As I approach the second anniversary of my season for Dwayne, I am very appreciative for all the…read morechoices I have made around self-care. Last summer in late July early August, I decided to focus on myself, this would be a giant step for me, as a self-professed people pleaser, always seeking approval from others. The thought of looking into self-care was way outside of my comfort zone. Folks say that God will place people in your path, this statement, has a new meaning for me now as I am entering in my twelfth month in this "Season for Dwayne". One of those decisions was to engage with a Life Coach, M. Denise Vinson with "Life Changes by Denise". This has proven to be an amazing step for me, the growth I have been able to obtain in my personal and professional life is bearing fruit daily. There are several definitions of what a "Life Coach" is, for me in my "Season for Dwayne", "Life Coach" has meant having a person in my corner in every aspect of my life. Sharing, listening, instructing, guiding, hand holding, cheering, reaffirming, constructing, identifying goals, developing strategies, recognizing obstacles, creating safe space for self-confidence building, and decision-making skills. Not having been involved in any organized sports during my childhood, adolescents or even adulthood, the word coach was a scary thought, the choice to overcome that initial fear of the word has changed my life for the better, allowing me to find things in myself I had never been able to see for myself. Looking for approval in others was a way of life for me, over the past 5.5 decades of surviving life, I feel like for the first time I am truly living a life I can approve of for Dwayne. Self-Love is a huge undertaking, not to mention the fear built up over a lifetime of self-loathing. I can share that I know approach each day with a rewarding feeling of gratefulness, this has changed my view on so many aspects of the day to day that is LIFE. I am going to close this with "If you don't love yourself, how the heck can you love somebody else. Can we get an amen up in here!" As one of my all-time favorite celebrities says every day. "RuPaul"
I share all of this to say Thanks to my "Life Coach" M. Denise Vinson of Life Changes by Denise.