We are pleased to be featuring Lindsey Roberts as our Coach in the Spotlight in this week’s blog. After a decade in the corporate world, Lindsey re-trained as a Life Coach with The Coaching Academy. Read on to learn more about her journey!
I've always been interested in personal development and helping people, but I have worked in a corporate environment for a decade. In 2019 I had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. I ignored the signs for almost a year, and then my body just made me stop. I was signed off from work for three months and started working with a psychologist. As part of the work we did together, we began to look at my values. I'd never really taken the time to understand or articulate what mine were. The more work I did, the more I realised that maybe my life didn't align with my values. Life coaching kept coming up for me as a vocation that could align with my values - so I found The Coaching Academy online, and the rest is history!
While training to be a coach, I was still very much dealing with my diagnosis and learning how to navigate life after my breakdown. It gave me space to grow, understand more about myself and figure out what I truly wanted to do with my future. I knew that even if I hadn't ever used the diploma to become a coach, the knowledge I gained about myself was phenomenal and helped shape who I am today.
I worked full-time when I started my qualifications, and while I wanted to jump straight in, I made sure I paced myself with the live training sessions and coaching practice. Of course, it helped a little bit that we were in the first lockdown because of COVID, so I had some extra time on my hands!
I think being able to see the magic of coaching in action. I remember when I first got feedback from my clients about how much the sessions had helped them - and I was ecstatic - I helped facilitate that and make it happen.
I started my business, Goal Digger Coaching, to help people feeling overwhelmed and on the way to burnout. I think too many people have felt like that for far too long. So I'm on a mission to change that. I work with individuals and deliver workshops and corporate programmes. My work with Goal Digger Coaching has also expanded into a second business, The Anti-Hustle Club, which encourages people to embrace an hour of anti-hustle every day and take a step back to pause. The Anti Hustle Club subscription box is a mix of self-help and self-care, delivered to your door. It launched in late 2022 and is available online (and soon in stores!)
Ever since my breakdown, I've been fascinated with how the human brain works, keeps us safe, and can often stop us from moving forward. I've seen my clients struggle a lot with it when they find obstacles in their way. This, in turn, has made me think about how conflict and change in the workplace can impact employees' mental health and how organisations can use coaching professionals proactively to help combat these issues. I'd love to dig deeper into some NLP work, but I've just completed my second diploma with The Coaching Academy so I might wait until next year!
First, before jumping in, take some time to figure out if it's right for you. But once you've made the decision - take action - even if it's a baby step - it all adds up! Embarking on a coaching career has been rewarding, challenging, and exhilarating - I don't think there's a better feeling when you finish a session with a client who has made a breakthrough to move forward with something they once couldn't overcome. It's a very privileged position to be in, and I am thankful that this is the path I have forged for myself.
I think the live training sessions are great - but within those, the opportunity to connect with your peers and to put into practice what you are learning. The Facebook community is also great for asking questions and getting support from people who have already been there. Studying remotely has a lot of benefits, but it can sometimes feel lonely, so it's nice to know you're not alone. I'd also recommend the following books as a starting point:
Thank you Lindsey for sharing your coaching journey with us!
If you are feeling inspired and would you like to have a coaching business you can run from the comfort of your own home, then join us on our Introduction to Life Coaching webinar - choose from available dates here.
The Coaching Academy was established in 1999, and is now the world's largest coaching school.
In that time we have trained over 14,000 people to become life coaches.
We are accredited by the International Coach Federation and the Association for Coaching, and we're rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
