LIFEMOVES WITH LINDA
Helping people navigate life’s transitions with calm, confidence and courage.
What Makes Life Move
After graduating college, I found myself floundering and unsure. I wondered what type of career I should pursue and what the future would hold for me. I spent a lot of time trying to “find myself”. My first full-time job was in an office. While the money was decent for an entry-level position, I soon realized that sitting for 8 hours at a time was not for me (even with a strong work ethic, I could not stop myself from falling asleep at my desk after lunch). I then worked in retail sales for several years. While it kept me on my feet, it lacked purpose and meaning for me. After I married and had my daughter, I again found myself wondering which road I was meant to travel. I remembered my childhood dream of becoming a teacher (I would line up my dolls and stuffed animals and talk to them like they were my students...I kid you not!) and went back to school to earn my Masters's degree in Education. It was not easy balancing being a wife, mother, and graduate student (not to mention an assortment of health and family issues). I then began working as a high school special educator and knew I had found the meaning and purpose I had been seeking. All of my prior struggles could be utilized as a way to help my students avoid the same sense of uncertainty and anxiety that I experienced. As much as I wanted to give them the academic skills needed to graduate and be successful, I wanted to help them find the road they were meant to travel and feel confident in their choices. Looking back over my 29 years as a teacher, I feel I had truly journeyed down my authentic path while helping my students to find theirs. It feels like a win/win. I am no longer in the classroom but feel strongly about continuing to help others find their own path with less anxiety and more confidence than I experienced.
A COMPLIMENTARY SESSION
During these stressful times (yes, even happy changes produce anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed), it can be helpful to have a thinking partner to help you fast track your plans, goals and dreams for your future. If you are interested in having a complimentary session to see if we work well together, please leave your contact information here.
DEALING WITH TRANSITIONS
Linda's coaching services
How I got here...
In addition to teaching English, a large part of my career as a high school special educator was devoted to helping students transition to life after high school, whether it was onto college, a training program, internship, or their first job. During that time, students were able to role-play job interviews and write resumes.
I also supervised a college experience program, where students were able to take placement tests at a local community college and audit classes on campus. With an emphasis on time management, organization, prioritizing short and long-term assignments, and negotiating a college campus, these young adults were given a true college experience and gained many real-world skills.
On a personal level, I have also experienced many of life’s major challenges, including dealing with family members experiencing dementia, cancer, mental issues, and enduring the loss of parents. These were truly difficult times. As a person who has dealt with feelings of anxiety and stress during these most personal challenges, I feel strong empathy for people going through similar situations and feel that I am uniquely positioned to help others manage their stressful times with more calm and confidence and less anxiety.
In both my personal and professional life, I have always operated with the belief that without attention to emotional well-being, personal/professional success and a happy, productive life are much harder to achieve and maintain. I bring this mindset with me as I start my next act as a certified life coach. Experiencing life's major events, both good and bad, is part of our shared human experience as we journey through life. I am motivated to assist my fellow humans, as they choose the road they wish to travel and experience all of the bumps along the way. Thats why I started LifeMovesWithLinda.