Who is The Smile Coach?

Who is the Smile Coach?

There is a very long answer to that question and I hope to answer it in this, my very first post as The Smile Coach.

My idea of being The Smile Coach has been growing in my head for the last few years, its something I've slowly worked on, in between the ups and downs of life.

I've watched, I've listened and I've learnt and now I hope to cultivate something that will be my bright future but there's a long way to go to get to that point, we're all on a journey after all!

In reality, I'm Emma, I'm 38, I'm a wife, I'm a mum to 2 beautiful children, I'm rich in friends and family, I work hard, I am a runner, I play netball, I started a running group which I love leading every week (Bin Runners Rock!) and I don't often sit down for long! But who does, right?

I have always been on the larger side of slim, there is photographic evidence of me being a size 14 at the age of 14, and it's only now at the age of 38 that I'm back there!

Since 2009 I've lost over 6 stone, my trigger for this journey was that I was becoming unhealthy, my gallbladder became blocked in 2008, I spent a week with constant pins and needles all over my body and look very unwell, I had a few gallbladder attacks, including Christmas eve 2008, which was so bad that Christmas morning with my then 2 year old daughter Aimee felt like an oscar winning performance in enjoying watching her open her presents, yet i was in so much pain and wiped out from the night before and I never even saw Santa come down the chimney!

I didn't want to be that big, I was wearing size 22 clothes and was beginning to need a 24, I really didn't want to go there.....so I began to make changes, those small changes slowly began to be become bigger changes and eventually it began to pay off.

In April 2009, I changed jobs, so started in a new office, one of those changes was that I told myself that the cakes in the corner weren't for me because I was new, so that I wouldn't eat them.

Small mindset changes have become a method that I have used all the way along to help me change my behaviours and take control of who I am and who I want to be.

So why has it taken me so long?

Mainly because I do not have the kind of body that easily drops weight, in 2008 I was diagnosed with an Underactive Thyroid and at a point where I took myself to the docs because I thought I was going mad, along came the diagnosis of having a Vitamin B12 Deficiency, which explained the extreme brain fogs that I suffered and still do, but now I know that it means time to top up rather than let it slide. I still think there's another hormone imbalance to blame but I'm no doctor and wouldn't know what to ask for.

As well as food changes I began to make fitness changes, I found a love for spinning, which was fun but bulked me up when i need to lose then tone, I have tried many different classes, from legs,bums and tums, to Zumba to my ultimate all time favourite FightKlub, Troy Dureh's empire is amazing and I even became a world record holder when myself and my Lifey (a very special friend) took part in the worlds biggest Boxing Exercise class in 2015!

I've done fitness weekends, circuit classes, ( I now try not to as I don't like people shouting at me!), swimming, walking, weights, Piyo, Yoga, you name it, I've been there and tried it!

 Running and Netball are the two that have remained with me and I think its because everytime you take part in one of them you have a totally different experience to the last time.

This was me April 2009,3 times the size as my friend!

Luckily in 2018, There is a little less of me!

So where am I going with this Smile Coach Thing??? 

There is a lot more to my path and I hope to cover all of that in other posts, but throughout the years people that I talk to have always asked me Where do i get my willpower from? and they wish that they had my determination.

I have 9 years coaching experience in other areas and that the discussions that I have with my coachees seem to lead to breaking many barriers and them moving onto better things so now I'd like to link that experience into motivating people to get fitter and healthier. 

When I've mentioned my ideas to people, the first thing they say is "Oh, like a Personal Trainer" but no it isn't that, it's helping clients get to the point where they feel confident enough to hire a Personal Trainer, changing mindset and smashing barriers down together helping to make things not seem so scary thorough goal setting and habit changing. The best label I can give it is Life Coach, to give understanding to what I'd like to do.

Basically I'd love to give that determination and willpower to others to enable them to do whatever they want to do!

What's stopping me?

I'm slowly getting there, I'm building plans, I'm working with some clients (who are seeing some amazing results!) in order to gain confidence in coaching the methods that I know do work, I'm researching networking and gaining more qualifications for coaching.

I'm growing my confidence in putting my ideas out there, I'm proof my ideas work, but the world of Self Employment is a scary thought and I don't want to get it wrong. 

I don't know how to build websites, what to eventually charge, how to keep the clients coming' although I'm finding that I'm acting upon things once I've said it out loud, I'm a massive over thinker, so my head whirls with so much information that by starting this blog you can join me on this part of my journey, maybe help me out with info, give me your suggestions, inspire me!

I'm also working on myself, nobody's perfect but you can always learn and improve!

What's next for The Smile Coach?

Well hopefully if you are reading this it means that I have had the courage to post this Blog for the first time!

I then plan to continue building The Smile Coach platform, moulding it into the vision that is in front of me!

This week I will be celebrating few firsts too! I am going away with 7 friends to a beautiful Greek Island to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday, (I've never done this before!) And for me the biggest achievement is that on this trip in my suitcase will be a........Bikini!!!!! I've never owned one before and I'm just going to go for it, you only live once and I've spent many years hiding away, not anymore! 

The Smile Coach and her wobbly bits will be wearing a smile with pride, after all if I don't follow my advice who will??? 

Thanking you for reading my first post, hopefully one of many, but maybe the next one will be after my Greek trip! I hope I've brought a smile to your face and that you will follow my chosen career path in making the world Smile!