As we edge towards Christmas and the new year, it feels like a good time to reflect on how life coaching has evolved for me and my clients over the past year, and to look ahead to what 2025 might bring. Change has been a constant theme this year— the kind we choose and the kind that chooses us, and how to navigate change. Embracing change has opened some unexpected doors for me this year. Continue reading for a free download on how to make a change in life…
The Power of Reflection
Two of the key foundations of my outdoor life coaching practice are;
- That self-awareness and reflection are keys to growth, (read more here) and
- We already hold the answers to the dilemmas we face, and often need help to tease and sound them out.
And nature helps us to do so. Whether it’s walk and talk coaching with a client through a London park or discussing career goals online, I’ve witnessed how a pause for reflection can spark transformative insights. That stepping off the hamster-wheel and slowing-down allows space for a deeper quality of thinking and doing. This year, I’ve seen more people than ever grappling with the complexities of midlife and wanting to find simple solutions; a career shift, quest for balance and joy, reigniting a sense of purpose in midlife and more. Coaching outdoors provides that space to think, reflect, and strategise —a much-needed antidote to this relentless pace in modern life.
Adapting to Change
Adapting to change is not just something I help others navigate; it’s something I also face. At an annual festive lunch hosted by my friend and mentor Marienne Pachonick, who is a brilliant architect and businesswoman, the theme was to share a life-changing or affirming lesson. My first thought was, “S**T!” Self-doubt crept in. How would I measure up to the incredible women also attending and speaking?
At the lunch, I decided to lean into my strengths and values – authenticity and honesty, and let go of the expectations, comparisons and pressure I’d placed on myself. I shared that my biggest learning this year – and change – had been embracing AI in my work. Initially skeptical, I’ve been using ChatGPT to draft business plans, social media posts, and blog content. So far it’s allowing me to pose my own questions and thoughts in a new way, that’s practical and useful and is ‘my voice’. ChatGPT has become an unlikely ally this year for me, and although I’m still a little wary, my philosophy so far is to move with the change, learn and grow, rather than resist and be stagnant.
Turns out others are using AI and ChatGPT as a business support, too. This experience has made me rethink how tech can serve as a friend rather than a foe. It also reminds me of an important coaching principle: being open to new tools and perspectives often leads to unexpected growth.
Looking Ahead: Coaching Trends of 2025
From my learnings of 2024, here’s what I predict will shape the coaching world in the coming years:
The Rise of Life Coaching Outdoors
People are increasingly seeking quality time outdoors with a professional coach to reconnect with themselves. My walk and talk coaching in London’s green spaces – one to one, women’s midlife groups and more recently, teams, continue to be a powerful approach for clients to find clarity and direction.
Holistic Wellness
From menopause support to managing workplace stress and overwhelm, we have to better address the connections and challenges of mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing in life and work. Coaching in nature is one of the solutions.
Integrating Technology
Tools like ChatGPT and other AI innovations are already prevalent in the coaching industry as large organisations look to improve general performance and streamline efficiencies. Yet AI and AI coaching is not a replacement for human connection, empathy, understanding and treating people as individuals. Human relatedness must remain at the forefront of tech, AI, AI coaching and business.
Want some coaching questions to reflect on the year? See my blog post here.
Gratitude and Growth
Looking back on this year, I’m grateful for the clients I’ve supported and my continual learning with and from them. I’m particularly grateful to my coaching supervisor, David Linford-Smith, for continuing to shine his brilliant light on my work. And to Charlotte Taylor for her amazing reiki energy. Despite periods of personal self-doubt and setbacks, I’m reminded of the resilience and beauty of the human spirit. And that embracing change, no matter how challenging it may seem or feel, is like a muscle that grows stronger and more flexible with practice.
As we into 2025, I’ll continue to champion the power of human connection and walk and talk coaching, to create lasting change. Whether you’re considering coaching for the first time or returning to explore a new challenge, know that this work is ultimately about you: unlocking your potential, your growth, your journey.
What changes are you ready to embrace in the year ahead?
Download your free exercise on how to make a change in life, here.
Book your free call about working together in 2025, here.
