“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what
you do are in harmony.”
Mahatma Gandhi
When I saw Carla Lomenda come down the stairs of her home in
Langdon, I instantly felt like I was visiting an old friend rather than someone
I was just meeting in person for the first time. Mind you, we’ve been working
together via email for almost 2 years! But the energy she had, we started
speaking like we’ve hung out regularly for years.
From the moment we sat down with our teas and listened to
our 5 kids (between the 2 of us!) screaming and playing, I felt at ease.
Carla’s demeanor was relaxing and encouraging – I felt like no matter what, the
next hour would be wonderful. And I was right. Her story was much like mine:
corporate career, trying to balance work and home life, and unhappy with
spending more time at the office than at home with our children. She needed a
change from her high-paying engineering job, and fate had a plan of its own.
Denise: When
did you get your ‘a-ha moment’ and realize the corporate world wasn’t for you?
Carla: In
2010, I was working for a large power company in downtown Calgary, and my boss
and I did not really get along, which was really hard for me since I strive to
get along with everyone. We had very different ideas of how an office should be
run; he was more about the output, and I was more about the internal – the
people. We did not mesh well, and it made coming into the office every day,
leaving my kids with a day home, very difficult. I was essentially paying
someone to raise my children while I went to a job I was very unhappy at.
So I began
meeting with HR every month. We worked on my strengths; strengths are what fill
you up, make you happy. We also worked on my weaknesses; things I’m good at,
but don’t fill me up or make me feel accomplished. We also began working on
listening to my “inner voice” – something I had never done before.
While
meeting with HR, I realized that I really enjoyed my monthly HR meetings more
than the rest of the month in the office, so I began searching for ‘coaching’
classes online. I found one for that upcoming weekend, but it was quite
expensive. So I decided to sit on it, and really think about it. I used to work
with this girl a few years back who moved to another province, and she and I
really ‘got’ each other and while I was considering this coaching class, I
thought to myself, “I really wish I could discuss everything with Jenn.” Then –
no word of a lie – I turned around and there was Jenn. She had come to Calgary
for a meeting, and decided to stop by to say hi to everyone. So we went for coffee,
and I told her everything and she was very encouraging. So I signed up for the
course that night, but I was still worried about how I was going to pay for it.
After the
first coach training class, I just knew I was in the right place. I knew I had
a bigger game to play in the world and one month later I got another confirmation
from the universe. That Thursday, one day before the second set of classes was
to begin, I arrived at work and just knew I was going to be laid off that day.
And, sure enough, I was right. Always trust your gut. But the package and
assistance I received helped to bridge the gap between being unemployed and
deciding on whether to find work or start a business – it was like the universe
was pushing me in this direction. The very next day, I was in this coaching
class, training and learning about negative self-talk and about your future
self – where you want to be. There were so many positive people around me; I
felt like I had found my calling.
D: So what
does a coach really do?
C: A coach
is about bringing your work to life, and helping your life work. I help you
find the answers you’re looking for. And I work with people so they don’t make
the same mistakes I’ve made.
Here’s an
example. When your child is sick, a mom tends to just know what to do. You give
your kid medicine, you give them a cool bath, you lay in bed awake all night
watching them, and you’ll take them to the doctor. But when you’re sick, you
don’t do anything for yourself! Then someone will recommend what to do and you
realize you knew all along what you really needed to do. That’s what coaching
is like – you know all along how to make your business succeed, and coaching
helps you find these answers that are within you. I’m not the expert in your
life – you are – but I help you stand in your expert status of you and your
life. I help you find clarity so you can make quicker and better decisions in
your life and business. When you have clarity, everything is easier. I help you
stand in your confidence and have better relationships.
What kinds
of people do you work with?
I prefer
working with transitioning entrepreneurs or those who want to bring their
business to the next level. It’s what I’m passionate about.
So what does
a session look like with you?
Each package
is different to suite every individual person. No two business owners are the
same. To start, there’s a 1 hour preliminary session. We determine how much you
want to invest financially and internally into your business. Then, over the
next year, we follow a weekly program of phone calls, SOS breakthrough calls
(like when you come up with an idea or you’re stuck), and I help you through
the tough times. We have workshops, and we work on your vision board. Part of
our work together is seeing where your values are and integrating them to find
better work life balance. I hold your vision for you and help you get there. I
help you manage the voices in your head and teach you to balance and integrate.
Is coaching
a new-age thing, or is this something that’s been around for a while?
Every single
successful executive or CEO have coaches. They meet with them on a regular
basis. So coaching has been around for as long as there’s been successful
people. Even Julius Cesare had council around him all the time, helping him
with ideas and bringing things to fruition. In today’s society, we have this
mindset that we must do everything ourselves, and do more than what we’re
capable of doing – be it time, energy, or financially. We aren’t built that
way!
I feel like
I’m an Agent for Happiness, and even though I went through so much prior to
finding my calling, I still found ways to be happy and, most of the time, I
didn’t really need to work at it. Which is why I named my business “LomendaEnergy” – happiness is such a positive energy, and I strive to bring that to
the table with every person I meet. That’s what I want other people to feel
like – happy. Because that’s what life is all about.
No comments:
Post a Comment