I met Chris Randall, otherwise known as Flowcoacher, almost two years ago. It was one of the many beautiful and fruitful relationships that have come from the wonderful world of twitter.
He has become a good friend and has coached me on several occassions. He helped me find direction when I felt lost, identify what my strengths are and bring clarity around how I can use them to help to others and do work that I love.
He helped me find my flow.
Flow is the state of performing an activity, fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement and enjoyment in the process of the activity, resulting in optimum performance.
Until January 2013, my career was on a conventional track. I started in business development out of university and within a few years I was leading commercial teams at the UK’s fastest growing startup, MVF Global. I was at a cross roads and I wanted to explore the world and see what opportunities may be out there for me, but I was scared. Scared to walk away from financial security, career and my comfort zone.
After thinking about it for months, I realised that this was my chance to break away. That I should do it before I have more commitments like a mortgage or kids. I wanted to create a new story and even though I didn’t know what that looked like or, even, who the characters were going to be in it, I wanted to find out and I took the plunge. I quit my job and started writing my blog www.challengesophie.com
It was shortly after leaving MVF that I met Chris. Stage one of my new life involved reaching out to people who’s work I found interesting. I knew there was something special about Chris from the moment I met him. I walked into his office and on the wall was a picture of Mont Blanc in Chamonix. What a great conversation starter!
He explained it was his dream to coach people on the slopes in Chamonix, sharing skiing adventures and helping them achieve their potential. He calls this course 'Steep Learning'. I explained it was my dream to live in Chamonix and that I was on a quest to figure out how I could create a life that enabled me to do so.
We talked about how life and routine can suck you in to the point where you are just going through the motions, almost sleepwalking through it. We talked about what it felt like to be in jobs that didn’t fulfill us and how we would make ourselves feel better by going to the pub at the end of the day. Weeks passed into months like this, and for many, pass into years. We anesthetizeourselves from the pain of doing unfilling work.
Chris helped me make sense of all of this and find a way to bring together work that challenges and inspires me, that motivates me to constantly grow and learn, with making a living. When I’m with him, I feel his dedication to helping me find out what’s going on at my core, what’s in there that is going to help me shine.
We all deserve to shine. We all have things we are brilliant at.
It’s no-one’s job to help us find out what they are and how to use them, and it’s hard. It doesn’t come easy and it didn’t come after my first session with Chris, but each time, he leaves me with enough to feel rejuvenated, excited and focused.
During a Flowcoaching session I feel comfortable and I trust that nothing that happens, or is said, inside the room will be shared with anyone else, unless I want to share it. Although I have an incredible support network with Charley and my closest friends and family, every so often it's great to have time with someone dedicated to helping me unfuddle all the things that are whizzing around in my head. For me, Chris was the right person and his help and support have been invaluable.
Thank you Chris!