For the past nine months I’ve been pursuing my master coaching certification. Aaaand…I’m happy to announce the big news that: I am now a master certified life coach (cue applause)!
The certification was intense at times. Every Wednesday night, for example, there was a teleclass at 7:00 pm – also known as Freya’s bedtime. This meant that for at least the first 15 minutes of class, I had the phone to my ear, line on mute, struggling to listen while I tried to calm a screaming baby.
The experience culminated in a 4-day retreat at Martha Beck’s ranch with nine other extraordinary master coaches in training.
One of the most spectacular days of the retreat was when we learned about Equus – an immersive coaching experience with horses.
Horses are an exact mirror of our emotions. When we interact with a horse, there’s no hiding what’s going on inside because the horse will mirror the truth of our feelings.
When it was my turn to get into the ring with the horse and be coached, I was awash with a limiting belief I’ve had for years: “I am too much.”
To me this means: I am too much personality. I am too much bigness. I am too big of a dreamer. I am too much for even thinking I’m too much. Consequently, I must put a cork on it. I must cork myself, so I won’t be too much. I must not rock the boat. I must not upset the system.
When I entered the ring, the horse immediately felt the fear and sadness that resulted from this “too much” story. I tried to overpower the fear with my general love for horses, but that failed. The horse had turned into a 2,000-pound mirror of my inner most feelings.
As this was all going on, I was being coached by one of the most powerful master Equus trainers in the country, Jennifer Voss. She was right there with me, asking me questions, and guiding me through it.
Then, it just happened. I don’t know how. I can’t describe it well in words, but I uncorked.
I let myself go, I surrendered to my power, I didn’t care about anything or anyone else. It was only me, the horse, and the power I felt inside.
I uncorked.
In this state, I felt an urge for the horse to run fast around the ring, so a sound came from deep within me. It wasn’t loud, but it was powerful. And the horse immediately responded with a forceful gallop.
For a few moments, I stood liberated in my greatness, feeling uncorked in the possibilities and potential to help others and the planet. There were no thoughts holding me back, there was no past experience of people telling me to stay in my box. It was just me and the horse – uncorked together.
Then, probably out of habit, I put the cork back on. I snapped out of my power and started to think about the other master coaches watching, and I didn’t want to be too much or take too much time, so I corked back up. The horse immediately responded to my emotions. She stopped galloping and looked at me cautiously, mirroring my insides.
This uncorked state I experienced is in all of us. It’s our ability to stand tall in our power, talents, and core gifts. It’s owning our purpose in life, our driving motivation, or why we get out of bed in the morning.
Unfortunately, and all too often, we keep our power corked inside because we think that we’re either too much or not enough. The problem with corking yourself is that there are people out there who need what you have to offer. Sometimes it’s just a few people and sometimes it’s the masses, and it’s all equally important.
What part of your life do you cork? When and where do you feel too much or not enough (or a little of both)?
Do you hold back in your writing, speaking, or creating? Do you assume others won’t be interested in what you have to offer? Did you create something new and spectacular that you’re not sharing?
I challenge you to take one tiny action TODAY to start to uncork that area of your life where you’re holding back.
Let’s uncork together and stand tall in our power, because the planet needs the full force of what we have to offer.
To uncorking, XOXO
Allyson
P.S.
On 1 January 2018, I am raising my prices for private coaching. So if you want to work with me, let’s do it NOW. Let’s finish 2017 strong and set things in motion to experience + achieve more in 2018 than you thought possible. Click HERE for a free consultation, and we’ll explore what our journey together could look like. Or send me an email with your questions.
