Hi, I’m Carla. I’m a mom, wife, daughter, friend, neighbor, business owner, and life coach.

 

A decade ago, I began my professional career as an advisor and instructor for college and university students. Working closely with passionate young people who were learning how to really identify both what mattered to them and what worked for them gave me a deep appreciation for the uniqueness of every person. No two students’ stories and life goals were exactly alike. No one time management tool or single career exploration strategy worked exactly the same way for each person. Every single student I met with had their own specific strengths, limitations, and path of growth to follow – like a fingerprint.

 

I learned through my years in higher education that listening deeply was the most important thing I could do to support the students I served. I was a safe place for their questions, concerns, hopes, plans, and celebratory moments. They trusted me to challenge them honestly and compassionately so that they could get to where they wanted to be. Sometimes it was a hug, a box of tissues, or a gentle nudge to act on what their gut was telling them. At other times, it was straightforward truth, tough love, or getting-our-hands-dirty planning and brainstorming session in the trenches together.

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And eventually, through some really good coaching, I found the courage to apply those principles to my own self. I examined what I truly valued most, what type of vocation really was healthiest for my current season in life, and most importantly, I had an unbiased and outside perspective helping me make solid, well-defined, and practical “next” action steps. I took the plunge, and I left my job to dedicate myself to helping other women experience similar renewal of joy and confidence in themselves as they define what they need and want, whether or not that looks similar to what other women they know are doing.

 

Through Words of Life Coaching, I’m passionate about helping young and mid-life women re-appreciate themselves for exactly who they are. A lot of times, a woman’s values and goals as individuals get lost along the way as she devotes herself to her numerous and changing roles throughout her life. We stop looking at our inherent personality traits as strengths, and instead only lament that we are not like another person we see out there who is doing something “better”. We cope with life shifts and identity crises, because we are strong and care deeply about serving our loved ones and meeting the needs of those around us. In so doing, we women tend to push off changes that we long to make in our life. We put ourselves last or feel like transformational change that could work given our unique circumstances is too far out of the realm of possibility. We don’t even take the time to think about what it would be like to put our own dreams as a priority. We know there is more potential for us, but we aren’t sure we’re good enough to get there, or that we can create a life of greater joy.

 

As someone who believes that we were created for a purpose and in the image of a loving God, I’m a deep believer in your inherent value. And as your life coach, I will empower you to envision and execute a plan that will bring you that positive change in your life that you have wanted for so long. I cannot wait to help you step into who you are being called to be and reclaim your joy.