Her Next Chapters

64. The Power of Coaching, with Guest Shari Biery

• Christina Kohl

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This episode explores the transformative power of coaching and empowerment for mothers transitioning into a new phase of life. With insights from Shari Biery, listeners learn about the importance of investing in their own growth and redefining their identities beyond motherhood. 

• Shari shares insights on coaching and identity 
• Discussion on the coaching role in motherhood and self-perception 
• Shift in mindset regarding personal investment and worthiness 
• Importance of community support in the coaching journey 
• Exploring self-coaching through guided journal prompts 
• Focus on accountability in personal growth and coaching 
• Introduction to the Career Comeback Accelerator program

Enrollment for the Career Comeback Accelerator is OPEN!

  • We begin January 16, 2025
  • Contact me for promotional pricing in December.

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Christina Kohl:

Hi and welcome to Her Next Chapters podcast. I'm your host, Christina Kohl. I'm a mom of three and soon to be an empty nester. I'm also a certified HR pro who restarted my career after being a stay-at-home mom for over a decade. I created this podcast to connect with moms who have an empty nest on the horizon and are wanting to redefine their identity outside of motherhood, which might include a job search. On this show, we'll have raw conversations about our ever-changing roles as moms. We'll hear from women who restarted their careers and share tips for a job search after a career break. So if that's you, you're in the right place. Friend, let's get started. Hi, friends, and welcome to this week's episode of Her Next Chapters.

Christina Kohl:

This week I'm going to be sharing an excerpt from my interview with Shari Biery. Shari is the author of it's your Turn and she was a guest on the podcast just a few weeks ago. If you want to go back and listen to that episode, it was on December 17th. It was episode 62. Let me tell you a little bit more about Shari in case you haven't already listened to that episode. Shari is the founder of Alive with Purpose Coaching. She's a purpose and wellbeing coach who empowers midlife women to reclaim their identities for a healthy next phase of life. And with her, it's your Turn. Book her coaching, speaking and community. Shari brings a unique solution for midlife women, rediscovering who they are, embracing their worth and confidently stepping into a life that prioritizes their own happiness and fulfillment. So as I read that about Shari, it's probably pretty obvious why I'm bringing her back to the Her Next Chapters podcast.

Christina Kohl:

She is like we speak the same language and there was a section of our conversation that we got off in this kind of tangent. When I talked to her for the original podcast, I got off on this tangent around coaching and what it would be like for us as moms because so much of our time at least for me I spend, I feel, like I'm a coach for my kids, I'm coaching and helping others, and so I had asked that of her, and that's what this conversation is that you're about to hear. All right, so with that introduction, let's jump in and listen to my conversation with Shari. Two questions just came up in my mind for us to explore a little bit. One is there was times because I've been a very involved mom making sure that my kids, that they're involved in activities, they've got social connections, they're following up on their academics Okay, let's get a job and just being someone kind of basically being a coach Now that I'm also a certified coach as well, I'm like, oh, that's the role I've been playing all these years with my kids is not being a dictator, not giving them the answers, but helping them be their best version and help support them.

Christina Kohl:

And it just dawned on me. I'm like, well, who's my coach? Like I wish I had someone like me, not a parent figure. But you know, how can we coach ourselves? How can we be that cheerleader and support and advice giver and visionary, maybe even for ourselves? Or do we need to? Can we do that ourselves? I guess it's a dual yeah.

Shari Biery:

I think it really just depends that you know. The answer is it depends, and it depends on what you're looking for. I really fell into coaching. When this all happened, I didn't even know what a coach was, other than, you know, a baseball coach, a track coach, that kind of thing. But really, looking at a coach, I started getting really curious about what could this coach help me do, and I fell into coaching in 2018. And ever since then, I've always had a coach, because a coach helps you see the stuff that you're too close to, helps you break through the things that are slowing you down, whether it's, you know, putting expectations on yourself or you're seeing things, your mindset is different. It took me a while to like really think about investing in a coach for myself because I'm like, really do I need?

Shari Biery:

this kind of thing, but it just depends. It depends on what your goals are thing, but it just depends. It depends on what your goals are, depends on what you want to do. I always say, having a coach, you go further, faster, so you can do this work on your own Absolutely. And you know, I always laughed because I felt like I hit 45 and my stack of books next to my bedside table got really big and it was all self-help, right. If anybody can relate to that. It was like I was just super curious.

Shari Biery:

I have a love for learning. It's one of my strengths and I have a love for community and just being able to put myself not necessarily always one-on-one coaching, but being put in a group. There's something that energy it's. You know, working with a coach you get a different kind of energy. So if you're one who can sustain that and do that on your own, it's absolutely. Yeah, it's possible. If you're a person who's like I, really thrive in a community and I find that I need a little bit more, you know, get that energy from a group.

Shari Biery:

I get so many ideas from others and I find that in my own group coaching programs that I run, women will often say when someone else shares, they'll go oh my gosh, I didn't think of it that way. Or you help me see something else. And so there is that. That's a one piece in community. But I think coaching is one of those, you know, just exploring if it's something you want to do personally. You know, in the book I put journal prompts through who do you want to be? What do you want in your life? You know those are self coaching prompts, type of.

Christina Kohl:

Yeah, I was gonna mention that in reading your book. You've got the journal and it's now it's your turn. And here's some journaling questions like, oh, these are great, and it does feel like self coaching with a guide. I'm wondering, though, if we go back to the investing in coaching, because I know for myself, the first time I hired a coach, first time I thought of the idea of hiring a coach. I'm like, well, we can't afford that. But can we afford gymnastics lessons, baseball lessons, you know, movie night, whatever? All the things that we spend our money on? And if the kids needed something, we would find a way. But I never invested in myself, and I don't think I'm unique in that. Oh, not at all. And I'm wondering for you what was the shift that helped you invest in yourself and to to?

Christina Kohl:

change that mindset or that limiting belief and to change that mindset or that limiting belief.

Shari Biery:

Yeah, it was really like knowing that I was worth. It was that worthiness piece of it. And, just like you said, we do so much when we invest in our kids and that you know different things and just realizing, like really what my goals were. I was starting a business and never did I think in starting a business that I would work on my self-worth, I would work on how I looked at investment rather than cost. Using those different words, the mindset shifts that I have had and my clients have.

Shari Biery:

They say, you know, sometimes I get women who are having some sort of health issues. They've either been to a doctor or you know they're. They're just finding in midlife that all of these things that are changing. And so we have a conversation around that about you know, what does it look like to invest in coaching for your health and what is it likely to help you do in the end? For women that I work with it's oh, I have a plan now for food. I'm eating better. I have a plan now for movement. I have a plan for my social activities. I have a plan for my.

Shari Biery:

You know what lights me up and then having those kind of shifts in our thinking is really helpful when we look at how we've either grown up for our belief systems we have, you know, we have so many beliefs and it's really we're running different programs that we've grown up with. So if you've ever been around, you know we all I always had the financial thought of money doesn't grow on trees, you know. I heard that a lot as kids, so it always put us into a moment of scarcity when you think about that then. So really looking at a lens of through abundance was a big shift for me too is, and working with someone I, you know anybody can go out and figure out certain things. Right, we've got YouTube, we've got self-help books and stuff is there's so much information. And working with a coach, what I found is they've distilled a lot of the information that's out there and it's not information you pay for so much, as it is your transformation in what you're wanting.

Christina Kohl:

Right, right Key. And even for me when I've been coached, the accountability factor is huge, because I might know what to do, but knowing that there's someone who's going to be checking in with me helps me get it done. I have a client I'm meeting with right after this call and yesterday around three o'clock she's sending me a message saying so which of the homework do I need to have done by tonight before we meet? Because she's working on it tonight and otherwise it might take her another two or three weeks or months, but because we're meeting, she's getting it done. So, yeah, yeah, there's a that's a huge part of coaching that I see as a benefit and, like you said, you get there faster accountability is so huge.

Shari Biery:

Know we'll say, I want to try this program or I want to try, you know, eating better food. You know it's very definitely. I run more of a very holistic coaching type of thing program. And for them to say, you know, I can't have my accountability partner be my spouse. It's too contentious, I feel too judged. And that's what I love about coaching too. It's the accountability piece, but it's nonjudgmental. You didn't get your homework done. The only person you're disappointing is yourself. Like, I'm here to help as a coach. Hold you accountable to that if that's what you want. But if there's a reason you didn't do it, then there's something more we need to talk about and just kind of pull that forward of what's really slowing you down. So I love that you bring up the accountability piece, because that is a huge piece in coaching.

Christina Kohl:

So, after listening to that conversation with Shari about the power of coaching and the incredible things that can happen when you decide to invest in yourself, I hope you're feeling as inspired as I was and speaking of taking action to create the future you want. I have an invitation for you. If you're someone on a career break or if you're just ready to make a change in your career, the Career Comeback Accelerator is designed just for you. This eight-week group coaching program is for women who left behind mid-level careers and are ready to re-enter the workforce or simply transition into a new role or a new field. This program will help you build clarity, confidence and a customized plan to move forward. Here's what you'll get inside of CCA Clarity, a job search plan, resume and LinkedIn optimization, interview preparation and salary negotiation coaching, and that's all built in with support and accountability. You will be joining a community of like-minded women navigating career gaps or pivots, and get personalized guidance from me every step of the way.

Christina Kohl:

So, if you're listening in real time, on January 15th when this episode goes live, the next cohort of CCA kicks off tomorrow, january 16th, and there's still space available If you're ready to invest in yourself and fast track your return to work or pivot to a new career. Now is the time to take the leap. Check the show notes for the link to sign up and don't wait. If you're listening on January 16th or later, it's still not too late to take action. Join the wait list for the next career comeback accelerator group. While I haven't set the exact date yet, I'm considering opening the next round this fall or even sooner. By joining the waitlist, you'll be the first to know when enrollment opens again. To do so, just simply send me an email at christina at her next chapters dot com. And one last thing if you're on the fence or have any questions, send me a message or connect with me on LinkedIn. I am happy to chat and help you decide if this program is the right fit for you.

Christina Kohl:

All right, well, friends, that is it for this week's episode. Thank you, as always, for listening in. Have a great week and I will talk to you next time. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope this episode hit home for you and, if you haven't already, be sure to connect with me on linkedin and say hello so I can personally thank you for listening. Until next time. Remember your story is uniquely your own and your next chapters are ready to begin.