Whole-person perspective: Who I am outside of my resume
In coaching, I take a *whole person* perspective, which often surprises clients when they arrive to coaching thinking they will be focusing just on work. But naturally, who we are outside of the office directly influences our experiences at work, and vice versa, so it is fundamental to a successful coaching engagement to embrace the many parts of who we are and to be willing to go deep in order to experience the impact of coaching.
In the spirit of the whole person - here are some things about who I am that are not visible on my resume:
- I am a first-generation Colombian-American and my first language was actually Spanish. I speak both natively.
- I’m a mom to a spunky 4-year old daughter and by far this role is the hardest and most important job that I have. Family always comes first - anyone who has ever worked for me knows this about me!
- I have lived in Paris, France THREE different times in my life and I speak French, though with a bit of an accent despite my best efforts.
- I collect hobbies, crafts, and business ideas like no one you’ve ever met. I become obsessed with something and then decide to dive deep into that for a while, until I find something new. I circle in and out of hyper fixations regularly. Some of the hobbies that I’ve been into over the past few years include: archery, ceramics, knitting, embroidery, indigo shibori textile art, candle making, vintage fashion hunting, and baking focaccia bread. To name a few. Currently, I am knitting a sweater.
- My passions that are steadfast and unwavering and that make me the creative and whole person that I am are, and have always been, Dance and Photography. Those aren’t going anywhere. In fact, I have a separate Photography business AND I’m part of a Colombian Cumbia dance group and we will be performing in the San Francisco Carnaval Parade on May 26th - come watch me dance in my full folkloric attire!
- I’m vegan and have been for nearly a decade!
- I am a “retired” yoga instructor and yoga remains my main grounding and mindfulness practice that informs much of how I aim to see the world.
In one way or another, all of these parts of me do end up showing up in my own self work and, importantly, in how I show up for my clients. While maybe not explicitly (I am not often literally dancing with clients in session 😂), in spirit and energy I am showing up authentically by allowing all of the things that make me who I am be present in me so that I may create enough space and enough of a mirror for my client to be able to do the same. Each of these parts contains wisdom about me as a person and as a coach, and my gift of presence is allowing them all to be valid and honored in a session.
What’s something about you that’s not on your resume that makes you who you are? Let me know in the comments!