Or, I am super excited about being coached!
photo credit catchesthelight
Note: If you do a photo search on coaches in Flickr, lots of pictures of old timey coaches and buses come up. I decided I am far too busy to figure out an image that logically goes with life coaching and decided to have a punny picture instead.
On Tuesday I have my first session with Tim Brownson! It was tremendously generous of him to agree to coach me and based on what I’ve read from other bloggers he’s coached, it’s going to be a very valuable experience. Now, I know a bit of what to expect based on these blogs, especially Jay Frawley’s Inner Noodle series, but there were a few things that weren’t mentioned that I secretly hope are included.
1. Choosing a theme song for my life.
I think I stole this idea from an episode of Ally McBeal that I never saw but heard about. Wherever I got it, it’s a super idea. How can your life really mean anything if there is no theme song? Would you watch a tv show with no music during the opening credits? Heck no!
What I’m hoping for here is not so much all of the onus being put on me to choose my own theme song but Tim presenting me with songs and learning more about me by my reactions to the songs. Sort of a coaching warm up for him, because you’d take a much different approach to coaching somebody who chooses The Rose as a theme song than somebody who chooses Fight the Power. A life coach that doesn’t realize that isn’t much of a life coach, in my opinion.
Here are some good choices that I would present, if I were Tim:
- Express Yourself (NWA, not Madonna)
- Stand (REM, very coachy)
- Simply the Best (Tina Turner, we are both awesome)
- In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins, in case we decide becoming some sort of vigilante/superhero is my chosen path)
- Femme Fatale (Velvet Underground and Nico. Not terribly aspirational or inspirational but I love VU&N enough to get over that. Plus who listens to the lyrics anyway?)
2. In depth detailing of all the horrible people I’ve met in my life and how they did me wrong.
Exactly what it says. Not sure that it would help anything but I would enjoy it very much.
3. Video Montage
This might be tricky to pull together as it’s phone coaching but I think distance video is much easier these days, what with the internet at all. This is how I picture it:
Open: Tim stands before a class of coachees, thumping stick in hand and tells us:
You got big dreams, you want fame. Well fame COSTS. And right here is where you start paying in sweat.
The entire class jumps up in the air and does something. Plie? You know that thing dancers do.
Cuts to: Me welding something, then going for a run and to the grocery store to box a country ham.
Cuts to: Tim in a knit watchman’s cap and sweatshirt, holding a stopwatch and yelling
Cuts to: Me running around some more and getting into a rap battle/dance off
Cuts to: Tim sitting on the sidelines, he shakes his head and puts in in his hands
Cuts to: Me, getting my ass kicked in karate, but then I get up do the preying mantis thingy and VICTORY!
Cuts to: Tim, walks away from my crowd of admirers, down a corridor. He looks back, smiles enigmatically and then opens up his umbrella and flies away. Assorted pyrotechnics.
Music: Final Countdown (Europe)
This will be my winner video and I’ll watch it whenever I need to remind myself I *am* a winner.
3. Tim tells me that he thinks I totally kick Dooce and Pioneer Woman’s butts.
Exactly what it says. Oh sure, he thinks they are great and have pretty nice blogs, but mine is in a different class all together. Groundbreaking would not be too strong a word. The world needs to hear my voice, and he will be the guy who tells me how and where to buy a megaphone so I can make that happen. I cry a little; Tim says “there, there, it’s overwhelming to be so extraordinary isn’t it?” We break for the day so I can let the extraordinary sink in.
4. We look for the hidden wisdom of sitcom theme songs.
Everybody’s got a different kind of story, everybody finds a way to shine
Keep it to yourself, it’s my life
Took a whole lot of trying, just to get up that hill
No matter what the odds are this time, nothing’s going to stand in my way
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot
We agree that today’s tv theme songs leave a lot to be desired and it’s no wonder people are so stressed and unhappy these days.
5. Sing a long to “Every Rose Has Its Thorn“
Tim decides guitar lessons are necessary for me to reach my full potential. And tells me that sometimes the simplest power ballad says so, so much. Except “When the Children Cry” that’s just some insipid crap there.
6. Finally, we decide what I should do with my life.
Write my memoirs and produce them as a musical with score by the Pet Shop Boys, of course. I’m not sure why I needed him to tell me that, but we all need validation. Thinking of Actually Very Tracyesque for the title. End life coaching by remaking the Go West video with our faces superimposed on all the characters. It’s awesome.
I will let you know how it goes. Probably not exactly like I’m hoping, but most assuredly more like what I need.
Be sure to check out Tim’s Blog “The Discomfort Zone”! It’s like having him coach you with less music!
Oh yeah, I forgot, Eye of the Tiger! Eye of freaking Tiger, man! I’ve been singing it all weekend to get pumped up. Tim didn’t explicitly tell me to do this, but it was sort of hinted at when he gave me some “intake forms” to fill out. Totally was looking for me to read between the lines there.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll be really interested in your progress with life coaching. The more I hear about it, the more I think I need it myself.
There are a lot of songs in your post today, suggestive of the place that music has held in your life. I think that, if most people will just stop and think, they will find that music is a big part of their lives. By extension, I’d say that life coaching for you will address the music in your life.
Do well, and good luck!
Mike Nichols´s last blog post..Beyond Zits: Acne and Anxiety Disorders Part 2
Tracy, you are hilarious!
Personally, I don’t really like Dooce, and I’ve never heard of Pioneer Woman. I’ve now seen your blog so that definately makes you better. Extraordinary even!
Can’t wait to see the next update!
Melinda´s last blog post..Free Blogathon April 2009 – Come Join Us!
Oh my lawd. Hi-larious post, T!
Hi Mike! I’m really excited myself. It’s not miracle cure, but I think it’s a great way to break out of old habits. You know me, I will write all about it!
And it’s funny, I am pretty much tone deaf and rhythm impaired, but I am very moved by music. It’s a really good way of expressing mood shorthand, too. Maybe I’ll start giving all my posts soundtracks.
Hi Melinda! Thanks! Pioneer Woman is a wildly successful blog and I really admire all that she’s done and it gives me an idea of what is possible (just like Dooce). All the same, one day they will bite my dust. Oh yeah.
Perhaps Tim should also address my tendency towards being too competitive.
Hi Kimberly! Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!
Tim is great. Good luck, have fun (I’m sure you will) and let us know how it went.
Vered – MomGrind´s last blog post..First Rose of the Season
Can’t wait to see how it goes.
And if you and Tim dress up in those Pet Shop Boys outfits, well I’m guessing you’ll be a hit right across the blogosphere and then some.
Tara@Sticky Fingers´s last blog post..Toxic sweets, cheap tat and redecorating the house: the hell of children’s party bags
Tracy, this was funny! I enjoyed it and that 80′s song toward the bottom. I grew up in the 70′s and I’m older than my parents were when I thought they were old. I haven’t quite got used to the oldies being from the 80′s and early 90′s yet. My daughter is the same age I was when she was born. OK, that when way off topic but who cares. Have fun and good luck!
Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog post..Yes You Can!
Embarrassing true confession: ever since childhood I’ve obsessed over the theme songs that would be playing in the opening of the film that would be made about my life. My current personal favorite is “Fame,” which, I know, is kinda cheesy, but that song always revs me up and makes me want to believe in myself.
Congrats for taking a big leap and investing in your blog. I’m a mixture of jealous (hey I should be doing that!) and impressed (hey I should be doing that!) Your entry today is just hilarious. I can’t wait to find out more: how the coaching is changing your AWESOME BETTER THAN DOOCE ANYDAY blog, but also how it’s helping you to pick your theme song.
Alisa Bowman´s last blog post..How to Be Happy with a Messy House
Tracy,
I read this post thanks to Alisa’s tweet about it, and I’m laughing hysterically. I’m a life/business coach myself for mom entrepreneurs, and I wish just one client would bring your list of expectations for coaching to me. It would make my day. Seriously. After I got done laughing.
Thanks for your wit, and cheers to your adventures in coaching!
Lara Galloway
The Mom Biz Coach
Lara Galloway´s last blog post..Sun. Family. Friends
Hi all! I had my first session today and I think it went very well. The feelings I came away with were energized and enthused instead of feeling overwhelmed, which I think is very positive.
@Vered, I did have fun! Tim is just as nice on the phone as he is online and I laughed a lot. Perhaps I even cackled, which mortifies me only a teeny bit.
@Tara, that’s the goal. Can you imagine how much business Tim and I will get with a viral Pet Shop Boys based video? Marketing gold. Heh, do you remember the Go West Ambrosia ad? Something like that.
@Stephen, oh I know! It throws me for a loop when I see the 90s classics station on the radio. Excuse me? Do you not have any sense of historical perspective XM radio? BTW, your blog has really been inspiring me lately, especially reading your personal story.
@Alisa, it’s a toss up between “Fame” and “Flashdance (What a Feeling) for me! When I was 9 or so, I was totally going to go to Fame High. Thanks for the congratulations, I think you hit the nail on the head that it’s a great feeling to be investing in yourself. Tim is actually doing this pro bono for me (he is extremely generous, I am not sure exactly how many bloggers he’s doing this for but it’s several) but like I told him, just the act of asking was very powerful for me and a huge step. Major.
@Lara, Hi! It’s good to meet you! Working with mom entrepreneurs sounds like a great job. It’s crazy, but one thing I’m realizing is that I just sort of expected that I would immediately understand how to do everything and when I didn’t feel like a failure right out of the gate. One thing that I am so excited to learn is that hey, it’s okay to ask for help and there is help out there to be had.
Hi Tracy,
I saw that episode of Alli McBeal and loved it.
Now that you’ve had your first session, it sounds like you’ll have even more great stuff for us to read. I know you’ll do great. With a sense of humor like your, how could you not.
Barbara Swafford´s last blog post..Give Your Readers What They Want
When the video montage ends and you are victorious, I will be the one that will start the slow, yet constantly increasing applause. I look forward to reading more about your quest for awesomeness.
Hi Barbara, it was great! I am going to write about it today. This has been a hectic week, my oldest had Spring break. I can’t wait for our next session!
Hi Travit, I love you for doing that for me. All I ask of my friends is that they break out the appropriate tv/movie cliche when necessary. You wouldn’t believe how many friends I’ve had to discard because they just.don’t.get.it.
Love the post! Add me to the folks who would use the theme song of Fame to my opening – “Remember My Name!”
Been living that ever since college.
Barbara
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog post..Easy way to boost your optin subscriber rate
Hi Barbara! I never knew there were so many people on the internet with such excellent taste in theme music. We’re going to overtake the world with awesome, aren’t we?
greetings my friend.
i love the idea of having a theme song for your (my) life. i seriously can’t even think of one that i would choose for myself.
i’ll be sure to check back on your progress with Tim.
and Dooce? she’s nothing special to me. so yeah, go ahead and kick her butt (nicely = no pointy toed shoes). if you can’t or don’t ever interact with your readers, what fun is it? never heard of this pioneer woman.
Natural´s last blog post..My Two Left Feet
Hi my two left footed friend! I do respect and admire Dooce greatly for all she’s accomplished but I also think that there is a ton of amazing talent out there that hasn’t found an audience yet. Barbara from BWOB has inspired me to make it something of a project to try and help other relatively unknown bloggers find an audience. I’m super excited about that.
Can I say without sounding crazy that it makes me kind of happy that so many people haven’t heard of Pioneer Woman. She’s wildly popular on IHMMB and for good reason, her blog is very nice but for awhile it was like I’d post a recipe for carnitas or roasted potatoes and they’d be all ho-hum, but then in a couple of weeks almost the exact same recipe would appear on her blog and it would be the best! thing! ever! She’s my “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia”. Heh.
Wouldn’t it be great having a theme music to cue you in as you dive into your blogging routine for the day? It’s been in the back of my mind for a while now. Perhaps it will help us feel more awesome during days when we’re much too frayed around the edges.
Love the picture that goes with this post. Very funny… Initially, I thought you were mocking those who seek the help of life coaches. LOL. But you really did have one? It’s quite surprising you actually needed it.
jan geronimo´s last blog ..Speed Limit: 500 Words