Diary: June 2020
A month in the life of a Health Coach
I often get asked what my life looks like since becoming a Health Coach, so each month, I dedicate a post to a behind the scenes look. I spent most of June creating content for myself and other brands, as well as managing my online courses and interacting with students. Remember, this is just the highlight reel!
Creating Recipes for Brands
I work with a few different brands to create recipe content for them, so this month, I spent some time in the kitchen whipping up and photographing new recipes.
If you like cooking and creating recipes, this could be a great complementary revenue stream for your health coaching business. You don’t need to be a chef (I’m not!) just a love for healthy cooking and photography.
If you saw my original blog / instagram from 2012/2013 (you can get a glimpse in my webinar), you’d know that I wasn’t always a good photographer. In fact I was horrible. I look at my old photos and cringe.
But, there are two lessons here:
One, sometimes you have to start before you feel ready…because if you wait to “feel ready” and for everything to “be perfect” you will probably never get started. One of my strengths, is that I have squashed my perfection paralysis, and it’s something I drill into my Health Coach Business Bootcamp students. You cannot wait for perfection! It will never come!
Always take action, then tweak and improve as you go.
I had delicious healthy recipes that I wanted to share, so even though my photos weren’t great, I posted. And that not only got me into the habit of posting, but made me more motivated and excited to invest in myself and my business, by enrolling in photography training courses that would help me up-level this skill. I’ve also taken numerous cooking courses over the years.
Which brings us to lesson number two: Don’t short change yourself. Invest in yourself; in your education and skills. Education is an investment that pays back handsome dividends when you put your knowledge into action.
A key trait of successful entrepreneurs, is that they are always actively learning, improving, and growing. Never think that you’re stuck with your current capabilities. You can always seek out teachers and courses to guide you to where you want to go. With patience, perseverance, and dedication to improve, you can become amazing at whatever it is you suck at now - whether that’s photography, marketing, social media, or tech stuff.
Published a Column in the Newspaper
This month, I was inspired to write an article on wellness, so I wrote it and pitched it to a local newspaper here in Dubai, which got published in their print and online outlets: The Health Lessons we Can No Longer Ignore.
When I first started my business, I regularly wrote articles for various online media outlets in order to grow my traffic and following. It’s a strategy that really paid off. Some outlets pay (although it’s modest), so this could be a smart additional income stream for you, if you enjoy writing. Always ask for a link back to your site.
Writing for other outlets should increase your traffic and following, provide extra income to cover basic business expenses, and even increase your credibility, especially if it’s a well-known outlet.
So Proud of My Sister!
Back in November, my sister, who has struggled with obesity since she was a kid, decided she was “over being overweight.”
And WOW I’ve never seen her so dedicated and motivated before in my life. Since November, she is down 110 pounds and counting! She started documenting her journey on instagram : @theswanproject
Her real name is Susan, but ever since we were kids, I’ve called her Swan. Her middle name is not Ann, but for some reason, I would call her Sue Ann over and over again to drive her crazy. If you say Sue Ann quickly and repeatedly it starts sounding like Swan.
So now, everyone calls her Swan and most people don’t even know her real name! ha!
She has tried to lose weight in the past, and would usually go up and down 30-50 pounds. But this time, something is different. She finally believed in herself. And decided she won’t give up on herself.
With all things in life, MINDSET is the absolute key.
She’s now considering turning her newfound passion for health and wellness into a career, so I’m helping her figure out what that looks like.
As I teach in my Health Coach Business Bootcamp, niching down is incredibly important, so I suggested that after she gets her certifications, she create a food and fitness program specifically for helping those who have 100+ pounds to lose.
I am so beyond proud of her it’s crazy - and I always knew she was a Swan!