howie’s coaching story! What inside of you is ready to awaken? My Coaching Story by: Howie Adams In my late 40’s, I knew I was longing for something different in my life. I simply did not have an idea of what that longing was nor what was transparent to me. My life was “relatively” great personally and professionally. But the call to something different would not cease. By coincidence, I was introduced to coaching. My first experience was startling. I was on the phone with someone I had never met nor knew. In that call, I was treated with unconditional dignity and respect and compassion. I felt supported in a safe space by someone who listened beyond my words into my soul to what was not being said. All the unseen burdens began to bubble up to the surface. On this call and those to follow, I found myself discovering and beginning the process of unburdening those transparencies — my sadness, my anger, my dissatisfaction, and frustration. I was no longer captive to emotional pain and shame, but rather free to discover my longing for something different in my life. I became aware of tendencies and habits with which I often defaulted. Old messages, rules, and ideas that I lived by were named. Those tendencies and ideas served me to get me to that time in my life. However, I came to recognize that those tendencies and ideas no longer allowed me to take care of what I really cared about in any present moment. My life shifted from attempting to live with absolute predictability and control, to energetically and playfully immersing myself in spontaneity, curiosity, discovery, and adventure. My relationships with others and myself have become more authentic. I live with greater ease and spend more time and energy with people and activities that bring me increased happiness and joy. It is a process. Coaching for me is a way of being. To partner with someone and hold that same safe space that I was afforded, so they can do their “work” and discover their truest selves is an honor. To listen to another beyond their words and to explore with them what resides deep in their souls is an honor. To walk with another as they let go of that which does not serve them and amplify that which does serve them is an honor. To accept another being unconditionally for who they are — to explore and discover with them their uniqueness — is an honor. To be present with my whole self and the whole self of another is an honor. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Nancy Smyth and Sharon Eakes are the co-founders of Two Wise Women, globally acclaimed coaches, coach trainers and mentors. In addition to authoring their own books, they are contributors to the Arbinger Institute’s best-seller, The Anatomy of Peace. Between them, they have been coaching for nearly 50 years, supporting influential leaders from 28 countries to flourish, thrive and prosper from the inside out.
Click here to read more ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  March is here, and Spring is just around the corner. It is a time for growth and renewal. Icy grounds thaw and new sprouts push their way up to the sky. Before you know it, the world is filled with fragrant blooms. Spring is a season of change, but it is change that leads to great beauty. Many people view Spring as a time to freshen things up and shift perspectives. Perhaps you have been feeling ready for a change. Or perhaps you are noticing, now more than ever, the world needs guidance through the constant change happening around us. I invite you to consider joining our Spring Coach Training Program. Below, I share some of the powerful transformations our program has to offer. If you feel called towards change, we are here to support your journey of growth! Life After Taking Our Program
Hi Laurel, In college, I studied Organizational Psychology. I learned a lot of theory, that later I was able to apply as the Director of Education for the Institute. That application piece doesn’t always happen. Some education just stays in theory land or ends up not being put to good use. I’ve spoken to so many friends who have shared that they learned more on the job than they ever did while studying their degree. Coach training is not like the typical university degree programs. It is unique. Our training directly empowers your career and your life! One of our graduates, a director at a prominent software company, shared that she was so grateful the training made her a better leader at work and a better parent at home. Another student took our full coach training program just for the transformational growth and personal development. Coach training is an education that empowers ALL aspects of your life. The students who find our Institute feel called to empower others in many different areas including life coaching, leadership coaching, and organizational transformation. You can take our training and apply it directly into coaching others as a manager or create your own thriving coaching practice. Our programs offer opportunities to help you develop emotional intelligence and expand your capacity as a leader. Coaches who graduate from our programs help individuals, leaders, and teams integrate success into their lives. They are creating a world shift into positive possibilities that radiate out to others. Our coaches love playing a cornerstone role in transforming those around them. Imagine the testimonials you will receive as your clients or employees experience life-changing breakthroughs. In our program:
After completing the program:
Are you ready to increase your positive impact and make a difference in this world? If the answer is YES, we are here to launch you into your success! P.S. Do you have a friend or colleague who you would like to go through the program with? Sign up with a program partner, and you will both receive $500 off tuition for the full certification program. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  March is here, and Spring is just around the corner. It is a time for growth and renewal. Icy grounds thaw and new sprouts push their way up to the sky. Before you know it, the world is filled with fragrant blooms. Spring is a season of change, but it is change that leads to great beauty.
Many people view Spring as a time to freshen things up and shift perspectives. Perhaps you have been feeling ready for a change. Or perhaps you are noticing, now more than ever, the world needs guidance through the constant change happening around us. I invite you to consider joining our Spring Coach Training Program. Below, I share some of the powerful transformations our program has to offer. If you feel called towards change, we are here to support your journey of growth! Imagine Being Certified 12 Months from Now! by: Laurel Elders What if one year from today, you were a Certified Professional Integration Coach? What if you were consistently transforming lives for the better? What if loving your career was the norm? On March 16th you can join a success team of professional coaches and learn directly from their hard-earned wisdom. Our full certification program gives you a solid foundation to build your own legacy upon and that goes with you for a lifetime. We have a vision! If you are interested in fostering deep and sustainable success in yourself and others, this coach training program is for you. We are not a certificate mill. We deliver a high-caliber ICF accredited program and are a team of heart-centered, dedicated professionals passionate about your success. We keep our class sizes small to maintain the quality of personal relationships which we value. You will build meaningful connections in a community of like-minded people. We understand that it can feel scary to invest in a new program. For this reason, we make sure you know we are here to support you anytime you need it. This includes being available outside of class time. Our coach training is an investment that amplifies your gifts and elevates your earning potential, as you help people break out of stagnant lives. We are excited for you to change the world as a coach! We promise you that this program dives deep, and you will walk away with more than just masterful coaching skills. You will leave with career leveraging opportunities and personal transformations. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Today, we are featuring one of the graduates from our Certified Professional Integrative Coach training program. Tamica Sears graduated from the Institute for Integrative Intelligence in Fall of 2016. She owns Sears Coaching which offers coaching and consulting services to Human Resource Departments. She also offers corporate group coaching and individual sessions. We love celebrating the successes of our students, and we hope her story inspires you on your personal coaching journey. My Coaching Story by: Tamica Sears When I came to coaching, I was an HR professional who thought that I knew what coaching was, but I didn’t. In a previous company, I had been given coach, and it was a horrible experience for me personally. I spent a lot of time thinking that coaching was awful for everyone. Then I changed companies, and they had a coaching program that was vastly different from the previous organization. It was there that I saw what coaching could do for leaders and wanted to learn more about it and how it could enhance my performance as an HR professional.
Coach training with the Institute for Integrative Intelligence allowed me to open my eyes to a much wider range of thoughts, ideas, and experiences. The coaching that I received as part of my training made me a better person, at work and at home. I learned how to be a judgment-free zone which helped significantly with my ability to work with leaders. Being an unbiased sounding board didn't come easily to me. I wanted to bring my own thoughts, ideas, and solutions to the conversation. But coach training helped me discover that not only am I not always right, but that it is vitally important to have different thoughts and ideas presented as solutions to get to the best result. My time at the Institute also helped me learn how to give people grace, hold a space for them, slow down, advocate for the needs of others, and so many other transformations. I have learned that silence isn't awkward, it's necessary. And asking versus telling is so much more powerful. Coaching is currently going better than I expected! It was hard for me to learn something new later in life, so I wasn't sure how well it would go. But as part of my training, I started really examining my limiting beliefs, my "stinkin thinkin" as I like to call it. That has helped me reframe what I thought was possible. Now, I run my business full-time, and I do what I love. Through my coaching business, I am able to help leaders create better work environments. I wish I'd had someone who wanted that when I was earlier in my career. It would have been extremely beneficial. Coaching has added exceptional people and experiences to my life. I am extremely grateful to have been a part of a coach training program that emphasizes community and continuous learning. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  I began my career as a coach in 2005 after noticing that we are living in pivotal times; where corporations often place profit above people, individuals are feeling lost in the “rat race”, and corporate drive is leaving the largest scale impact on the future of sustainability.
As I share in the podcast below, coaching powerfully taps into the next phase of human potential in ways never before experienced. It is contributing to transformative solutions! I am invested in bringing the highest levels of coach training and mentoring into a world that needs people’s gifts, talents, purpose, and heart, now more than ever. The Institute has a strong mission to equip professionals, leaders, and companies to dive into the core of intelligent transformations. We value leaving a positive footprint and being a part of the solution. Our students are torch holders for positive impact, locally and globally, in service to the success of generations to come. Coaching, HR, and More! Imagine if we all had a coach or accountability partner for every area of our lives. What if every workplace was inclusive, equitable, and diverse? What would the world be like? Check out this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show & Podcast to hear what these experts think about it. Host, Kelly Lorenzen, was joined on-air by Laurel Elders, CEO of The Institute for Integrative Intelligence, Mary Henry, Co-Founder or AZ Talent CoOp, and Tamica Sears, The Corporate Fixer at Sears Coaching. These amazing business leaders shared their perspectives on HR, corporate America, coaching, collaboration, mindset and more. Click here to listen to the podcast ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach Happy Valentine's Day! I often share and describe in words how amazing it feels to follow a calling and live it out to fruition. It also feels so fulfilling to positively impact lives and make a living leaving a positive legacy. I want to challenge anyone who feels called to step into their own greatness to follow that nudge!
This week's video is an inspiration to follow what is calling to you and to be of service to others during your lifetime! What is your highest calling? ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Nancy Smyth, MCC, CPCC Director of Training, Instructor, and Contributing Author to Anatomy of Peace www.TwoWiseWomen.org Nancy has been with the Institute for Integrative Intelligence since 2015. In the mid 1980’s, Nancy apprenticed with an Aztec Indian Medicine Man. Her entire apprenticeship was one of learning to see and recognize what was invisible to the eye. Life kept leading Nancy to lend a hand off the reservations as well, to more global communities. Loving the empowering process of coaching, Nancy studied and went on to receive a Master Certified Coach credential through the International Coaching Federation in 2006.
Nancy’s clients include Fortune 500 organizations, entrepreneurs, couples, and individuals. Her focus guides clients to lasting substantial change, both professionally and personally. As a coach, speaker, artist, and poet, Nancy cultivates the experience, understanding, and expression of peace-filled solutions. In 2003, the Arbinger Institute invited Nancy to co-develop and facilitate training for coaches world-wide – The Choice in Coaching. December 2013 marked the 10 year anniversary of this mastery-level program. Nancy also serves as Arbinger’s Director of Individual and Group Coaching, a Global Leader, and an Executive Coach. In our coaching program, she is the course co-designer and facilitator for The Anatomy of Peace. Her presence is delightfully tranquil while being powerfully transformative. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach Happy February!! I'm excited to share that our Spring Coach Training Classes are filling up! I have created a video for those who are interested in stepping into professional coaching and making a career-leveraging move. It is normal to feel scared when a new calling begins to tap on our shoulder. If you are feeling this fear, my video will help you determine if following your calling is worth it.
************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Today I am sharing a wonderful article on the positive spectrum of psychology (growth, inner peace, and fulfilling a purpose). I noted that in this article, the author features the "dark side of coaching". I couldn't agree more. Being in and around higher education since 2005, I learned about "certificate mills". Why go through a robust, high-caliber, rigorous program when you can pay $75 online, receive a few PDFs, and be given a "certification" as a trained life or leadership coach? The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has answered the call. Since 1995, they have been the steward of standard-setting and provide the highest-caliber accreditation to proper coaching schools (I am speaking in the US - I am not up to speed on other country's standards). To me, proper certification means someone else who is trained in current standards of excellence, ethics, and skill mastery has evaluated your coaching skills and determined if you meet or exceed the standard to pass. Proper certification takes place in the ICF's Level One and Two accredited programs. I run the Institute for Integrative Intelligence - a Level Two coaching program. It is a rigorous one-year minimum and completes once you have demonstrated you meet or exceed standards of excellence, ethics, and skill mastery. Certification is only granted if you pass the final Performance Evaluation and complete all of the additional five requirements. My message is "buyer beware". If you are seeking to transition into the amazing profession of coaching, I highly recommend seeking out an ICF accredited coach training program, Level One or Two (depending on your goals). If you ever need guidance on the variety of options to become a professional coach, Lauren and I are here to help. We also have a wonderful team of coaches to support you! If you ever want to hire a life or leadership coach, these coaches are outstanding! 30 Proven Benefits of Life Coaching & Mentoring by: Kori D. Miller Life coaching and mentoring are booming fields.
They are popular professions worldwide and show no signs of decreasing. Certification programs abound, but as you will read, this is an unregulated field. Certification is not required. Testing and licensing do not exist. Unlike people trained as psychologists or counselors who are licensed, life coaches are not therapists. A life coach could have no, some, or extensive education in almost any field and still hold the title of “life coach.” Knowing this, why do people hire a life coach? Education does not equal wisdom, but experience often does in the minds of many. Would you rather work with someone who has traveled the same path and succeeded or someone who has little-to-no real-world experience? Regardless which you choose, you can reap the benefits of a life coaching or mentoring relationship." Click here to read more ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Autumn coaches business owners and professionals using customized methods which inspire and optimize professional potential. She partners with her clients to encourage the authentic self in business while focusing on relational business practices, business development, and organization.
She has well over a decade of experience in corporate America, as a business owner in sales, entrepreneur, and Certified Negotiation Expert. She's parlayed those skills and coupled them with her education and certification in coaching to bring value as a Business Coach and Consultant. Autumn loves making a difference in her client's lives while also being a disrupter of many antiquated business models. She enjoys watching her clients embrace the idea of letting their personality show in their business and then seeing how that connects them to other people on a deeper level. In turn, she witnesses their businesses and/or careers thrive at an accelerated rate. When asked about her journey into coaching, Autumn said, "I was feeling called to coach for two years before I made the leap and followed my heart. The path has not always been easy, but it has been well worth it. If you're being called, the calling won't stop... it will just get louder. I did a lot of research before committing to a program and still feel I made the right choice with the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. I was supported from Day 1 and still have support as an Alumni." ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  I hope your January is off to a wonderful start and feels full of possibility!
Did you know that possibilities not only exist all around us but also within us? This week's article is all about engaging the possibilities that exist within us, especially when life feels challenging. Facing Challenges: Using the Gifts 🎁 of the Human Spirit to Solve Them by: Laurel Elders Vision. Let it illuminate the path to what is calling you. Courage. Let it move you to not look away and step forward. Trust. Let it build the bridge to your success. Grace. Let it lift you above the grime. Commitment. Let it anchor you to the real. Humility. Let it be the keystone of your empowerment. Gratitude. Let it fill you with the blessings of each moment. Love. Let it fulfill your heart with inspired action. Life’s Virtues You may not be able to see, yet feeling their presence sets you free. That which you feel is what becomes real. Everything you need, is planted as a seed within your heart… Which is always the best place to start. What I just shared above came to me in a dream. I woke up feeling surprised and inspired, so I wrote it out fully the next day. The timing was quite miraculous! I had been grappling with my husband being states away from me as he was at Air Force Search and Rescue training. I had been waking up struggling. I felt sad and lonely, like a single mom again. So, I went to my heart for the answer and asked myself, “While he is away following his life’s calling, what do I want to be the possibility of?” Click here to read more! ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Karen is a Social Media Manager who has worked with coaches, entrepreneurs, and business owners who needed help with building an online presence on social media.
She got her B.S. in Psychology and went on to get her M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications. After 2 years working with small businesses in NYC, she launched her freelancing career that helps coaches and entrepreneurs build a community on social media. Throughout her career, she has launched multiple digital marketing campaigns for business consultants, life coaches, meditation teachers, and psychiatrists. She especially loves working with clients who are passionate about their work. Many of her clients don't have the time or capability to handle social media, so she takes on many of the time-consuming tasks, such as community engagement, content creation, and analytic reports. Using her experience working at a psychology research lab, Karen creates content that helps maximize growth and drive engagement. As a result, she has helped many of her clients grow consistently in the form of engagements, followers, and reach on their social media accounts. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  They say that "no success is created in a vacuum." I've also heard that there is "no such thing as an overnight success" because "all overnight success is ten years in the making." It stands to reason that succeeding includes stepping into something that will contain us through the thick and thin.
This week's reflection is about containers. As coaches, we hold space for others, and this provides a container for their success. What space are you holding for yourself? What Contains Your Success? by: Laurel Elders "Success is not perfection, it is preparedness." ~ Note to Self As previously mentioned, each year I reflect on what I’ve accomplished, what I’ve learned, new pearls of wisdom gleaned from any challenges I faced, and what I wish to achieve in the new year. For the last seven years, I’ve honored a personal tradition that helps me embody virtues in my life. For example, one year my virtue was “simplicity.” Everything I did that year, I looked at first through the eyes of simplicity. Simplicity became my container. That year, my life began to flow with greater ease. Every year after, simplicity now comes with me, like a muscle I’ve built, and is now easy to use. I experienced how spending an entire year integrating a virtue into my way of being helps sustain the development I’ve accomplished. We can also learn from the containers we choose. As I lived through simplicity, I learned how simplifying is more efficient than over-complication. I learned simplicity is way more fun, and my work felt lighter, not taxing. I learned how to “work smarter, not harder.” I learned to let go of society’s maxim “you must work hard to succeed” and “no pain, no gain.” Neither were true. I was more successful that year and a happier version of myself. This year, the word that found its way into my awareness is “alignment.” This year is not going to be about making blind choices. It is about taking any choice and finding alignment before proceeding. It is about living each day aligned with my values, my potentials, and my gifts. I look forward to seeing how this shapes the year and what I learn about myself, others, and the world. With our quality of focus, we become a beacon for success. With our quality of focus, we see, feel, touch, and experience life optimally. With our quality of focus, we grow deeper roots. As the saying goes, the deeper the roots, the better the fruits. The irony? When we choose one quality to focus on, we empower other qualities to flourish as well. That virtue then becomes the fertilizer to the entire garden of our life. I invite you to adventure into your potential by choosing a virtue to focus on in 2022. What container can support you in success? How can you bring it with you? ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Carrie is a Spiritual Resilience Coach working with men and women experiencing major life transitions, whether it be in relationships, career, health, or spirituality.
She supports people to navigate through the upheaval and chaos of major life transitions and the sense of profound loss and identity confusion that are part of these changes. She assists her clients in discovering their natural resilience and wholeness when faced with difficult life challenges, utilizing a potential-based coaching philosophy. Ultimately, her clients learn to embrace change as a co-creative partner and transformational opportunity – and even as a blessing – that leads them to creating a life they love on the other side of change. As the founder of Life’s Next Chapter Coaching, her passion is helping men and women accelerate their healing process, discover new dreams for themselves, and consciously and powerfully rebuild their lives. The mission of LNCC is to assist clients to reconnect with their heart, reclaim their power, and realign with their purpose to create their life’s next chapter. Carrie provides mentoring for practicing coaches and students who are seeking ICF credentialing at the ACC and PCC levels. She holds a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology With an Emphasis in Consciousness, Health, and Healing as well as certifications in Grief Counseling, Mentor Coaching, Transformational Presence Coaching, and Relationship and Divorce Coaching. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Happy New Year!!!
I genuinely wish you a fruitful start to an outstanding 2022 for you and yours. I hope you enjoyed the year-end integration process we left you with in December! If you missed it, you can find it attached to that email! Today’s resource is an article about what life coaches do and don’t do. There is so much confusion around this! Many folks I have run into think life coaching is a form of light counseling. I know I was shocked to find out that coaching didn’t include any counseling. Zero, zip, nada. Wow! If you want clarity or know someone who does, today’s outline on coaching is for you. Please feel free to forward, so we can share the education on the key distinctions. Should I Hire a Life Coach? by: Laurel Elders Are you wondering… What exactly does a life coach do? Wonder no more! Today, I will teach you exactly what a life coach does and does NOT do. My name is Laurel, and I’ve been a professional coach since 2005. I started my coaching practice to have a flexible schedule with my kids, leave a positive impact on people’s lives, and make a living doing meaningful work in the world. I now own and operate an accredited coach training organization, the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. I have to admit... I’m a coaching geek! I have so much to share with you on this subject, and I LOVE clearing up misconceptions! Let’s dive in. First, it is critical to understand what coaching is exactly and what coaching is NOT. Coaching is a professional service that invites healthy and resourced individuals to explore and reach new potentials. A professional coach is trained in a Socratic method that enables clients to unlock hidden possibilities, grow new skill sets, and leverage their lives to a new level. This process is called Self-actualization or Integration. Coaches do NOT: give advice, tell clients what to do, take an expert role, or diagnose. Advisors, therapists, counselors, and consultants advise and diagnose. The premise in coaching is highly unique! In coaching, the client is respected as the expert of their own life, and the coach is there to provide a container for the client’s chosen self-actualization process. Coaching includes powerful questions, challenges, accountability, and a safe self-inquiry space ripe for personal growth. You can sum it up this way. Therapy is focused on emotional healing and making sense of the past to inform the present – like an archeologist. Coaching is focused on future goals, attaining those goals, and building a future you love – like an architect. Second, coaches provide programs. A coaching program is a 3-12 month commitment that includes goal setting, action-taking, accountability, and self-reflection. Some coaches may have a niche, like “taking your life back after a divorce” or “career transition”, while others may coach in any area of personal growth. Third, according to research conducted by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), 99% of professional coaches have invested in training by an accredited program. If you are seeking to hire a coach, working with a trained and credentialed coach can make a world of difference. This is because coaching is a peer-regulated industry, so anyone can use the title without any formal experience or training. For example, if someone calls themselves a coach but tells you what to do, they are not coaching. They are advising. It is also good to note that if a coach is trained AND ICF credentialed, this indicates that their skills have been assessed. That coach has also met or exceeded standards of excellence in the field. So there you have it! To close, let’s sum it up: 1. A professional coach does not advise. They provide a self-development space where the client is in the driver’s seat. They offer a robust self-inquiry process that elevates potential, eliminates blind spots, and is 100% client-directed. 2. Coaches offer programs that support integration and self-actualization. 3. Hiring a credentialed coach means that the coach has been evaluated and meets standards of professionalism. Currently, the ICF is the leader in standards and credentialing. I recommend visiting the ICF’s coach directory for a listing of credentialed coaches that have been vetted. I hope this has been illuminating! To learn more about the amazing field of coaching, visit us at www.IntegrativeIntelligence.Global ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Michael Tucker, M.A., PCC, CSM, CSPO is an ICF certified executive & team coach, consultant, author, and speaker who is committed to the acceleration, advancement, and conscious evolution of the human family. His expertise is in supporting organizational growth, leadership development, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by enhancing intuition, increasing empathy, insight decision-making abilities, and collaboration among leaders and their teams.
Although Michael's coaching is industry agnostic, tech companies and AGILE or STEM professionals and investors tend to seek him out. He boldly supports the deeply spiritual and non-spiritual alike and regularly works with CEOs, executives, product managers/owners, entrepreneurs, creatives & on occasion their families. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  At the end of the year, most people focus on New Year Resolutions, and that's great! However, there is another process that can help you enter the year fully integrated. This week's resource is an integration process that I developed. It can help you integrate the past year's learnings and envision the year to come standing on the foundation of your knowledge. This process enables you to start 2022 feeling integrated and empowered. Holiday Message: End of Year Integration Practice by: Laurel Elders Wishing you an illuminating close to 2021 and joyous beginnings in 2022! Most people are accustomed to setting New Year’s Resolutions at the start of each year. Yet, when we only focus on the future, we miss some rich lessons from the year that just passed. Here is a retreat-style method you may follow to gain the most of the year that’s passed and leverage the year to come. Best practice: Set aside a half-day or full-day retreat to reflect and get creative. You may follow this process solo, with your coach, with a friend, or with colleagues. Conduct this process away from home, at a coffee shop, take a hike, rent a cabin or do a stay-cation. If you are at home, you can create a cozy retreat like atmosphere to gift yourself. ~ The Ten Steps ~ 1. List out all of my accomplishments this year. 2. List out what worked well this last year? 3. List what didn’t work. What challenges did I face because of what wasn’t working? 4. What lessons did I learn this year to take with me into the next year? What do I need to let go of this year? 5. What all do I wish to accomplish in the coming year? What lessons from last year will help me? 6. What “quality” will by my focal point this year and will empower me? 7. What are my specific goal statements for this year? List the priorities. 8. What is my empowerment statement for this year? 9. What are my timelines? (Plug these into my calendar) 10.Reflecting on my goals, how would attaining these goals leave me feeling? Create a vision board around these. Additional Considerations: • Step One – you may wish to use a list of life areas, like the Wheel of Life or 8 Domains, to generate ideas. You may also ask your friends and/or coach to send you a list of things you have accomplished. Many of us forget just how much we did achieve. • Step Four - do a ritual for letting go. Ex: write what you’re letting go of on paper and rip it up. Or burn in a fireplace. • Step Six – The quality is one word or phrase that will be your focal point for the year. EX: Alignment, or, Simplicity, or, Synergy • Step Eight – Create a statement that powerfully reflects what you want and wish to integrate that you learned from last year. This statement should illuminate and support you in the year to come. You can read this statement at the start of each month to keep you on track. • Step Ten – This step supports the energy of attracting what we want into our lives. You can take the answers of how it leaves you feeling and create a vision of your accomplishing your goals. Happy Goal Attainment! ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Lauren Stidham is a certified life coach and graduate from the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. She was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona and attended Northern Arizona University, where she dual majored in elementary and special education. Lauren taught 5th grade for 7 years then transitioned into sales. For over 15 years, she trained and empowered hundreds of women while building up her personal spa and skincare business.
In the Fall of 2019, Lauren felt called to do more meaningful work in this world and was introduced to life coaching. As soon as she settled into her first coaching class at the Institute for Integrative Intelligence, it felt like home. Coaching was the perfect place for her to use some of her top strengths like empathy, strategic thinking, and asking deep questions. In the Spring of 2020 (mid-pandemic), she opened her own coaching practice called Blueprint to Bloom and is helping others be the architect of a life they love. She is passionate about helping people get unstuck from fear and confusion, so they can move forward into their full potential! Lauren also assists with admin and operations at the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. When Lauren is not coaching… you will find her reading a book for book club or trying to recreate a Pinterest craft. She enjoys walking, restorative yoga, paddling her feet in the ocean, fiddling with her potted plants, studying the enneagram, and laughing with friends over a caramel frappuccino. ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach  Happy December! Today, we have two more resources to share with you as we roll into 2022. Can you believe it's almost the end of the year? I still remember 1999 and Y2K. Two decades later, here we are.
One thing I am grateful for is that we are growing older together. I am glad you are a part of our community of like-hearted professionals who care deeply about personal excellence and empowering others. Thank you for being here! I hope you enjoy today’s perspective on the upcoming holidays! Holiday Message: Connection over Consumerism by: Laurel Elders Living in a consumerism-centered society has its costs. It means businesses tend towards giving profits a higher priority than people. It means people tend towards placing a higher value on consuming products than on connection with others. I saw this happen in my family growing up. The good news is that this is changing! People are craving more whole-life, whole-hearted living. Many people, without knowing it, are becoming more Integratively Intelligent. What inspires me about Integrative Intelligence is that many companies are starting to embody a more conscious and aware approach to business. They are focusing on succeeding in all areas, not just their bottom line. We are in the middle of the holiday season, and today I wanted to share two things that I'm hoping will be an inspiration to your heart. First, I'm sharing a simple reminder that getting through the holidays with a happier heart is possible when we place connection as the priority. In what areas are you feeling disconnected from yourself and others? What can you do to reconnect? This might be volunteering, a random act of kindness, or calling an old friend. Secondly, I am excited to share that I have created a list of conscious, integratively intelligent companies doing good work globally and using business to elevate humanity. You can check these companies out below! I've personally transitioned to almost 100% plastic-free cleaning products. Voting with your dollar for a more conscious business economy is the best way to effect positive change. Sharing with others evokes a large-scale positive impact. By changing to products like these, I eliminate around 48 plastic containers from going into landfills and oceans annually. If I share with five more people who do the same, we save around 288 unnecessary containers! If those five do the same and then share with five more who switch, we've saved 1,488! If they are also inspired to recommend these products, and each get five more to switch, the saved containers jumps up to 7,488! That is only three referral streams out. It adds up quickly. Feel free to share the products below and invite others to share. There is a better way, and these companies get a shout-out for being a part of the solutions! P.S. I have shopped from each of these companies personally for years and absolutely LOVE them! P.P.S. I do not receive commissions to promote these companies. I promote them because the world needs them, and they exceed my expectations for high-quality products that solve problems. Thrive Market: https://thrivemarket.com/about-us Reel Paper: https://reelpaper.com (plastic-free packaging) Earthling: Plastic-free shampoo, conditioner, body soap, face wash and more: https://theearthlingco.com Blueland: Plastic-free (or drastically minimized) dishwasher tablets, laundry detergent, hand soaps, cleaning products, etc. https://www.blueland.com ************* FOLLOW US AT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeIntelligence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integrativeIntelligence LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A Certified Professional Coach |
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