7 Steps to DIY Life Coaching

As human beings, we all struggle through different areas of life. Whether we have a hard time succeeding in relationships, moving forward in a professional capacity, leaving the past behind, or viewing ourselves in a positive light, the hurdles we face are vast and very much real.

In an age of unsurpassed digital access, dealing with these issues becomes even more complex. Let’s face it—it’s not easy to be bombarded daily with photos that can be altered to perfection.

It can be even more confusing to be connected to social media outlets that give us a tempting platform on which to create a version of ourselves for the world to see that doesn’t necessarily align with reality.

There is no shortage of options available to us when it comes to hiding our struggles behind false narratives in this way. Unfortunately, the result is often that we’re left agonizing behind the scenes about how to change things around without making any authentic progress forward at all.

Should I Hire a Life Coach?

Whether we’re facing internal struggles or external hurdles, there’s a tendency to look for solutions outside of ourselves to deal with the problem at hand. Sometimes this comes in the form of therapy. Other times it might mean moving someplace new to attempt a fresh start.

Still, others find incredible value in hiring a life coach to help them meet personal goals. Life coaches are an amazing resource for not only helping someone to recognize unresourceful issues, but they can also help to identify clear, personal goals that can be used to help stay on track with those positive plans.

An effective life coach has the skill set to help those they work with really look inward, evaluate behavioral patterns, and make any necessary changes. They’re a professional resource put in place to help you reach your full potential.

While a life coach is optimal for a person who thrives within an environment of structure and accountability, they aren’t the end-all solution when it comes to changing your life around for the better.

When you take some time to evaluate the resources you already have at your disposal, many people are stunned to find that they have the tools and resources to life coach themselves!

It’s important to note that pathways to change look different for everyone. While hiring a life coach is absolutely the right choice for some, others will find there are simple steps they can implement for DIY life coaching that are just as effective.

The following are 7 simple steps to get started when you’re ready to take a step towards effective change and life coach yourself. These rich and rewarding tools are available to you at no cost—you just have to be willing to give them a try.

1 – Start Defining Your Short and Long-Term Goals

Whether they’re spoken out loud or not, we all have goals in life. Some of these are manageable and others require long-term planning, but they exist.

A hired life coach will spend a significant amount of time building a relationship with a client to bring those goals to light. When you take a DIY approach to life coaching, you already know your client better than anyone else, so you’re a step ahead!

Start with jotting down a few short-term goals and long-term goals in a notebook. Yes, it’s as simple as that.

While writing goals down doesn’t make them magically manifest, it’s a tangible step towards laying out a route to improvement. Be sure to keep goals specific to track your progress in a manageable way. Writing down something along the lines of, I want to be happy, is going to instantly feel overwhelming.

Instead, narrow it down to something like, I want to start each day reminding myself of one thing I’m grateful for in life. The result of daily gratitude tends to be an increased sense of happiness. If you put this small step into place, you’ll be on your way towards reaching the overarching long-term goal of being a happier person.

Once goals are written down, keep them accessible. Being able to grab them and remind yourself of what you’re working towards can simplify things when life feels chaotic. Ultimately, just having a plan in place can be the biggest motivator!

2 – Recognize Your Emotional Responses When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

A hired life coach is responsible for helping their client begin to identify detrimental patterns and behaviors that keep them from thriving in life. When you choose to be a DIY life coach, you have the power to do exactly the same thing daily!

An easy place to start is by deciding to step back whenever things aren’t going your way and really take a hard look at your emotional response. Ask yourself if the reaction you’re having is linked to a specific trigger.

Over time, this simple act of reflection will begin to highlight the root causes of a few things that might need to be adjusted or eliminated from your life. As triggers are identified or removed, the result is that you naturally create room for more positive experiences.

It’s a gradual practice that helps you find a way to begin to accentuate the positive in any situation and gain control over reducing negativity even when a bad situation can’t be entirely avoided. Evaluating yourself regularly in this way may feel uncomfortable at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature.

3 – Host Daily or Weekly Check-Ins With Yourself

When you hire a life coach, you sign on with a professional who is responsible for checking in on you regularly and monitoring your progress as you work towards established goals. When you’re a DIY life coach, checking in on yourself is just as vital.

Fortunately, nobody is more accessible to you than… you! Set aside some time both daily and weekly to assess where you’re at with the goals you’re aiming to reach. This process should include an evaluation of both what you could improve on moving forward and even more importantly, where you’ve been successful.

Be gentle with yourself when you realize you’ve fallen short. Reward yourself when you’ve made noticeable progress. There’s truly so much reward and motivation to be gained from these easy and scheduled self check-ins.

4 – Find an Accountability Partner

Learning to be a DIY life coach should not be confused with isolated growth. We all need an accountability partner from time to time and when you’re making life changes, it’s really no exception to the rule.

A hired life coach would be responsible for helping their client stick to a goal-based plan whether that included a set of physical activities built into their lives or internal reflection time. When you’ve taken on the role of being your own life coach, it’s absolutely ok to turn to a trusted friend to help you do the same thing.

This isn’t cheating in any way. Rather, it’s creating a solid support network which is a positive life move in and of itself.

Choose an accountability partner to share your goals with that has your best interests at heart. Request that they ask you from time to time about your progress as a way to keep you on track. Just knowing someone else knows what you’re aiming to do can be the motivation you need to move forward when things feel difficult.

5 – Identify Your Interests and Make Time for Them

The beauty of hiring a life coach often revolves around the fact that there’s someone around who is pushing you to be a better version of yourself at all times. When you’re attempting DIY life coaching, you can achieve this same objective by keeping your passions and interests top of mind.

Far too often, we sacrifice intriguing activities, genuine interests, and personal talents for responsibilities that pay the bills. While work is undeniably an important element of life, finding any sense of balance begins with recognizing that our hobbies and interests matter too.

Setting a small amount of time aside within a busy schedule to do something you love just for the pure joy of it is a simple way to start investing in happiness and change.

Over time, making passions a priority can lead to an increased drive to strive for bigger and better things! It’s nice to know that this step of DIY life coaching requires no stress—it’s simply asking you to set aside time for fun.

6 – Make it a Point to Try New Things

For all of the valuable time you’ll spend indulging in activities you love to do within a DIY coaching format, it’s just as important to remember that part of growth is facing fears.

A hired life coach frequently pushes clients towards new, and perhaps initially uncomfortable horizons in the name of growth. As a DIY life coach, you need to do it too.

This means regularly asking yourself to step beyond what initially feels safe to begin to learn your limits. It may be something as simple as speaking up in a work meeting when you have an idea to offer. It could be as complex as skydiving.

While you don’t necessarily need to take huge risks to make this strategy effective, overcoming fears of any type leads to growth. As you try new things, you’re bound to identify new things you love, and simultaneously set boundaries when you try something you don’t enjoy.

Incorporating the act of trying new things into your daily life can be a huge confidence builder too. It’s a strategy that asks you to be brave and assertive. Both of these characteristics can help you in your quest for reaching far larger goals over time.

7 – Evaluate Your Relationships

The people we surround ourselves with influence how we see ourselves and how we go about reaching goals. If you find that you’re always in an environment where negativity, gossip, and cutting down others is celebrated, it’s going to be difficult to maintain a sense of positivity when you’re just starting out with DIY life coaching.

Alternatively, if you’re constantly surrounded by people who look the other way when things are less than sunshine and rainbows, it can be tricky to face conflict head-on.

As with all things in life, balance does so much for growth. When you decide to be a DIY life coach, the balance begins with evaluating your existing relationships.

Take a close look at those you trust, spend time with, look to for guidance, or spend the majority of your day around. Ask yourself if the way you feel around them is helpful or hurtful to reaching your goals.

If your relationships are wonderful, it’s truly a gift. If you get the feeling they lean more towards a toxic, or non-supportive nature, it’s time to start weeding some of them out.

This isn’t always an easy decision to make, but it’s an important one. The more support and authenticity you can surround yourself with, the more likely you are to succeed with your DIY life coaching objectives.