Why I Decided to Start Coaching

Woah, a lot of pressure comes with writing this kind of post.

But I wanted to do it. For you and for me.

For you, because as Rust’s community and clients, it’s nice to see behind the scenes sometimes.

For me, to document said transformations happening behind the scenes.

You see, I’ve been helping women for months. No, years.

I’ve always been the first person to say “let me know if you need anything” and pull others aside if they’re looking visibly upset. I’ve offered guidance and support and mentored approximately 8 design interns whilst I was still a student myself.

I’ve always been the girl who naturally falls into a leadership position. The ones makings lists and holding people accountable. Checking in on their progress, celebrating their wins.

Despite not being particularly loud or extroverted, I’ve always stumbled into authority roles. 

If we’re getting super real here, I’m usually freaking the fuck out in the majority of those scenarios.

Doing things on the fly does NOT sit well with me. I like a plan, or at least a vague understanding of what will be involved. I like to know that there’s a goal to be achieved, an item to be ticked. A full calendar that leads to results.

None of which, has helped me find my purpose as a human.

Regardless of whether you’re woo woo or skeptical as heck, everyone wants to find their purpose. Or at least, know that they’ve got one.

I was in the former basket. I NEEDED to know what I’ve been put here to do. I was desperate for answers, for guidance, for a path, and had no idea where to look.

I spent the years between 18 and 23 wandering. Sometimes purposefully, sometimes aimlessly, sometimes at 3am through a night club looking for my friends and a large Maccas fries.

I was wandering through life, not in any particular rush, but only because I didn’t have any desire to do so.

I hate to say that I was lost, because during those years I had a lot of amazing experiences and learned some serious lessons, but when it came to my passion and purpose, boy, I was lost.

Like, stranded in the middle of the rainforest with no compass, no water and no mozzie stray kinda lost. (Yes, I’ve been there. It’s not cute. Rather terrifying, actually.)

I jumped from various degrees, considered TAFE courses – then quickly unconsidered said TAFE courses after looking at their payment plans – and briefly dabbled in the daydream of being an events coordinator (blaming my favourite childhood novel for that one).

Weeks before I turned 23, I lost someone incredibly dear to me. Not lost, died. She died. And it was so sudden and intense and unexplainably devastating that I still struggle to put it into words eloquently. 

It broke me, which in retrospect, was amazing, because I had the opportunity to put myself back together again, knowing that I HAD to do what I wanted. Even if I didn’t know what I wanted yet.

You may be familiar with the rest of this story. I spent two weeks at Christmas moping around my house and laying on the lounge room floor under the fan. I had to go deep, because that’s all I could do at that stage. I lacked all desire to do anything except contemplate life. My life, to be precise.

So, I did all the things and more. Mind mapping, researching, questioning coworkers, tentatively bouncing ideas off my partner. Knowing that I could crack this. I had to crack this. It was now a nonnegotiable. 

Fast forward to a year later. I’ve just turned 24, and successfully left a terrible job to save my mental health. I’m back in retail, but have an escape route. I have a business now.

In August, I go full time. I’m a full time business owner and copywriter. The world is my oyster, as long as I remember to send out invoices to clients. And they pay said invoices.

I’m excited, proud, feeling on top of the bloody world. And yet, there’s a feeling. A little wriggle in my bones. Something is missing.

Not long after going full time, I joined a group coaching program. Terrified, for I was investing more than I’d ever had in savings, but also wildly excited for what I could achieve in the next three months. 

I confessed to my coach about the wriggle. The thing that had been echoing in my brain for months, alongside my podcast (which, thankfully I’d already started working on). I wanted to help women – beyond copywriting. 

I wanted to share my knowledge, my experiences, my stories, my advice. And, I wanted to listen. To hear from the women around me, my peers, and help them overcome the same shit that I’d dealt with just years earlier.

That was at the start of September. We’re in October now. And coaching is all I want to do.

Well, all I want to do through Rust, anyway.

I am still a freelance writer. I am still a podcast host. I am still working on my novel. I am still me, just an evolved version. 

I’m really, truly excited for this next stage of business. I feel like I’m really stepping into my power at the moment, and coming home. 

If you’ve managed to get this far, thank you. I know you’re a true supporter of me, this business and my vision. It may be wild and unfolding and intangible, but it’s all for you.

Until the next brew,

Viv